Dressing time with babies can be an opportunity to work in some social skill development. Playing peek-a-boo, singing songs, and making silly faces are great activities when dressing very young children.

Check out this fun craft with foam pumpkins to work on fine motor skill development!

Many people think occupational therapy and handwriting are synonymous. I typically work with younger children so I like to think about what we can do now to support handwriting when they are in school.

Fall is a great time to get outdoors and play with milder temperatures and so many fun activities available. Here are some common fall fun activities and different ways they support sensory and motor development. If your child has and delays that make these activities seem difficult to participate in, please contact us. We can try to problem solve your particular concerns together!

Sleep is a restorative process that allows children’s bodies to be able to learn and play each day. . . . When a child has issues with sleep, it can affect the entire family!

. . .camping might be something that interests you, but is not something you are able to do with your family right now – perhaps due to mobility issues, medical conditions or family situation (with a toddler and a baby, we are not ready to tackle tent camping with them for a while!). Here are some camping-type ideas that you can do in your backyard or living room, along with descriptions on why we love them!

Occupational Therapy and Breastfeeding Support are a match made in Heaven. Read more to find out how they work closely together and why a lactation counselor with an OT background might be right for you.

A lot of people go camping as a way to relax and to spend time together with family and friends but there are a lot of great developmental benefits from camping as well! Research strongly suggests that being outside is good for the mental health of people of all ages as it helps with stress relief and is rich in developmental opportunities for children.

Watch as Whitney Musselman, OTR/L keeps a young child actively engaged in a teletherapy session.

When a child is already upset, sometimes it is best to be close and maintain your own big, deep breaths and wait for them to join your calm rather than you joining her distress.

Wondering how telehealth works for children with sensory differences?

Does your child struggle with handwriting, paying attention to the teacher or trouble staying seated in their chair in the classroom? Telehealth services may be beneficial for your child.

We start seeking oral input for comfort in the womb. Many babies are seen sucking their thumbs on ultrasounds. It remains a sense of comfort into adulthood. How many people do you know that chew gum, sip on a drink or chew on pen caps throughout their day?

Riding in the car can be difficult for children, especially for long road trips. Parents can struggle with finding ways to entertain children in the car while keeping screen time down so their kids can focus on play that will support their development.

Curious about how telehealth works for infants? At Ability First, we use the coaching model to direct and educate the parent on developmental positions and handling with their child.

Playing with cold items and in water are excellent ways to provide calming sensory input for some children.

Sometimes we all just need a break. We seek out a space that is quiet and inviting. We often emerge feeling better, centered, balanced. This space allowed us to balance out our bucket in one way or another. When children are overwhelmed by sensory information, they may need a similar break from activity and sensory input to help balance their sensory bucket.

. . .varying properties of music can effect brain waves, breathing and heart rate which can all impact how regulated we feel.

One of the best analogies I have come across is to think of your sensory system like a bucket. Some people have very large buckets while other people have very small buckets. All of our sensory information (sights, smells, sounds, tastes, movement, tactile information, etc.) goes into the top of the bucket and the holes in the bottom of the bucket allow it to trickle out as we process the information. For most people a bucket that is ½ full is comfortable.

Sidewalk chalk is likely one of the most versatile outdoor activities out there. You have likely seen countless posts about neighborhood movement paths drawn along the sidewalk. Our neighborhood took to writing words of encouragement along the sidewalk for those who were walking to break up the boredom. . .There are so many fun ways to use sidewalk chalk. Many of these could occur indoors or outdoors. These are adapted from a list provided by Linda Fletcher, a very talented Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.

Bubbles bubbles everywhere! Bubbles popping in the air! Bubble on the air and ground! Bubble blowing fun to be found!

Strider Bikes provide input to several sensory systems at the same time, helping children learn to integrate a variety of sensory information.

Are you struggling with ideas to best support your child through social distancing? Are you missing out on opportunities to participate in therapy due to statewide shut downs? Perhaps we can help.