2020 Gift Guide-Stocking Stuffers and the Small Stuff!

This part of my gift guide is one of my favorite to put together year after year. I try and add as many new items as possible each year but there are some things that are just so good that they must be included year after year. I have included all kinds of fun smaller gifts/stocking stuffers that can be good for kids of all ages and work on a ton of occupational therapy and other developmental skills. You will see there is a real mix of craft kits, sensory materials and toys, games and so much more. One of the things I did was find things that you can find in many of your local toy or gift stores (and please, please, please support your local small businesses this holiday season). Many of these are actually gifts that I give my own family and friends but they have a home in my therapy closet. For example, the Ooly Play Again Reusable Stickers are a favorite of the kids during my therapy session and the kids have absolutely no idea that we are working on improving fine motor and grasping skills, visual motor and perceptual skills while encouraging play and language skills. Every single one of these gifts works on multiple skills. I also tried to include things that keep kids off screens since there is so much screen time these days with remote learning and therapy. In a time where we all feel like there is so much we can't control, we can be more mindful about what kinds of toys, games and craft materials we have available for our children. Another thing I was really happy to include were mindfulness and random acts of kindness cards. We all need to spend time not only taking care of ourselves, but making sure that children develop coping skills during this really unconventional time. 

1. Ooly Play Again Reusable Stickers

2. Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty    

3. Kid Made Modern Rainbow Weaving Kit    

4. Goober Car Pocket Crayons

5. Twee Chalk    

6. All of Us Crayons

7. Super Nee Doh Ball

8. Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets

9. Mr. Potato Head Chips Mini Doll

1. Jaq Jaq Bird Reusable and Erasable Paper Paper

2. The Dollhouse Book

3. Jaq Jaq Bird Bored Boards  

4. Zoo Sticks

5. Bubble Ball

6. Goober Peanut Crayons

7. Kid Made Modern On The Go Coloring Kit

8. OOLY Scratch and Scribble Kits

9. Jaq Jaq Bird Doodle It and Go Erasable Book 

1. Land of Dough Playdough 

2. Me: A Compendium Children's Journal

3. Robot Remix Magnetic Play Set

4. Kiko + Wakka Game

5. Sensory Stretchy Noodles

6. Frozen DIY Color Changing Window Clings

7. Ooly On-The-Go Stationery Kits

8. Funny Faces Magic Sketch Board

9. Sparkle Watercolor Gel Crayons 

1. Emotion Pegdolls 

2. DIY Flip Books 

3. Tenzi

4. WHATCHAMADRAWIT Game

5. Giraffe Poptubes/Hot Dog Poptubes

6. Random Acts of Kindness Cards

7. Mad Mattr Bakery Activity Set

8. Mindfulness Activity Cards 

9. Disney Princess Magic Clip Dolls

1. Razzle Dazzle DIY Gem Art Kit

2. Mad Libs

3. Sticker Puzzles 

4. Speak & Spell 

5. Jixelz 

6. Wikki Stix Game

7. Hog Wild Animal Popper Toys

8. Plus Plus Blocks

9. Hidden Pictures Books

I could have kept going with this list because there is just so much great stuff out there. I was excited to include some toys from my youth like the Speak and Spell, Mad Libs and Highlights Hidden Pictures books. It's amazing how some of these things don't lose their appeal even years and years later. If you are looking for specific recommendations for someone on your gift list this year, please reach out because I have so much more to suggest. Also, please let me know if you found some kind of amazing stocking stuffer or small gift that I should know about. I am always looking for new things to keep my kids motivated during their occupational therapy sessions in-person and while on remote sessions. I am only a click away and LOVE hearing from everyone. 

I must end by encouraging you to check out your local gift and toy stores this holiday season. While the holiday season is always important for these stores, this year it is so much more important after such a rocky several months of the pandemic. I was very mindful about including things that are easily found in smaller stores. Below, I share (again), the stores that I love in my home and work neighborhoods. Please feel free to share your favorite stores and where they are located:

Norman and Jules, Brooklyn  

Pink Olive, multiple locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and upstate New York

Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store, Park Slope 

Lulu's Cuts and Toys, Park Slope

Little Things Toy Store, Park Slope

Stationery and Toy World, UWS 

West Side Kids, UWS

Kidding Around Toys, Chelsea 

Mary Arnold Toys, UES

2020 Holiday Gift Guide-Game Time!

Winter always means more indoor times and with concerns about another wave of Covid-19 cases as we enter the holiday season, I anticipate people will be spending a lot more time indoors as a family. There are only so many television shows one can binge and I get the sense that people are looking for ways to connect that don’t involve a screen given amount of time people are spending with remote learning and work. Now seems like an ideal time to re-evaluate your game closet and make sure you have some games that will keep the whole family entertained. Below, I share a handful of this year’s favorites. I am excited to have some amazing game suggestions from my colleague, speech therapist Jacki Barredo, that are geared towards older kids and have a speech and language twist to them. I have also tried to add a handful of board games that encourage movement as I think it's so important that no matter what happens with the pandemic, we keep kids active because it is proven that children learn better and are more emotionally balanced when their bodies are given the opportunity to get up and move. 

Wriggleworms-I am a complete sucker for any game that has some kind of grabber to pick up pieces so when I saw this game I was sold. For the little ones on your gift list this year, this is a simple game packed with fun ways to work on developing a variety of skills. The game comes with 20 stretchy worms in 4 colors and 2 different lengths and 20 cards (10 with numbers, 8 critical thinking and 2 size outlines). Kids spin a spinner and they either collect a worm of the same color or the number of worms that they land on. The goal of the game is to be the player to collect the larger number of worms. My favorite part is that they have to use the provided tongs to remove the worms from the game board which is a wonderful way to work on increasing grasp strength and improve manipulation skills. In addition to working on fine motor skills, children learn about colors and size, can practice working on sorting skills, counting and be introduced to early math skills. 

Share And Sparkle Game-The Rainbow Fish is a popular children’s book that teaches children about the importance of being kind, sharing and what it means to be a good friend. In this cooperative, educational game, children must work together to collect all of the Rainbow Fish’s sparkly scales so he can swim in the waves before they reach the shore. Cooperative games are a great way for children or families to learn that there is more to playing a game than winning or losing. In addition to working on improving play skills, children can work on developing fine motor and grasping skills, hand-eye coordination and visual perceptual skills. 

The Color Monster Game-based on one of my favorite children’s books about learning how to identify and understand feelings, The Color Monster game seems to be a much needed resources for young children during these crazy times. Children (and their grownups!) are feeling lot of big feelings and sometimes that can be very confusing. In this collaborative game, children work take turns rolling the dice to move the monster around the board to try and fill up the jars by matching the emotion tokens to the correct colored jar. In order to pick up an emotion coin, children have to share a memory or experience they had with whichever feeling they pick up (Happiness, Sadness, Anger, Fear or Calm). The game is finished when all the correct emotion tokens are in the correct jar. 

Don't Break The Ice-a classic children's game perfect for preschoolers, Don't Break the Ice is a two to four player game where the object is to keep Phillip the Penguin on top of the ice as long as you can while you tap out pieces of ice. Using a little mallet, kids tap out ice pieces but it requires thought and patience to choose a piece that won't make the whole board break. This game is perfect for the little ones in your life who are just starting to learn about turn taking. It also works on developing hand-eye coordination, bilateral coordination and can improve grasping and manipulation skills. 

Pancake Pileup-this game is a huge hit both at my sensory gym and with my kids at The Meeting House. What I love about Pancake Pileup is that you can play it in so many ways depending on your child's goals. This game has been a good one to play on my remote sessions to add a gross motor component. It is traditionally a relay-style game where kids pick a card and then try and be the first to stack their pancakes in the correct order; pancakes are on one end of the room and the plate is on the other. If you have several kids you can do a relay race where one kid picks up the first pancake, hands off the spatula to the next kid and continue until the card is complete. Pancake Pileup is great for working on improving visual perceptual skills, hand-eye coordination, sequencing and executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and regulation skills. Additionally, you can improve gross motor skills by giving the kids physical challenges such as jumping, walking backwards, etc. 

First Orchard-one of the things I am hearing from many of my families is their concerns about their very young children missing out on critical opportunities to socialize and learn early academic skills. I am here to reassure parents of young children that there are so many other ways to support your children during this crazy time and the most important way is through play. If your toddler isn't going to school, collaborative games like First Orchard are great for teaching them about working together, color recognition and early counting skills. Together, children (and their grownups if necessary) work together to pick the fruits from the trees before the raven reaches the end of the path. First Orchard is similar to Hi Ho Cherry O but I am always a big fan of toys/products made from wood for sustainability. In addition to working on the aforementioned skills, First Orchard encourages fine motor and manipulations skill and hand-eye coordination.

Little Red Riding Hood Game-this is a great game to work on problem solving and logical reasoning with preschoolers and young school-age children. The point of the game is to get Little Red Riding Hood to grandma’s house by creating the correct path. There are 48-challenge cards and each one starts with a guide to how to place the pieces (Little Red Riding Hood, grandma’s house, trees and the wolf) on the board and fill in the path using the correct pieces. While they say this is a 1-player game, I think it would be a great game for kids to work on together in order to solve the challenge. In addition to cognitive skills, this game works on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves visual-spatial and perceptual skills and increases executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organizational skills.

Mr. Mouth-I love when games from my childhood make a comeback and even more happy when said games end up being favorites for the kids that I work with. Mr. Mouth is great for older preschoolers and school-age kids to work on improving hand-eye coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and a great game for working on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, regulation and organizational skills. Be the first to get all of your bugs into the mouth. Sounds easy but you have to time it just right which can be tricky. For my younger kids who might be getting frustrated, I often let them practice by keeping the mouth open for the first round so they can get used to the game in order to build up their frustration tolerance. 

Kerplunk Sloths-the original Kerplunk (marbles) and Tumblin' Monkeys are two of my favorite games and also longtime favorites at work. When I went searching for the link to those games, I stumbled upon this newer version and obsessed is an understatement. Instead of marbles or monkeys, you have to collect the cutest little plastic sloths you've ever seen! Kids take turns rolling the die and removing the matching color stick. The rules actually say that the person with the least number of sloths at the end is the winner but I often let the child(ren) playing decide if they want to aim to get the most or the least number in order to determine a winner. Kerplunk Sloths works on so many developmental skills including improving fine motor and manipulation skills, improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills, encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills. Younger children may need some assistance for set-up but in general, this game is appropriate for pre-school through school-age children. 

Spottington-for those of you who don't know about Eeboo, I highly recommend you get to know them. In addition to beautiful puzzles, pretend play toys and craft supplies, they have some of the most well-made, durable and creative games. I received Spottington in my monthly Sensory TheraPlay box last month and it's been a great game for my school age kids. One of my favorite things about this visual perceptual and visual scanning game is the fact that it comes with 7 double-sided interchangeable game boards so the game is never the same. The rules of the game are quite simple, which is another bonus, which makes it more fun for everyone. People take turns flipping over one of the 250 picture cards and everyone playing races to be the first one to find it. Once you find it, you place your token on it and call out "Spottington". The objects are various sizes and there be others that look similar so it really takes a lot of concentration. This game is great for working on visual motor, visual scanning and visual discrimination skills and improves executive functioning skills such as focus and attention. 

The Floor is Lava-with the recent success of the Netflix show, The Floor is Lava, this has become a game kids have gotten really into. I love this game, especially as we are looking at the possibility of a second round of lockdowns and shelter in place action, because it offers movement opportunities for our kids who are spending so much time on a screen. In this family game players must imagine that the floor is molten hot lava while spinning the color wheel to jump to the right foam pieces. The game comes with 25 different colored "safety stones" and 27 challenge cards. This gross motor game works on jumping, leaping, balance, coordination and motor planning. For younger kids, this could be a really fun way to learn about colors. 

Turtle Steps-another gross motor game that can be played indoors or outdoors. Kids who have gross motor delays often want to avoid movement at all costs possible so being able to do it through game can be a game changer for them. Turtle Steps works on balance, coordination and concentration and is appropriate for children 3 years and older. The game includes 3 large and 3 medium-sized turtle shell stepping stones, 24 activity cards with turtle facts and alternative ways to play the game. Through obstacle courses and challenges, kids can work on jumping, coordination and increasing body strength. Play by the rules it comes with or create your own game using the turtle shells. For those of you worried about space, the shells easily stack as to not take up too much space. Gross motor development and movement is important for building confidence, self-esteem and helps with children learning. During these crazy times where so many kids are doing remote school, it's so important that we provide as many opportunities for movement that we can. 

Boochie-another movement game that the whole family can enjoy indoors or outdoors. The first part of the game is to toss out the Boochie target and then try to land your ball and as close as possible. Kids will love that they get to keep score on the special wrist tracker that the game comes with that will throw out different throwing challenges each round. Kids may have to toss between their legs, behind their back, with their eyes closed and so much more. In addition to getting kids up and moving while they may be stuck inside this winter, it works on improving a variety of gross motor skills such as hand-eye coordination, balance, endurance, throwing skills and so much more. 

Sushi Go-one of my clients recommended this game to me and I am obsessed with it now. I actually just picked up my second game to play at home with my husband and daughter! This pick and pass card game is fast-paced and requires strategy and good planning. Each player gets 10 cards and is trying to score the most points by collecting and making a variety of sushi rolls. Sounds easy, but it gets tricky because you keep passing your cards between players who might end up taking the card that you need. This is great for older children who are working on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organization. It's also a great way to sneak in some additional math practice for your kids! 

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza-this game recommendation comes from speech therapist extraordinaire, Jacki Barredo. I’m a huge fan of card games because they are easy to store and can easily be taken on the go to keep your kids entertained and this definitely fits that requirement. Pass out all of the cards to all the players and take turns flipping your cards over while saying taco, cat, goat, cheese, pizza (in that order). When the card and the word match, players race to slap the cards and the winner takes the pile. Be sure to keep your eyes open for three special action cards. This is definitely for older children on your gift list and great for working on sequencing, organization, focus, attention and really great for working on regulatory skills. 

Hearing Things-another recommendation from my speech therapist colleague, Jacki Barredo, geared towards older children (10 and older). After the online viral "whisper challenge" sensation, Hasbro created this game. One player puts on a pair of speech-cancelling electronic headphones and the other player is required to say the random phrases on the card. The player only earns the card if they correctly figure out what the other one was saying.

Buildzi-one of my absolute favorite games, and has been for years, is the dice game Tenzi. It’s been a favorite for my kids and has been on my gift guide for years. As I have spent the last few months trying to freshen up my game selection, I stumbled on Buildzi and had to test it out immediately. It has quickly become a favorite of my kids, particularly my older children. One of the things that I love about this companies games is that they all have more than one way to play it making it less likely your child will become bored with it. When playing Tower Buildzi, kids have to look at a card and replicate the tower on the card; this can be done individually or against a friend to see who can build it the fastest without it falling down. When playing Block Card Buildzi, each player gets 8 cards with different shapes and they have to build a sturdy tower using the random shapes.
Buildzi is amazing for working on developing a variety of visual skills such as visual motor, visual perceptual, visual discrimination and visual tracking skills. It also works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and improving frustration tolerance. If you have a child who has difficulty with teamwork, this is a great game, particularly the Block Card version, to work together with a sibling or a peer to strategize the best way to build a tower. 

Rummy Tile Board Game-Rummikub is a favorite game amongst many of my family and friends. Whenever my sister comes to visit (remember when one could freely travel???), we spend hours playing it. While I have the original version, I thought this version would be more appealing to kids. Rummy Tile Board is a great game for older children who need to work on developing or improving their executive functioning skills. Kids have to take turns placing numbered tiles in runs (4, 5, 6 and so on) or in groups (same numbers, different colors). The first person to use all of their tiles wins. This fast-paced game works on sequencing, pattern recognition, focus, attention and organizational skills. Like many of the more complicated games I introduce my kids to, I always play the first few rounds together so I can make sure they truly understand the rules and answer any questions they might have. I find that this builds their confidence and motivates them to try something that may be tricky for them. 

Morphy-another one of my favorite games for the older kids on my caseload. The goal of the game is to collect the most number of discs by finding a disc with that is different by one quality. The game comes with 60 discs that have a color, pattern and a center circle hole that varies in size. Start with a green disc with stripes and a large center circle and you can move it to an orange disc with stripes and a large center circle or to a green disc with dots and a large center circle. Morphy is a fast-paced game that works on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills, visual discrimination, visual tracking, pattern recognition, sequencing and improves executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and self-monitoring. 

I had so much fun putting this game gift guide together. As I have already said, parents are looking for as many opportunities to get their kids off of a screen and what's better than getting the family together to play games. I worked really hard to find games that grown-ups would enjoy playing and not just feel obligated to. There are so many great games out there but it can be really hard to sift through them all. One of the things that I was mindful about with this list is that a variety of skills could be worked on when playing them. 

I highly recommend going to your local toy-stores and see what they have; they are often a wealth of information and know what is most popular. Some of my favorite local toy-stores that have an amazing selection here in the New York City area are Lulu's Cuts and Toys in Park Slope, Little Things Toy Store in Park Slope, Stationery and Toy Store on the Upper West Side, Mary Arnold Toys on the Upper East Side and Fun Stuff Toys on Long Island. While it's always been important to shop local and small businesses, they are really relying on it this holiday season. 

There are so many more games out there and if you are looking for something specific for your child or someone you are looking to buy for this year, I'd be happy to help you find the perfect game. I am only a click away and love hearing from you all. Also, if you have any game suggestions, please send them my way! I am always looking for new games for work and home. 

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.

Cooking With Kids

One of the most challenging things at this point is filling up our days. Especially for those of us who live in the city with lack of outdoor space, keeping our kids busy and limiting the amount of time watching television or on some kind of screen becomes incredibly stressful. So many of the parents on my caseload are looking for easy, fun and non-screen time activities for children so this week I am going to talk about baking with kids. As soon as my daughter was old enough, I started including her in baking with me. It started with her simply just watching me at work as I baked and her involvement increased as she got older. Today, at 10 years old, she loves to bake. Actually, to make up for the fact that she wasn't going to be with her cousin for Easter, my sister and I had our girls pick out a recipe and the FaceTimed the entire time. It was adorable and made them feel connected on a day that they just love to be together.

Baking with children is not only a great way to connect with your children but has so many developmental benefits built right into it. At this crazy time, I think the most helpful thing I can do for parents is provide them with activities that don't seem like therapy or work. While I know baking isn't for everyone, I am going to outline the benefits and provide a bunch of baking activities that you can do with your children.

There are so many benefits of cooking with children including:

*improves fine motor and manipulation skills. Measuring ingredients, rolling out dough, using cookie cutters and decorating your baked goods will lead to improved fine motor and manipulation skills. 

*improves visual skills such as improved hand-eye coordination, visual motor skills and visual tracking. 

*encourages language development. Use this time to not only label ingredients, but talk about the ingredients. Have them describe how they feel. For example, put out a little plate with some of the ingredients and have them feel them and talk about the textures. Are they soft? Are they rough? 

*encourages executive functioning skills. Baking with children is a great way to naturally work on things such as improving attention, focus, organization, sequencing and working memory. For some kids, it might be helpful to print out pictures of the steps and have them put them in order before actually starting baking. 

*for older children, baking can be a really motivating way to work on math skills. For younger children, you can introduce the concepts of more and less while measuring out ingredients. For example, put the measuring cups out with the ingredients in them and ask what you will use more of. My 10 year old is working on fractions right now and when she begins to get really frustrated, I bring out our measure cups as a visual.
*boosts confidence and self-esteem. It really is so much fun to see kids light up as they see their completed baked good come out of the oven. Even more exciting is when they get peoples reactions when they eat them.

I am going to share some cooking activities that you can do with your children. It's important to find activities that will encourage independence for children while also working cooperatively with their siblings or parents. If you are cooking with more than one child, set clear expectations and responsibilities from the get-go to limit arguing during the actual activity. Below you will find several baking and cooking activities. Some requiring cooking, others might not. There are not just food cooking ideas, but also sensory materials like play dough or colored rice and noodles.

Food

Play and Freeze Ice Cream Ball Ice Cream Maker-this was actually recommended to me by one of my occupational therapist colleagues and couldn't love it more. With kids not getting as much physical activity as they are used to, I love that you can combine some gross motor work while making ice cream. Kids can make make ice-cream in about 30 minutes using just a few ingredients by rolling the ball back and forth to each other. Check out this link from L.L. Bean with a bunch of different recipes you can try using this ice cream maker.

English Muffin/Bagel Pizzas-I remember making these as a child with my parents and sisters. This is a great activity because it doesn't require a lot of ingredients and most are things you can easily get even during a pandemic! You will need english muffins or bagels, sauce, shredded mozzarella and any toppings you might want to add. To add some depth to this activity, give your child a pad of paper with a list of everyone’s names on it and write the kinds of pizza available and have him check off what everyone wants. Another fun thing to do is use ingredients to make silly faces. For example, use a pepper to make a mouth or olives or pepperoni to make eyes. 

Rainbow Fruit Kabobs-a variety of cut up fruits in different colors and wooden skewers. Talk about the colors and what order the colors are in a rainbow and have them put the fruit on the wooden skewers in the correct order. This is a great baking activity to do with younger children who you might not feel comfortable with them using mixers and other baking equipment. There are a lot of kid-safe baking tools that you can give your kids to use so the can cut the fruit up. I love this activity because it's a great way to work on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills while also working on hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills. Best part is that the end result is a healthy treat for you and your kids to enjoy. 

Rice Krispie Treats-I have always found that making rice krispie treats is another kid friendly baking activity where you can adapt the activity based on your child's age. For younger kids, you can melt the butter and marshmallows and just have them add the cereal and stir but for older and more responsible kids, have them do that (in the microwave or stovetop). You can make this more of a hands-on/sensory experience by having him roll them into balls instead of putting them in a baking pan. You can also change things up by using different kinds of cereal to add color or have them use cookie cutters to make different shapes once they are cooled down. 

M&M Energy Bites-this is another simple non-baking activity that kids can be really involved in. Mix together 1 cup rolled outs, 1/2 cup of peanut butter, 1/2 cup M&Ms, 1/3 cup of honey and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stirring the ingredients with is a great way to work on increasing upper extremity strength and encourages bilateral coordination skills. Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to grab a spoonful, place in hand and roll into a ball. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies-you can make them from scratch or use slice and bake ones. No matter which method you use, making chocolate chip cookies are a delicious way to work on fine motor skills. If you make fresh, let your kids add all the ingredients (break the eggs into a bowl for him) and stir as much as he can. When I was baking with my daughter when she was younger, I would put all of the ingredients in bowls and then would tell her which one to add. If you use the slice-and-bake cookies, give your kid a safe knife and help them cut the dough into chunks and then allow them to roll them into balls before placing on the cookie sheet. 

Sensory Materials

Homemade PlayDoh-play doh is another sensory material that kids LOVE. I love this recipe from Mothercould and love that it can last up to 6 months if stored in a good container. There are so many benefits of playing with play dough such as increasing grasp strength, improves grasping and manipulation skills and encourages hand-eye coordination and bilateral coordination skills. Roll play dough into long snakes and practice making shapes, letters or numbers. Use a rolling pin and roll play dough flat and use your favorite cookie cutters.

Dye Rice/Noodles-another great sensory experience and kids can be part of the whole experiences of making it. Kids will love watching the plain rice or pasta go from plain to brightly colored sensory materials.  For each color, you need 1 cup of white rice/baby pasta, 1 tablespoon vinegar and desired amount of food coloring. Have kids help you by pouring the rice and vinegar into little Tupperwares and squeezing a few drops of food coloring. Close the lid and then have them shake the Tupperwares until the rice/noodles are all covered. If you make some of each color, you can pour them into a much bigger Tupperware and hide little characters or animals in it and and have him dig through using their hands or spoons or scoopers to rescue them. Another fun activity is to dye penne or rigatoni noodles and have kids make necklaces out of them. 

Homemade Flubber/Thick Slime-so many of the kids I work with love sensory exploration and there are so many great recipes out there. Flubber/thick slime is a very popular sensory material at my gym and doesn't require a lot of ingredients. You’ll need 1 cup of Elmer’s White Glue, 1/2 cup room temperature water, 1/2 cup liquid starch and glitter or food coloring (optional). Click here for directions. Once made, you can hide little objects in them like beads to work on increasing grasp strength and improving grasping and manipulation skills. 

Salt Clay-this is another simple activity that can be done with kids of all ages and uses only 3 ingredients: salt, flour and water. If you want, you can add a few drops of food coloring to the dough. One of the things I like about using salt clay is that you can adapt how you use it making things either more simple or more challenging depending on the age of your child. Kids can use cookie cutters to make creations or they can use their imagination and make whatever they want to create. Once they are done making their creation, they can use markers or paint to decorate them if you didn't add color earlier. 

One of the things I think is really important is to not expect perfection when cooking/baking with kids. This should be a fun experience and making mistakes is to be expected when engaged in this kind of activity with children. The other thing to try and let go of is to not get worked up if a mess is made. Unless someone is going to get hurt, don't worry about ingredients on the counters, floors or even on themselves. Wait until the activity is complete and hand out cleaning up responsibilities to each person who participated. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun because even though this is a crazy time, there are so many opportunities to make fabulous memories with your children. 

Have you been baking/cooking with your kids during this crazy time? What are your favorite recipes for baking, cooking or sensory materials? I would love to hear from you and am always a click away. I'm sure I am not the only one who would be interested in hearing about other recipes to keep kids busy these days.