As a pediatric occupational therapist, scissor use is something I assess but also something I teach. And I teach it early. I also teach safety early, and teach it with a focus on early success. What makes it easier to teach children to cut with scissors? Good timing. Typically-developing children have the visual-motor skills to…… Continue reading Teach Kids How to Cut With Scissors…The Easy Way
Tag: homeschooling
Doing OT Telehealth? Start Cooking (And Baking)!
Parents are looking for ways to survive the lockdown without daycare and preschool. Even the easiest child is starting to chafe under the oppression of the COVID quarantine. As an OT, it is my job to help parents support growth and development, but I don’t have to make it feel like work. Enter cooking and…… Continue reading Doing OT Telehealth? Start Cooking (And Baking)!
Need a Desk Chair for Your Hypermobile School-Age Child? Check out the Giantex Chair
One of my colleagues with a hypermobile third-grader told me this chair has been a great chair at school for her child. It hits a lot of my targets for a good chair recommendation, so here it is: The Giantex chair. Why do I like it so much? It is a bit adaptable and it…… Continue reading Need a Desk Chair for Your Hypermobile School-Age Child? Check out the Giantex Chair
Is Your Toddler Home From School Because of COVID-19? Save Your Sanity With Fun Routines
Many families have toddlers that are not attending daycare or preschool now. They are at home. All day. They are off their schedules, and sometimes seem off their rockers! Here are some ideas to help their parents retain their sanity: Create a routine for them. This means that they get snacks at a certain time,…… Continue reading Is Your Toddler Home From School Because of COVID-19? Save Your Sanity With Fun Routines
Is Automaticity The Key To Handwriting Success?
I know that this is a bold statement. Handwriting is a complex skill, with visual-motor coordination, perceptual, cognitive and postural components. But when I evaluate a child’s writing, and I watch them having to think about where to start and sequence movements to form a letter and place it on a line, and then decide…… Continue reading Is Automaticity The Key To Handwriting Success?
Homeschooling? Make Learning to Write Easy for Everyone
Handwriting is a skill that powers the development of language and literacy, as well as math skills. This is an important early foundation skill. Keyboarding does not replace writing at any age. If you doubt me, gather up all your pencils and pens for a day or two. See what happens. If they are truthful,…… Continue reading Homeschooling? Make Learning to Write Easy for Everyone