Successful Online Sessions are Possible!

It's been a while and every time I go quiet with blogging, I promise myself I will get better. The good news is the reason I took a break from blogging was because I was actually busy with work. The gratitude I feel for being busy during this crazy time is immeasurable. I love what I do and to be able to continue even remotely felt like such a gift. In July, I was able to slowly go back to my New York City office to see a handful of kids in person, but the majority of my caseload has been remotely and will continue that way with this new school year. 

Unlike March and April when we were all trying to figure out this new way of doing therapy, I feel so much more prepared and ready for whatever gets thrown at us this school year. Not only do I feel more prepared, I have figured out how I can support parents and caregivers for these sessions to be more successful by setting up the environment. With the help of my daughter (illustrator) and my husband (graphic designer), I have created this infographic that I will be sharing with all of my families before we begin online therapy sessions. The suggestions made are not exclusive to therapy sessions and can be used to make distance learning and online extra-curricular activities 

1. Dress in therapy appropriate clothing-I know that we have all fallen into a clothing rut. Why really bother to get dressed if we are not going to be going outside. Keep in mind that kids do better with routine and consistency so if they are going to be on a zoom class or therapy session, they should get dressed just like they would for an in-person session or school. This is especially important for activities that will require them to get up and moving. I like to start most of my remote sessions with a gross/sensory motor activity and it's helpful if they are wearing shoes (if you are a no-shoe household, get a pair of inexpensive shoes that can be worn indoors). 

2. Plan to have a snack and use the bathroom BEFORE a session begins-another thing that I saw a lot of during my remote sessions was kids turning on the camera with a big snack in-front of them. These remote sessions make it much easier for snacks to be at our disposal whenever we want them. This is a huge distraction for kids during sessions, especially if they are presented with more challenging activities. Having that snack right there in-front of them is an easy way to avoid tasks. Typical therapy sessions last no more than 45 minutes so if your child says they are hungry, make a plan with them that there will be a snack waiting for them as soon as their session is over. As for the bathroom, we all know that when you have to go, you have to go but if possible, encourage your child to use the bathroom right before their session begins to avoid a pause in the session. My observation was that it quite tricky for the kids to regain their focus and attention afterwards. 

3. Set up a good work space-I know that space is something that can be quite limited, especially for my New York City based clients who live in apartments and you are juggling parents working from home and multiple children doing remote learning/therapy. I speak from my own personal experience with my 10 year old daughter. While in my head I knew this was going to be a long-term thing, my heart wanted something else so badly that I just threw her at a crowded table with too much junk. That disorganized table naturally led her to be disorganized with her supplies, papers, etc.. No matter what happens with NYC schools, my daughter will be home and we are starting the year off with a proper desk with her computer and only what she will need for school. This designated area will be her own space and will be the only place she will be allowed to do her work. In order for therapy sessions to be successful, do the same. Have a designated space, preferably a child sized table or desk with room around them for them to participate in any gross or sensory motor activities. 

**for kids who have a hard time sitting for long periods of time, consider a standing desk that can be adjusted for them throughout the day. 

4. Physical movement space is a must-kids have never been asked to spend so much time sitting in front of a screen and we forget how much natural movement occurs throughout a school day. Getting up from circle time on the floor to go to their tables, moving from their classroom to the lunch room and specials rooms are all things that will no longer be happening so we must create movement opportunities, especially when we see their focus is impacted. Whether your child will be in school or at home, make sure they are set up with space around them to get up and do some quick physical movement. Some simple movement activities that can be done throughout their school day: jumping jacks, dance parties, freeze dance, running in place or some simple yoga poses. 

5. Only have materials needed for school/therapy sessions on hand-going back to number 3, whatever work space you have set up for your child, only have materials that they might need for their sessions or that particular class. I can't tell you how much time was wasted during some of my sessions asking kids to put away their favorite stuffed animals, books or other toys. One of the things that I have learned and vow to be much better about this year is to send an agenda to my remote session parents at the beginning of the week with any materials that will need to be printed and what we will need for our sessions. If I know a child well enough and know that they will need markers or Legos during their session but having them out before they are needed will distract them from doing other activities, I will ask parents to bring them to them when needed.

6. Set up technology before the session begins-this is especially important for younger children and children who might not have a grownup right there to support them in the moment (working parents, parents/caregivers supporting other children). Make sure that the camera and volume are on and stay with your child until you are certain they are signed on and everything is working with their therapist or with their class. Another important thing, make sure your device is completely charged before your child's day begins and be sure to check on the battery level throughout the day. The more you use a device, the quicker it will go through a charge and if kids are in the middle of an activity and their device dies, it's very hard to come back and attend. 

7. Limit distractions-again, another much easier said than done expectation. But there are some easy things that can be done no matter what your remote learning situation looks like. If your child has a session or class, turn the television or music off and have them put away any toys that they might have in their eye sight. If there are siblings at home, try and have them occupied so they don't interrupt your child's session. Also, if your child needs your assistance during your session, try not to be on the phone as that can be a huge distraction for kids. 

8. Make sure a grownup is available for troubleshooting-one of the things I realized early on is that one of the most helpful things I could do as a therapist is set up an online session in a way that parents didn't have to be involved 100% of the time. This ended up being easier for older children but I did figure out that even for some of my younger children that as long as I was clear with what I needed for each session prior to beginning, things went smoother. My pre-schoolers did great because they had a grown-up assisting them for much of the session but for my older kids who were more independent, I worked it out with their parents or caregivers that they would be reachable via text if I needed something from them. 

I want to end this post with discussing the importance of routine and structure, especially during these uncertain times. Knowing what to expect from their day and what will be expected from them will help children feel more in control of things. If your child does well with visual instruction, set up a visual calendar for the week with when they will be going to school (online or in-person), what therapy sessions they have and any other extracurricular activities that might be involved with. If your child will be mostly remote learning, I can't stress the importance of adding body and brain breaks into their schedule. Whether it be having a dance party between sessions or doing some kind of obstacle course in your house, movement helps with learning. 

The last thing I want to say is that we are all in this together and we are all doing the absolute best we can. This is not easy and none of us could have expected when 2020 started that life as we know it would come to a screeching halt and we would need to make all of these lifestyle changes. Parents, it's okay to feel overwhelmed and nervous about what lies ahead but know you are not in this alone. Find yourself a friend who you can vent to when necessary. Us parents need to support each other now more than ever. This is a whole new adventure and I too am nervous about what will be, but I also know that we all know so much more than we did months ago and that's making me feel a little less anxious for this new school year. 

Good luck to you all! I am here to answer any questions or provide any support I can this school year. I am only a click away and love hearing from everyone. 

So Much Screen Time

How are you all doing? I am sure many of us thought that by this point we would start seeing things go back to some kind of normal after nearly six weeks, right? Each day we're learning that our social distancing efforts are working, but it's hard not to wish that things were back to normal, especially when it comes to remote learning and therapy.

This has been an eye-opening experience for me as both a parent and a therapist and I've learned a lot in the last six weeks that will forever alter my expectations on parents (myself included).  I want to applaud each and every one of you reading this....you're doing an amazing job. You have been handed a giant bag of lemons and are making lemonade out of them. It's not always easy, but you are giving this your all and your kids are going to come out of this not only okay, but great.

One of the things I am hearing from the parents of the kids I work with is that the amount of screen time is almost unbearable. This is especially true for the younger children and those with sensory issues. So many of the kids that I work with were used to screen time being limited to weekends and special events so this is a whole new world for them and they are having a hard time with the adjustment. The thing that makes this so tricky is that some schools are requiring children to be on a screen for the entire school day with the exception of lunch while others have you check in a couple of times a week for meetings and then they expect you to get your work done at your own pace.

Today, I'm going to offer up some tips to help you and your children get through the rest of this remote learning adventure. Keep in mind that every child is different and what works for some won't work for others so try them and see what helps your day more smoothly. Let me be clear about one thing....nobody should be expected to do any or all of these. You are already being asked to do so much more than normal. If you pick one thing to focus on to help you and your child, that is enough. 

1. Make a schedule with your child each day so they know exactly what is expected from them. One of the first things I did when this whole thing started was pick up a dry erase board that we hung up behind my daughter Quinn's work station. Each morning, she signs onto her Google Classroom and writes down her flow of the day. This includes what assignments she has to get finished, any teacher meetups and any extra-curricular lessons that are scheduled for the day. By writing this down, we are finding that she has some control of her day and knows exactly what is expected of her. We also don't have to be on top of her to make sure she is doing what she needs to.





2. Keep a daily routine. This is certainly easier said than done on some days, but consistency and routine will help things feel as normal as possible in this absolutely abnormal time. Breakfast and lunch are at the same time in our house. We also try and build in times for movement for her throughout the school day. What's worked for us is that Quinn knows that every day at noon she has an hour to eat, read, play a video game, etc.. This is her hour to do what she wants (for the most part).

3. Make sure that your child is in a comfortable place with as few distractions as possible. I know that this might be hard in small living spaces and if you have multiple children, but limiting the visual and auditory distractions will help your child get the most out of their lessons. If your child has to be in their room at their desk for their remote learning, make sure that toys aren't strewn about making it more desirable to go and play with them while they should be in class. If possible, make sure all toys and distractions are out of sight before their school day begins. If your child is out in an open space where parents and siblings are also working, make sure they have a good set of headphones to block out as much noise so they can focus on what their teachers/therapists are saying.

4. Make sure your child is wearing comfortable clothes. I know there are some schools that are requiring kids to get into their school uniforms (which I think is a bit ridiculous) but if there is any way to make your kids feel more comfortable in those uniforms, that could help your child sit for longer periods of time. I know I am having a lot of trouble getting my daughter to get out of her pajamas each day but I have found that when she is dressed in real clothes, she has more energy (she won't agree with me but I see a definite difference)!

5. Schedule movement breaks. I can't stress how important it is to get a child up and moving throughout the day. I have already blogged about the importance of this but it's worth repeating that movement has been proven to do the following:
*Improves cognitive skills as they complete these activities. Be sure to up the challenge for them as they become more successful with them.
*Improves focus and attention which helps with the learning process. We must allow time for movement opportunities in order for our children to learn.
*Helps "turn on" your brain (this is proven!).
*Helps a child better focus and attend and also better organize their work.

There are so many ways to add movement into your child's daily schedule. Play a game of Simon Says, run up and down stairs if you have them, create an obstacle course early in the morning that they can escape to when they feel like they need to move. Challenge your child to create an obstacle course using stuff you have around the house. Here are some things you can have them do:
*Find something to jump over (see how many times they can do it in 30 seconds)
*Find something to jump on
*Find something to crawl over or through
*Find something to climb over

Also, use materials you already have in your house. Masking tape makes a great balance beam, colored paper makes great jumping spots and tables make great tunnels!



6. Set up a sensory diet. Like most things, children's sensory needs are drastically different from one another. While some of your children are still getting their occupational therapy services, some are not so you may find that your child is presenting with regression in this area. You may find that your child is seeking more input than usual. This makes total sense given the amount of time your child is spending sitting in front of a screen (therefore fewer opportunities to play outside). Even if your child isn't getting occupational therapy right now, reach out to their therapist and ask them to help you set up a sensory diet that works into your schedule. A sensory diet helps kids get in a "just right" state so they can pay attention and learn. Activities in a sensory diet can help kids who are overreactive feel calmer and unrreactive kids feel more alert. By providing your child with appropriate sensory input, you will find their ability to focus and attend to tasks will improve. It will also help with their ability to handle more challenging activities that are being thrown at them and help with improving their frustration tolerance. 



7. Create a sensory box. This is especially important for older children who feel like their life is completely out of control right now. Like I have already mentioned, the sensory needs of each child are different so deciding what to put in a sensory bin will depend on what their sensory needs are. Here are a handful of common sensory box tools that help improve sensory processing skills in your child. If possible, have your child's occupational therapist go over with you and your child how to and when to use all of the tools. Please be sure to eliminate anything you worry about your child using. For example, if you have a kid who likes to put things in his/her mouth, I would avoid things like putty, kinetic sand or Mad Mattr. Here is a great kit you can get on Amazon that includes some of the following:
*Sensory/squeezy balls-I am a huge fun of the Schylling squeezy balls
*Bubbles
*Theraband
*Putty (my favorite is Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty)
*Fidget toys
*Kinetic sand
*Mad Mattr
*Stretchy string
*Monkey noodles



8. Set aside a few minutes each day to talk about feelings/emotions. You are probably noticing that your child's emotions are all over the place these days. I know from personal experience that my daughter who is usually able to maintain her calm (for the most part) when she is challenged or confused is having a much harder time controlling her emotions. The most important thing we can do for our children is validate these big feelings they are feeling because it is totally normal right now. It is okay that they are feeling scared, angry, frustrated, sad or a ton of other feelings. Their lives have changed in ways that they may never forget and their parents, who are supposed to be able to tell them everything will be okay, can't tell them when this will end and their lives will return to normal. Make sure your children know how to identify their feelings. There are a lot of great children's books out there that talk about feelings including some of my favorites The Color Monster, The Way I Feel, Today I Feel (An Alphabet of Feelings), The Boy With Big, Big Feelings and My Mixed Emotions. I have learned through my social skills group at The Meeting House that children learn so much through these kinds of books and since the characters are struggling with similar things that children are, they are able to better talk about and problem solve through these tricky times.

9. Be your child's advocate. Parents have this unique opportunity to really see what is and isn't working for their children with this kind of learning. You are seeing things that are helping them be successful with remote learning but you are also seeing what isn't working. Please don't be afraid to reach out to teachers or school administration if you feel like you aren't being listened to. As parents, you have the ability to help your child be as successful as possible during this crazy time. If you find that your child isn't getting anything from hours and hours of online learning, tell their teachers. If you find that they are working better on their own schedule, make sure the teachers know that as well. Honestly, there is NO reason a child should be in front of a computer for hours on end being taught.

10. Know when you need to quit. This is incredibly important for both parents and kids. You are going to find that there will be days where your child has just had it and making them push through with all the screen time and remote learning will end up proving to be more stressful all around. It's also very important to keep in mind that once a child check's out, they are no longer going to learn. If you are finding that your child has had enough for the day, take control and tell them they are done and that you will let their teacher know. We need to make sure our kids know that we are just as concerned about their emotional wellbeing as their academics. Actually, this might be a time that we need to be more concerned with their emotional wellbeing over academics. Our kids are going to be okay if they don't finish all of their assignments every single day. We need to take the pressure off of them. Being on top of our kids all day, every day isn't good for anyone and will only cause tension at home to increase at a time where you need to be be maintaining the calm in our households.

11. Take time for you-the most important thing I have to say is that you must find ways to take care of yourself during these crazy times. We are expending an awful lot of energy on our kids, as we are meant to be doing, but we must find ways to take care of ourselves. Nail salons are closed, we can't get our hair done and we can't go carefree shopping these days. Find ways to take care of you for a small amount of time each day. For me, listening to my favorite podcasts or music while taking a daily walk does more than I can explain for my soul than I ever knew was possible. I am seeing things in my neighborhood and appreciating the little things more than I could have ever imagined. I know that this isn't always easy, especially if you are working and caring for your children full-time, but if we don't take care of ourselves, it becomes much more difficult to properly care for all the other people in our lives.

While this new way of life comes with many challenges, I do feel like we will all come out of this better parents, teachers, therapists, etc.. We will have a whole new level of appreciation for things that we took for granted just a few months ago. While we all long for things to return to normal, we must continue to learn and grow in the moment. I end each of my tele-therapy sessions telling parents how great their children are doing and thank them for their support in making each session go smoothly. I need them to know that we are a team and that I appreciate them.

I would love to hear from any and all of you with some things that you have learned through remote learning and therapy. I know that other parents and professionals would love to hear what's working for your family during this crazy time. I am always a click away and love hearing from all of you. One of the greatest things that has come out of this whole situation for me is that I have been collaborating with parents and professionals on a whole new level. I've always understood how important it is to work together in order for the greatest amount of improvement and success to happen, but have so much more appreciation for it these days.

Let's Get That Body Moving....Part 2

Last week, I blogged about the importance of brain/body breaks during this crazy time and provided a bunch of activities that could be incorporated into your child's daily schedule. Things like playing a game of Simon Says, jump roping or hula hooping throughout the school day can help your children reset for the rest of the day. Some kids require more movement than others and for different reasons. Let's be honest, some kids are perfectly happy with not having forced movement throughout their day while others just can't get enough movement. 

As I have been supporting families through this crazy time, some of them have asked me to help create some kind of weekly schedule that will help their children gain some kind of routine. For many of my kids, this involves building in several body breaks. While our kids are spending a lot more time in front of screens, it is often while they are seated. One of the most helpful things I have been using to start my remote sessions before we sit down and do our table work is some kind of big body/movement activity. When we are at the gym for our sessions, we always start with a swing, jumping on a ball or trampoline or some kind of obstacle course and it is such a great way to get them organized and energized for the rest of our session. Since we can't be face to face at this point and most people (particularly my families in the city with not a lot of space for equipment) don't have access to things like a trampoline or large therapy ball, I've had to get creative. With the help of screen sharing, I have been able to find fun ways to get my kids up and moving. There are some really fabulous three to 5 minute movement videos on You Tube that have been a huge hit with my kids. As I mentioned last week, these movement breaks are not only necessary for giving our kids a chance to move around but have been proven to help with improved learning. This is even more important now than it ever was as kids are not getting out. Below, I share with you twenty short videos that you can do at home with your children. Since we are all home, make this a family thing and add a few dance parties or brain breaks to all of your schedules. This will not only be good for getting your up and moving but dancing and moving is good for you emotional well-being. 

The Freeze Dance

Go Bananas

Smallfoot: Do The Yeti

Dancing Robots Song

The Goldfish Song by Laurie Berkner 

The Goldfish Song: Let's Go Swimming 

The Hokey Pokey

Shake Your Sillies Out 

Simon Says

Walking, Walking, Hop, Hop, Hop

Twist and Shout 

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Get Funky: The Funky Monkey Dance

Baby Shark Dance Song

Trolls: Can't Stop The Feeling

Can't Stop The Feeling Dance Party

Animal Dance and Freeze

Move and Freeze

Boom Chicka Boom

Frozen 2: Make Your Move

If You're Happy and You Know It    

Do The Bear Walk


These videos are not only great getting kids up and moving around, but have more therapeutic value than you even realize. Kids will learn how to follow directions, work on improving body awareness and motor planning skills. This moving around will help them with their ability to focus and attend better to more challenging school work or therapy activities. The best part about this is that so many of these are familiar songs or characters which makes these videos even more motivating, especially for those kids we know who totally prefer to sit on the couch! 

This new way of doing therapy with my children has forced me to be more creative and think outside of the box. While I can't wait until the day when I can get back to my toys, equipment and co-workers, I am embracing all there is out there and what technology is allowing us to accomplish during our therapy sessions. If you have any other movement videos that you are using with your kids, send along! I am only a click away and love hearing from you all. 

Get That Body Moving!

I hope that this latest blog post finds you all healthy and staying sane. My daughter is just starting week two of her remote learning and we are all adjusting with our new "normal". We have set up our small apartment with three stations for school and work and so far, it's working. One thing I have noticed being cooped up inside for a majority of our day is how important it is to get up and moving throughout the day. For the first time in my daughter's school career, the majority of her work is done on a computer which means she is spending hours on end looking at a screen and I am realizing how important it is for her to get up and move around throughout the day. Seeing this firsthand has made me realize even more than I already know just how important body and brain breaks are crucial and have been encouraging my daughter to get up and move around, especially when she seems to be getting frustrated by something.

Look at how much active your child's brain is after just 20
minutes of physical movement! 

The importance of brain/body breaks can't be expressed enough. Here are a few of the many benefits of incorporating these breaks into your child's daily schedule while remote learning is taking place:
*improves cognitive skills as they complete these activities. Be sure to up the challenge for them as they become more successful with them.
*improves focus and attention which helps with the learning process. We must allow time for movement opportunities in order for our children to learn.
*movement has been proven to actually help "turn on" your brain.
*engaging in organized physical movement helps a child with being able to not only focus and attend but also helps with organizing your work.

Brain breaks are easy to build into your child's day, especially if they are following some kind of schedule. My daughter gets her daily schedule first thing in the morning and then writes it down on her dry erase board. We know when she will have Zoom meetings and know what assignments need to get done and know when it needs to be completed so we work around that and then think about where to add in some brain breaks. Like most things, what kinds of brain breaks work for children are individual. Below, I share some simple and fun brain breaks that you can do at home.

1. Dance Party-my daughter's go-to brain break is to have a dance party. We have music playing in our apartment all day long. It's something all of us love and helps us focus and attend. When it's time for her to get up and move, she is allowed to pick a song or two of her choice, typically Taylor Swift, put the volume up and just dance. If you have more than one child, put together a family dance party playlist that they can shuffle through during these dance parties.

2. Freeze Dance-during all of my remote therapy sessions, I start with a game of Freeze Dance. Sometimes I have them choose a song which is highly motivating to them to get them up and moving and helps them to get their bodies organized before we sit down and do our work in this non-traditional manner. During each of the freeze moments, I add in some kind of body awareness challenge. For example, I will say to them, "The next time the music stops, make your body a small shape." There are also a ton of really great video options on You Tube that my kids have really enjoyed.

3. Simon Says-this is an easy game to do, even in the smallest of spaces! I like Simon Says because it is always different and you can pick activities that are appropriate for each child. Jump up and down, touch your toes, touch various body parts, do jumping jacks, run in place, and so much more. This is a great activity to get your kids up and moving but also helps with improving body awareness, body strength, motor planning and coordination and improves executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and self-regulation.

4. What's Your Name Workout-I have been doing these workouts with my kids at the gym and they love it because it is personalized for them which makes it feel more special. I have included both the beginner's and extreme workout for you to take a look at. Change things up by having your kids spell out other family members or pet's names. If your kids are struggling with their spelling words, have them practice them by combining it with the these activities.





5. Alphabet Scavenger Hunt-this is also a great way to work on handwriting but the main goal is to get them up and moving around. Give your child a clipboard with a piece of paper with the letters of the alphabet written along the left hand side of the paper. Depending on how much time they have, highlight a certain number of letters and have them walk around their house or apartment and find objects that start with those letters and write them down. If you have siblings, they can compete against each other or work together to complete the scavenger hunt.

6. Play Charades-charades is a fun brain break activity that can be played with a child and a parent, with siblings or as a whole family. It not only gets kids up and moving around, it helps with developing body awareness. You can have kids come up with their own ideas (might be easier for your older children) or come up with a list as a family and throw them in a bowl and pick them out one at a time to act out. Definitely set a timer because it could go on forever and then lead to kids getting super frustrated. For those of you who prefer to have the work done for you, check out some of the great charades games out there: Charades for Kids, Pictures Charades and Kids On Stage.



7. Animal Walk-this is a really fun activity, especially for younger children and can be silly or serious. Come up with a list of animals and talk about how they move before you do this with your child. I am a big fan of using colorful visuals with kids so I encourage finding pictures of a bunch of animals, print them out and turn them over so they can't see the picture. Decide on how many animal walks you are going to do, pick that number of cards and place them somewhere the child can see them and start moving! Maybe find some fun animal-themed music (In The Jungle is a good one!) and have it playing in the background.





8. Yoga-not only do our kids need to move around, they need opportunities to practice mindfulness. That is more important right now than ever before as so many kids are feeling confused and uncertain about what is going on. Yoga is the perfect activity to combine both of these things and there are so many fun videos out there, especially on You Tube (people swear by Cosmic Kids Yoga). I have been using the Super Duper Publications Yogarilla cards with my kids for years and I love them. I actually just purchased a new set since mine are stuck at work to use in my remote therapy sessions. At this point, I prefer the cards just because I feel like our kids need a break from screen time with this new school format. These cards are my favorite because the cards are large and the illustrations are great. On the back of each card, there are regular and adapted directions for children with different skill sets and other activities that can be done.

9. Balloon Games-since we are spending more time inside, I recommend balloon ball games instead of using a regular ball so you don't have to worry about something breaking or someone getting hurt. Just blowing up a balloon is a great activity for kids to help with calming them down and getting them to focus and attend. Here are a couple of balloon games you can have your children play or play with your children during these brain breaks.
*Balloon Toss-set up two spots for you and your child to stand on and tap the balloon back and forth to each other as many times as you can. Keep a tally to see how much better you are getting at it!
*Balloon Tennis-instead of using your hands, make a tennis racket out of a paper plate and stick and use that to toss the balloon back and forth to each other.
*Balloon Catch-try and find something at home that you can use to catch a balloon that is tossed at you. For example, a large funnel or a beach bucket.
*Balloon Head Volleyball-Instead of using your hands to tap the balloon back and forth to each other, use your head!

10. Hula Hoop Games-i'm thinking that now that the weather is getting nicer and my daughter needs more opportunities to move that body of hers, it will be time to get a new hula hoop. The most obvious use of a hula hoop is the traditional way but you can take that and make it more challenging for them. Have them try getting it around a certain number of times or a certain length of time. Keep track of how long they can go so they can see their progress. Here are two other ways to use a hula hoop:
*Hula Jump-stand with the hoop vertically in front of your body and then flip it down towards your feet, jump over it and bring it back behind you. See how many times you can go before having to take a break.
*Hoop Rolling-this was actually one of my daughter's favorite things to do here in Brooklyn. We are lucky enough to have a long sidewalk with not much foot traffic (even less now) where my daughter can see how far she can roll her hula hoop. She really likes to flick it so it comes back to her and one of her favorite things to do was to have contests with me or her dad.

Many of the activities I suggested are ones that can be played inside or in your backyard. Keeping in mind all of my New York City families and their limited space, I tried to suggest things that don't require a lot of space or equipment. Keep in mind that not only do kids need brain breaks, grownups need them too. I can say that I have been missing my morning routines, especially my commute. I am one of those strange people who loves that 45 minutes of walking, movement, etc. before I walk into the office. When your kids take brain breaks, do it with them! In order to keep healthy and sane, we need to make sure that we are keeping our bodies moving. Do you and your family have brain games that you have begun to incorporate into your daily routines? What are your family favorites? It would be great to hear what other brain games people are playing. I would love to hear from all of you and am only a click away.

2019 Holiday Gift Guide-Building Toys and Manipulatives

In today's gift guide, I share some of my favorite building and manipulative toys for children of all ages. Some are intended for a particular age group, while others can grow with your children from toddlers to tweens. I tried to share as many open-ended building toys as I could because I think the importance of this type of play is critical to child development. Open-ended play allows for children to be in control of their materials which encourages creativity, imagination and executive functioning skills. It also has been proven to help children with their cognitive development. In a time when children are being told what to do and how to do it more often than not, I think it is important for us to provide them the opportunities at home/during play to feel more in control.



Lalaboom Popbeads-we all know about the traditional plastic snap lock beads from Fisher-Price that have been around for as long as I can remember. They have been a staple in my OT tool box since I began working, especially with my younger kids. During one of my Fat Brain Toys website searches, I stumbled upon the Lalaboom Popbeads and was an immediate fan. I quickly became obsessed by how they took an already awesome toy and made them even more awesome. This set of 48 snap and twist-together beads work on developing fine motor, grasping and bilateral coordination skills, improve visual motor and perceptual skills while introducing kids to a variety of sensory experiences. The beads are interchangeable by twisting them apart, finding two sides you like and putting them back together.

Elemenosqueeze Blocks-these are a great first set of blocks for your baby as young as 6 month old. There are 26 animal themed blocks, 1 animal for each letter of the alphabet. Since they are BPA free, you don't have to be worried if a teething baby/toddler chews on them.  They are all different shapes and have different textures on each of them. I love that these can grow with your child by using them for different reasons throughout their development. As a baby, they can learn how to grasp and manipulate blocks. As they get older, they learn how to stack and build and as a preschooler, they can be used to teach your kids the letters of the alphabet. Kids of all ages can work on developing grasping, fine motor and manipulation skills, improve bilateral and hand-eye coordination and improve visual motor and perceptual skills while encouraging creativity.





Popoids-I've had these on the shelves at my gym for years and they are a constant favorite with the kids (and me). This set from Romper Room comes with 60 colored mini poptubes and different kinds of connectors and encourages creativity and imagination. This open-ended building set comes with suggestions on things you can make but they really are an invitation to create whatever comes to mind. Popoids are great for working on developing fine motor and grasping skills, increased grasp strength and manipulation skills, encourages bilateral coordination and works on developing hand-eye coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills all while encouraging creativity and imagination.




Squigz 2.0-I have been obsessed with all things Squigz since they first came out years ago and didn't think they could get any better until I saw Squigz 2.0. Essentially the same concept as the originals but these have the ability to stick to each other in more ways because of the new design. This 36-piece set comes with a variety of new shapes and are great for teaching young children about colors. Additionally, they work on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and improves bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination skills while also encouraging creativity and imagination skills. These can be used on a variety of surfaces including the bathtub, walls, windows, mirrors and so much more. Easy to throw in a bag to keep kids entertained while at a restaurant, in the car or waiting for appointments.

Bristle Blocks Stackadoos-another great open-ended building set from B. Toys, this set is recommended for kids 2 years and older but can definitely be used with younger children who are being supervised by an adult. These chunky, soft pieces are easy to connect and offer a multi-sensory experience for little hands. This set comes with 68 assorted colored and shaped bristle blocks and a booklet with building ideas that can be stored in the sturdy jar that they come in. Great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, increasing grasp strength, improves bilateral, hand-eye coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages creativity and imagination.





MagnaTiles-another staple to my holiday gift guide. MagnaTiles are pricey but worth the investment and will last you for a lifetime. My daughter is almost 10 years old and we still have her original set of MagnaTiles and are still in perfect condition. She may not use them as much but they are pulled out from time to time. MagnaTiles are also a huge hit with my kids in my social skills group and are a great tool to encourage creativity and imagination skills while also working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and improves bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination. I like to have my kids at work use different characters and work together to build something for them to then play with the dolls. For example, I have seen kids use them to build a castle for the Disney Princess Magic Clip Dolls. It's so fun to watch them not only create together, but then come up with a story for the princesses. One thing I was excited to learn was that in 2020 they will be releasing a series of new products that will have images on them that will encourage them to build different structures.

Way To Play City Speedway Set-totally love this collaboration by Way To Play and Candylab. If you have a transportation lover in your life, this is the perfect gift. I have used the Way To Play road pieces with the kids in my social skills group and they loved them. It was so fun to see how they would work together to put their road together, adding twist and turns and then take cars for a ride. This particular set comes with 12 Road Pieces that can be connected to make a closed loop and 2 Candylab Race Cars. This open-ended set is great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves bilateral and hand-eye coordination and works on developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organization. And as previously mentioned, this is a great building set to work on encouraging social skills such as teamwork, flexibility and working with other people's ideas.



Build It Blueprint Puzzles-in these clever puzzles, children get to build a structure by following the blueprint. On one side of the puzzle there is a blueprint image and on the other is the exterior of what they are building (doghouse, birdhouse, a cabin or barn). The chunky pieces are great for little hands. I like that kids work on developing bilateral and hand-eye coordination skills while also working on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills. While putting the pieces together, they are also working on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills. Another great feature is that once they are done, the can take it apart and store the pieces in the board.






People Blocks-I have been a longtime fan of magnetic blocks, especially for younger children who have developmental delays. This cute set from People Blocks is intended for children starting at the age of 18 months. The way in which children will interact with these blocks will expand over the years. This open-ended building toy works on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills and encourages problem solving, creativity and imagination.





Design and Drill My First Workbench-I am obsessed with this workbench from Educational Insights! It makes a great gift for kids as young as 3 years old and I can say through experience that kids as old as 6 and 7 still enjoy playing with some of my other Design and Drill sets. This workbench (which comes in two different color choices) includes an electric bolt driver, a hammer, 60 bolts and 60 nails in a variety of colors and a guide that includes 10 different patterns all which can be stored in the built-in drawer under the work area. This is great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, increases grasp strength, improves hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills and encourages focus, attention, planning and organizational and task completion.

Design and Drill Space Circuits-this STEM set from Educational Insights is the perfect set to introduce children as young as 5 to basic engineering. Kids can use the battery operated drill (which they absolutely love doing) to complete 20 space-themed, circuit building challenges that lights, spinning simple motors and more. I have had other of the Design and Drill sets and my kids just can't get enough of using the drill to screw in the bolts. I love how this works on developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, problem solving, organization and task completion while also working on improving grasping, fine motor and manipulation skills and encourages bilateral and hand-eye coordination skills.




Straws and Connectors Building Sets-this simple open-ended building toys have been a staple in my social skills for years and I am always amazed at what the kids will build, especially when they are working together. This set comes with 750 straws, connectors and wheels in 4 different colors, an idea book and a sturdy storage container to keep everything contained. The straws are completely flexible so they can make curves for whatever your children decide to build. Straws and Connectors is great for encouraging creativity and imagination skills while also working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on developing executive functioning skills such as motor planning, organization and task completion.


Bamboo Builder Marble Run-this is another one of those items I would consider an investment piece that your children will use for years and years. There are a variety of sets to choose from and all can be used with each other. Kids can follow along with the book or make their own design. The kits come with a variety of hand-crafted carbonized tracks, bamboo cylinders, and wooden spirals that connect to each other. Some sets even come with special pieces that make music as the marble goes flying down the tracks. Kids can work on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improve hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills and work on visual motor and visual perceptual skills when playing with the marble run. This is also a great activity for kids to work on together and collaborate on what to build, take turns adding pieces and be able to be flexible and take ideas from others.




Young Architect House Designer Set-this is a great activity set for kids 8 and older and introduces kids to the world of architecture. Kids get to build their own 3-D house using acrylic walls, corner blocks, tracing paper and a handful of other tools. Kids can make their own floor plan, including figuring out where furniture should go. Great for working on improving graphomotor skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization, problem solving and task completion.








Jixelz-these small and colorful-jigsaw shaped building pieces are definitely intended for older children who don't have significant fine-motor delays. There are a variety of sets to choose from including, but not limited to, animals, robots and mythical creatures. Kids can use the templates to create something or use their imagination and create something of their own. They can work on improving fine motor, grasping and in-hand manipulation skills, increases grasp strength, improves hand-eye coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning, organization and task completion.






Plus Plus Blocks-another open-ended building set that encourages creativity and imagination skills in children of all ages. These manipulative toys are awesome for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills while encouraging creativity and imagination and working on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills. There are several sets to choose from, including different size Plus Plus Blocks for younger and older children. In my Small Gifts/Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide, I recommended the tubes for on-the-go fun but here I recommend the larger sets that come with a baseplates for some more advanced building opportunities.





Engino Discovery Stem Kits-looking for something for some of the older kids on your list? This STEM set is a great option as it can be used to build 50 unique motorized machines, from race cars and motorcycles to bouncing mechanical creatures. Kids snap pieces together and turn things into moving objects. Great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, encourages hand-eye and bilateral coordination, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning, organization. While the set comes with directions for 4 models, you can go online to find the directions for 46 others.





There are so many great building toys out there that help children develop a crazy number of developmental skills. It was hard to weed out my favorites, especially since there are so many new things hitting the shelves each year. One of the things I did try and do were find things that could last a bit longer and could grow with your child. If you are looking for something a bit more specific for your child, don't hesitate reaching out to me. I am only a click away and love hearing from you all. Also, if you have building sets and manipulative toys that you think are fabulous, please send along! Not only am I always interested to hear what is out there, I know my readers are as well.

2019 Holiday Gift Guide-Crafty Kids!

I think one of the things that I love most about being a pediatric occupational therapist is that I get to play and craft throughout my work day. I love having a job that I get to find products that are not only fun but ones that work on achieving occupational therapy related goals. Crafting with kids can be a fun and effective way of working on developing fine motor skills, increases dexterity, improves hand-eye coordination, boosts self-esteem, encourages self-expression, helps in developing social skills, encourages imagination and creativity, enhances decision making skills and works on developing flexibility.

Discovering new arts and craft activities and projects fills me with such satisfaction. Watching kids play with them and show off their completed projects is another awesome thing to witness. Completed art projects help children feel more confident and encourages them to try more challenging activities down the line.

Below, I have shared some of my favorite craft kits. You'll see that there are a variety of sets intended for children of all ages.


Razzle Dazzle DIY Gem Art Kits-these are a new addition from Ooly and they are an awesome gift for older kids on your list this year. My 9 1/2 year old daughter and her friend spent so much time working on these during a playdate and they look awesome. There are 4 different sets to choose from (Llama, Unicorn, Fox and Lion) and come with all the supplies, including a picture frame to put it in once it is completed, you need. Kids use glue and a little pen to place the different size and colored gems onto the correct letter. This activity is great for working on SO many skills such as improving fine motor and grasping skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, visual tracking, visual attention, bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination and executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, frustration tolerance and organizational skills.




Scratch and Scribble Art Kits- t-another fun little arts and crafts kit from from Ooly that work on developing fine motor, graphomotor skills and visual motor and perceptual skills. There are 8 different sets to choose from (dinosaurs, unicorns and dogs are just a few of them) based on your child's interests. Each set comes with 6 scratch and scribble sheets, 4 with designs already on them and 2 blank ones for them to come up with their own designs. These are also great for on-the-go entertainment as they are small and lightweight enough to throw in a bag.

Klutz Make Your Own Puffy Stickers-this is another big hit with my daughter and some of my older clients at work. It's funny how happy a sticker can make even older kids. This set comes with all of the materials to make 60 puffy stickers. There are many designs for them to color in but also comes with some that are already colored in. Using a special tool and following the easy to understand directions, kids will make their own stickers. Great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, encourages graphomotor skills when you color the sticker in and great for executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organization.






Kid Made Modern Arts and Crafts Library-while some children really benefit from structured art projects with a definite beginning and end to it, others do much better with more open-ended and creative kind of activities. This amazing collection of art materials comes in a sturdy carrying case and features all kinds of materials (including glue and scissors)  that encourage creativity in children age 7 and up. Some of the fun materials you will find in the box are feathers, felt pieces, buttons, pom poms, beads, googly eyes and SO much more. This kit encourages children to use their imagination and be creative while also encouraging the development of fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and improves executive functioning skills such as organization, planning a project and completing it.

My First Arts and Crafts Library-I love that Kid Made Modern realized that younger children would benefit from different kinds of materials and created another arts and crafts library that is better suited for 4-6 year olds. Just like the original Arts and Crafts Library, this kit offers children the opportunity to use a variety of art materials that encourages creativity. The pieces in this kit are a bit larger and easier for smaller hands to manipulate. Kids will use straws, stickers, buttons, pipe cleaners, beads and so many other materials to create. This kit encourages young artists to use their imagination while developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills.

Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics-these make my gift guide every year and for good reason, they are awesome! There are a variety of sets for both toddlers and big kids with themes ranging from unicorns and rainbows to dinosaurs and sports. Sticky Mosaics are great for working on a ton of developmental skills such as color and number recognition, improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and works on a variety of visual skills such as visual tracking, visual attention, hand-eye coordination and visual motor skills. Kids gain confidence and self-esteem as they match the coordinating colored stickers with the number on the picture. When they are done, they have a piece of art they can display at home. Be sure to check out your local toy stores as they tend to have a large selection of these kits.

Klutz Clay Charms-Klutz has made making these cute little charms for a charm bracelet easy by providing simple step-by-step directions. Kids get to work on improving fine motor and manipulation skills, increase grasp strength, work on following visual directions and improve focus, attention, planning and organizational skills when making their charms. Each kit comes with a clay shaping tool, special glaze, 9 bright clay colors, the supplies needed to turn each clay creation into a charm bracelet, a charm bracelet, a display stand and a detailed instruction book.

Unicorn Smile Kit-my daughter never got into the whole slime thing (which I have always been grateful for), but I know it continues to be a big thing with a lot of kids. I love that this kit comes with everything you need, including a sturdy storage box, to make tons of different slime. The kit includes glue, unicorn beads, ink, different kinds of textured materials to put in the slime, slime containers, scents and so much more. It also comes with different slime recipes for your kids to try out. Making slime is great for working on improving fine motor and manipulation skills and works on executive functioning skills such as planning and organizing, task completion, following directions and focus and attention. The great thing about slime is that it can be used to help build grasp strength when they are playing with it.

Aaron's Thinking Putty Mixed By Me Thinking Putty Kit-like
slime, I find putty to be another big hit amongst kids of all ages and I couldn't be more excited about this kit from Crazy Aaron's. Kids can create their very own color changing Thinking Putty in this newest addition to their line of Mixed by Me kits. Each kit comes with 5 tins of clear putty, three Chiller concentrates, three Thriller effect putties and a mat that has all the directions to make a heat sensitive Thinking Putty. The cool thing about this kit is that it comes with a variety of recipes for different ages. This kit is great for working on increasing grasp strength, improves fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, motor planning, task completion and organizational skills.



Trading Card Kit-I discovered these DIY when my daughter became obsessed with making her own Pokeman cards. While she was making those, I thought about what a great activity it would be to have kids make their own trading cards during sessions. This awesome kit from Kid Made Modern comes with 36 blank trading cards, 12 gel pens, 3 foil bags (for those kids who love to open blind packs, this will be a huge hit) and a sticker sheet. There are so many fun things you can do that encourage creativity while working on developing fine motor, graphomotor and visual motor skills with this kit. Here are some ways to use these cards:
*have kids create a trading card with a picture of themselves on one side and all their important information on the other side
*have kids make their own superhero cards. Draw pictures of their superheroes on one side and then have them fill in important information about them on the other side
*if they have trading cards that they love to collect, have them make their own. Baseball cards, Pokeman Cards, etc. Encourage them to think about things that they love and make their own unique trading cards.

Rainbow Weaving Kit-Kid Made Modern has done it yet again with this fun weaving kit for kids 5 and up. As a child, I remember learning about weaving by making pot holders with those stretchy cotton bands and those plastic looms. I was introduced to this kit when shopping at Stoopher and Boots on the UWS last spring and they were a huge hit with my kids at work. Each kit comes with enough materials to make 4 projects. The frames have double sided tape on the edges so there is no glue necessary. Kids can choose their colors or you can encourage them to make a pattern for an added challenge. This is a great activity to work on improving fine motor and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye and bilateral coordination and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, task completion, planning and organization.

Classic Friendship Bracelet Kit-this is another awesome craft kit for some of the older kids. I feel like the older I get, the more nostalgic I get about things from my childhood coming back. I have vivid memories of my collection of embroidery thread and all of the friendship bracelets I made. It makes me so happy that kids today still get enjoyment out of this activity. Not only is it amazing that we have physical ways to show how important friendship is, it is such a great activity to work on developing fine motor and manipulation skills, improves bilateral and hand-eye coordination and encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, task completion, planning and organization. This kit from Purl Soho includes 5 spools of Chinese Knotting Cord, a safety pin and the pattern to make 9-18 friendship bracelets and comes in 6 different color schemes.

Olli Ella Playpa Coloring Rolls (Forest Coloring Roll, Fairytale Coloring Roll)-these came highly recommended to me by the owner of one of my favorite Park Slope toy stores, Norman and Jules and she has never steered me wrong. I've always been a fan of large coloring posters as they are great for kids to work on together and to be used as a bit of a long term group project. Kids can work on developing visual motor and visual perceptual skills, work on grasping skills and develop hand eye coordination and improve focus, attention and organizational skills. I love that you can hang these on the wall with the coordinating paper roller and then you add the benefit of being able to work on increasing upper extremity strength.






DIY Monster Kit-another great craft kit for children 8 and older. Using just a few simple materials, kids can create their very own monster. If you have kids who are interested in sewing and creating, this is a great gift for them. The kit includes a small cushion, two yes, a felt ball, an embroidery hook, needle and strands of acrylic and wool in a variety of colors. Kids work on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improve planning, organization and task completion, work on bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination. Additionally, this is a great craft kit for encouraging creativity and imagination and when they finish their monster, giving them increased confidence and self-esteem.

Tots Art Start-this is such a great starter art kit by Alex Jr. for toddlers who are still acquiring fine motor skills and working on the ability to focus and complete tasks presented to them. This kit comes with all the materials needed for 6 activities...shaped paper for decorating, shredded paper for adding to collages, doilies, colored tissue papers, triangle-shaped crayons (great for encouraging a proper grasp), stickers and two frames around peel and stick center areas. This art kit is great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills in toddlers, works on building focus, attention and task completion and encourages creativity and imagination using a variety of different materials and offers sensory exploration in toddlers which is essential for the development of a variety of skills.



Putting this list together was a lot of fun. Personally, I love doing crafts with my own daughter and was so happy to find some new craft kits that even she at 9 1/2 years enjoyed doing. So many kids prefer to spend time in front of some kind of screen but if you find the right art and craft project, you may be able to tear them away for a little while.

If you are looking for some other kinds of ideas when it comes to arts and crafts, don't hesitate reaching out to me. If you have some favorite craft kits that have been a huge hit with your children, I would love to hear about them. I am only a click away and love hearing from you all.