Family Wellness

Family wellness is an important piece of the family life. Use these tips for wellness strategies to inspire healthy living and family activities for well being.

Today’s stop on the family wellness challenge is the starting point in a journey to “well” being. This is something that I LOVE to talk about and something that comes naturally to occupational therapists. Join our wellness challenge that is a guide to family wellness, a path to mindfulness and regulation, and a means to integrate coping tools across the family unit and all that it is.

Family wellness is an important piece of the family life. Use these tips for wellness strategies to inspire healthy living and family activities for well being.

Family Wellness

So, what does family wellness look like? How can families improve wellness as a whole? The family unit is a diverse thing, so when it comes to health and wellness, individual needs can be just as diverse. What works for one family may not work for another. What is a comprehensive strategy for one family will look totally different for another. The wellness challenge happening here on The OT Toolbox site is just that: A diverse toolkit designed to serve families of all sizes, backgrounds, and ethnicity.

“The contribution of a family toward a person’s well-being
is clearest at both ends of the life span. The natural dependency of childhood and the consequences of secondary aging among older persons result in caregiving
needs that arc frequently met by family members, At
times, the role of the family as nurturer and change agent
is so central that the family becomes the focus of intervention.”

(Humphry, R., Gonzalez, S., Taylor, E., 1993)

Occupational Therapy and Wellness

OTs are experts in using a holistic approach to function, across the lifespan. In other words, Occupational therapists helps people in any skill or task that occupies their time. To help individuals build skills and achieve goals, OTs practice with a “whole body” approach. Helping people of all ages physically, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually is part of the job. Holistic approaches such as yoga, mindfulness, coaching, Reiki, massage, acupressure, guided imagery, meditation, reflexology, massage therapy, aromatherapy…The list could go on and on. These are all mind/body/spirit approaches that integrate the whole body into function.

The variety of holistic approaches serves well the family unit and it’s fabric and variety of interests, talents, and strengths.

Getting families involved in practice is essential and just one part of the process.

Occupational therapists involve the family and parents in child-centered goals and incorporate family well being and quality of life for the whole family. Family routines and daily activities impact the child as well as the whole family. Therapists can help with overall functioning through use of wellness and holistic strategies.

The tools used to promote wellness can be many things depending on each individual’s interests, needs, strengths, and weaknesses. We will get into each aspect of wellness throughout this challenge, as well as cover a resource of tools to add to your “wellness toolbox”. These strategies and tips can be used in therapy practice, in the classroom, or in the home.

Family Wellness Wheel

Wellness for families looks like wellness in a possibly more integrative position. Check out this post that describes what a wellness wheel is.

For families, there are many individuals that make up the family unit. Wellness depends on each member but also each family member together as a unit. A balanced lifestyle involves all of the members together.

Family wellness can be impacted by physical needs of a member of the family. Societal contributions, environmental impacts, income, backgrounds, and occupations of each member can contribute to family well being.

Within the family, each member will also have their own specific wellness integration that defines emotional, physical, mental, intellectual health and wellness.

In our wellness challenge, we are covering many areas that integrate together:

  • emotional management
  • attitude and mindset
  • mindfulness
  • beliefs and values
  • health and fitness
  • habits and healthy choices
  • exercise
  • nutrition
  • empathy
  • awareness of others
  • social development
  • learning and cognition
  • goal setting
  • creativity
  • executive functioning
  • participation in daily tasks
  • play, learning, and hobbies
  • self-care

There are many other aspects of family wellness that this challenge does not cover. Some considerations may include finances and environmental safety.

Family wellness includes all aspects of well being. Use this information on family healthy lifestyles to empower families to make healthy choices in activities.

Family Wellness in Action

Occupational therapists are skilled at empowering families into a balanced state of wellness. The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Vision 2025 (2017) necessitates that OT professionals promote “health, well-being, and quality of life for all people, populations, and communities through effective solutions that facilitate participation in everyday living”.

Occupational therapy practitioners are important pieces to the wellness puzzle. Therapy professionals impact occupational justice, overall health, and well being of the individual as well as the family. Quality of life on an individual basis and as a family unit are based on integration of wellness wheel components. Occupational therapy practitioners are experts in thinking outside the box and addressing weaknesses or areas of need by using occupation and adaptation across all components (emotional, physical, mental, intellectual, etc.)

For the family, wellness looks like integration of individuals and family members with the awareness and acceptance of factors such as poverty, social and environmental concerns, occupational deprivation, and many other considerations.

Family wellness activities for the whole family

Family wellness activities

By promoting a safe and enriching environment, families can support healthy development and better outcomes for children and the entire family unit. By allowing for opportunities for children and the family to engage in meaningful occupations, including play and learning, with occupational justice, families can thrive.

1. Make wellness FUN. This wellness bingo game is a great way to get the whole family involved in health and wellness activities.

2. Try a family exercise. A walk together in the evening is a nice way to wind down and reflect on the day.

3. Visit parks and playgrounds together. Explore nature, run, climb, throw a ball, take a hike. The physical activity options are limitless!

4. Cook together. Cooking offers an opportunity to try new foods and talk about healthy food options.

5. Commit to a screen-free day. As a family, working together on a goal like going screen-free for 24 hours means commitment and practice in goal-making. Take away the screens and see what you can fill that time with…puzzles, reading books, playing with sidewalk chalk, visiting neighbors…all ways to fill those emotional, mental, intellectual, and physical buckets!

A common theme in family wellness is grit, determination, perseverance, and occupational well being across all members. The options for family wellness activities are limitless and based on overall health and well being of the family…with a goal for better quality of life!

Occupational therapy practitioners should consider promotion and prevention models, such as public health and positive youth development, to moderate the effects of poverty through building resilience.

References:

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2017). Vision 2025. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71, 7103420010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2017.713002

Humphry, R., Gonzalez, S., Taylor, E. (1993). Family Involvement in Practice: Issues and Attitudes. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy. 587-593. vol 47, Number 7. link

Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.

Wellness Bingo

Wellness bingo game to use to build overall well being and a balanced health and wellness state.

When it comes to child wellness and family wellness, there can be a lot of work that needs done to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Child well being can be adversely impacted by myriad causes: childhood trauma, parent lifestyle, poverty, screen over-use, and other stressors. Here, you will find a Wellness Bingo activity to help with health and wellness in kids and families. This resource is one that can be used over and over again as a means to address occupational imbalance, or overload in one area of the wellness wheel.

Wellness bingo game to use to build overall well being and a balanced health and wellness state.

For help in promoting wellness as a therapy practitioner, as a parent, or as a teacher, please do join us in our Wellness Challenge.

Wellness Bingo

Research tells us that family dynamics such as parent interaction, family mental health, father involvement, and other concerns can have a major impact on child health and wellness. The wellness BINGO game below can be a tool to address challenges in emotional wellness, physical wellness, mental wellness, and all aspects of overall wellbeing.

Use this Bingo game as a strategy during a wellness week or as part of a wellness program. I’ve tried to make this health and well being game one that works for children, families, and students. However, the tool can be adapted and used in the workplace or when looking for workplace wellness ideas.

Wellness Bingo Card Topics

The various wellness dimensions included in this BINGO game are based on the topics covered in our Wellness Challenge. You’ll find the following areas covered by completing the bingo board:

Emotional Wellness- Emotional well being is a state of healthy emotions while managing challenges and coping effectively. Maintaining an awareness of self across environments and situations. Coping with stressors and allowing emotions to not impact function or tasks. Having an awareness of self and self-regard.

Physical Wellness- Physical wellness refers to a healthy relationship with health, exercise, and nutrition. The ability to maintain a balance between physical activity (exercise), rest, nutrition, and overall health. Self-care in dealing with stress. Part of physical well being is the ability to recognize this balance and adjust when needed. Physical wellness can incorporate nutritional wellness which may be separated into it’s own wellness wheel pie piece.

Social Wellness- The ability to maintain a healthy social network that can give support and in which you are able to provide support in return. The ability to establish a sense of belonging. Building and maintaining positive relationships with others. The ability to deal with conflict appropriately. Taking other’s opinions, experiences, and perspectives into consideration with empathy while maintaining a healthy level of love and respect for yourself. Having good communication skills.

Occupational Wellness- Occupational wellness is an important concept for OTs. The balance of work, chores, play, hobbies, functional tasks like self-care or hygiene, home management, finances, etc. Maintaining fulfillment and balance between all of one’s occupations (or the things that occupy one’s time) is essential to well being and stress.

Intellectual Wellness- Being open to new ideas and new concepts is important in the area of intellectual wellness. Learning new things with an open mind in order to gain knowledge and learn new skills. Fostering hobbies and taking the time to read to acquire information based on hobbies, interests, or work. Recognizing that others have different backgrounds and experiences that can be a learning opportunity.

Spiritual Wellness- Spiritual awareness and wellness is a state of recognizing one’s beliefs, personal mission, and faith. A spiritual investment allows you to guide your decision based on ethics and purpose. Allows for peace and joy in making decisions while finding meaning in life. Understanding that you and others have purpose in life and that your own spiritual connection may be different than others.

You can see how some of these wellness concepts blend into one another!

Because of that interconnectedness, you will see that the Wellness Bingo has a mixed set of wellness challenges that can address different aspects of well being.

Wellness Bingo Challenge

This wellness bingo challenge is designed to make things easy on you. Why? Because adding more to our daily to-do lists can be the cause of lifestyle imbalance. Our goal here is to focus on occupational balance…or the ability to participate fully in daily task requirements at an optimal state. When occupational balance is off, there may be stress, anxiety, and a wellness wheel that is off kilter!

So…to use this wellness bingo game, there are no rules!

Try to do one of the squares each day or each week. Try to fill the whole game card or just one row. Allow the whole family to play together and fill the card in more quickly. It’s completely up to you!

On the wellness bingo card, there are activities that boost many areas that improve the wellness components described above. Check out these resources to read more on the topics that are covered:

self-regulation

mindfulness

self-awareness

self care

exercise

healthy habits

and so much more.

Want this Wellness Bingo card to print off and use? It’s part of our Wellness Challenge. Join the challenge and gain access to this free printable.

In the challenge, we’re talking all things wellness. The BINGO card is offered as a free resource on DAY 2 of the Wellness Challenge. Click here to join us!

Wellness Wheel for Families

wellness wheel

You may have seen a “wellness wheel” before. This graphic is a description of all of the wellness concepts that make up the components of a well-balanced lifestyle. While there are different versions of a wellness wheel, and some illustrations that have differing number of wellness components, the wheel imagery is powerful. Check out our Wellness Challenge for ways to encourage wellness for kids and families using all aspects of well-being. A wellness wheel can be pivotal in defining needs and areas of strength that can be addressed through holistic well being strategies.

The graphic of the wheel shows the balance and integration that occurs among all of the wellness components. Each pie piece is important and works together to create an integrated and well-balanced lifestyle.

wellness wheel

Wellness Wheel

Each person’s personal wellness wheel will look different. Each individual has their own interests, strengths, needs, occupations, background experiences, etc. Each lifestyle is intrinsically different. One child may have an occupation component that requires participation in a specific sport and the required practices and participation. Another individual may have a heavier component of spiritual impact. Another may have a job that requires performance participation.

While every single individual will view the wheel as an individualized graphic of the life they live, the “spokes” or pie sections of the wellness chart integrate to allow for a healthy and balanced life.

What is a wellness wheel?

A wellness wheel is a visual that helps identify aspects of wellbeing. The representation indicates all of the subcategories of wellness that contribute to your overall well-being. When one of these categories is off-balance, you may sense or feel that your health is “off”. You may notice that you are simply not thriving in various daily tasks, or occupations.

A wellness wheel is a tool to self-analyze personal wellness.

When the wheel is off balanced, you can lack balance in life. Stress can be overwhelming. Productivity lacks. Performance of daily tasks is “off”.

It’s possible to look at the wellness wheel and identify areas that are lacking or need more nurturing. By identifying areas of need and areas where you are overwhelmed, you can make necessary changes.

The wellness wheel is a tool to help one become more aware of the various factors that influence overall well being. It’s a means to make positive changes that contribute to functioning, and quality of life. By being aware of these different facets of a balanced life, it’s possible to let go of the things that are out of your control and foster more focus on areas that are under your control, including choices, actions, thoughts, and emotions.  

This wellness wheel was created to cover the family and child, individually or as a whole. You can also adjust this wheel to meet specific occupations such as in the classroom or clinic. You can see the individual components described in the wellness wheel below. The concepts that we will discuss in our wellness challenge include concepts of well being in emotional, spiritual, physical, social, intellectual, and occupational forms.

Wellness wheel for describing components of wellness for kids and families.

How to use a wellness wheel

Consider the following subcategories on the wellness wheel: Emotional, Physical, Intellectual, Spiritual, Occupational, and Social. The goal is to take an inventroy of overall wellbeing to see where areas of imbalance may lie. You can use the wellness wheel to identify areas that are off-balance or are bigger or smaller than onther pie piece on the wheel.

If you imagine the wheel as a rolling wheel, would it be a round circle? Or would it be off-centered and roll off to the side? You want to see balance in the pie pieces so the wheel would roll smoothly.

Ask yourself these questions based on the wellness wheel

Ask yourself the following questions on how you are managing various aspects of your overall life:

1. Does any one of these areas impact your stress? Your health? Your performance of tasks?

2. Are there any spokes of the wellness wheel that are off-balance? Are they bigger than another spoke, causing the wheel to shift off-center?

3. Is it possible to adjust to make positive changes in those areas that are off-balance?

4. How can you address the things that you CAN change?

5. Is it possible to let go of the areas where you CAN NOT make changes because they are out of your control?

6. What improvements would you like to see in obtaining a balanced wheel?

Emotional Well being on the Wellness Wheel

  • manage emotions
  • emotional regulation
  • positive attitude
  • growth mindset
  • mindfulness
  • gratitude

Spiritual Well being on the wellness wheel

  • beliefs
  • values
  • exploring your culture
  • mindfulness
  • having peace
  • joy in daily tasks

Physical Well being on the wellness wheel

  • nutrition
  • healthy habits
  • exercise
  • healthy choices
  • physical activity

Social Well being on the wellness wheel

  • aware of others
  • resolve conflicts
  • communication
  • social networks
  • empathy
  • tolerance for differences

Intellectual Well being on the wellness wheel

  • learning
  • school work
  • discovering new interests
  • making goals
  • setting milestones
  • trying new things

Occupational Well being on the wellness wheel

  • play
  • learning
  • chores and jobs
  • hobbies
  • interests & talents
  • self-care

Other wellness wheels can include aspects of financial well being, environmental well being, nutritional well being.

Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.

Wellness Challenge

Wellness challenge for families with ideas for wellness activities

Today, I bring you something that’s been on my mind for a while. Something that I think is much needed not only during the current times, but overall in the past several years or so. Wellness. It’s a topic that occupational therapists know well. Today, I have for you a Wellness Challenge. I thought about calling this a summer activity challenge, or a adventure challenge, or even a play challenge. I kept coming back to a wellness challenge, though. There’s a reason. Family wellness is the home for wellbeing. It’s the “home” to function. Mindfulness strategies or regulation activities for kids to do when we see the need. These wellness strategies need to be integrated into our daily lives.

Wellness challenge for families with ideas for wellness activities

What is a Wellness Challenge?

Occupational therapists are wellness experts.

That may come off as a bold statement. But think about it. Occupational therapists help people of all ages and abilities DO the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations). They help people do their daily occupations, or the things that occupy a person’s time.

A balance of our occupations fulfills our duties and the things we need to do. That balance allows us to get things done (school work, teaching our kids, work tasks, caring for others, caring for our home and belongings, caring for our bodies physically, managing our emotional well-being, and fulfilling our spiritual well-being). All of these demands require balance. The occupational balance needs to be both fulfilling and health enhancing.
(American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2014b; Hocking, 2019; Meyer, 1922).

Occupational therapists are skilled at identifying occupational needs and managing a balance of those demands.

Sometimes, that occupational balance gets out of sorts. We see dis-regulation, we see behaviors. We see emotions. We see mental or physical responses. We see a need for balance. A balance and use of tools and strategies allows for self-regulation and integrated use of coping strategies, tools, and resources to incorporate into various aspects of our daily occupations.

A wellness challenge is daily activities that

This Wellness Challenge is not…

They are not just ideas of what to do when frustrated, our-of-sorts, when feeling “less than healthy”, or even when bored. It’s not just a checklist to hang on the fridge and direct kids to when they need support. It’s not just a list of ways to get the kids active this summer or off their screens. (And I think we ALL need a screen detox at this point!)

This challenge is not one more thing to add to your to-do list. This is not another recommended list of ways to stay sane. This is not intended to be overwhelming or frustrating.

This is a wellness challenge. It’s a healing challenge. It’s a family challenge, loaded with things to do or ways to adjust thinking in a way that heals. It’s tools for incorporating into daily lives much like a sensory diet. The wellness strategies are meant to be part of our daily lives and cover all aspects of sensory system. The play activities build physical strength and coordination.

They are emotional regulation activities that offer calming heavy work.

These are ways to connect with what matters in your family’s day-to-day life.

There are sensory coping strategies.

There are creative activities to get the mind thinking and making. I am SO excited to bring this wellness challenge to you, because we all need things that are good for the soul and the body.

Be sure to stop back over the next week for more activities in the wellness challenge! You’ll find new tools each day over the course of the challenge, but this is your one-stop spot to all of the wellness activities in this family wellness challenge.

Wellness challenge and ideas for health and wellbeing activities

Family Wellness

Get ready, let’s get started with family wellness and health and wellbeing for the whole family! Sign up below to join the wellness challenge!

This challenge will provide therapists with tools to help clients and their families.

This challenge will provide families with resources, information, and activities to center their family in balance and wellbeing.

This challenge will provide teachers, counselors, caregivers, administrators, and educators with resources to guide families into an optimal place.

Join the Free Wellness Challenge!

WellReceive tips and tricks on family wellness.

person holding white paper with it is well text
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    Self Awareness Activities Slide Deck

    Use this free self awareness activity slide deck in occupational therapy teletherapy

    Helping kids become more more self aware is a skill that can help with emotional regulation, goals, executive functioning skills, goal achievement, and so much more. Today, I’ve got self-awareness activities for kids in the form of a free Google slide deck. This resource goes really well with hands-on self-awareness games to target a variety of skills and abilities.

    This is a powerful social emotional development tool for kids. Use these awareness activities to help kids become more aware of how they feel, the things they are good at, personal goals, interests, and positive traits. You’ll find the animal themed activities below. First, let’s discuss awareness for kids.

    Self awareness activities for kids

    Self awareness for kids

    For kids and adults alike, self-awareness is a means to become more aware of how they are behaving and thinking. Using that awareness of self and applying the ability to self-monitoring through strategies can help with improved behavioral outcomes. When we respond to situations, most of us have a monitoring system or the ability to monitor how we feel, think, and act so that we can respond appropriately. Self monitoring leads to behavioral responses and functioning so we are able to complete tasks in a given situaion.

    Being aware of one’s needs, goals, emotional state, thoughts, behaviors, and responses can help within a situation. Awareness offers an opportunity for the need for self-care and self-advocacy.

    Self awareness is a metacognitive skill needed for higher level thinking

    All of our life experiences, including functioning in day-to-day tasks, learning, and social participation requires self-reflection or an awareness of self. Without self awareness, learning, participation, following rules, social interactions, lawfulness, and all aspects of occupational performance may be threatened.

    Self-awareness is a skill that allows for emotional regulation and behavioral regulaiton. For some, these are extremely difficult. When awareness of one’s preferences, tendencies, emotions, reactions, one can begin to understand their needs. Having a sensory diet in place as part of a sensory lifestyle is just one tool to address sensory needs. Using coping strategies to help with regulation needs can be a life-changer. Using stress reduction tools to address anxiety or anger can be powerful in adapting. There are tools to address specific needs of all kinds. One of the first steps in identifying needs is the understanding of self-awareness.

    For more information on integrating a sensory diet into a sensory lifestyle, try the Sensory Lifestyle Handbook, a comprehensive resource in integrating functional sensory diet based on individual interests in a motivating manner.

    Understand how self awareness skills develop in kids

    Development of self awareness

    For children, the ability to self-monitor and be aware of their thoughts, skills, abilities, interests, emotions, and behaviors, these skills may be challenges.g It takes practice and experience for a child to have the ability to self-reflect. Research tells us that self-awareness begins to develop in childhood, but involves metacognition, or interospection. Metacognition is a skill that is acquired later in childhood, in the adolescent years.

    One study of metcognition has found that the skill develops at a functional level for basic metacognitive skills around age 13 to 14. More generalized or advanced metacognition develops around age 15. This study also determined that between the age of 12 and 15 years teenagers develop in qualitiy of metacognitive skills, however this development varies between individuals. Aspects of higher level cognition skills such as those commonly discussed when covering executive functioning skills impact self-reflection: orientation, planning, evaluation, and elaboration. Like other aspects of executive functioning, self-awareness and reflection (metacognition) develops until at least the age of 22.

    Another aspect of executive functioning, working memory, is a skill that impacts metacognition and self-reflection. Younger teens have been observed to have a lower level metacognitive skills that are applied to single situations or limited transfer of skill. Older teens, as metacognition develops, are capable of transfer of metacognition across environments. This higher-level inference involves conscious formulation of abstractions in one situation that allows for making a connection to another situation.

    Self awareness examples and self reflection strategies for kids

    Self awareness examples

    In the self awareness slide deck you’ll find below, there are several main areas covered. These are essential pieces of the self reflection and self monitoring puzzle.

    Identification of positive traits- Knowing what they are good at. The slide deck prompts kids to identify 5 things they are good at. This exercise is a booster in self-esteem and can be a starting point for addressing goals.

    self awareness activities include self reflection

    Compliments- Learning to identify what others are good at and telling them is an important skill. Authentic compliments identify positive traits in others. Noticing these details about others builds an awareness of oneself as well as others.

    Emotions- The first step of emotional development is identifying emotions. We can see by the faces someone makes how they are feeling. Putting a label to that emotion is a strong skill.

    Emotional self-awareness- Moving on, kids can describe how they are feeling at any given moment. They can identify how they might feel in a situation. Then, they can identify coping tools and put words into their feelings and emotions.

    Self awareness is an important part of social emotional skill development.

    Growth mindset- This skill is powerful in self-awareness and metacognition. Using a growth mindset allows room for development in your internal belief system. You have room to learn and develop as a person and understand that there is room for improvement regarding behaviors or actions. This mindset, when it comes to self awareness, limits self-judgement and hopelessness.

    Self awareness activities include a growth mindset

    Interests- Identifying interests is a first-step in self-awareness. Our Sensory Lifestyle Handbook covers interests and motivation in great detail. The research tells us that interests impact motivation and goal achievement. Looking deeper into oneself to identify interests is a great first step.

    Goals- Goals don’t need to be all about behaviors and actions. A beginning step can be identifying goals that others might have and the steps it takes to get there. A simple goal achievement path builds skills in planning, prioritization, organization, and other executive functioning skills.

    self awareness activities address goals

    Setting goals- A higher level task of setting goals covers self-reflection as well as those items covered in goal achievement. Kids can be guided to set goals that are important, achievable, satisfying, and motivating. Then, identifying milestones and the steps to get there can make it easier to achieve, making them motivating and a self-confidence booster.

    Self awareness activities

    Setting one’s own goals- Setting goals can be helpful for kids as they learn to work toward a meaningful goal. This process helps them learn focus, planning, prioritization, self-esteem and goal achievement. Setting goals and identifying goals impact self awareness. Part of goal setting includes getting super clear on what’s important to a child. Kids can examine their process and identity actions they’ve taken toward those goals. They can identify what’s working and what hasn’t worked. They can create a plan for moving forward. All parts of this process improves self-awareness through self-reflection.

    Provide opportunities for kids to self-reflect- Ask questions based on concrete acquisition of knowledge and open up conversations such as, “Before, I thought… Now, I think…”

    Role playing (role reversal)- Kids can sometimes “see” how their actions or reactions impact themselves and others when the situation is acted out. Coping tools or strategies can be used in the role play as a practice run.

    Zone of regulation activities- Using Zones of regulation activities to address self-awareness is an effective strategy for many children. The Zones program was developed to help kids learn a greater internal awareness while using self-regulatory behaviors and emotional adaptive skills for functional use.

    Keep a journal- Keeping a record of small wins, mini goals, struggles, efforts, and day-to-day progression can be so powerful for kids (and adults!) The Impulse Control Journal is a comprehensive resource that can be printed off and used over and over again as a journal for addressing and building executive functioning skills, including the essential component of self awareness.

    Goal Attainment Scaling- This AOTA article shares examples of how goal attainment scaling can be used to measure changes in individual behaviors using a self-rating scale for specific actions in response to goals. This self-awareness strategy offers a means for the child and their therapist to track progress on goals to help accomplish individual goals and accomplish a specific aspect of functioning, or occupation.

    Self-cuing- Using self cuing is a tool to help recall instructions, coping strategies, tactics, or even a visual prompt that delivers a step-by-step directive in a situation. Visual prompts can be as simple as a list, or a social story that is visible or accessible during a situation. These visual reminders can be a building block for self-awareness and reinforcement of strategies that have been determined to work for an individual.

    Video modeling- Making a video recording of a child within a treatment session can be another way to help the individual see how they are responding in a situation. They can then watch their actions, behaviors, and choices as well as use of coping tools or modulation strategies within a situation. The video should be reviewed with the child and discussed what they did well and what might work better next time.

    This free self awareness activity slide deck is great for kids to develop self reflection skills with an animal theme

    Self-Awareness Slides

    These self awareness slides use an animal theme to help kids become more aware of them self through self-reflection. The slides work through the aspects of self awareness that we outlined above. Beginning skills are covered and kids can work on each area in a fun and creative way.

    Enter your email into the form below and you can access this free therapy slide deck to help kids build self awareness skills.

    Self awareness activities include emotional regulation aspects

    Get a free Self-Awareness Animal Theme Slide Deck

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      References:

      Foster L. and Lueger, K. (2014). Model Behavior: Helping Adolescents With Autism Through Goal Attainment Scaling and Video Self-Modeling. OT Practice 19(2), 79. http://dx.doi.org/10.7138/otp.2014.192f1.

      Kindergarten Readiness and Executive Functioning Skills

      Kindergarten readiness and developing executive functioning skills in kindergarten

      Many parents of preschoolers have questions about preparing for kindergarten. There are kindergarten checklists and loads of resources online designed to address kindergarten readiness. One area that parents might miss when getting ready for kindergarten is the concept of executive functioning skills.

      Executive functioning skills develop from very early in childhood! These skills can easily be developed through fun, age-appropriate play. Sound familiar? Combining learning and play in kindergarten is essential to build skills with an age appropriate awareness and at developmental levels. This is the exact way that children should be preparing for kindergarten!

      Kindergarten readiness and developing executive functioning skills in kindergarten

      Kindergarten Readiness

      There is immense amount of pressure for children to be ready for the academic demands of
      school, even from kindergarten. From the moment they walk in the door, most kindergartners
      are pushed to be “little sponges” of the academic content to meet standards. However, most of us
      recognize that this may not be the most appropriate approach to take. Finding engaging executive functioning activities can be tricky. The ideas here should be a great start to add to your kindergarten lesson plans or use in kindergarten preparations.


      However, there are more child-friendly things that parents can do to help their children get ready
      for kindergarten. Provide children with opportunities to be independent! Teach them the steps to
      wash their hands (initiation, working memory, shifting, monitoring), how to blow their nose
      (initiation, working memory, and monitoring), and letter recognition (working memory). Teach
      them how to follow directions (impulse control, working memory, and shifting).

      PREPARING FOR KINDERGARTEN WITH EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS

      Working on some kindergarten prep through play can involved executive functioning skills at the same time. Start here to understand exactly what executive functioning skills entail, but when it comes to kindergarten aged children, here are some of the executive functioning skills that can be addressed through play as well as tasks that will help them prepare for kindergarten:

      Kindergarten lesson plans can include these reading and writing activities that build executive functioning skills

      HandWriting in Kindergarten

      Amazon affiliate links are included below.

      Be sure to start by reading our resource on name writing for kindergarten to support the handwriting and fine motor skills needed in kindergarten, as this is a new skill for many 5 year-olds that are picking up a pencil for the first time. (Or preschool students that were rushed into pre-writing tasks.


      There are many ways to integrate reading and writing preparation into play. Have your child match uppercase and lowercase letters in games or at the store. This encourages working memory (what letter they need to look for). Games like Zingo are great for teaching sight words in a fun way while also requiring a child to use their impulse control, shifting, and working memory.

      More reading and writing for kindergarten:

      Alphabet Discovery Bottle

      Magnetic Letter Handwriting Game

      Name Soup Writing Your Name 

      Fizzy Dough Letters 

      Handwriting Cookie Cutters

      Kindergarten lesson plans can include these math activities to develop executive functioning skills to prepare for kindergarten

      Math, Science, and Executive Functioning

      Early math and science skills can be fun and easy to integrate into play! If the weather is
      conducive, try hopscotch, saying the numbers out loud as you jump! For mental flexibility,
      change the rules of how they go through the series: hop on one foot, jump on two feet, switch
      feet, and so on. For older children or those who know their evens and odds, have them only jump
      on the odds or only on evens.


      For science, create simple science experiments, like vinegar and baking soda volcanos! This
      requires initiation, monitoring, impulse control, shifting, and planning/organizing.

      More kindergarten math activities to build executive function:

      Caterpillar Math Craft 

      Math with Checkers 

      Cardboard Tangrams 

      Play Dough Math 

      Counting Nature 

      Play and Executive Functioning

      Play is critical, but with the push to be ready for academics, play is getting pushed to the side
      However, without play, children suffer. They lack the ability to find joy in learning.

      Outdoor play provides the opportunity for children to develop their executive functioning while
      participating in child-led adventures! Taking a bike ride or a walk around the community, or
      even playing basketball in a driveway, requires a child to demonstrate strong impulse control and
      monitoring skills for safety. Red light, green light is also a great opportunity to work on impulse
      control.

      Outdoor play also encourages children to take risks while being aware of their surroundings.
      Whether determining if cars are coming, stranger danger, or appropriate clothing to wear outside,
      this is an incredible opportunity to encourage executive functioning development!


      Can’t play outside? Build a fort! Planning/organizing, initiation, shifting, time management, and
      working memory are critical for this.

      Kindergarten play ideas to build executive function

      Teaching Spatial Concepts 

      Bugs and Beans Sensory Play 

      Outdoor Small World Play 

      Painting Toys in the Water Table 

      Sticks and Stones Simple Sensory Play

      Use these executive functioning games in kindergarten lesson plans and to prepare for kindergarten

      Games and Activities to build executive functioning skills in kindergarten


      Some family-friendly games include Outfoxed (initiation, working memory, monitoring,
      planning/organizing, and impulse control) and Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game.

      For less structured activities, think about making something in the kitchen, like baked goods. Making slime with a slime kit is another engaging way to build executive functioning skills.

      For a less structured executive functioning activity, try making a bracelet from a bracelet kit that involves patterns or low-level direction-following.

      For kindergarten readiness, focus on fun! This is a time of extensive growth, including in the
      area of executive functioning.

      For more executive functioning activities, grab this Executive Functioning Activity Guide. It’s full of strategies to address common executive functioning areas that impact working memory, attention, impulse control, organization, and more.

      executive functioning skills activity guide The OT Toolbox

      Space Activities for Kids

      Space camp ideas for home programs or DIY summer camp with space fine motor, galaxy crafts, and space sensory play

      If your kids are outer space enthusiasts, then this space theme activities are just the thing to add learning and skill building with space activities. This collection of space activities for kids are actually part of a DIY summer camp that we designed. When the kids need a backyard summer camp or something fun to look forward to, easy and creative activities based on a space theme can do just that. This summer, create a home summer camp with an Outer Space theme…all while building skills in therapy or at home. Our space theme slide deck is just one way to help kids build skills, and a great way to lead into space theme learning and play with the kids!

      For another space themed virtual therapy activity, try this free outer space Connect 4 game. It’s great for kids of all ages.

      Space camp ideas for home programs or DIY summer camp with space fine motor, galaxy crafts, and space sensory play

      Here, you’ll find everything you need to plan a space camp fun that builds skills like fine motor skills, gross motor skill development, sensory input, regulation, emotional support, bilateral coordination, eye-hand coordination, executive functioning skills, and more. Read on for all of the outer space fun!

      Space Camp for Kids

      Whether you are planning a space camp in your therapy programming or trying to think of ways to build skills for kids this summer in a fun and creative way, this space camp idea is for you. For parents that need something out-of-the-box this summer (that doesn’t break the bank!), a backyard space camp can be just the thing to get excited about.

      Outer space activities for a space camp or space theme home program

      Space theme ideas

      You’ll want to check out some other space activities we have here on the Toolbox website. Add these ideas to your space camp planning. These ideas can get you started with planning. Scroll below to find more specific space activities based on skill area.

      For more creative ideas with a space theme, be sure to check out my Outer Space Awesome Pinterest board.  

      We even grabbed up a handful of our all-time favorite Outer Space books from the library to share with you.  If you’re looking for activities to do with the kids this summer, a space theme will be a sure hit. Your Summer Camp at home will be complete with Space crafts, Space snacks, Space sensory, fine motor, and gross motor learning and play.

      Outer space theme activities for kids

      Space theme

      These activities are set up by theme (books, snacks, crafts, solar system models, sensory play, and movement learning activities) so that you can pick and choose activities for each day of your themed camp.  Make the week work for you!  Choose just one or two activities for each day, or go all out and do one from each category.  It’s totally up to you and your little campers! 

      space fine motor activities for using to improve fine motor skills with a space theme

      Space Fine Motor Activities

      Use this outer space play dough mat printable to work on hand strength, fine motor skills, and eye-hand coordination. Simply print it off and slide into a page protector to use each day during your space camp.

       We made this Outer Space model using pipe cleaners.  We didn’t get into planet size, but rather checked out the size of each planet compared to the others from The Planets book and crafted them based on the pictures in the book. we strung the pipe cleaner planets along fishing line and taped it between two walls. This was a fun way to explore how the planets are spaced from the sun.

      Outer Space Pipe cleaner solar system model

      Space Visual Motor Activities

      Visual motor skills and visual perception can be worked on with a space theme. Grab this free space visual discrimination worksheet to incorporate visual processing into a space camp.

      Here is another free space visual perception worksheet to print off and work on visual processing skills.

      This space maze is a visual motor activity that my own kids loved. Use Wikki Stix to build a maze and work on eye-hand coordination and other visual processing skills to work through the outer space maze.


      Outer Space Books

      Start off your daily activities during a week of Space activities with a Space book.  Some of our favorites are ones we read weekly and others are ones we love to check out from the library.
      Here are outer space books for kids.



      Outer Space Snacks

      Cooking with kids is a huge way to build motor skills and executive functioning skills through cooking. Below are outer space snacks that the kids can help to make while building skills.

      Outer space themed snack Stars and Planets snack for kids

      Affiliate links included below.

      We quickly made this space snack while doing a little space reading.  Kids will gobble up the stars and planets. We even made it a fine motor sorting activity by sorting the stars and planets from the snack mix.  This outer space themed snack will be a hit during your Summer Camp at home or space themed week.  We used a cup of Cheerios Cereal and a cup of Puffs snacks to make our stars and planets snack mix.  Have the kids sort the planets and stars into separate bowls for fine motor practice that Toddlers and young Preschoolers will love.

      More Space themed snacks to fill the rest of your week:

      Outer space snack ideas for kids

      Eat the solar system from Creative Kid Snacks
      Rocket Ship Wrap from Creative Kid Snacks
      Eat the Moon snack from Things to Share and Remember

      More Solar System Models for Kids for the rest of the week: 

      Make a solar system mobile like Artsy Craftsy Mom
      Create a balloon solar system model from Creekside Learning
      Use recycled plastic lids to create a solar system like Still Playing School
      Make a solar system with Legos like Kitchen Counter Chronicles.

      Outer Space Crafts

      If there is one thing that occupational therapists love, it’s the use of kids crafts as a therapy tool. Be sure to check out our Constellation crafts.  There are a bunch of space and star craft ideas based on constellations and outer space…that double as a fine motor and visual motor skill building tool.

      Use this space martian craft that the kids can make to build fine motor skills, and then use in handwriting activities to space between letters and words.

      Use these outer space crafts to make one each day of the week of your DIY summer camp…or just use them with your space-loving kiddo!

      Make a Rainbow Rocket ship like Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
      Create a Textured Moon craft from Fantastic Fun and Learning
      Make Q-tip Star Art like Mess for Less
      Kids will love this Launching Rocket Ship toy from Lalymom.
      This Moon mobile will be a hit. (from Fantastic Fun and Learning)

      Outer Space Sensory Play

       Our Outer Space sensory activities were a huge hit in adding proprioception, vestibular, and tactile sensory play into the day. Use them as part of a sensory diet with learning components. Mix these space sensory ideas into the schedule as a reward that also meets the sensory needs to benefit regulation and social-emotional skills.

      These space themed sensory play ideas are ways to teach about planets, with an astronaut theme in mind. Know a little future astronaut? They will love these sensory play and learning ideas.

      Lots of ideas are to be found on our Outer Space sensory  round up!

      Space Themed Move and Learn Activities

      I love the rocket ship in this space themed party!  Climb in and out of a cardboard rocket ship for lots of movement and play. 
      Then, use another cardboard box to make this glow in the dark space fort like Lalymom.
      Nurturestore made a great Space math game.

      Space Fine Motor Kit

      Know a kiddo that loves all things space, astronauts, and planets? The Outer Space Fine Motor Kit is your chance to develop fine motor strength, dexterity, and coordination skills.

      Addressing hand strength, endurance, and precision is out of this world fun! The Outer Space Fine Motor Kit includes:

      • Fine Motor Mazes
      • Fine Motor Ten Frames for motor activities
      • 1-20 Star Counting Cards
      • Bead Copying Strips
      • Space Alien Directed Drawing Sheets

      This fine motor kit includes 24 pages of printable resources. Included in this printable pack are:

      1. Two pages of color coded bead copying strips
      2. Two pages of blank bead copying strips
      3. Four pages of “draw and write” directed drawing activities with a space theme (Includes 3 styles of handwriting lines: highlighted lines, single rule, and double rule)
      4. Nine pages of fine motor mazes
      5. 1-20 Outer Space Counting Cards
      6. Four pages of fine motor ten frames activities

      These printable activities extend to work on a variety of other functional areas, too: handwriting skills, numbers, math, adding, subtracting, one-to-one correspondence, scissor skills, coloring, and more.

      Click HERE to grab the Outer Space Fine Motor Mini-Kit.

      Outer Space Fine Motor Kit



      Have fun with your Outer Space themed week of fun! 

      Outer Space and Star Wars

      For even more space themed activities for kids, add some of these Star Wars occupational therapy ideas to your therapy planning. We’ve broken down a bunch of space ideas using the Star Wars theme and include handwriting activities, sensory play, executive functioning ideas, crafts, gross motor ideas, and more. Kids will love it!

      Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.