Five Toys to Develop Visual Motor and Fine Motor Skills by Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Slot Toy Slot toys help to improve wrist dexterity, precision with visual motor tasks, object manipulation skills, and problem solving. These toys also address object permanence, or the ability to know that an object…
Haircuts are sometimes KNOT fun! Many people associate going to the salon or barber with a fresh start, a time to wind down, or to be pampered. It can be a relaxing experience for most individuals; however it can also be a scary and uncomfortable place for children with sensory processing difficulties. What is sensory…
6 Important Reasons We Play Games Together at Kids Place Pediatric Therapy Parents often ask us why we will place two children together during a therapy session to play a game. This is a great question that has an even better answer! When two children are playing together, we are able to build several social…
Why Is Play Important for Child Development? We often hear parents ask, “What can I do with my child to help him or her grow and develop?” Now, if someone came to you and said, “Just play with your child” would you believe them? What Is Play? According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (2008),…
12 Effective Tips to Teach Your Child to Dress Themselves Dressing skills are a vital part of child development. Not only does learning to dress themselves help support children’s growing independence, but it also promotes the development of many other valuable skills including, but not limited to sequencing, motor coordination, balance, bilateral coordination, dexterity, attention,…
How can you teach your child to tie shoes? Tying shoes is a complex self-care tasks that requires adequate visual motor skills, fine motor-coordination, task sequencing, and motor planning. Most kids learn to tie their shoes around age 6, but this can take longer due to the complexity of the task as well as environmental…
How Hippotherapy Is Used with Pediatric Therapy by Martina Tannahill, DPT Kids Place Central Pediatric Physical Therapist The term hippotherapy originates from the Greek word, “hippos” meaning horse. Hippotherapy involves using the natural gait and movement of a horse as a treatment tool and strategy that can be incorporated and integrated into an occupational or…
A Few Tips for Car Seat Safety by Elissa Casey OTR/L, ATP, CPST There is a lot to know about car seats and all of it can seem very overwhelming. Time to take a deep breath, as we are here to help. My name is Elissa Casey and I am a pediatric occupational therapist and…
Why Does My Child Repeats Everything I Say? Have you noticed your child is repeating words or phrases consistently? Do they repeat what you say instead of answering a question, or watch one of their favorite movies and speak lines from it over and over for the next week? It is ok to feel confused,…
I am Struggling with my Selective Eater, What do I do? It is common for families, parents, and or caregivers to have a child that is a “picky” eater. “Picky” eater may seem insensitive, so let’s call your child a selective eater. Often times parents and families may ask themselves, what in the world do…
