 While many of my OT sessions are child-led and based on a child's interests, there are times when I bring activities to prompt goal attainment. Sometimes the toys or equipment I bring to sessions are "invitations to play". At other times, I have more structured activities. The more fluid OT sessions that are child-led are more difficult to share in this forum as a blog or on social media as I don't want to stop the sessions to take photos or video. Instead, I often share the more structured activity ideas that I use. OT BINGO is a new challenge that I'm introducing in 2025 to encourage sharing of activity ideas from the Your Kids OT community. Each month I share a board of 9 prompts and also recap the any activities that I have done in the previous month. March was a busy month. The newness of the school year wears off very quickly with most children becoming familar with their new routines, making connections with their teachers, therapists and friends! Here is a look at some of the activities that I incorporated into my sessions during March using the prompts. * Silicon straw - This oral motor activity was a huge hit when I shared this on social media. It is easy to set up a container with water, a small basket container (as a goal) and some items that float. We use the silicon straws to blow the items across the water into the goal and to blow bubbles in the water. This is an effective way to encourage deep breathing and oral motor skills (lip closure, blowing). They were all feeling calm after this activity. Some of my young children needed to work out the difference between blowing and sucking the water. A big highlight was when one of my children who selective speaks (ie. non verbal most of the time), stopped in the middle of blowing bubbles to tell me "fish" then blew again and stopped to say "more". This spontaneous speech gave me an insight into his thoughts. Silicon straws (rather than plastic, paper or metal) also provide an opportunity for oral motor input by chewing. They are also easy to clean by placing them in the dishwasher. Watch this oral motor activity in action HERE. * Crawl - There are so many benefits to encouraging children to crawl at any age! You can read about the benefits HERE. One of my favourite ways to encourage crawling is by using a lycra tunnel. The lycra material provides compression and resistance as the child crawls. I describe it to children that it is "like receiving a hug" and everyone seems to agree. There was one of the biggest smiles that I have seen on a school age child who crawled through my lycra tunnel for the first time. Most children request if they can crawl repeatedly! Crawling and breathing activities are sensory based. They provide children with an opportunity to regulate with through proprioception (crawling) and oral motor (breathing). It is so beneficial incorporating these sorts of activities into daily life regardless of a child's sensory profile. * Vertical Surface - I recently discovered that a set of "road pieces" that I had stick to vertical surfaces such as glass and white boards! This set from Kmart Aust (not sponsored) was almost donated away, however since realizing that it sticks on a vertical surface, I've definitely been bringing it along to OT sessions more! We can work on motor planning and problem solving skills to build the roads. Driving the cars build upper arm stability with shoulders, elbows and wrists all involved in keeping the cars on the road. For some children, we have also incorporated drawing and writing skills on the whiteboard. Watch this vertical surface activity HERE. For more on vertical surface tips, watch this series of tips: * Encourage wrist extension * Encourage crossing the midline and hand dominance * Try different body positions * Use a variety of surfaces and try different activities * Wheels on the Bus - So .... I decided to "borrow" the tune of the "Wheels on the bus" to work on pencil grasp and dynamic finger movements. The fingers on the pencil bend and stretch. Bend and stretch. Bend and stretch The fingers on the pencil bend and stretch. Bend and stretch. Bend and stretch. All day long. The resting fingers hide away. Hide away. Hide away. The resting fingers hide away. Hide away. Hide away. All day long. Watch the finger movements and listen to the song HERE. Looking for visual support for preschoolers to sing the original song? This preschool printable pack contains visuals and pre-writing worksheets to support early childhood development. The Wheels on the bus printable pack can be found HERE. * Roll Paper - "Playing hair dressers" .. This was a fun scissor skill activity for those learning to orientate their scissors and snip paper. We cut and rolled hair (strips of paper on a TP roll) working on fine motor and bilateral coordination skills too. I used this activity for some children who were able to cut, however also had anxiety with making mistakes. We used the "scraps of hair" to practice turning the corner and being more precise. Because they were "scraps" it helped the children not to worry about being perfect. For other children, the scraps were used to make collages (for further fine motor skills). Watch the hair dressing paper activity HERE.  April brings great anticipation for me as I will be attending the American OT Association (AOTA) Conference for the first time! I had to include "conference" on this month's board. Please reach out via DM or messenger if you are attending! If you are not attending, then use the "conference" prompt to include meetings with other therapists, parents or teachers! The term can be broad! April's prompts are: * Conference * Pom Poms * Crab Walk * Pencil Grip * High Five * Prone Extension * Balance Cushion * Buttons * Stress Ball Remember to tag @yourkidsot on Instagram or Facebook to share your ideas. You can also email [email protected]. Until next time (PS: there is a freebie coming, so hang around!),   Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia. She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning. Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete). Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT. Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog
Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team. They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK. The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. YKOT shop: https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/
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 There is a misconception that we should never intervene with Autistic play. Honouring Autistic play and neurodiversity ...... and intervention are not mutally exclusive. We can be respectful and neuro-affirming, yet help our Autistic children by exposing them to new experiences, encouraging skills rather than forcing them, taking their lead with interests and motivations, addressing their sensory needs and supporting their development. In my last article, I explored the "why" underlying repetitive play patterns. If you have not read that article, pause here and go back to the article HERE. The article also encouraged us to consider on what the child finds beneficial about their play with reflective questions. You may also be interested to read about strategies when a child says "no" in this BLOG ARTICLE. One challenging area is when this repetitive play is dangerous and unsafe for the child or others. In this article, we will explore a real case study. Background Information: Let's call my 3 year old friend, Ben (not his real name). He lives with his parents and older sister in an apartment complex. Ben has a developmental delay and no other diagnosis (at time of referral). He selectively speaks but this is infrequent. One of Ben's favourite activities is to go onto the balcony and throw items off the balcony onto the street below. The balcony was located situated off the open plan living room and kitchen. The family did not have air conditioning in their apartment and opened the door to allow for air flow. They lived 6 stories above street level and the balcony had a metal balustrade (with openings about a hand space). Ben was indiscriminate with what he threw from the balcony from toys to any other object that he could squeeze through the balustrade. He had not yet learnt how to climb up to the hand rail to throw over the railing, however his parents were worried that he would learn to do this. Throwing occurred daily, often when his parents were busy (eg. cooking). Ben's parents were concerned about his safety and whether he would eventually climb onto furniture to throw items. They were concerned about the falling items on people passing by underneath. Fortunately they lived on a quiet street so there were not a lot of people regularly walking under the apartment. Ben's parents were also starting to resent needing to go down to the street to retrieve the items thrown. Ben was enjoying the "game" of his parents shouting when they saw him rush onto the balcony, sometimes trying to physically grab him to stop him and then taking the elevator (lift) down stairs to retrieve the items. He laughed and wanted to do it again. Intervention: * Environmental - It was recommended that a fly screen (security) door could be added to the balcony to allow for secure air flow. Ben's parents were renting and needed to seek permission for this to occur. * Environmental - It was recommended that the balcony door be shut when Ben's parents could not provide supervision. * Environmental - It was recommended that furniture be removed from the balcony so that Ben did not learn to climb onto the furniture on the balcony. When considering Ben's desire to throw things, we introduced a range of activities with this action while providing varying targets too. These were not forced, but gradually introduced (one or two per session) to show him options. * Throwing items included balls, bean bags, soft toys, scarves, plastic rings, small plastic animals, juggling balls, fidget toys, cushions, plastic fruit, pipe cleaners, pop tubes, oven mitts, hats, stress balls, splat toys. * Targets to throw towards included buckets/containers (from large to small sizes), onto sensory gel tiles, onto the sofa, onto a table, under a table, onto a bath mat, onto a towel, onto the wall (for sticky objects), through a hoola hoop, between someone's legs, under a chair, towards another person. When considering Ben's enjoyment of being above and seeing things land... we changed his physical environment providing opportunities to climb indoors and lean over (eg. lying over the sofa or therapy ball to play with items on the floor), standing on a stool to place things onto a vertical surface, throwing items from a chair that had a string or a magnet (such as a fishing rod) attached to retrieve item. Standing on a balance cushion or a bilibo also provided sensory input. When considering Ben's enjoyment of connection and engagement with his parents. We worked on shared enjoyment opportunities where his parents could provide lots of laughs, squeals and joy! One of our favourite games was throwing scarves at each other like snow balls. We also played parachute games, tugging pop tubes, pull along games on lycra sheets, peek-a-boo type games with scarves/blankets. Ben's parents were encouraged to reduce their response if he threw things from the balcony and become more expressive at other times. Conclusion: Over time, Ben found enjoyment in some of the repetitive play patterns which were introduced to him. He received sensory input (tactile, visual, proprioception, auditory) as well as the desired interaction with his parents. We introduced sensory proprioceptive activities such as a lycra tunnel, animal walks, pushing and pulling items. Oral motor activities were also introduced to encourage deep breathing and assist with regulation. Multisensory activities such as shaving cream and kinetic sand were also enjoyed by Ben. Gradually as Ben developed rapport with OT, he participated in multiple step activities and we could increase the play routines. We tried other repetitive play routines (eg. play with a teddy, muscial instruments, cars). We developed a relationship where routines could be modelled and copied if he wanted to try it out. Ben was given opportunities to continue with repetitive play routines that he found comforting, while expanding the repertoire he could choose from. He was less interested in throwing things from the balcony, however there were occasions where he continued to do this. Ben's attention to alternative tasks also increased with a desire to try new things. We tried other activities that have an underlying (throw/put into something) but the activities also became more skilful using tools such as hammers, golf sticks, pencils and scissors. Smaller and more directed actions such as shape sorters, button snakes, posting objects were also achieved over time. Ben also began learning how to catch thrown items. What else would you have tried with Ben? Do you work with someone who also enjoys throwing things from a balcony. Did you gain some ideas from my case study? This month I have been promoting the FULL SPECTRUM OF PLAY conference which is about to start (March 17-20 - northern hemisphere dates which tend to be almost 12 hours behind us here in Sydney)! This FREE 4-day event is designed to help you confidently use neurodiversity-affirming, play-based therapy strategies to support autistic kids in ways that truly matter. 15 expert speakers share actionable strategies on integrating play into therapy with many many case studies. The FREE TICKET will give you 24 hour access to each day's program (March 17-20). You can also upgrade your ticket for VIP Access ($US). VIP access allows you to listen or watch the talks anytime (starting as soon as you purchase the ticket) with life time access (so you can tak your time too). You will also receive an extensive workbook with summaries of each talk, podcast access, additional information from each speaker and there are 17 accredited learning hours with AOTA and other organisations, once you complete an assessment. Parents, you will also benefit from this conference, however it is catered mainly for a professional audience.
For those of you who have already registered for the PLAY Conference, let me know what you are looking forward to the most! If you also have questions, you can find the FAQ page HERE or also please feel free to contact me [email protected]. I would also love to hear from you if you like reading case studies (as I haven't shared in this way before). Until next time,   Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia. She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning. Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete). Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT. Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog
Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team. They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK. The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. YKOT shop: https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/  Repetitive play patterns are commonly seen with young children. They are also a typical way our Autistic children play. We may see repetitive play in a few different forms. Here are a few examples:
 Repetitive play can help autistic children process sensory information and create a sense of order. The structure, order and predictability can help a child to regulate. These actions/play are internally driven and motivation is high. When we feel a sense of "control" over objects or actions, we can feel calmer as we know what to expect. Some repetitive play may be considered "stimming". The actions are repeated for comfort. As caregivers and therapists, we don't want to take this away from children as it is way of communication. Sometimes the actions are repeated for soothing input, sometimes when the child is excited, sometimes because they are bored or frustrated. The more we become "attune" to our children, we can interpet and understand why they do these actions. Some repetitive play may be considered "unsafe, dangerous, annoying" or even labelled "antisocial or not socially appropriate". We should take a step back and look at the "why" the child is doing these actions. Not all behaviour should be changed or suppressed. In fact it could be more dangerous to prevent the behaviour, may cause stress or a meltdown. We can ask ourselves these questions when considering all repetitive behaviour...
In the next blog post, I will explore a case study looking at how to respectfully help a child who is repeating unsafe play routines. In the meantime, if you are interested in Autistic play, register for THE FULL SPECTRUM OF PLAY CONFERENCE! This FREE 4-day event is designed to help you confidently use neurodiversity-affirming, play-based therapy strategies to support autistic kids in ways that truly matter. 15 expert speakers share actionable strategies on integrating play into therapy. Whether you are a early childhood educator, OTP, speechie, physio, psychologist or teacher... you will learn so much. The FREE TICKET will give you 24 hour access to each day's program (March 17-20). You can also upgrade your ticket for VIP Access ($US) with an early bird price prior to the conference start date. VIP access allows you to listen or watch the talks anytime (starting as soon as you purchase the ticket) with life time access (so you can tak your time too). You will also receive an extensive workbook with summaries of each talk, podcast access, additional information from each speaker and there are 17 accredited learning hours with AOTA and other organisations, once you complete an assessment. Parents, you will also benefit from this conference, however it is catered mainly for a professional audience.
I promote this conference as an affiliate (I will earn a small percentage of any purchases made) and because I genuinely love the content. I have already downloaded my own VIP pass and started to listen to the talks. I can not overstate how amazing the content is and the value you will receive. Each speaker has also generously offered bonuses which you can access. Until next time,   Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia. She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning. Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete). Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT. Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog
Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team. They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK. The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. YKOT shop: https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/  OT BINGO is a new challenge that I'm introducing in 2025 to the Your Kids OT community. Each month I share a board of 9 prompts and recap any activities that I have done in the previous month. So much energy in February with children and teachers returning back to school in Australia. There is lots of excitement with new classes. A flutter of anxiety with some new children, new parents and new teachers too! It doesn't take too long to settle into routines and schedules. I always love to start with fresh activity ideas and this year is no different. In February I focused on squigz, putty and masking tape from my OT Bingo prompts! Squigz Squigz (aka "suckers") are fun suction construction pieces that can be stuck to itself or smooth surfaces such as whiteboards, tiles, glass, trays, etc. They are well-loved by occupational therapists! Fun fine motor qualities especially with the mini squigz (which are my preference). A little hand strength is required when removing the squigz from their suctioned surface. Water helps with suction! The sound is also very satisfying! This month, we have been using Squigz with yarn as well as using ideas from the archives! Watch Squigz with yarn using the link below. Also check out the popular Squigz ideas from the archives!  Putty Theraputty is a well used tool in my OT bag. Classic! My putty has been used for so many years that I have forgotten where I purchased it from originally. The benefit of putty vs playdough is that the in-built resistance means that we can work on hand strength skills just by playing with it. Playdough can be great for little hands but I love using putty for older children. The warning is that putty loves to stick to things that it shouldn't - like watches, hair and clothing. Be mindful of that! My catchphrase with putty is that "putty sticks to putty" so we can use the putty to help clean up fingers and surfaces like glass, tabletops and plastic too (just avoid those other things I mentioned before). I have a well loved video of various ways to use putty (which you can watch here), however this month we have focused on stretching the putty to make "putty people".  Masking tape! Have you seen the tik tok or IG reels where people stand inside a masking tape square? They close their eyes while marching on the spot and see if they move off the spot over time. Invariably they move off and it is very funny to watch. This would be a fun body awareness activity to do with your kids! The masking tape square inspired me to create more OT activities. I have uploaded into the one video HERE. The activities include: * pom pom fine motor with large tweezers * pom pom blow * ball push and finger roll * craft stick lines and patterns * hand clap patterns * jumping patterns * golf tee line up * golf tee flicks * magnetic counters sweep * magnetic counter match up * Letter formation sensory snakes We also made a floor version of snakes and ladders using masking tape and pop tubes.  I hope that inspires you to with some activities! Do you carry squigz, putty and masking tape with you? Why not have a go with the bingo board for March and stay tuned to see what I come up with! * Silicon straw * Insert Puzzle * Mini Tongs * Crawl * Easter Egg * Wikki Stix * Vertical Surface * Wheels on the Bus * Roll Paper You can use these prompts to do one activity, a row, a column, a diagonal or even the whole board. There is no need to include two or more prompts in a single activity but you can if you want to! I have so many ideas using these prompts that I can't wait to try them out. Share your activity ideas by tagging @yourkidsot on Instagram or Facebook. You can also email [email protected]. March is going to be an exciting month! It's my birthday, the Play Conference: Full Spectrum of Play! (online) and I'm also heading to the US to make my way to the AOTA national conference! I can't wait to share what I learn. Meanwhile, click the links below to find out more about the Play Conference.... spoiler alert that it is not just for toddlers but for anyone interested in play! Until next time,  Are you interested in learning through play? Join the 2025 Play Conference!
 Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia. She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning. Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete). Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT. Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog
Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team. They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK. The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. YKOT shop: https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/  I'm just not good at that! I wish I could play basketball like Tom. It's not fair! Julie is so lucky that she understands maths so easily. I'm frustrated. I give up! It's hopeless, I'm never going to be able to learn that! A "growth mindset" for children involves the belief that their abilities and intelligence can evolve and improve through dedication and practice. This perspective encourages them to understand that their brains are capable of growth and that learning new things is possible, rather than viewing intelligence as a fixed trait. It inspires them to embrace challenges and perceive mistakes as valuable learning opportunities. As parents, caregivers, health professionals, and educators, we can support our children in cultivating a growth mindset. Key aspects for encouraging a growth mindset for children: Belief in progress:
 How to foster a growth mindset in children: Use positive language:
 Introducing a new resource that will help you to work together with your child in developing a growth mindset. This resource helps to facilitate discussions about what a child can currently accomplish, contrasting it with their earlier achievements, thereby highlighting their progress. You can reflect on how these skills may have required time and perseverance. Additionally, the images in this printable can be used to explore what a child has yet to learn, what they can achieve with assistance, or what they aspire to do in the future. This GROWTH MINDSET: I CAN'T DO THAT YET printable includes:
I also love using picture books to introduce and support a growth mindset for children. Here are some for a range of ages: * Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak * Bubble Gum Brain by Julia Cook * Growth Mindset Ninja by Mary Nhin * I Can't Do That Yet by Esther Pia Cordova * The Girl Who Makes A Million Mistakes by Brenda Li * I Try by Susie Brooks * Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg Always affirm your child's feelings. Celebrate their strengths. Acknowledge challenges. Support their regulation as they learn how to manage their feelings, abilities and struggles. It can be difficult to change one's mindset especially when thinking about ourselves. From anxiety to perfectionism and every emotion in between; we can help children to find strategies to believe in themselves and their own potential to learn and grow. Read my personal reflection about "practice makes progress" HERE. Do you have a child who struggles with a growth mindset?   Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia. She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning. Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete). Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT. Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog
Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team. They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK. The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. YKOT shop: https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/  3 across. 3 down. 3 diagonal. All nine boxes?! This year I'm inviting you to join me with OT BINGO! At the beginning of each month I will share the challenge board with 9 prompts. The prompts may help bring some variety to your OT practice or activities at home. Photo challenges were popular years ago and this is a spin on that without any pressure to take a photo. February challenge prompts are: * Jump * Paper Plan * Squigz * Scooter Board * Putty * Half Kneeling * Masking Tape * Broken Crayon * Magnetic Letters Need some inspiration? I will be sharing a recap of activities that I do which match the previous month's bingo board. So this is the only month which doesn't include activities. I think some of you creative people may even complete a board in one day! Can't fill the board? Don't worry! It's here to inspire not chastise you. If you would like to share your ideas or completed board, tag @yourkidsot on any social media! You can also email [email protected]. I look forward to the challenge and seeing your activities too! Until next time,   Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia. She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning. Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete). Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT. Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog
Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team. They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK. The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. YKOT shop: https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/  Mindfulness. In the moment. Being present. While you are reading this ... are you also thinking about your checklist of things you need to get do today? What's for dinner? How long will this take? The holiday you were just on? What you need to tell your family? I'm very good at multi-tasking but over the years, I have found that I start one thing and move quickly to the next without finishing the first task. I procrastinate with the tasks I don't want to do and then become overwhelmed. My mind drifts when people are talking to me. Thoughts of the past, replaying conversations and previous decisions. Thoughts of the future, what needs to get done, that growing complicated to-do list. I have described my mind as being FULL, like having too many tabs open in my web browser. Having too many tabs open in my own mind. As I look now at my browser, I can see that this is true of the literal screen in front of me but it is also true of my mind. There is a need to close some of the tabs, press the little X and focus on one thing at a time. “Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune in to what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.”― Brené Brown, Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution.  Now, what does this have to do with occupational therapy?
 Mindful practice at work:
Writing things down always helps me to let go of what creeps into my mind. Whether it is handwriting in my planner , jotting things in a notebook, typing a note on my phone or even a voice recording. Letting go helps to "close those open tabs". January is a good time for new beginnings, new resolutions, new goals. It is a "down time" for us in Australia, with summer, the school holidays and beach time. It is easy to be mindful on holidays. The challenge is when the busyness of work and school resume, to manage the mental and emotional load. Mindfulness to me, is not a suspension of reality. It is giving myself permission to be fully present. And it is a gift that I am still learning how to accept. This is a work in progress. Are you able to practice mindfulness in your work? In your personal life? Do you find yourself having a mind FULL? What are your tips for mindful practice?   Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia. She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning. Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete). Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT. Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog
Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team. They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK. The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. YKOT shop: https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/  It's back to school time in Australia! After a wonderful summer break, it is time to dust off the work cobwebs and get ready for the year ahead! January is all about getting resources ready for the new school year. Lots of admin to get organised and worked out before I even make contact with families. For each new year and each new OT child; I provide a workbook to record things we do each week. We may draw or write directly into the book. I use scrapbooks that are larger than A4 as we also paste in craft activities or worksheets. This book also works as a communication tool with parents when they are not present for sessions and can be sent home with homework. I enjoy designing new covers (definitely prefer it to doing the admin side of my job). The children who I have seen over multiple years look forward to seeing what the design is for the year. Mr Z has been with me for 6 years now, so has seen all of these covers. I wonder if he has a favourite. This year I decided to cover "occupational perforamance areas" (ie. self care/activities of daily living, productivity, leisure and rest). You can read more about "occupational performance areas" when it comes to paediatric practice HERE. The pictures in the 2025 cover will help to explain this to children too! OT rules are included in this package. I am selective with which children I give these rules, keeping in mind who may become stressed by these rules or would not understand them. Please feel free to use with discretion. Download your FREE copy of the 2025 collation of the OT workbook covers and OT rules HERE! Let me know if you use these covers by tagging @yourkidsot on social media! Do you have a favourite? Looking forward to getting started with 2025! I announced on social media that I'm heading to the AOTA 2025 conference in Philadelphia in April. This will be my first time attending and I'm so excited! Let me know if you are planning to attend. I will have more updates closer to the date! Now, how can I concentrate on my admin work now? Until next time,   Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia. She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning. Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete). Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT. Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog
Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team. They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK. The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. YKOT shop: https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/  What a wonderful 2024! It has been a busy year for Your Kids OT, celebrating 10 years here on the internet. In that time, I have "e-met" some amazing people. I'm encouraged by you...the online community who have sent me messages, emails and commented on social media. You are the reason that I keep doing this! I may not be the most regular in sending blogs and emails, however I hope what I do share, continues to bring you inspiration and encouragement. I want to journey alongside you as a life long learner. To keep striving to become better occupational therapists, empathetic as parents, helping the children in our lives to reach the next milestone (or mini one), developing skills, enjoying play or advocating on their behalf when needed. 2024 highlights Some of the most popular reels and posts on Instagram and Facebook were: * Squigz balance cushion * Squigz pre-writing/writing * Fine motor skills for typing * Fruit avalanche re-imagined * Putting a spin on Twister * Scratch art with cookie cutters There were 5 new FREE printables:
I launched 13 new printable products:
In 2024, I participated in two online conferences speaking on topics that I'm passionate about - The Therapeutic Use of Self and Executive Functioning Tips for Parents. What an honour! Suprisingly, I was also a clothing ambassador in 2024! Who would have thought? ! That was a lot of fun! Watch the highlights reel on Instagram or You-tube. Behind the scenes, I had the priviledge of seeing my own daughter finish high school. What a milestone! I'm so proud of her and I'm excited to see what the future holds for her (unfortunately, I couldn't convince her to do OT at uni... she's doing law instead)! In 2024, I worked at 9 different preschools and schools every week. I also made regular home visits to many families and supervised some wonderful OTs. I presented an in-person workshop and also supervised a work experience student. I reduced my working time to Monday to Thursday (which was wonderful for helping with my work/life balance). There was also that ongoing (not-so-secret) project which we made so much progress with this year (more on that soon). So what is happening in 2025? ... so many exciting things are already being planned. I can 't wait to share them with you as they become more definite. There are new things that will put me out of my comfort zone (but you know, that I love a challenge)! Thank you again for your support. Your likes, emails and comments are always valued. Thank you for purchasing from the YKOT shop and TPT store, this helps to support me financially to maintain this website. Happy New Year and see you in 2025!   It is the end of the school year here in Australia. While we are busy winding up the year, most of us usually have some thoughts about the next school year. Are current clients staying with us? Are they moving on? Have we got a waiting list? What are we going to do the same and what changes need to be made in the next year? What goals are we setting? For me, January is a time of planning and organising. It is usually a quieter time for Australian therapists so the perfect time to reflect and plan. I have designed planners before, but this one is unique! The unique pages includes self reflections including prompts for the therapeutic use of self, which is such a passion for me (contact me if your team is interested in training on this topic). There are two designs (watercolour and neutral) this year and guess what? I've included them together in the one purchase. So you get two for the price of one! Have a look at the slide show below to see the pages that are included. Pages can be printed as needed and you can choose the pages relevant to you. Re-arrange them in any order. Each design includes the following pages:
These planners make the perfect end of year gift. I have gifted them to my supervisees. Gift them to your graduating OT students, your new therapists starting or gift them to yourself! Happy planning!  |
AuthorHi, I'm Cindy and I am an Occupational Therapist. I enjoy working creatively with children to see them reach their potential. Read more about me here. 
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Disclaimer: The information on this site is general in nature and should be used for educational and entertainment purposes. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. This blog does not replace formal therapeutic professional advice given by a health professional or medical practitioner. Reviews and endorsements of products will only be made based on my expertise and personal opinion; and deemed worthy of such endorsement. The opinions shared in sponsored content will always be my own and not that of the advertising company or brand. Content, advertising space or posts will be clearly identified if paid, affiliated or sponsored. Affiliate links may be found throughout this website in advertising. This means that if you follow through with a purchase from these links, Your Kids OT will receive a percentage of the sale. Your Kids OT undertakes to meet the requirements of the "Social Media Policy" as published by Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Further information about this policy can be found here.
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AuthorHi, I'm Cindy and I am an Occupational Therapist. I enjoy working creatively with children to see them reach their potential. Read more about me here. 
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