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Wellness Wheel for Families
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…
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How to Improve Working Memory
Working memory is a skill we need for everything we do! From answering the phone to shopping at the grocery store; working memory is happening at every given moment. Kids who struggle with executive functioning skills often times have working memory challenges. Working memory Examples the best way to explain working memory is by looking…
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Scrapbook with Kids using Recycled Materials
This blog post sharing how we made a scrapbook with recycled materials is an old one on the site, but we still love looking back at our kid-made scrapbook! The best thing about a scrapbook using recycled materials is that you can use what you have on hand…even incorporating recycled art or other items. This…
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Task Initiation Executive Functioning Strategies
For many adults and children with executive functioning challenges, getting started can feel like the hardest part of any task. Even when a person knows what needs to be done, the brain may struggle with the mental shift required to begin. Trouble getting started is not simply procrastination or lack of motivation; it is often…
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100 Handwriting Tips and Tricks Free Printables
This blog post on handwriting tricks from November 2016 has been updated to include more handwriting tips and tricks that school based OT professionals use every day. You’ll also have a handwriting email series and free handwriting handouts available in this blog post that you’ll want to grab. Handwriting Tips Handouts Handwriting is a struggle…
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After School Meltdowns: Why Kids Fall Apart at Home and How to Help
After a long day at school, many children come home and seem to fall apart. You might see them come home and begin crying, yelling, shutting down, or refusing to do anything. This after-school meltdown (or sensory breakdown) isn’t just about being tired or hungry. For many kids, especially those with sensory processing challenges or…
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Saccades and Learning
Read below to learn about visual saccades and learning in kids, including how saccades affect learning, more about what are visual saccades, or visual scanning, and what saccadic movement looks like. You’ll also find information on saccades and smooth eye movements and the visual processing needs that impact learning. This information on vision can be helpful…
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Jungle Animal Finger Puppets
If you’re looking for a playful way to support fine motor skills, these jungle finger puppet printables are a fun activity for kids. Finger puppets are a favorite in occupational therapy because they encourage finger isolation, hand strength, and coordination while also promoting imaginative play. Simply print the free finger puppet pages, cut them out,…
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How to Help Kids Manage Big Feelings
Today we have a resource on helping kids manage big feelings. We have a lot of content on The OT Toolbox related to regulation, emotions, self regulation strategies, emotional regulation and behavioral regulation. This is actually a post from our email newsletter Lunch & Learn series. If you are not already a newsletter subscriber, be sure to…
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Tactile Defensiveness
Today, I have an update on a very old blog post for a specific reason. This fake snow messy sensory play activity is a valuable tool in addressing tactile defensiveness, or tactile sensitivity. In general descriptions, this simply means an over-sensitivity to touch, or over-responsiveness to touch sensations. For kids with sensory issues, this can…
