The Many Benefits of Playing in the Snow
As the season of winter is vastly approaching, snow is (potentially) in the air! While we may want to stay indoors when it is snowing, playing in the snow actually has many benefits to a child’s development (once bundled up, of course!). Playing, moving around, building and creating in the snow provides opportunities for gross and fine motor skill development, coordination, body awareness, problem-solving, and even social skills. Not to mention an overall great activity to provide sensory input.
Cooking With Kids for Thanksgiving
Cooking with kids around the holidays is a fun activity that many parents and children enjoy doing together. Encouraging cooking skills is a great way to support a child’s independence and prepare them for adulthood. Performing tasks such as scooping, kneading, cutting, chopping, and shredding are great ways to develop fine motor skills and coordination. In addition, following a recipe teaches children how to follow directions and sequence steps. Some tips for cooking with your children this Thanksgiving include:
Cold Weather Clothing
The leaves have begun to fall and it’s time to dig out the long sleeves, pants and jackets. For a kid who struggles with sensory processing, especially tactile defensiveness, this time of year may cause increased stress and anxiety. For a child on the Autism spectrum or with other tactile difficulties, tags, textures and seams may cause complete meltdown. Luckily many clothing brands have recognized this difficulty and have attempted to ease the transition between seasons.
Tips and Tricks to Avoid the After School Meltdown
School is back and session! During school kids are expected to sit for a majority of the day and this can be challenging for most, especially for those with sensory processing difficulties. Here are some tips and tricks to help avoid that after school meltdown while also getting homework done.
Beach Time Heavy Work
Heavy work, or proprioceptive input, helps to provide the muscles and joints with calming and organizing deep touch pressure. This input can also help to encourage body awareness by allowing for input that helps you to identify where your body is in space. Summer is a time for relaxation, fun, and adventure! No matter where you are or what summer adventures you choose to explore, having activities to encourage heavy work is important to have on hand!
Bathtime Tips
For some parents bathtime can be a fun and/or relaxing experience. For others, bathtime can be quite challenging. It often causes a negative reaction in children with sensory processing difficulties. Some things that might trigger a negative reaction in kids include: the sound of running water, water temperature, bathroom lights, the smell of soap or shampoos, fear of getting soap in the eyes, the feeling of being wet after washing, and the feeling of being towel dried. The best way to make bath time more enjoyable is to limit fears and incorporate some of your child’s favorite activities and toys.
Tips for Traveling with Kids during the Summer!
As summer approaches planning family trips, whether it’s a road trip to the Poconos or a plane
ride to Disneyland, always guarantees a fun summer full of amazing memories. Sometimes
traveling to our destination takes a long time, making it difficult for kids to get their needs met
while in a confined space for a long period of time. This can result in sensory overload or a lack
of sensory input and lead to meltdowns. Below is a list of ideas you can use to provide your
child with adequate sensory input in order to limit meltdowns and make more family
memories.
What is Interoception?
We are all familiar with the senses of touch, taste, smell, but you’ve likely never heard of our 8th sense: Interoception. Interoception is our 8th sense which allows the body to send signals to the brain in order for us to be aware of our bodily cues. These signals allow us to recognize internal physical […]
Benefits of Playing in the Rain
Stop saying no to playing in the rain and start saying yes! By letting kids play in the rain you can improve their independence, provide them with sensory experiences, and improve their motor skills. When going out in the rain whether it’s to play or go to school, you should always dress appropriately. What better time to learn something than when you’re motivated by play? When planning to go out in the rain, you have to think about what you need to wear to remain dry such as rain boots, rain jackets, and maybe even an umbrella!
Risky Play
What does risky play have to do with occupational therapy? Play is the most important occupation for children. It helps them develop many crucial skills, which aids in developing a well-rounded child. Many, if not all of the activities listed above, provide proprioceptive and vestibular input to the body, which helps children develop their sense of body and safety awareness. Proprioceptive input provides sensory input to the receptors in our muscles and joints while vestibular input is our sense of movement and balance. When given both types of input, children have a better understanding of where their body is in space and can help them feel more regulated.
