Winter Weather Fun

Ways for Winter Weather Fun

Looking for ways to entertain your kids when it’s cold outside? Heavy work–or activities that burn energy–are critical in keeping our kiddos regulated.

If you’re willing to brave the cold and throw on some snow gear, try:

  • Shoveling. Kids love to feel helpful!
  • Making a snow fort. Creative and imaginative!
  • Sledding. Climbing up a hill before flying down is a surefire way to burn energy.

Prefer staying inside and warm? Try these fun options:

  • Make a blanket fort. You can fill the inside of the fort with spare pillows for added deep pressure!
  • Pillow fight. If your kiddo can handle this activity, you should definitely give it a try. Provide deep-pressure pillow squishes at the end of the activity to assist with calming them down.
  • Lifting/Pushing/Pulling. Pushing and pulling provides proprioceptive input* through the muscles and joints. Activities such as carrying groceries, putting wet clothes inside a dryer, or pushing a sibling around in a laundry basket are all great examples.

*the sense that lets us perceive joint position and movement, muscle force, and effort.

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Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday gift guide

Stuck on what to get your littlest loved ones for the holidays? Kids Place Therapy Services is here to help! If you’re looking for a holiday gift that will pack a skill-building punch, check out our list of suggested toys. We even use these at our clinic!

Fine Motor/Visual Motor

These toys will build hand and finger strength, visual motor skills, and bilateral coordination.

Blocks 

Helping Hands Tool Set

Lacing Beads

 

Sensory

Whether you have a kiddo who seeks continuous movement, craves deep pressure, or has difficulty with certain textures, these sensory toys are sure to be a hit!

Cuddle Swing

Indoor Trampoline

Kinetic Sand

 

Gross Motor Skills

These toys are perfect for building body awareness, hand-eye coordination, bilateral skills, and more!

Twister

Toss & Catch

Monster Feet

 

Visual Perception

These toys target scanning, figure ground, spatial relations and more!

Spot It!

Perfection

Geometric Tangrams

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Fall in Love with Sensory Play

Sensory play helps children interact with, and make sense of, the world around them. It can be any activity that stimulates their senses. That’s why babies and toddlers touch everything and put things in their mouths, and why kids make funny noises with their mouths. It’s why your child spins in circles until they’re so dizzy they fall, then get up and do it again.

Sensory play is vital to a child’s development. It helps build nerve connections in their brain pathways, helping them develop language skills, gross motor and fine motor skills. It also helps develop cognitive growth, fosters social interactions and encourages experimentation.

Fall is the perfect time to get outside and encourage your child to explore the world around them through play. Utilize the leaves, pumpkins, twigs, etc., for easy sensory play activities.

Fall-Themed Activities You Can Do at Home:

 

Did you know we offer a Sensory Motor Group? Learn more here.

 

 

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Benefits of Physical Therapy for Kids

Physical therapy

October is National Physical Therapy Month so let’s share why physical therapy can benefit your little ones.

As adults, we often hear about the importance of exercise and healthy habits as it affects our physical, mental, and emotional health. But what about our kids?

Take core strength, for example. Kids with a weak core exert so much mental energy focusing on maintaining their functional posture that they don’t have enough left to complete other activities (i.e. academics or daily routines). This can lead to agitation or frustration when they cannot complete what should be simple activities. Your child could also display signs of a weak core via movement (fidgeting, leaning, slumping, etc.). A physical therapist would be able to address all of these symptoms via therapy.

Here are a few other ways physical therapy could benefit your child:

  • Promote good flexibility, strength, and cognitive development
  • Focus on optimal energy efficiency to complete normal daily tasks and play
  • Aid in physical development
  •  Treat and prevent injuries

If you think your child would benefit from an evaluation, please contact our office to make an appointment with one of our experts.

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Beat the Back-to-School Blues

School is back in session. If your child is overwhelmed or stressed during the first few weeks back, we are here to tell you that it is completely normal.

Here are some ways you can help calm their nerves:

  • Stick to your routines. While it might be tempting to push bedtime back an hour or two or skip the typical after school agenda, it’s important to stay on schedule. Children thrive on routine and need one to help them feel comfortable.
  • Start the day with an activity to help regulate them. Whether it’s spending time on a crash pad or movement, your child will feel better equipped to tackle the day.
  • Communicate. Both with your child and their teacher. Talking to your kiddo about their day can help reduce anxiety as it tells them what to expect. Staying in contact with their teacher can help you better identify what exactly is triggering their stress throughout the day.
  • Be flexible. This period is an adjustment. Not only for your child, but for you as well. If one strategy doesn’t work, try another. It’s okay to have to switch things up. You are doing great.

Is your child still having trouble adapting? Call us. We can help. Occupational therapy may be needed to help your little one better manage daily tasks.

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