Building Blocks of Play

Building/Construction Toys
This is one of my favorite sections to complete each year.  While there are several items that are always on there, I have included some new construction and STEM sets this year.  These kinds of toys are great for developing a variety of fine motor skills, visual motor and perceptual skills, problem solving and executive functioning skills.  They are also great for helping children become more creative, develop imagination skills and can help them feel more confident when they are done building and creating.

Magna-Tiles-these magnetic tiles have made my list every year since I began.  Not only are they great for working on motor planning and organizational skills, they are easy for kids of all ages and abilities to use them with great success.  If you have a child with decreased motor skills or decreased upper extremity strength, these are great for them.  Kids can build anything from an ice cream cone or a building as tall as them.  In the last few years, they have created different colored sets and ones with doors, windows and wheels so kids can create even more.  In addition to working on motor planning and organizational skills, playing with Magna-Tiles can help encourage bilateral coordination, imagination and creativity and easily be played with a friend to work on improving social and play skills.

Tegu Blocks-another favorite of mine, the Tegu blocks are beautiful wooden blocks that stick together via magnets.  Like the Magna-Tiles, I was originally drawn to these blocks because they were great for children of all ages and abilities.  Kids who may present with motor and coordination problems can play with these independently and successfully which helps in building confidence, self-esteem and imagination and creativity.  Tegu has evolved over the years and now have sets where you can make robots, helicopters and some really cool circuit sets!

Toobalink-I love discovering a new building toy, especially ones that can use household objects to help you create and build.  Toobalink is a construction kit that comes with connectors, joiners and couplers that help turn paper towel and toilet paper tubes into whatever it is your child can think of.   It also comes with an instruction booklet that gives you idea but that doesn't mean that you can't let your imagination go crazy and think outside of the box!  Great for working on improving motor planning and organizational skills, bilateral coordination, imagination and creativity skills.  Also great to work on with friends or siblings to encourage team-work and collaborative play.

Robot Engineer Kit (Level 1)-more and more young kids are interested in building and being engineers.  One thing I have noticed over the last few years is the increase in products that encourage STEM education.  This fun robot kit introduces kids to the basic engineering concepts, teaches them about gears, levers and wheels and allows them to be creative at the same time.  Each kit comes with extremely well made and durable pieces that snap together to build a robot.  It also comes with a book that has 10 different stories the kids have to follow along with in order to put the robot together.  Great for working on improving fine motor and grasping skills, visual motor and perceptual skills, bilateral coordination and executive functioning skills such as organization, motor planning, focus, attention and following multi-step directions.

Squigz- These colorful suction cup toys seem so simple but encourage a bunch of developmental skills in kids of all ages.  pipSquigz are perfect for babies and younger children. Each set comes with 3 different shape and colored pipSquigz with a different texture and sound (kind of like a rattle) which is great for expanding their tactile world.  The suction cup toys not only stick to each other but to mirrors, windows and similar like surfaces.  My kids LOVE the sound they make and I love that they work on improving eye-hand coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills, bilateral coordination and exploring a variety of different textures.  Another bonus, they are BPA-free which makes them ideal for children who may be teething.  As kids get older, you can get them the Squigz.  These suction cup toys can be stuck to each other or to different surfaces (like the refrigerator, mirror or windows).  Kids LOVE them!  Great for working on improving bilateral coordination, eye-hand coordination, grasp strengthening and visual motor skills.

Joinks-last year I wrote about Straws and Connectors, another great building toy, but spent some time this year looking for something that was a bit more durable and could handle the wear and tear of use by multiple kids.  Joinks are just that!  This construction kit comes with 76 flexible connectors and wooden sticks that you can use to build a variety of shapes, buildings, people, etc..  Great for working on building fine motor skills, visual motor skills, bilateral coordination, motor planning and organizational skills.  Kids can work on their own to create or play with a friend and work together to help build something fabulous.


Waldorf Inspired Rainbow Stacker-this homemade Waldorf inspired building toy by Hope Learning Toys is great for working on visual motor and perceptual skills.  It's a beautifully made toy that can help younger children work on learning colors.  It can also be used to encourage free play and language skills.  Made with all natural materials and dyes and safe for all ages.

Action-Stackers Little Builder Set-for as long as I have been practicing as an occupational therapist, I have always used the Lauri tall stackers and pegboard.  They are definitely the best pegboard set out there and great for working on so many fine motor, visual motor and executive functioning skills.  I was really excited when I was walking around Westside Kids in Manhattan and saw this awesome product.  Kids can use the pegboard and pegs to build 3-D designs or can just use the pegs, connectors and wheels to build structures, cars, etc.. Great for working on building their imagination and creative skills.  Also great for working on improving motor planning, organizational skills
In addition to the pegboard and pegs, the set comes with a variety of connectors, wheels and a step by step activity book.

Legos-I always try and make as many different suggestions for construction and building sets before recommending the good old standby, Legos/Duplos.  Over the years, Lego has evolved into something so big and targeting the interests of kids of all ages.  Whether you are a superhero fan, a lover of princesses or vehicles, you will always be able to find a set that is good for your child.  Legos/Duplos are great for working on improving fine motor and grasping skills, grasp strength, bilateral coordination, a variety of visual motor and perceptual skills and executive functioning skills.  It's also great for building confidence and self-esteem when they complete their Lego sculpture.

One of the great things about Legos is that you can find them in any local toy store so support those small businesses and purchase your Lego sets from them instead of getting them from the big box stores.  Some of my favorite stores in NYC to get them from are Westside Kids, Mary Arnold Toy Store, Toy and Stationery World ,  Lulu's Cuts and Toys and  Little Things Toy Store in Park Slope.

Basic Builder Set-another amazing product from Hape Toys that encourages younger children to build and create!  This is a great set for younger children because the pieces are bigger making them easier to manipulate.  Kids can work on improving fine motor and manipulation skills, bilateral coordination, motor planning and organizational skills.  The set also includes a bunch of cards with images on how to make a bunch of different things which is great for working on improving visual motor and perceptual skills.

For The Budding Artist

One of my favorite things to recommend to families for gifts are arts and crafts kits or activity books. Not only are they great for working on a variety of occupational therapy skills, they are great for encouraging creativity and building self-esteem and confidence.   I have put together a variety of craft kids and activity books that I really love.  More importantly, the kids love them and don't realize that they are actually working because they are having so much fun.

Sticky Mosaics-these are still one of the products that I recommend the most to families!  Kids love working on their creations and don't realize that they are working on improving their fine motor, grasping, visual motor and visual perceptual and organizational skills at the same time.  With so many different sets to choose from (unicorns, dinosaurs, fairies, sports, etc.) you are sure to find one that will be perfect for a kid in your life!  The best part for me to see is how proud and excited the kids are when they put that final sticker on and get to take it home.

Pom Pom Pictures-I was in a new toy store out on Long Island a couple of months ago and got to spend some time with the owner of Fun Stuff Toys, who told me to try these out if I was a fan of the Sticky Mosaics.  I am happy to report that Orb Factory has done it again with these Pom Pom Pictures kits!  They are a huge hit with the kids at work.  Each template is broken down into 4 sections; you peel the sticker off and match the small pom poms to the correct colors.  Great for working on improving fine motor and grasping skills, eye-hand coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organizational skills.

Pirasta Coloring Posters-these posters are a really fun family gift.  My nieces have one hanging on their playroom wall and have been coloring with their friends and each other over the course of time and have the best time.  There are so many different ones to choose from....foods, different cities, animals, etc..  Great for working on improving graphomotor skills, eye-hand coordination and visual motor and perceptual skills.  Hanging it on the wall allows for kids to work on building upper extremity strength and shoulder stability.

The Kindness Kit-Craft-tastic has a ton of great craft kits, especially for older school-aged children.  The Kindness Kit is by far one of my favorites though because it encourages children to share the crafts that they make with others.  The set includes all the materials for 8 projects.  Great for working on improving fine motor and grasping skills, visual motor and perceptual skills, bilateral coordination and executive functioning skills such as following directions, organizational skills, focus and attention.

Fashion Plates-another one of those toys that brings me back to my childhood!  My little girl has aspirations to be a fashion designer when she grows up so when I gave these to her, she was super excited.  Fashion plates encourage creativity while working on improving fine motor, visual motor and perceptual skills, graphomotor skills, bilateral coordination and executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organizational skills.  If you have a kid who isn't into design, be sure to check out the Action Plates which lets kids design their own superhero!  

The Tinkering Kit-for the kid in your life who is more into building things than doing crafts, this would be the perfect gift.  This is not your typical craft kit and is ideal for kids who are 6 and older.  The kit comes complete with all the supplies needed to make 8 really cool projects.  How much fun would your little engineer have making a zipline or a their own marble maze??  Great for working on improving fine motor, visual motor and visual perceptual skills.  Especially good for working on improving executive functioning skills such as focus and attention, following multi-step directions and organizational skills. 

Crazy Aaron's Mixed By Me Thinking Putty Kit-I've long been a fan of all the products by Crazy Aaron (read their beautiful story here guys....this Phildelphia-based company employs over 800 people with intellectual and developmental delays).  You can't go wrong with any of their putty products because they are great for working on improving fine motor skills, strength and manipulation skills (hide coins or small objects in the putty).  If you have a kid who is into science and doing experiments, you should definitely check out this kit where you can mix up your own magical putty.  The set comes complete with 5 tins of clear putty, three concentrated color putties, three special effect putties and an instructional mat that gives you a bunch of ideas.  There are also labels for kids to write on after they create their own putty which is great for working on improving graphomotor and creativity skills.  

I Like Activity Book-this activity book is great for kids of  all ages.  There are 48 pages of activities that encourage kids to answer questions about themselves.  Lots of opportunities for them to draw, color and be silly.  Older kids who are independent for writing can fill the book in by themselves and then share what they did with their grownups.  Younger kids who may need more help can complete this with their grownups.  Great for working on improving graphomotor and creativity skills.   Also great for working on improving focus, attention and organizational skills.  This can also be great for kids to get to work on language and conversational skills.  

Happy Snacks Color-In'Book-my daughter is really into Shopkins right now so when I saw this adorable coloring book, I had to get it.  The pictures are so cute and engaging.  I love how while we are coloring, we are talking about what we see and whether we like that food or not.  My little girl is a bit of a "by the books" kinda kid, so I've used this book as a way to encourage her to think outside of the box and be more creative.  There is no reason the mushrooms on the pizza can't be purple or the marshmallows in the hot chocolate can't be green.  At the same time, we are working on improving visual motor/perceptual skills, eye-hand coordination, focus and attention and improving her grasping skills.  Once your picture is complete, they are easy to tear out and display for others to see!

Chalk Markers-I was lucky enough for this product to have found me before I published this year's gift guide.  I've been searching for something like these for a while and they happened to drop in my lap.  For many of the kids I work with, I suggest that parents find a wall in their house that they can put up some chalkboard or white erase paper on a free wall to work on graphomotor skills.  However, finding the write writing instruments to use on these surfaces has been tricky.  Dry erase markers are great but for so many of the kids I work with, they drag their hand along their work and erase their work before finishing.  These chalk markers are great because they go on as smoothly as they come off.  When I took them out at my gym recently and had the kids write on our mirror, they were so excited.  I had one little boy (who has always been resistant to handwriting activities) ask to write his name four different time in as many colors.  The nice thing about these chalk markers is that once they are started, they are easy to use so if you have a kid with decreased grasp strength, they can still be successful.  I happened to work on a large wall mirror with my friends which is great for building up upper extremity strength and shoulder stability.  When working in this upright position, kids are also more likely to prop their wrists up correctly which puts them in a more appropriate grasping pattern.  Besides practicing shapes, letters and numbers, you can play games like Tic-Tac-Toe, Hangman or the dot game.

The Little Things....Stocking Stuffers and Other Little Gifts

Small Gifts/Stocking Stuffers
People are always on the lookout for small gifts or stocking stuffers that won't clutter up your house. There are also a lot of people who need to get a little gift for kids as a thank you for having them to a party or a simple gift exchange.  I've been putting together this list for more years than I can count and one of my favorite things to share are my favorite small gifts.  Stocking stuffers/small gifts are almost always the ones that bring the biggest smiles to faces.  Haven't we all learned that sometimes the best gifts are the small ones that come in the smallest boxes???


Discovery Putty-working on making those little hand muscles stronger can be a challenge for kids.  I have found that you have to make it fun and motivating for kids and Discovery Putty is just that.  There are four sets to choose from with different themes (transportation, school supplies, animals and sweet treats).  Kids work on improving their grasp strength and manipulation skills by hiding the small objects in the putty and then finding them.

Tenzi-this dice game is one of my all time favorites!  More importantly, the kids love it and ask to play all the time.  The rules are simple:  each person playing grabs 10 dice (each set comes with 4 different colored dice) and starts rolling.  The first person to get all 10 dice on the number they choose is the winner.  Be sure to check out their website for lots of different ways to play the game!  Tenzi is a great game for working on eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills, focus/attention and organizational skills.

Rock Chalk-you can never go wrong with giving kids chalk!  My daughter spends hours and hours during the warmer months drawing on our sidewalk.  This set of chalk, shaped like rocks, is perfect for those little hands and even can help in developing grasping skills.  If you have an easel at home with a chalkboard, this set of chalk is perfect!  (Working on a vertical surface is great for improving upper extremity strength and shoulder stability).

Zoo Sticks-meals can be a really frustrating time for some families so why not try and make it more fun??  I've been using these child-friendly chopsticks at work and at home for years and kids love them.  Okay, I won't lie....I don't know how to use real chopsticks and will sometimes use these!  Chopsticks are great for working on improving grasp strength and manipulation skills.  They are also great for working on improving eye-hand coordination.  You don't only have to use them for meal time.  I like to have kids at work use them when picking up small objects.

32 Ways To Dress a Bunny-this cute little booklet has 32 different drawings of a bunny and your child gets to draw different outfits on the bunny!   Each page has a picture of the bunny's face and limbs (or fox) doing different activities.  Your kid gets to decide how to dress and accessorize them!  Great for working on improving graphomotor skills, focus and attention, improves creativity skills and can be great for encouraging language skills.  Another great feature....they are small and can be thrown in a bag to keep your kids entertained at a restaurant, in the car or in a waiting room!

Slime Suckers-if you have a kid who is cool with gross, this is perfect for them.  The best part, kids get the thumbs up to play with gross stuff and work on improving fine motor skills at the same time!  Each set comes with a container filled with slime and a creature that can suck the slime up.  I love the fact that it's totally affordable (under $3!) but really love the fact that it is a super fun way to get kids to work on developing fine motor skills.  I just might have to buy this for every kid I know!

Magnetic Hangman Game-I grew up playing the game of Hangman with my friends and sisters.  Hangman is the perfect game for kids who have learned how to spell and want to show off their skills.  This particular version of Hangman is great because it is easy to put in a bag and travel with.  In general, the game of Hangman is a great way to reinforce learning how to spell words, learn the letters of the alphabet and work on social skills.  It's also a great way to work on improving many executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, problem solving and organizational skills.

Wikki Stix-I've been a big fan of Wikki Stix from the first time I went into a restaurant with a kid and they gave them out instead of crayons and a coloring page!  I remember the kid I was with making a pair of glasses out of the Wikki Stix and my now husband and I making our own designs!  For those of you unfamiliar with Wikki Stix, they are wax-covered pieces of yarn that can be molded and made into a variety of things.  I like to use them to help kids learn how to make shapes, letters, numbers and other kinds of pictures.  Kids can also work on decreasing tactile sensitivity and improving bilateral coordination, fine motor and eye-hand coordination skills when using Wikki Stix.


Rock Crayons-maybe there is a pattern with me....I like writing instruments that encourage an appropriate grip.  An added bonus is if said writing instruments actually are brightly colored!  Each set comes with 12 multi-colored, rock-shaped crayons.  Because of their shape and size, they help to encourage a tripod-like grasp when you use them.   The multi-colored design makes them more exciting and motivating for kids who may be a bit discouraged to pick up a crayon to draw or color with.

Molin Roty Transfers-my daughter received these at a birthday party recently and she has been obsessed with them!  I was so excited to see her so into them because I remember doing these when I was her age.  These make a great little gift and are perfect for working on improving fine motor skills, graphomotor skills, creativity and eye-hand coordination.  One of the things I like about these is that you can also work on storytelling and language skills.  Once all the pictures are in place and they have colored the pictures in, you can have your kid make up a story about the scene.

Travel Spirograph-another toy that brings me back to my own childhood!  Spirograph is perfect for working on improving bilateral coordination, fine motor and grasping skills, eye-hand coordination and visual motor skills.  It also encourages creativity in children.  Easy to throw into a bag and bring to a restaurant or on a plane.

Melting Snowman-I have used this at work and the kids love it!  You get a little box of white putty with all the necessary parts to build a snowman.  Once it is all together, he will melt and you have to put him back together.  Everyone thinks it is hilarious to watch him melt!  Great for working on improving fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, building grasp strength and manipulation skills, body awareness and focus and attention.  I've actually seen these sets at several of my local toy stores (Little Things in Park Slope, Stationary and Toy on the UWS of Manhattan and Mary Arnold Toys on the UES to name a few).

Let's Get Social

Social Emotional Toys
In the last couple of years, I have become more and more interested in finding products that help with social emotional learning.  I've had the great pleasure of being a part of The Meeting House, an amazing recreational based after school program in New York City for children with social difficulties, for the last 7 years.  During this time, I have learned first hand that while most children are born with an understanding of how to be kind and understanding, there are still many children who need more support and help in developing these skills.  Many of the kids I work with have a difficult time with processing both verbal and non-verbal social cues so we have to come up with alternative ways to teach them.  Below, you will find a handful of games and toys that will help develop social emotional skills in a fun, engaging and meaningful way.

Make A Face!- this amazing wooden puzzle-like product by Moon Picnic is a wonderful way to teach kids about feelings and emotions.  Not all children are able to talk about or recognize emotions and feelings.  I love how you can flip, turn or twist the 8 different pieces of the face to make a wide range of emotions.  You can use the booklet to copy the different faces or make your own.  This is a great way to help begin a conversation with children about different emotions and feelings, when they might feel this way and what they can do when they are feeling certain ways.  Bonus:  great for working on improving fine motor and visual motor and perceptual skills.

Magnutto Make A Mood-this is another great toy to help children gain a better understanding of emotions and feelings.  When you lift open the box (where you store the 133 different foam magnetic pieces) you find two faces...the top of the box is a magnetic board and kids can add all kinds of details to the two faces.  Pictures of different expressions, a list of emotions and a list of questions you can ask your kids while playing that will help them not only analyze emotions but how to react to them are included with the toy.  You can work on improving social skills by having kids work on the faces at the same time and encourage them to have conversations about what they created.

Eggspressions-these cute wooden eggs by Hape help younger children learn about feelings and emotions.  This set comes with 6 wooden eggs with different emotions.  Kids can use the eggs to help express how they are feeling when they can't really talk about it with others.  The set comes with a book that helps to show kids how to share their feelings.


Many Moods of Me Journal-as kids get older, their moods and feelings can get really confusing for them.  This 75-page journal by Klutz is a great gift for children (8 and older recommended) who need a place to keep track of how they are feeling.  This journal is not organized by the date, but instead organized by the following moods:  happy, sad, afraid, icky and angry.  Included with the book are a multi-color pen (each color represents a different mood) and a mood ring.  Also included are postcards that you can write and save for your future self!  Lots of opportunities to color, doodle and draw throughout the journal.  This is a great gift for those kids who have big feelings but don't want to talk about them with you.  And let's be honest, sometimes it's best for kids to be able to jot down their thoughts and feelings in a private way to be able to understand themselves better.

My Mood Memo-teaching kids at an early age to understand, recognize and deal with feelings and emotions can help them be more kind and empathetic people.  In this game by Plan Toys, kids look for the matching emotion tiles.  Each of the emotions is paired up with a color that represents that feeling and helps them to group them.
Kid can work on visual memory and visual motor skills, focus and attention and organizational skills while learning about feelings and emotions.  Depending on the age of the kids you are playing with, you can encourage them to talk about times they feel certain emotions and how they can deal with those feelings.

Friends and Neighbors: The Helping Game-in this cooperative game by Peaceable Kingdom, kids learn about empathy through matching problems with solutions.  Kids take turns pulling tokens out of the Helping Bag and see if the token they have chosen can help someone on the game board.  Kids have to work, think and discuss together to match up all the tokens.  The best part of this game is that nobody is a winner....you all work together to fill up your boards!

Game On!

Games make a great gift, especially if you are looking for gifts that will be good for the whole family. In a day and age where kids seem to be connected to some kind of electrical device more often than not, it is nice to know that there are lots of game options out there that will keep the whole family entertained.  When picking games, I wanted to be sure that they could help in the development of fine motor, gross motor and/or visual skills.  I also wanted to be sure that they would help in encouraging good social skills, including good sportsmanship.  Many of these games can be adapted based on a child's skill level and his/her needs.

Here are my top picks for the 2016 Holiday Gift Guide:
Happy Salmon-this simple, fast-paced card game that combines visual perceptual and gross-motor skills.  Everyone flips cards over their action card after they flip it over; if two people shout out the same action, they celebrate by doing that action together.  The first person to match all their cards in their deck wins.

Giggle Wiggle-this is an updated version of the Scatterpillar Scramble game.  Kids race to get all the marbles in the hands of the moving caterpillar.  Great for working on improving eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills and focus, attention and regulatory skills.  For younger children, you can decrease the level of difficulty by not turning the game on while they are trying to put the marbles on.


Willy's Wiggly Web-this cooperative game combines teamwork and the development of fine motor and cutting skills, eye-hand coordination, counting skills and recognizing left and right hands.  The purpose of the game is to cut all the bugs free from the web before the spider falls from the top of the web. Once the web and all the bugs are in place, kids pick cards and then follow the instructions to cut the web.

ListMania-this cooperative game for kids 7 and older requires them to take turns to make a list of items in alphabetical order.  This is great for working on imagination skills, organizational skills, focus, attention and regulation skills.  If you want to work on improving handwriting, this could be a fun way to get them motivated to write!  Some of the things you can write about are body parts or things you do at the beach.  There are three different ways to play the game.

Pancake Pileup-this is a favorite for the kids I work with!  In this relay style game,  kids have to pile up pancakes in the correct order based on which card they pick up.   Place the pancakes on one of the room and a plate on the other side and kids have to run back and forth while stacking them up.  Great for working on gross motor skills, balance and coordination, focus and attentional skills, visual motor and visual perceptual skills.  You can encourage social skills by having kids work in teams when playing this game.

Tumbling Monkey Stick Game- this has been a fine motor favorite of mine for a long time.  Much like the game Kerplunk but instead of marbles, there are monkeys that you are trying to get out of the tree.  Great for working on developing fine motor and grasping skills, eye-hand coordination, problem solving, organizational skills, attention and focus.  This game can be adapted to be easier or harder depending on children's skill level.

Yeti In My Spaghetti-another great game to work on the development of fine motor and grasping skills.  Place a bunch of plastic spaghetti pieces on top of a bowl and then put the yeti on top.  The point of the game is to pick out a piece of spaghetti from the pile without letting the yeti fall into the bowl.  This has been a big hit with all my preschool and school age kids!  In addition to working on fine motor skills, kids can work on improving eye-hand coordination, problem solving and organizational skills and improve social skills when playing the game.


Thumbs Up-the goal of this game is to be the first to stack a series of rings on their thumb based on the card they choose. Each card has different pictures with different colored objects and numbers on it.  Great game for learning colors, improving visual attention and eye-hand coordination, focus and attention and processing speed.  Can be adapted for kids of different ages and skill levels.

Sturdy Birdy: The Game of Perfect Balance-this game focuses on improving gross motor, balance and coordination skills.  There are 12 cards with different poses on them and kids have to master each one in order to win the game/make it to the end of the line.  They roll the dice to find out where to place a beanbag and how long to hold the position. Everyone counts while the pose is being held which helps in developing good sportsmanship skills.

Jump for Joy!

As many of you have noticed, the holiday gift guides and catalogues are starting to clog up our inbox and mailbox.  For the most part, I dump these things into recycling before even looking at them.  The exception are the ones that feature toys.  I am always on the lookout for new toys and gifts that will be good at work.  One of my favorites is Fat Brain Toys which I could get lost in for hours if I had the time.  I won't lie, I've made many unnecessary but amazing purchases from here for kids of all ages!

Yesterday, while looking through their new products, my eyes went right to a new trampoline that they were featuring.  As a New York City based pediatric occupational therapist, one of the things that I do is give parents and teachers ideas on how they can incorporate some of the activities I am doing our sessions at home and in school.  The biggest problem I face is the lack of space many New Yorkers have.  Asking parents to get a big therapy ball or a trampoline seems totally reasonable but if you live in a small apartment or have a classroom with not much free space, it becomes more trouble figuring out where to put it when it's not in use.  So when I saw the Foldaway Trampoline, I was thrilled and had to share it with everyone.  Even if you have space in your house/apartment/classroom, you may not want to have a trampoline out at all times so the Foldaway Trampoline is the perfect option for those of you who feel that way!  It is simple to open, close and store without taking up much space.  For older children, you can teach them how to open and close it so when they feel like they might have some extra energy that they need to get rid of, they can go and take care of it on their own.  I really like that the bar on the trampoline offers some of the younger kids, or those who have trouble with balance, extra support making them feel more secure and stable while jumping.


I believe having a trampoline available for younger children who may have sensory or gross motor difficulties is a great thing and that there are many benefits besides just releasing some extra energy.  Here are some of the other benefits of jumping on a trampoline:
-provides proprioceptive input which helps improve body awareness and organizational skills
-works on improving motor skills such as bilateral coordination.  When jumping, both sides of the body and brain must coordinate in order to maintain balance
-it's a fun way to work on building endurance and overall body strength.
-great for working on modulation and regulation skills
**you can play a game of freeze jump to work on increasing the length of time they jump.  Kids have to jump until the music stops!**

So if you are on the lookout for an easy to store sensory tool, be sure to check out the Foldaway Trampoline.  If you happen to know of any other great sensory products like this, please be sure to tell me about them.  I am always on the lookout for new products and love hearing from all of you! Remember, I am only a click away!

It's All About the Self-Care Skills

Whenever I tell people what I do as an occupational therapist, I tell them I get to play with some of New York City's coolest kids.  And while that is totally true, oftentimes, there is more to my job than just that.  One of the parts of my job that is almost more important than teaching them how to properly hold onto a writing instrument is to teach them to be more independent for self-care skills.

Having a child who is independent in feeding themselves, getting themselves dressed and to be comfortable/happy with their clothing, tying their shoes and all other aspects of self-care skills is something that us parents of typically developing children may take for granted.  The good thing is that there are a lot of smart and creative people, most often people who have once worked with children with disabilities or parents of those kids, who have created some really amazing products to help make life easier for families.

Below, you will find some of the products that I recommend to families, therapists, teachers, etc. to help make life easier.  And when I say easier, I also mean to help make kids feel more independent during these activities so they can build confidence and self-esteem.

Reflo Smart Cup-one of the things I am asked to work on with my kids is drinking from an open top cop.  As a parent, we love the idea of spill-proof sippy cups but as kids get older, they need to learn how to drink from a regular cup.  One of the biggest obstacles for the kids I work with is to learn how to grade their movements when drinking from a regular cup so that the water doesn't spill all over their face.  One of the best training cups I have seen was one that was recommended by a friend who is also a speech therapist.  The Reflo Smart Cup is a simple plastic cup that has an insert you slip into the cup that slows down the flow of the liquid.  I have recommended this to lots of parents and other therapist friends over the years and everyone has loved them.  They have seen kids who refused to try a variety of cups become independent cup drinks after just a short amount of time practicing using the Reflo.  This cup is perfect for all kids, but especially great for children who may present with motor control/movement or other physical disabilities.  Best part, the cup is affordable and lightweight which makes it easy to throw in a big and take with you wherever you may go.

EZ Sox-I've been a huge fan of EZ Sox since I first learned about them.  EZ Sox are super cute and comfortable socks that have a loop on either side of the sock.  These loops serve a really important purpose:  they are there so kids can put their thumbs in them so they can easily pull a sock up over their heels.  Additionally, many of the socks are animals with the face on the front side and a tail on the back side.  It's a great visual cue for kids to know that their socks are on the right way.
I can't tell you how much time I have spent trying to teach kids how to put socks on their feet, but it's a whole lot of time.  Several years ago, I was introduced to EZ Sox and they have made every Holiday Gift Guide of mine since and have been recommended to more people than I can count.  And to make it clear...I recommend the EZ Sox to all parents, not just the parents of the kids I work with, because we just want our kids to be able to help with the whole getting dressed process.  My nieces and daughter all learned how to put socks on their feet by using EZ Sox.
I haven't personally used any of their other products, but I love how this company has evolved over the years.  They now have underpants/boxers and a whole line of adult products which is great because many of the kids I have and will work with have physical disabilities that may have a direct impact on the level of independence for dressing/undressing skills for their entire lives.

Zoo Sticks-meal time can be such a nightmare for parents.  Kids getting up and down from the table a hundred times is enough to make a parent crazy!  What drives me totally crazy is when I look over and see my 6 year old daughter using her hands to feed herself.  One of the things that I have used with her, and have suggested to a lot of the parents who have the same frustration, are using kid-friendly chopsticks.  Not only are the Zoo Sticks great for working on improving fine motor skills, grasp strength and coordination skills, they are super motivating for kids who seem to be reluctant to using forks and spoons.  Find an animal that your kid is really interested in and I promise you that you won't see them using their fingers to feed themselves!
For younger kids, check out this awesome new product by Skip Hop.  Their Zoo Little Training Chopsticks were designed with little hands in mind!  As someone who has never learned how to properly use chopsticks, I am excited about these chopsticks that will introduce the littles to using them at a very early age!


Suction Cup Plates and Bowls-some of the kids I work with have a really difficult time with bilateral coordination, the ability to use two hands at the same time during activities.  So that can make them being independent during mealtime challenging.  To go back to the fact that we can take for granted that our kids are independent, imagine having a kid who doesn't really have the ability to use two hands at the same time.  Whether it be because of a physical disability, decreased strength or coordination, there are some kids who just don't use two hands at the same time.  When you are eating, being able to use two hands is important....you need one hand to hold a fork or a spoon and the other to hold the plate or bowl.  The good news is that if you happen to have a kid who may be struggling with this, there are options.  There are a lot of great suction cup options out there that will help encourage independence.  The thing with suction cup plates and bowls is that if your child is struggling with feeding, they will take away some of the work.  Here are a few
Beary Hungry Suction Placemats-this placemat not only sticks snuggly to a tabletop surface, it is broken into sections so if you happen to have a kid who doesn't like foods to touch, this is your thing.  For the more difficult food to scoop up, you can place them in a spot where there is a lip and they can scoop their food up easier.
Tomy Toddler Suction Plate-this 3-section plate will stick to a high-chair or any flat surface.  I love that it has a lipped surface which makes it easier for kids who struggle with scooping food off of a plate a little bit easier.

Soft Clothing (clothing and accessories for kids with tactile sensitivity)-one of the biggest struggles that my kids with sensory processing difficulties have is finding clothing that they feel comfortable in.  Some kids don't like the feeling of buttons/snaps/elastics/etc. against their skin.  Jeans or pants are too stiff and uncomfortable.  The seams in socks and underpants can send a kid to place of such discomfort that parents end up letting their kids go without them to avoid a complete meltdown.

Super soft t-shirt from Pickybunny

When I first began practicing years ago, parents felt like their only option was sweatpants and t-shirts.  Now, there are a lot of different options that are both sensory friendly and fashionable.  I love that there are options for parents and kids when it comes to clothing because I know just how big of an impact not feeling comfortable in your clothing can have on whether or not you have a good day.
Here are a few places you should check out if on the lookout to help make dressing time less stressful for everyone:
SmartKnit Kids-they have a large selection of seamless products for those super-sensitive kids who always seem to feel a bump or wrinkle.  Their socks, underwear, undershirts and bralettes are made out of a very soft fabric that reduces wrinkles.
Pickybunny Clothes-this line of girls clothing and pajamas are not only really cute, but have 3 different levels of softness to choose from depending on how sensitive your child is:  soft, super soft and heavenly soft.  I kinda wish some of their stuff came in my size!
Lucky and Me-another company that took picky and sensitive kids into consideration when they designed their girls and boys underwear collection.  Made of super soft, organic cotton, these tagless undergarments are an affordable and stylish option for your sensitive child.
Jorgensons-this family run company knows the importance of knowing that when kids are comfortable in their clothing, they will have increased confidence, self-esteem and be able to function better during their day.  Their clothes are not only soft and seamless and tagless, they are really cool too!  The hole for the head to go through is larger than typical shirts so there is no struggle or worry about their heads getting stuck while dressing.
Independence Day Clothing-this line of clothing which was recommended by my colleague Lindsey Biel.  There are no seams and it doesn't matter what way they are put on.  Kids will be able to dress themselves independently and comfortably.  There are no tags, there are no buttons, snaps or zippers and all clothes can be worn inside or out.

U-Lace-one thing I have found in my years as an occupational therapist is that kids are learning how to tie shoes much later than we were younger. There are so many slip-on, zipper and velcro options when it comes to shoes that kids just don't need to learn this skill.  For some of the kids I work with, those with significant fine motor, motor planning and executive functioning delays, learning how to tie shoes is almost impossible and not something that I find should be a priority when looking at the bigger picture.  When it really comes down to it, some kids will never learn to tie their shoes and that's okay.  They will learn a million other things that are far more important and will allow them to be independent.
As kids get older though, they will need more than just slip-on shoes and velcro just doesn't look right after a certain age.  U-Lace turns any sneaker into a slip on shoe.  Simply put, they are elastic bands that you put into your shoes.  Due to the nature of the fabrics/fibers that they have used, they don't stretch out and will keep your feet securely in place.  They come in a variety of colors and patterns and can be used in sneakers or dress shoes.

I will probably repeat myself, but I do feel like this encouraging and promoting independence in kids is one of the most important parts of my job.  When a person is able to take care of themselves and feel comfortable in their skin (or clothing), they are way more likely to live a more successful life.  I've shared my favorite products but I know there are a lot more out there.  If you are a creator or an admirer of some kind of amazing product that promotes independence for self-care skills, please share them.  I am sure that many of my readers would love to hear what kinds of things you are using at home or in practice to foster independence for self-care skills.  I am always a click awayotmeghan@gmail.com and love hearing from you all!