May 17, 2017
Getting the Most out of Movement
By: Rachel Morris, OTR/L
Movement can be an extremely powerful sensory experience. It can be exhilarating (a rollercoaster!) or overwhelming (think motion sickness). We use movement to calm down when we rock an infant to sleep. We use movement to help us wake up and to feel ready to embrace our day.
How can you make the vestibular system work for you and your child?
Vestibular input (movement) is detected through the semi-circular canals of the inner ear. Changing head position can alter the intensity of our experience. We can change the direction of movement and feel a different effect. Children can generally tolerate a wider variety of movement experiences. As we get older those same experiences can be overwhelming. When was the last time you tried a somersault for fun? Adapting movement experiences for each individual can be a useful tool in developing body awareness, gross motor coordination, and coordination of the left and right sides of the body (bilateral coordination).
For a calming experience:
Keep movement slower and rhythmic. Rocking in a rocking chair helps even the most restless souls relax a bit. Using shorter, slower ranges of movement will help guide your child to a more calm state. Couple that with a cuddle on your lap sitting in the rocking chair and you have quality calming time for all involved.
For an alerting experience:
More drastic changes in head position and direction will make movement more effective. Somersaults, toe touches, and just picking things up off the floor can be alerting movement experiences. During these summer months, encourage your child to log roll down a hill or take a turn on the swings in the park. Before sitting down to do homework or eat a meal, have your child roll his head side to side.
For more information about vestibular movement and how movement experiences may be affecting your child’s ability to be calm and alert, contact the occupational therapists at Timber Ridge Pediatric Therapy, LLC. At info@TRPTKids.com
May 10, 2017
How can we get back to “calm”?
By: Rachel Morris, OTR/L
What do you do when you’ve had a challenging day and just need to “chill out”? Many of us have “go-to” strategies that help us reset for the next activity or next day. Some strategies include food, drinks, music, exercise, or just curling up in bed and hiding from the world. As adults we’ve developed these strategies for better or worse. How do we help kids stay calm and alert (regulated) and how can we help them get back to their “happy place” when things go awry?
Deep Breathing: Respiration can be a really meaningful tool for helping someone slow down and refocus. Yoga, meditation, and martial arts use breath control as a means of calming and focus. Focus on taking a deep breath in through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. You can cue a child to “Smell the flowers” and “Blow out the candles” to help them plan and execute this respiration pattern. Focus on extending the exhale to help your child slow down and calm down internally. This strategy can be beneficial for the children who are stressed and for their caregivers. Do it together!
Deep Pressure: Proprioceptive input can be a great calming tool. Who hasn’t wanted to curl up in bed under the blanket to get away from the stress of the day? Deep pressure and active muscle use through the joints skeletal system helps “center” a body and provide some much-needed boundaries to feel safe and secure. This strategy is particularly helpful if movement has resulted in motion sickness or over-stimulation. “Steamroller” your child while they lie on their stomach on the floor by rolling a ball or using your hands to give a deep pressure through their body. Movement should be slow as if rolling out dough, spreading the “calm” through their body. Deep pressure through the shoulders is another helpful strategy for a child who is sitting up. Paired with Deep Breathing, Deep Pressure can be a source of calm.
Visual Cues: By refocusing gaze, we can help make the world a little smaller and more manageable. Providing a written list of what’s to come (a schedule or a to-do list) can help them move through a task one step at a time feeling more control and more aware of their accomplishments. Review it aloud with the child. Even children who can’t read or don’t speak, having something visual to focus on and that can make all the difference in their level of focus and calm.
If you’re looking for more strategies to help your child maintain their calm-alert state, an occupational therapist can help assess the areas of stress and the best strategies for calming down. For more information, please contact Timber Ridge Pediatric Therapy, LLC at info@trptkids.com.
May 3, 2017
Why does my child act in such extremes?
Rachel Morris, OTR/L
Timber Ridge Pediatric Therapy, LLC
If your child is experiencing strong sensitivities to something in their environment, they may act in a mode of self-preservation. While most sensory experiences today aren’t life-threatening, our nervous system relies on a fight-or-flight pattern to protect us when situations reach a certain level of stress. This was really helpful in the days of the caveman, not so necessary nowadays. When a child (or adult) is exposed to recurring experiences that stress their nervous system, it can be harder and harder to recover to a calm alert state. Seemingly little things can put someone over the edge, a shirt tag, sock seams, a ticking clock, or a ride in the car. Sometimes the trigger can be a little more obvious, such as a change in schedule or routine. Identifying the trigger(s) and working with your child to decrease exposure and allow more “recovery” time between experiences is an important start. Following up with strategies to meet the specific needs of your child will help desensitize the nervous system and enable your child to respond in a more constructive manner. That kind of success can put everyone at ease and build confidence.
Occupational therapy can help assess what triggers are at work and identify the best strategies to help sensitive nervous systems become more flexible. Treatment plans are designed with your child’s specific needs in mind and strategies are implemented to increase tolerance levels and improve coping skills. An occupational therapist will work with you to improve sensory processing and stress management in the session and carry those successes over to the home and school environments. If you have questions about your child’s sensory processing or self-regulation, contact Timber Ridge Pediatric Therapy at info@trptkids.com.
October, 2016
Executive Functioning
By Beth Kern, MS, OTR/L
Executive functioning skills are mental skills that allow a child to initiate a task, maintain attention to a task, organize, remember, prioritize, and then use information from past experiences to problem solve. Symptoms your child may exhibit if they have challenges in this area may include:
• General disorganization,
• Trouble keeping track of homework and other important papers
• Trouble getting started on a task
• Trouble maintaining attention to task
• Sticking with a particular plan, regardless of the fact that the plan is ineffective
• Requiring repetition of directions to be
• Displays difficulty making decisions
• Demonstrates difficulty multi-tasking and changing activities
• Difficulty with timed tasks
• Trouble with time management
• Difficulty seeking help when assistance is needed
Scientists have yet to determine the cause of executive functioning difficulties, but we know a few things:
1. Executive functioning is primarily controlled by the prefrontal cortex of the brain.
2. Genes and hereditary play a large role in executive function skills.
3. Kids with ADHD, learning disabilities, psychological conditions, autism and other disabilities and disorders have a greater chance of challenges in executive functioning.
Occupational Therapy can help treat challenges in executive functioning and therapeutic activities may include creating therapeutic obstacle courses, yoga activities, strategic games, or creating meals from a recipe. If you think Executive Functioning might be an area of challenge for your child reach out to an OT to find out more! Timber Ridge Pediatric Therapy offers free screenings and consultations with an OT.
Morin, A. (2014, March 19). Understanding Executive Functioning Issues. Retrieved October 26, 2016
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2014). Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence.
March, 2016
Turning Thoughts Into Actions
By, Amy Hutnick, MS, OTR/L
Have you ever wondered how a child turns their thoughts into actions?
The answer is Praxis. Praxis is a skill that people use to organize and engage in new activities. Praxis involves coming up with an idea, planning it out, doing it with ease and rhythm, and problem solving what went right and wrong after. Does your child have a hard time learning new skills, become frustrated with new tasks, appear disorganized, have difficulty playing sports, have sloppy handwriting, have difficulty dressing, or look inefficient in their actions? The term used for these difficulties is Dyspraxia. Children with dyspraxia have a difficult time planning and carrying out a skilled, novel, motor task in the correct sequence. Children with Dyspraxia use a lot more energy to judge the amount of force, and rhythm required for a movement. When children don’t have these adequate skills they can’t work efficiently or effectively and this causes a lot of frustration. It can also impact a child’s belief in himself and sense of control, in turn impacting satisfaction. Some, but not all children with Dyspraxia have impaired sensory processing and therefore have incomplete knowledge about their own body making movements even more difficult. Treatment for dyspraxia focuses on many things including creating motor memories. In order to create a motor memory a task must be repeated 4 or 5 times so it becomes automatic. If you think Praxis might be an area of challenge for your child reach out to an OT to find out more!
Sensory Integration Theory and Practice by Fisher, A., Murray, E.A., & Bundy, A.C. (1991). Philadelphia by F.A. Davis Company.
Clinical Assessment and Practical Interventions for Praxis: From ideation to Execution. Presented by Teresa May- Benson, MS, OTR /L. August 6-7, 2004. Oakbrook, IL.
March, 2016
Indoor Therapeutic and Fun Activities (until spring finally gets here)!!
By, Esther Zigun, MS, OTR/L
Timber Ridge Pediatric Therapy, LLC
Spring is almost here, but I still feel the need to come up with creative solutions to avoid cabin fever. Here are some ideas to avoid cabin fever and work on an OT home program at the same time. Did you know that you can create multiple therapeutic games just by using a newspaper? In this article, I will give you different game ideas that you can create! Goodbye cabin fever, hello fun!!!
Does your child often bump into things and fall? Does he have difficulty with balance and coordination? This activity works on motor planning, bilateral coordination, and turn taking.
NEWSPAPER JUMPS
Lay a newspaper section down to mark “start.” This section is called home, and each game begins from “home.” Lay a second square in front of home and have the player jump (with both feet together) over the second square. Then lay a third square in front of the first two, and have the player jump over both. Keep adding squares and see how many squares the player can jump. Whoever jumps the farthest is the winner!
Does your child have difficulty using his hands to bend and fold things? Does he have difficulty following along during a project? The following activity works on fine motor coordination, hand strength, and ideation.
NEWSPAPER HATS
Here is another way to make a newspaper hat that is easier. Have your child place three sheets of newspaper on his head and wrap masking tape around the paper at the level of the child’s forehead. Cinch the newspaper with tape to form the hat’s crown. Roll and crumple the paper that sticks out beyond the tape in order to create a derby-style hat. You can also paint or decorate the hats with stickers afterwards.
Does your child have difficulty with balance? Does he have difficulty with walking or running in a coordinated fashion? This next two activities works on body in space awareness, motor planning, coordination and core strength.
STEPPING STONES
Lay newspaper sections on the floor and pretend that they are “stepping stones.” Take turns stepping from one stone to another. Take turns moving the newspapers to form different stepping stone paths. You can put the stones closer together (for little steps) or move them farther apart (for more stretching). You can also increase the challenge by having your child bounce a ball while stepping from stone to stone.
SLALOM SKIING
Lay newspaper sections out in a line, each square a small distance away from the other one. The players weave in and out of the squares like they’re slalom skiing. Add a challenge by timing each run. The object is to see how fast they can “ski” without touching the newspaper sections.
After completing these newspaper activities, your child is a double-winner! Not only did he have fun and find ways to conquer boredom, he has worked on essential skills such as gross motor strength, fine motor coordination, body in space awareness, and turn taking.
For questions regarding any of these activities, or if you are looking to inquire more about your own child’s current level of function, please contact a TRPT therapist today! You can reach us at 847-877-5210 or email at info@timberridgetherapy.com
Sher, B. (1992). Extraordinary play with ordinary things: Recycling everyday materials to build motor skills. Tucson, AZ: T
November, 2015
Holiday Shopping!
By Esther Zigun, MS, OTR/L
Gift giving season can be particularly difficult when you don’t know how to determine whether a certain toy is developmentally appropriate. As an occupational therapist, we determine which games and activities are appropriate for a child based on the milestones that they are expected to meet at that age. We keep in mind the child’s developmental levels in areas of motor planning, fine motor and gross motor coordination, bilateral coordination, sensory processing, strength, executive functioning, etc.
For example, 3 and 4 year old children will engage in constructive play (art projects with adult assistance, puzzles) and rough-and-tumble play (swinging, sliding, jumping, running). Gift ideas for this include: Melissa and Doug Sea Life Chunky Puzzle – $9.99, Crayon Rocks – $9.95 (for 16 colors), Excellerations Rainbow Tunnel – $19.99, Melissa and Doug Children’s Sandwich Stacking Game – $29.99
4 and 5 year olds begin to incorporate other new skills into play. These can include more challenging fine motor activities (using scissors, stringing beads) as well as more complex gross motor activities (throwing a ball, skipping and hopping). Gift ideas for this include: Melissa and Doug Sweet Hearts Wooden Bead Set – $21.99, Twister Moves Skip-It $19.99, Velcro Toss-n-catch – $7.95, Play-Doh Super Tools Flip ‘n Snip $8.99
Ages 6-10 years old is considered middle childhood. Some activities that children these ages will play include more games with rules (card games), organized sports, as well as crafts and hobbies (like sticker collecting and baking). Gift ideas for this include: Uno Card Game – $9.99, Connect 4 Game – $6.99, Jenga Classic Game – $14.99, LEGO CHIMA Ultimate Sticker Collection – $12.99, Mine 2 Design 4-In-1 Jewelry Designer – $24.99, Goki Hammer and Nails Set – $32.95
Ages 12-18 is considered adolescence. Adolescence is generally defined as the high school years. Play activities are often viewed as extracurricular activities (sport team, school band or orchestra, drama club) and community-based activities such as scouts, music, or dance classes. The defining factors of these activities are that they are goal-directed as well as that they give a sense of belonging to a peer group. Gift ideas for this include: American Girl Baking Cookbook – $19.95, Dance Dance Revolution & Guitar Hero Live (for cheaper alternatives you can look up similar Apps in the Apple store)
Happy Holidays!
*For specific questions about toys, feel free to contact your occupational therapist.
Reference
Smith, J. (2010). Occupational therapy for children (6th ed., pp. 73-97). Maryland Heights, Missouri: Mosby/Elsevier.
September, 2015
Core Strength: How Does it Really Impact My Child?
By: Jodie Schneider, MS, OTR/L
As adults, we learn how important core strength is for our daily involvement in activities and to prevent us from injury. As an occupational therapist, I have to work to strengthen my core to protect my back so that I am able to better do my job. You may be asking yourself, “What are the implications for my child? Why is it so important?” Yes, the obvious are still true: it will help your child in increasing their engagement in play and involvement in more sports/activities. However, it is also important to have a strong core and good endurance to prevent fatigue in daily activities. Poor core strength and endurance can often be seen directly in the classroom and can have an impact on engagement and learning. Kids that present with challenges in core strength can often be observed leaning their head in their hand during fine motor and writing activities at their desk. They can also demonstrate difficulty maintaining a simple upright posture as they listen to their teacher and may appear tired or fatigued with their head on their desk. Some teachers may perceive their students as being uninterested or wonder if they got the required amount of sleep the night before, but this may not be your child’s reality! Often many kids lack the core strength necessary to keep their body in a position against gravity and this is commonly observed when they are required to engage in other ways (and recruit other muscles), such as writing. Next time you see your child or student with challenges staying upright at their desk, look beyond the possible lack of interest or effort and question if they truly have the strength necessary to maintain a static upright position for long periods of time. If they are unable to stay upright and attend to what is happening in front of them, they may likely be missing some of the educational information being presented. Talk to your occupational therapist if you have additional questions!
July, 2015
Yoga: As Therapeutic for Kids as it is for Adults!
By: Jodie Schneider, MS, OTR/L
I’ve got yoga on the brain! This summer at Timber Ridge we started a therapeutic yoga group. We are equipped with a fantastic yoga instructor, two occupational therapists and two-three volunteers for six kids! I am getting so much out of it, personally. I am so in love with this practice because I see how wonderfully the kids are responding to it. All kids can get involved with yoga provided the right instructor and appropriate support. In our group, we are able to work on stretching and flexibility, strengthening and endurance, body awareness, motor planning, and self-regulation. Does it get any better than that? It actually does… the kids are also interested in each other, and they are making new friends. While it has only been three weeks, I am already seeing wonderful results in the children. One thing I notice, above all, is their improved engagement, focus, enjoyment and confidence. There is nothing better than seeing children leave your session feeling good about themselves. They are moving their bodies in ways they never thought possible as they connect to their bodies, minds, feelings, and breathing. The “relaxation” concept at the end of the session is more challenging for our little ones, but just like the poses and breathing, deep relaxation is a practice too. I cannot wait to see what the next couple weeks will hold for our little yogis. It is such a pleasure to see them grow and get stronger in every way possible, physically, mentally, and emotionally…and have so much fun at the same time!
June, 2015
The Park: More than just FUN!
By: Jodie Schneider, MS, OTR/L
Summer is here! I encourage families to spend as much time as possible at the park this season. The park is not only fun for your child, but can be therapeutic as well! For kids with motor planning challenges, some instruction on how to use the equipment might be necessary. You can set up fun obstacle courses using the equipment to work on motor planning and sequencing. Swings are a great choice for vestibular activity- kids can sit upright or swing on their tummies. For kids seeking intense vestibular input, you can also utilize the spinning equipment! Be cautious with spinning, and always remember to have your child engage in a proprioceptive or deep pressure/heavy work activity following the vestibular activity. This can be achieved in the form of basic climbing, pulling themselves up a slide on their tummies, or swinging across the monkey bars. Each of these activities are a fantastic way to build upper extremity and core strength. The playground is a great place to naturally address tolerance, peer social interactions, and turn-taking. Don’t underestimate the playground! If used strategically, it can be a great therapeutic place!
May, 2015
The Picky Eater
By: Jodie Schneider, MS, OTR/L
Do you have a hard time with your child at meals? Do you feel like you are cooking a separate meal for each individual around the dinner table? Is this causing a strain on your family’s and your meal times? There are ways to work with your picky eating child to expand their food choices. It is typical for all kids age 2-8 to be picky with their food choices. However, some children have underlying sensory processing or physiological challenges impacting their ability to explore a variety of foods. Of course each child is different and some are more adventurous or restrictive with what they will eat. If you are questioning your child’s nutritional intake, first speak with your child’s pediatrician who may refer you to a registered dietician (opposed to a “nutritionist”). Then you can see what foods your child needs more of, whether it be carbohydrates, fats, or proteins. You can work with your occupational therapist to expand your child’s repertoire through specific chaining methods as well as behavioral strategies. This summer Timber Ridge is offering a Picky Eaters group to begin to explore different foods and gain acceptance around trying new foods.
April, 2015
Potty Training Readiness
By: Jodie Schneider MS, OTR/L
Are you wondering if your child is ready for potty training? Potty training readiness is not simply determined by the age of the child, although many children begin to demonstrate common indicators around the same age (3 years old). For typically developing children, it is important for your child to demonstrate several markers indicating readiness. You will want to work with your child on potty training when he/she is interested in others using the toilet, generally compliant, and responds to positive reinforcement or rewards. Physically, you will want your child to be able to independently sit upright on the toilet, be able to get onto and off of the toilet, and independently engage in parts of the dressing process (pulling pants up/down). It is also important for your child to have the ability to notice when he/she is soiled or wet and has dry periods lasting approximately two hours in duration. Lastly, it is helpful for your child to have language for urine or bowel movements. While these markers are very important for typically developing kids, it is not recommended to wait on these factors for kiddos with special needs. Does your child have sensory processing challenges making this process more challenging for both you and the child? Talk to your occupational therapist who may be able to assist you in the process by utilizing sensory smart techniques and strategies.
Wild, Gwen. (2015). Toilet Training for a Sensory Perspective [Lecture and Powerpoint Slides].
March, 2015
Calming Your Kiddo before Bed
By: Jodie Schneider, MS, OTR/L
Many parents often ask about tips and tricks for calming their child before bedtime. We often hear that for some reason, their kiddo gets wound up before bed and has a hard time settling down. You can help change your child’s level of arousal by providing different kinds of sensory stimulation. Some kids do great with just a book or two read to them, and they are able to fall asleep. Others, however, require a little bit more calming input to wind down. Parents can use a variety of different tools, and each kid is unique in what works for them. Some kids love deep pressure before bed time such as pillow squishes, lotion massages or bear hugs. Other kids would benefit from auditory input such as calming music or white noise. You can also try providing additional warmth for your child, such as cozy plush stuffed animals, extra blankets (also good for deep pressure), or warming up your child’s sheets or comforter in the dryer before bed time. Some kids benefit from slow calming movement, such as a rocking chair or rolling on an exercise ball. Lastly, visual stimulation can be calming for some kids, such as an aquarium DVD or the use of a lava lamp as a night light. Each child is different, so you’ll need to play detective with your occupational therapist to determine which strategies help calm your child so they can get to sleep easier at night.
February, 2015
Bring on the Snow!
By: Jodie Schneider, MS, OTR/L
The Super Bowl blizzard really inspired me to write an article about all of the POSITIVE aspects of the snow. The snow offers such a wonderful sensory experience for kids. Get your kiddo bundled up and send him or her on their way. Rolling in the snow or sledding down a hill is great vestibular input. Jumping and crashing into the snow is great proprioceptive input as well. Kids can build forts or snow men, create snow angels, or throw snowballs at targets. All of these backyard activities offer opportunities for motor planning, body awareness, and upper limb coordination. All the while, your kiddo is building strength as they trudge through and interact with all the white fluff! These are fun and naturalistic activities that all children need. Kids need to get out and play! So don’t let the snow stop you…embrace it and enjoy it! My favorite heavy work activity in the snow is having your child help out with the shoveling. It doesn’t get much better than that! Kids have to use their whole body and strength to push the snow, giving them great input that they might not be able to get indoors. Not to mention, you’ll have yourself a great little helper! Feel free to reward your little helper with a nice mug of piping hot cocoa to follow. Enjoy the snow, and of course, stay warm!
January, 2015
Should We Say “Should?”
By: Jodie Schneider, MS, OTR/L
As therapists and parents, we often think about our children in terms of what they “should” be doing at a certain age. Johnny “should” be able to ride his bike in first grade. Samantha “should” be able to tie her shoes by the end of kindergarten. Should they really? We often put such emphasis on what our kids aren’t doing and “should” be doing instead of celebrating their strengths and accomplishments. Furthermore, when we begin to use this language with our kids (i.e. “Rebecca, you should be able to clean your room by yourself), we run the risk of introducing my second least favorite word…Shame. What we say to our kids, how we treat them, and ultimately, how we view them, impacts the child’s sense of self-worth and well-being. Our kids are smart! They can easily detect our negative thinking and disappointment. So, what we “should” be doing is removing this type of language from our vocabulary and thought processes and mindfully trying to change our perspectives. All kids develop and acquire skills at different paces. It is our responsibility to cheer them on! We are the ones to pick them up when they fall and encourage them to keep going. Each child is unique and their individual talents should be celebrated. No child deserves to feel shame and we don’t need to think about our kids in terms of what they “should” be doing. Some activities and skills may be more challenging. That’s normal. We’re all unique, and what is easy for one child may be challenging for the next. It is our job to help our children develop those skills, and they’ll get them at their own pace! Besides, if your child needs a little extra help to achieve his or her goals, that’s what OT is for! ? …Not because they “should” be able to do one thing or another.
December, 2014
Jodie’s Top Fine Motor Toys for the Holidays
By: Jodie Schneider
When choosing your child’s gifts for the holidays, there are a lot of things to consider! AOTA has offered a very helpful checklist that can help steer you in the right direction when choosing a toy for your child. You can find this checklist at: http://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/AboutOT/consumers/Youth/Play/Toys%20tip%20sheet.pdf
Play is such an essential occupation for kids. As parents and therapists, we have the power to help guide and nurture our children’s development through play and appropriate toys. A lot of parents often ask about great fine motor toys for their kids. They want to improve their hand strength and grasp so that they can hold a pencil properly, manipulate their own fasters, and open their own packaging. Below is list of a couple toys that might tickle your fine motor fancy. It is important to grade these activities so that the activities are challenging, but the child also experiences success. Be sure to check out the age range of the toy, or talk to your occupational therapist to see if the toy is suitable for your child.
Melissa and Doug is one brand that creates a variety of educationally and developmentally relevant toys that are wonderful for kids of all ages. Some fine motor toys that they create are lacing cards, wooden beads, stamps, stickers and more:
1. Dress-Up Stickers Roll – Vehicles, Careers, Sports & Knights – $16.99
2. Reusable Sticker Pad – My Town- $4.99
3. ABC Lacing Train -$14.99
4. Deluxe Collection – Wooden Bead Set- $19.99
5. Deluxe Magnetic Standing Art Easel – $99.99
6. Melissa and Doug Basic Skills Board- $19.99
There are a variety of other brands of toys that make fantastic fine motor activities. Some of my favorite games include:
1. Hungry Bunny Motor Skills Game- Lakeshore Learning Skills – $19.99 (tweezer game)
2. Operation Game- $12.99
3. Play-doh Super Color 20-Pack- $14.96 (Don’t forget to buy some cookie cutters!)
4. Lauri Tall Stacker Pegs 3-Dimensional Building Set – $35.74
November, 2014
Creating a Sensory Smart Learning Environment in the Home and School
By: Jodie Schneider, MS, OTR/L
Parents, educators and therapists want to create a positive environment conducive to learning. Sometimes we do this by displaying artwork, and constructing creative and bright backdrops. While these creative displays may foster interest, they often distract the child from the task at hand. Creating a sensory smart environment in the school is just as crucial as in the home. Children need to be able to work in a space that is free from distractions and clutter to give them the best learning opportunity.
There are several things to think about when creating your sensory smart learning environment. The first is visual distractions. Eliminate pictures and artwork on the walls. It is also important to remember to only display the necessary posters, etc. on a wall in the school environment (i.e. schedule, calendar). Additionally, position the home desk in a corner facing a wall or facing away from activity that may be going on. If your child can see all the other activity taking place in the room, chances are they are more likely to look up and thus, lose focus. In a school, you can use study carols or folders to provide a screen from visual distractions. Another point to take into consideration when organizing desk configurations is that some kids work best with their desk apart from peers, near only one peer, or in a group. It is important to take over- and under- responsiveness into consideration when setting up the classroom.
The noise level is another aspect to consider when creating a sensory smart environment. Does your child work best with white noise or soft music? Do they need complete silence? Is there a lot of raucous going on that is impeding upon their learning? Headphones and ear plugs are other strategies to eliminate unwanted noise disturbances.
Lighting can also be a key element in creating an effective work environment. Is there enough lighting to see their work or are they straining their eyes? A table lamp is a great piece of equipment to really put the focus on the work at the desk. Is the light too bright in the room and this is impacting the child’s productivity? Old fluorescent lighting can often create sensitivities for the eyes and ears.
An organized space is also extremely beneficial to the child at work. A disorganized work space can foster a disorganized child. Parents can organize work materials with various bins and drawers to simplify the child’s learning environment. You can also involve your child in the organization process!
Movement breaks are also key during longer work periods. Have your child get up and move around and get their blood flowing. Give their mind and body a break from the strenuous activity of sitting in a desk and doing homework! Kids can take a short walk, do jumping jacks, stretch, etc. It is important that they move every once in a while. Some kids need it more often than others.
Overall, if you take nothing else away from this article, be cognoscente of this: our environments impact us! If we are working in an environment that is comfortable to our senses, we are more likely to work more efficiently and be less distracted. There are many other modifications that can be made to the classroom or home environment, but these are just a few to consider!
October, 2014
Kindergarten Readiness
By: Jodie Schneider, MS, OTR/L
As children move from the pre-kindergarten setting into the kindergarten setting, parents often wonder what their child should be able to do in comparison to their peers. It is important to recognize that each individual child is unique and has a different skill set and knowledge base. However, there are a couple things that you as parents can work on with your child before they enter kindergarten if they have not yet mastered it in the pre-k setting. These tots should have a range of social, motor, language, and academic skills, but for the purpose of this article, we will focus on mainly on motor skills (including self-help/independence skills). By the time your child goes into the kindergarten classroom, he/she will be doing the following things:
• Putting simple jigsaw puzzles together (6-24 pieces)
• Copy various pre-writing strokes and basic shapes
• Traces lines and basic shapes
• Draw a person with 4-6 parts
• Cut along a straight or angled line and use two hands to manage the paper
• Copy their first name
• Holds and uses a variety of writing utensils with an appropriate (more refined, non-fisted) grasp
• Bounces, kicks, throws and catches a playground size ball
• Rides a tricycle
• Enjoys movement activities outside at the park such as running, jumping, climbing
• Able to undress and dress independently (including shoes)
• Manipulate a variety of fasteners (snaps, buttons, zippers)
• Takes responsibility for belongings (lunch, coat, etc.)
• Engages in clean-up activities
• Increased desire to be independent
• Eat neatly and pour into a cup
• Uses bathroom independently and washes hands afterwards
• Blow their nose/cover their mouth when they cough
• Get their coat on and off and hang it up
• Follow simple two-step directions
September, 2014
Why is Handwriting Important?
By: Jodie Schneider, MS, OTR/L
Despite the technological era, handwriting continues to be a crucial tool used in the classroom. Many wonder why handwriting is such an important tool, and why we place such an emphasis on it during early years. Research continuously supports handwriting’s impact on early literacy and academic performance. It is important for children to be skilled in handwriting so they can attend to higher level cognition as it relates to writing sentences or completing math problems. If the child is so focused on the formation of the letters and numbers, it becomes challenging to really give all their mental capacity to the assignment at hand. In many cases, children who struggle with handwriting may avoid the writing process which impacts development of thoughtful, creative, fluid and high quality writing (Graham, Harris and Fink, 2000). Poor handwriting has also had negative implications related to school achievement and the child’s self-esteem (Engel-Yeger, Nagakur – Yanuv & Rosenblum, 2009; Malloy-Miller, Polatajko & Anstett, 1995). Many foundational skills are required for successful and neat handwriting such as fine motor coordination, core and proximal strength, hand strength, spatial awareness, bilateral coordination/midline orientation, etc. It is important to work not only on the skill of hand writing but to address all foundational components. Don’t give up on building those handwriting skills, as they will continue to impact the child all through their academic (and later professional) career. At Timber Ridge, we take a developmental and multisensory approach to handwriting to make the process easier (and more fun!) for your child.