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OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TIPS & RESOURCES
Back to School: How to Set Your Child Up for Success After Winter Break
For children, winter break is magical. Not only do they get to celebrate the holidays with their fam
12 January, 2024
ADHD P.R.O.G.R.E.S.S.
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I have worked with many families navigating the parenting of
21 October, 2023
10 Benefits of Outdoor Play
When I was a child, outdoor play was the norm. I spent hours with the kids on my block building fort
17 April, 2023
The 5 Play Languages
Due to the popularity of the book The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman, it is easier to remember the
13 February, 2023
What I Learned from My Covid Story
There’s nothing remarkable about my experience with Covid 19. I don’t know the person that passes it
18 January, 2023
When the OT Gets OT
It was the summer after my first year of college. I came back to NJ and was set to start a new tempo
08 August, 2022
Practical Self-Care Skills for Kids
Photo by Upsplash Learning practical self-care skills allows your child to become more aware of thei
25 March, 2022
Let’s Talk Emotional Regulation
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I have countless experiences working with children and educat
20 December, 2021
What is Teletherapy?
The term Teletherapy catapulted into mainstream vocabulary at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Si
26 October, 2021
Let’s Talk Speech Therapy
Before deciding to become an occupational therapist, I initially started applying to colleges with t
25 August, 2021
What is Interoception?
Most people are familiar with the five basic senses of touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight. In t
27 July, 2021
Video Games as Therapy
Innovative technology is continuously finding its way into the therapy world through the use of vide
21 May, 2021
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is a beautifully complex medical field. It has been discussed in various posts
16 April, 2021
What is Executive Function?
Executive function is a set of skills which includes flexible thinking, working memory, and self-con
08 March, 2021
What Is Mindfulness?
If there is one thing that occupational therapy and mindfulness practice have in common, it is that
12 February, 2021
Guide to Building Blocks
With the overwhelming collection of toys available to children, sometimes it’s the simplicity of woo
11 November, 2020
Scissor Cutting Tips
Children typically have started scissor cutting skills by age three snipping paper. Yet, many parent
06 October, 2020
Amy Asks Amy: Homeschooling Tips
They say life is what happens when you’re making plans. Here we are again, five months after s
22 August, 2020
Back-to-School Tech to Help Your Kids Succeed During the Pandemic
The academic year will probably look different thanks to the pandemic. Whether your children’s schoo
27 July, 2020
What is Crossing Midline?
Crossing midline is a phrase used often by occupational therapists. When children have difficulty cr
06 July, 2020
Improve Timing with a Metronome
Our brains are capable of doing several tasks at once. However, if the brain’s ability to keep time
31 May, 2020
5 INTERACTIVE SCREEN ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES
In this time of Covid-19, many families are looking for new playful activities to complete with thei
28 April, 2020
Acting like Animals is Okay
We have all heard parents describe their children negatively by saying they are acting like animals.
29 February, 2020
I Can Dress Myself
In all my years of working with parents, there is one certainty. Parents need as much help as they c
20 December, 2019
Tummy Time Never Get Old
Most parents of very young children are aware that their child needs Tummy Time. They usually make
31 August, 2019
5 Tips for Better Handwriting
Every day kids are spending less time holding a pencil or crayon and more time manipulating tech gad
31 July, 2019
Play with Balloons
It seems like every year there are new unique months of awareness that pop up surprisingly. This yea
30 June, 2019
5 Tips to Help Your Child with Anxiety
Like many adults, children are not always aware when they are suffering from anxiety. They often do
30 May, 2019
Top 5 Equipment Recommendations for Parents of Young Children
I’m an occupational therapist with close to 20 years of experience working with parents of you
29 April, 2019
Boy Meets World Through Play: A Story of Preparing for Kindergarten
It was nearing the end of summer in Miami when I received a call from a concerned mother. An occupat
31 March, 2019
Quick Tips for Tooth Brushing
Did you know that February 28th (along with August 22nd) is National Tooth Fairy Day? I didn’t, but
28 February, 2019
Signs Your Child’s Handwriting Needs Help
As an occupational therapist (OT), I often evaluate children who have been referred to me because of
23 January, 2019
A Simple Gift-Giving Guide
As someone that plays with and purchases lots of toys, I get asked about the best toys to give as gi
17 December, 2018
Success Story: Handwriting Hero
As an occupational therapist, I often meet parents looking for a hero. They are hoping I run in and
24 November, 2018
The Easiest Relaxation Exercise
One question I often receive from parents of energetic children is how to get them to relax more. So
11 September, 2018
Save the Broken Crayons
If you are anything like me, you may be the type of person that likes order and gives away under-uti
07 August, 2018
Playing Together
I have strong memories from childhood of playing together with friends. Before I was old enough to e
07 July, 2018
Screen Less, Play More
The newest episode of Amy’s Affirmations is a call to parents to decrease screen time and incr
23 May, 2018
Play Positions: Hands & Knees
Play positions. What are they, and why are they important? Parents typically understand the importan
31 March, 2018
Is My Child Delayed?
As a therapist with experience working with hundreds of families, I can attest that one of the most
14 November, 2017
4 Back to School Blunders
It’s Back to School season. Families are posting picture of their children on the first day of
04 September, 2017
Let Your Light Shine
With this week’s total solar eclipse taking over everyone’s news feed, I thought the perfect affirma
28 August, 2017
5 Tips for Everyday Play
Parents are always looking for more time, so how can they incorporate everyday play into their day?
21 August, 2017
What is Authoritative Parenting?
Every child experiences a particular parenting style, but authoritative parenting is what is most re
14 August, 2017
Let Kids Be Kids
Let Kids Be Kids. Seems like a simple concept. However, preschools are turning into bootcamps with t
07 August, 2017
Is My Child Ambidextrous?
As a pediatric occupational therapist, parents routinely ask me if their child is ambidextrous. Pare
29 July, 2017
Win Big with Mini Travel Games
Vacation time is here, and it’s a great time to win big with mini travel games. We have all heard th
26 June, 2017
Teach Your Child to Fish
If there is any advice that I give out to parents on a regular basis, it is to teach your child to f
09 June, 2017
Hiring a Tutor for a Child with ADHD
Therapy is great for children with learning disabilities, but what happens when they no longer need
01 June, 2017
Is Your Child Ready to Write? Part 2
Last week, Part 1 of Is Your Child Ready to Write? provided a brief description of six essentials sk
18 May, 2017
Is Your Child Ready to Write? Part 1
One question I wish more parents would ask themselves is whether their child is ready to write. Many
11 May, 2017
How to Tie Shoelaces
Learning how to tie shoelaces is a major milestone of childhood. Typically this skill is learned in
28 April, 2017
Home Adaptation for Immature Grasp
Ever wonder if there is a quick home adaptation to help your child improve how he or she holds objec
21 April, 2017
April 2017: Letter from Founder
Imagine a large Expo in a convention center full of companies promoting their gadgets and publicatio
07 April, 2017
Make Way for Indoor Play
Generally parents understand the importance of both outdoor and indoor play. Outdoor play has been s
10 March, 2017
Choose to Play in a More Meaningful Way
The month of February is often associated with Valentine’s Day, a day that represents love and havin
24 February, 2017
What is Smart Play?
With the increased presence of technology in children’s products and toys, you may have come across
18 January, 2017
Potty Training: A Fun and Fast Way
Since the invention of the disposable diaper in the 1940’s, parents have both struggled with and enj
12 December, 2016
SIDS Awareness Month
October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome/SIDS Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease C
01 October, 2016
Heads, Tummies, & Tails: A Smart Guide to Printing Lowercase Letters
Heads, Tummies & Tails: A Smart Guide to Printing Lowercase Letters was developed to improve the han
11 July, 2016
Treasure C.H.E.S.T.: A Smart Guide to Printing Uppercase Letters
Treasure C.H.E.S.T.: A Smart Guide to Printing Uppercase Letters was developed to improve the handwr
11 July, 2016
S.U.P.E.R. Hero Discipline
Disciplining young children can be a frustrating experience. Many parents feel like they are doing
01 July, 2016
From Zoo to Zen
As schools put more pressure on young students to read and write at earlier ages, children are fight
01 June, 2016
Yoga Benefits for Youngins
In recent decades yoga has become increasingly more mainstream as a form of exercise. Most fitness
02 May, 2016
April is Autism Awareness Month
Recent reported estimates in the news have stated as many as 1 in every 68 children in the United St
29 April, 2016
Does Your Child Have (Sensory) Issues?
As the number of children diagnosed in the United States increases each year, so does the public’s a
06 April, 2016
Good Night, Sleep Right!
The phrase “sleep like a baby” seems like an oxymoron to most parents of newborns.
04 March, 2016
A Passion for Play
February is the time of year for professing your true love, and I am not too shy to admit that one
04 February, 2016
Keeping Cursive Current
As the creator of a handwriting program, people outside of my profession often ask me if I think han
06 January, 2016
‘Tis the Season for Toy Making
It is commonly known that the holiday shopping season is very important to the toy industry. Ju
16 November, 2015
Just Say No to Preschool Pressure
Recently I was having a conversation with a mother of three children under the age of six. She e
12 October, 2015
Start Smart This School Year
Every morning millions of American children start their school day sitting down to eat a breakfast t
08 September, 2015
Tips for a Pain-free Back-to-School
The summer is quickly coming to an end, and soon children all across the United States will start co
10 August, 2015
Turn Tantrums into Tame Behavior
It’s summer, and it’s no big surprise that tempers can rise just as easily as the temperature when c
06 July, 2015
Summertime Safety
Summertime is a great opportunity for children to explore and challenge their growing bodies to reac
08 June, 2015
Writing Capital Letters 1st is Key
Learning to write is a milestone in the childhood experience of almost all typically developing chil
11 May, 2015
Spotlight on OTs
April is the time of year when occupational therapists (OT’s) gets their time to shine in
07 April, 2015
Can Fidgeting Be Beneficial?
Did you know that fidgeting may actually be beneficial for kids? While fidgeting is mostly viewed ne
16 March, 2015
Do Girls Need Therapy As Much as Boys?
In July 2014 an ad campaign by Always called #LikeAGirl became a movement bringing light to how disc
23 February, 2015
National Eye Care Month
During January, National Eye Care Month, start the new year by looking into your child’s vision. Acc
03 January, 2015
Holiday Tips for Toy Buying in a Tech World
The holidays are quickly approaching, and parents have toy buying on their minds. With the fast-pace
17 November, 2014
National Dyslexia Awareness Month
Dyslexia is a learning disability that is commonly known but poorly understood. Most people associat
10 October, 2014
Finding Balance in Fall
Fall is a time of year when parents are searching for balance between all the changes in their child
09 September, 2014
#1 Back-to-School Blunder
Every year millions of parents and their children head to stores with a list of required supplies
07 July, 2014
Great Exercises for the Great Outdoors
June is National Great Outdoors Month. It also is the start of summer for school children. Although
06 June, 2014
May is Correct Posture Month
One of the most common functional limitations that occur in children is poor posture. We often hear
08 May, 2014
Why Do Kids Need Occupational Therapy?
Since March is Women’s History Month and April National Occupational Therapy Month, I would
05 March, 2014
Are All Shapes Created Equal?
Learning and drawing basic shapes are generally associated with common preschool protocol just as
06 February, 2014
Eye Dominance? Yes, It Does Exist!
Most people do not realize we all have a dominant eye. Typically it is the same as our domi
09 January, 2014
Safe & Edible Toys for Tots
When new parents start to purchase toys, the importance of safety starts to really set in mostly
08 November, 2013The Smart Play P.L.A.N.
Women are known as natural planners. Many plan their weddings. Many more plan their p
24 October, 2013
