How to Create a Weighted Animal to Improve Calming Strategies by Thomas Stevens, OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Deep pressure can be very calming for children who have a hard time with self-regulation and attention to tasks. For many kids, bear hugs, weighted blankets, or weighted vests are tools that get this type…
Maintaining Attention During Remote Learning By Kristi Knight, OTD/S Kids Place Student Occupational Therapist Online school can be hard for any child, especially if that child has a short attention span due to ADHD, developmental delay, or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Helping your child maintain focus on their schoolwork proves to be difficult for many…
Brain Breaks for Virtual Learning by Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist For families across Arizona, virtual learning is our children’s’ new way of life. A child’s main occupation is to learn through play and movement, which can be tricky during this time of online learning. Try some of these brain…
Using Your Backyard Wall to Improve Your Child’s Motor Coordination By: Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist At Kids Place, we are always looking for new activities to keep our patients moving and learning at home. The following activities will help to work on eye teaming, bilateral coordination, problem solving, frustration…
How to Improve a Child’s Body Awareness by Hannah Whitty, Occupational Therapy Student Children with poor body awareness have increased difficulty knowing where their body is in space. Body awareness is an essential skill needed for children to properly participate in everyday tasks. Without appropriate body awareness, a child is unable to safely navigate their…
My Child is Constantly Putting Things in His Mouth by Tracie Dahl, OTR/L Kids Place Central Pediatric Occupational Therapist You may have heard your child’s therapist talk about proprioception and the importance of providing proprioceptive input, but what is it? The proprioceptive system helps tell us about the movement and position of our joints and…
by Tracie Dahl, OTR/L Kids Place Central Pediatric Occupational Therapist Teeth begin to appear as early as six months old and should be brushed twice a day as soon as they appear, according to the American Dental Association. But brushing a child’s teeth, especially a young child, is challenging (and stressful), especially when there is…
The Developmental Benefits of Chores by Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist For many of us, chores are a normal part of childhood. What you may not realize is that common household chores can help children develop a variety of executive functioning skills that are beneficial later in life. Executive functioning…
Temper Tantrums and Behavior Management by Amanda Mazerall M.S. OTR/L Temper tantrums are ‘behaviors’ that I see on a daily basis. Although Kids Place is an extremely fun and exciting place, it is common for children to get upset while present for therapy. There are a variety of reasons for these upset behaviors: Seeking a…
Your Child’s Progressions in Handwriting by Jenna Zellner, OTS Kids Place Student Occupational Therapist Handwriting acquisition is a crucial learning process necessary to get children prepared for school and adult life. Similar to a child’s physical development, handwriting skills follow a sequential progression. First children develop precursor readiness skills which consist of drawing simple shapes.…
