​It's the end of the academic year in the northern hemisphere.
It's the middle of the school year here in Australia.

Why are we talking about school readines?! 
​
Helping our children to be ready for school does not happen overnight. It doesn't even happen in just a few weeks. We are taking a look at the strong foundations that are needed in the preschool years (approx 3 - 4 years of age). 

When some parents hear the words school readiness, they often think about letters, numbers and learning to write a name. That's only a small piece of the puzzle, a small part of being ready for school. 

School readiness begins long before a child sits at a desk. As an occupational therapist, I'm looking at a holistic view of readiness; developing the physical, cognitive and self-help skills that allow children to participate confidently in classroom activities. These foundational skills are built through play, movement and everyday experiences.

Here are the key areas to focus on before they start school.
1. Gross Motor Skills
Gross motor skills develop the large muscles of the body. They are essential for sitting upright at a table, navigating the playground, joining in sport and having the stamina to get through a busy school day. Children this age love and challenge their gross motor capabilities. Provide opportunities such as:

• Riding a tricycle or scooter
• Climbing playground equipment
• Obstacle courses
• Balancing on beams or stepping stones
• Drawing or painting on a vertical surface

These activities build core strength, balance, coordination and motor planning.

2. Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are important for managing classroom tools such as crayons, scissors, craft supplies and pencils. They are also important for managing cutlery, fastenings (like buttons, zippers and toggles), and daily tasks such as opening packaging, undoing bottles, opening/closing lunch boxes and more!
Some favourite fine motor activities include:

• Playdough (so many ideas HERE)
• Tongs and tweezers (check out my favourite tongs HERE)
• Threading beads (read a developmental progression of threading HERE)
• Pegs/Clothespins (I have some ideas HERE)
• Finger painting and stamping (free printable HERE)

You will have many more fine motor skills ideas on my social media pages and website.  

3. Bilateral Coordination
Many everyday school activities require both hands to work together. It's also helpful to encourage children to reach across their body (crossing the midline), which supports the development of a preferred hand for writing. The ability to cross the midline also affects posture, alignment of writing on the page, stability of the writing page (with the helper hand) and directionality for reading and writing. Read more about bilateral coordination HERE.
Bilateral coordination activities include:

• Cutting with scissors
• Holding paper while drawing
• Opening lunch containers
• Dressing independently

Activities like threading, construction toys, pretend cooking and craft help to build bilateral coordination.

4. Visual-Perceptual Skills
Children need to interpret what they see. These skills underpin reading, mathematics, handwriting and problem solving. Read more about visual perceptual skills HERE. 
Visual-perceptual skills help children:

• Complete puzzles
• Match and sort objects
• Recognise patterns
• Notice similarities and differences
• Understand shapes, colours and sequences

Simple games and everyday play provide plenty of opportunities to develop these abilities. Take a look at my room tour video of some of my favourite shapes and visual motor activities HERE. 

5. Tool Use and Early Writing Skills
It's important not to rush to writing! Offer short crayons or pencils, encourage drawing and tracing, colour within simple outlines and practise cutting along lines before moving to drawing basic shapes. The goal isn't neat handwriting at this age. 

When we (ie.occupational therapists) talk about "pre-writing skills" we are referring to drawing simple lines, shapes, representational drawing and even scribble. We are helping children to make visual motor connections, develop spatial awareness and make intentional marks. 

• Try drawing together, adding lines and talking about what these lines represent. 
• Try tracing around objects (eg. plates, blocks, scissors, cutlery, child's hand, etc).
• Try rubbing over leaves or coins. 
• Try chalk drawing on the footpath/pavement, driveway, brick wall. 
• Try "water painting" on any outdoor surfaces (this was a favourite for my own children when they were this age). 
• Try "drawing" in sand with toys, a paintbrush or even a golf tee!

I was visiting a preschool recently and overheard an educator speak with a parent. The educator was describing how the child was holding the pencil a certain way and how she would like to see them move towards a tripod grasp. She was also explaining how they were helping the child getting ready for school through various activities. 

I was listening and wishing that I had a resource that I could offer the educator, who in turn could offer it to the parents she met with.  So, I designed it! 

This printable contains (the information in this article):

• ✓ Key school readiness skills for 3–4 year olds
• ✓ Simple, everyday activities to encourage development through play
• ✓ Information about pencil grasp development and what is typically expected at this age
• ✓Tips to strengthen gross motor, fine motor, bilateral coordination, visual-perceptual and pre-writing skills
• ✓ Ideal for parent education, a teacher resource and as therapy handouts

The best thing is that I'm giving this printable to you for FREE. Download this today from the Your Kids OT shop. 

Looking for More School Readiness Ideas? Read some of previous blog articles

• Five ways to get your child's body and mind ready for school
• 10 things to practise before starting big school
• Helping anxious children with school
• School Readiness Checklist​
• I'm ready for School (lift the flap morning checklist)

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
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​

Fast speed? Slow speed? Just Right? 

The Alert Program®, often known as "How Does Your Engine Run?", was developed in the 1990s by occupational therapists Mary Sue Williams and Sherry Shellenberger. It was created to help children develop awareness of their levels of alertness and learn strategies to regulate their energy, attention, and participation across different environments.

It is a program that I've used for many years.  Over the years, I've adapted it and tweaked it as I've gained a deeper understanding of regulation, interoception, sensory strategies and neuroaffirming practice. Before I share these, let's take a look at the Alert Program® fundamentals. 

The program uses the metaphor of an engine to help children understand their internal state:

• Low speed – tired, sluggish, low energy
• Just Right speed – alert, engaged, ready for participation
• High speed – energetic, excited, overwhelmed, or restless

Rather than focusing solely on behaviour, the Alert Program encourages children to notice how their bodies feel and identify strategies that help them participate in daily activities.

The Alert Program® teaches:

1. Self-awareness – noticing body signals and levels of alertness.
2. Self-regulation – recognising when changes may be helpful.
3. Strategy selection – learning what sensory, movement, environmental, or cognitive supports work for the individual.
4. Independence – gradually developing the ability to monitor and support one's own regulation.

The Developmental Pyramid
​The Alert Program® is closely linked to sensory integration theory and the concept that higher-level skills are built upon foundational body systems.  The Pyramid of Learning by Taylor and Trott (1991) was published  in "How does your Engine run? A leader's guide to The Alert Program® for Self-Regulation" by Williams and Shellenberger. Permission to publish this diagram here at Your Kids OT was obtained by Maryann Trott directly in October 2018. 

The Pyramid of Learning (read more HERE) is a way of looking at the whole child. The very foundation of the pyramid is a child's central nervous system which is closely linked to their sensory systems. Adequate sensorimotor development is built on adequate registration and processing of sensory information (from the tactile, vestibular, proprioception, olfactory, visual, auditory and gustatory systems). Sensory motor development includes postural security, awareness of two sides of the body, motor planning, body scheme, reflex maturity and ability to screen input. This then supports perceptual motor development including eye-hand coordination, ocular motor control, postural adjustment, auditory language skills, visual-spatial perception and attention center functions.   

It is important that sensory strategies are developed based on a child's sensory preferences.  Read more below when we talk about strengths. 

A Neuroaffirming Perspective
 There are a number of ways to use the Alert Program® with a neuro-affirming approach. If you want to read more about what "neuroaffirming" means, read this article. 

* "just right for...."
​In neuroaffirming practice, many therapists emphasise that the goal is not to make every child achieve a "just right" state, but to help them understand their own patterns of regulation, and make choices that support participation and wellbeing.  This means acknowledging and understanding that "just right" can appear differently in children and across activities. Therapists, teachers and parents can help children to work out the optimal arousal for daily tasks such as getting ready for school, participation in the classroom, joining in with a sports activity, going to bed, etc. 
 
* Body Awareness and Interoception
To help children to develop self-awareness, an understanding of their own body signals, and levels of arousal; occupational therapists have incorporated interoception skills (read more HERE) into the Developmental Pyramid discussed previously. Interoception helps children recognise the body signals that contribute to a low, medium, or high engine speeds. Body scan meditation can help children to develop mindfulness about their current arousal and alert levels. It may highlight body signals such as breathing, heart rate, muscle tension, temperature, emotions and energy. 

You can ask:

• "How does your body feel?"
• "What helps when your engine feels like this?"
• "What do you notice?"

I've used the pages from my Body Scan Check resource, adding them to a paper plate to make a "steering wheel". Some children have loved the extension of the "engine" analogy as the steering wheel is the "control" for adjusting their body (ie. engine). See the image above and video.  Children “drive their engines” by identifying their body signals and noticing what levels of arousal they have. Sometimes this is done retrospectively rather than in the moment to reflect on “how was your body feeling?”. We use the steering wheel to notice body signals and identify engine speeds. We then flip the plate over to check strategies that we can use to change our engine speeds if that it is needed.

* Self-awareness not behaviour management
We can  move away from "right" and "wrong" engine speeds. 
Instead of:

• "Your engine is too high."
• "You need to calm down."

You can try:

• "Is your engine running fast?"
• "What is your body telling you it needs?"
• "Is this engine speed working for what you're doing?"

• "Would you like movement, quiet, or sensory input?"
• "What usually helps your engine?"
• "Do you want help or would you like to try something yourself?"

* Engine Analogy? One Metaphor does not fit all!
The authors acknowledge that the engine anology is just one way to describe how alert somone might feel.  They suggest that therapists search for words that have meaning to children (or adults) using this program such as using colours, animals, special interests, etc.  Have you made one of these adaptions? 

Allow children to develop their own descriptions of their internal experiences such a busy, sleepy, excited, focused, overloaded, energised, calm, tense, cruising, etc. 

* Executive Functioning Strategy
We can incorporate an executive functioning strategy together with the Alert Program®. In previous articles, I have shared a traffic light strategy (read more HERE) which we can adapt... to encourage children to pause, be aware, and make choice.
You could introduce the traffic light as:
🛑 STOP – Notice my body clues.
🟡 THINK – What is my body telling me?
🟢 GO – Choose what might help.

The traffic light works really well with the "engine analogy" and our "steering wheel" mentioned previously. 

​* Strengths Based Approach
We can use a child's sensory preferences to identify their strengths (read more HERE). We can help them to build self-awareness and help them to advocate for themselves as needed. A strengths-based approach is important. It helps us to see our children with understanding and appreciate what they are naturally drawn to but it also helps us to know how to support them. As parents, educators and therapists, we want our children to not only survive but to thrive. 

Some children will find it difficult to recognise their own body signals and sensory strategies that might be helpful. It is important that adults are aware of coregulation and the importance of "sharing your calm".  Find out more about sensory profiles, strengths and co-regulation strategies in the Sensory Profiling Guidebook. 

When using the Alert Program®, it can be helpful to ask:

• Are we teaching self-awareness or compliance?
• Are we helping the child understand themselves or fit our expectations?
• Are we changing the child, the environment, or both?
• Does this strategy support the child's participation and wellbeing?

The purpose of the Alert Program® is not to teach children to be calm, quiet, or compliant. It is to help them understand their unique patterns of regulation, recognise what they need, and develop strategies that support participation in the activities that matter to them.
​

The Alert Program® is not about changing children or making them fit a particular expectation. It is about helping them to develop awareness of their own body signals, understand what those signals mean, and discover strategies that support their participation in everyday life. Just as a car needs different speeds for different roads, children need different engine speeds throughout the day depending on the activity, environment, and how they are feeling. By using the traffic light approach to stop, think, and respond to body clues, children can build interoception, self-awareness, and self-advocacy skills. When children learn to listen to their bodies and identify what helps them, they develop the confidence and tools to participate in ways that work for them.

Are you using the Alert Program in a neuroaffirming way? I would love to hear your approach!

Mazes!

They look like a just a "pencil paper" activity, but MAZES work on so many skills that OTs use them regularly! The combination of visual perceptual skills, executive functioning and motor skills appeal to us as OTs, however for kids, they are fun! Mazes are a form of "puzzle" which can be really organising for children as the steps needed to solve it help to make sense of what they see, sequencing steps to get from one location to the next while noticing visual boundaries. 

Before we even start with paper mazes, we start with toys and games that involve mazes. There are a commercially available toys that provide a maze-like component. Some require a child to solve a maze and others to create it. Here are a few ideas!
1. Make your own maze with craft sticks. Glue them onto a board (see title photo) or place them on a table (see this article). Use a marble, pom pom, small ball or even a toy car. 
2. Fabric marble maze. Make your own (see this article) or buy this commercially (Amazon link). This provides a fine motor work out as your child uses their fingers to push the marble through the fabric maze. 
3. Wikki Stix Maze. Make this for your child to complete or ask your child to design and make a maze using wikki stix (see IG video). Wikki stix are wax covered strings that can bend and twist into various shapes. They stick onto most surfaces and combined with a whiteboard, make a great "maze" boundary. 
4. Washi-tape Maze. Make your own maze with "washi tape" on a zip lock bag. Use small figurines to move through the maze. 
5. Commercial games like Magnetic sorting toys, Rush Hour, Labyrinth and Smart Dog Obstacle Run are also fun "maze-like" ideas!

​Visual perception is the process of extracting and organising information, giving meaning to what we see. It is required to perform everyday tasks, such as reading, copying information from a board or understanding symbols. 

Mazes provide a fun way to develop visual perceptual skills including:

• Eye-hand coordination (eg. drawing precise straight or curved lines within a visual boundary).
• Figure ground (the ability to see an object or form when presented in a complex background with a lot of visual information at one time).
• Visual discrimination (classifying and matching pictures).
• Position in space (relates to understanding directional language concepts, such up/down, left/right).
• Visual memory (ability to remember and recall pictures).
• Visual motor integration (ability to make sense of visual information and then use it appropriately when performing a motor task)
• Visual closure (ability to visualise the whole of an object or picture such as a complete a path from the beginning to the end)
• Form constancy (ability to recognise forms and objects as the same in various situations).

Moving from physical mazes to the pencil/paper variety adds the extra elements of fine motor skills and pencil control. Pencil control is an important pre-writing activity. Mazes provide a way to practice starting and stopping, changing direction, applying adequate pressure to the page and noticing visual boundaries.

Until next time,

Expectations.
What does a child expect when they start occupational therapy?
What do parents expect? 
What does a teacher expect?

What shapes these expectations?

Where does an OT start? What is the priority? 

It may be no surprise but the priority for me is always connection, developing the relationship for active engagement. Helping a child feel comfortable, relaxed, and actively wanting to participate.  Helping them to be motivated to work on goals (potentially set by their parents or teachers). Building a psychologically safe environment is intentional.

Occupational therapy is often new to children and to families.  What is that "you" do?  Even if the first face-to-face contact is an assessment, we can establish some rapport and connection before that happens. The initial interaction is so important. The way we greet a child, the way we introduce ourselves, the questions we ask and how we demonstrate our interest in the child are all important ways we build interpersonal connectedness.   Building a relationship to facilitate occupational performance and goals is purposeful. 

The intentional use of our personality, communication style, and professional presence is what occupational therapists describe as the therapeutic use of self (and it is a passion topic for me)!  The therapeutic relationship (with a child or adult) is a two way process. We each contribute, but as the therapist our role is to actively develop engagement so that we can be effective with what we do.  

Holmqvist, K., Holmefu, M. and Ivarsson, A. (2023) say "The therapeutic use of self has been described with intentions such as to alleviate a client's fear and anxiety, guide a client through an activity, a planned conscious action and a way to change occupational performance within the context of therapy".

Occupational therapists are intentional, purposeful and self-aware in how we approach children in a therapeutic context. Through a meaningful authentic relationship we can actively engage a child!

​Beyond the initial connection we make with a child, each time we see them we might consider how we contribue to a child's regulation and reponses.  Rapport and a deep connection develops with time, trust and respect. These are things that can't be demanded but are earnt through experiences. We are always concerned about the child's well-being. 

We might reflect on ... 
* Does the child feel understood and comfortable? 
* Does the child feel pressure to perform or comfortable making mistakes? 
* Does the child feel stressed or willing to try something new? 
* Are we addressing inner motivation and providing a just-right challenge?
* How can we help the child to regulate?
* Can we create curiosity or an invitation to play?

When a child feels understood and emotionally safe, they are more likely to explore, take risks, and attempt new challenges.

The importance of therapeutic relationships is explored in the Intentional Relationship Model (IRM) developed by Renée Taylor. The model encourages therapists to be critically self aware, intentional with our interpersonal approach and adapt it based on the needs of the client and the situation. For example:

• Some children may respond well to a playful, energetic style.
• Others may need a calm, steady presence.
• A frustrated child may need empathy and emotional support before they are ready to continue an activity.

​In a previous article, I wrote about a "Childrens's Rights in OT: What every child should expect!" but the other part to that is from a therapist's point of view. Our ability to be critically self-aware guides our intention and purposeful approach.  What do we contribute to the relationship? How do we manage compassion fatigue? How does a child affect us?  What happens when the children we work with don't want our help? 

The discussion on the Therapeutic Use of Self is a subject that I enjoy talking about as I continue to reflect on my practice as an OT (there are over 25 years to reflect on).  If you are a parent reading this, you may consider how your therapists are intentionally and purposefully building engagement to help achieve goals. If you are a therapist who would love to learn more, there are a few ways to do that! 

Find out MORE: 
* Therapeutic Use of Self Reflective Practice Tool: YKOT Shop ($AUS) or TPT Store ($US)
* Disability Spot Conference "Forging the Future Together: Innovation in Practice" - 30th May 2026. This is an online conference where speakers present in a live presentation on the day. Check out the conference program. 
* The Paediatric Occupational Therapy Conference Australia (POTCA) - 19- 20 November 2026, Brisbane Australia. Use the code "CINDY" for $25 off the registration fee.  This conference is both in-person and online. If you are an Australian OT, I would encourage you to get there in-person! This is the first time that a conference like this is happening!  This is not an academic conference. It is a clinically driven, application based event built around the realities of paediatric occupational therapy in private practice and NDIS contexts. Sessions are designed to translate directly into practice, providing therapists with strategies, frameworks and insight they can implement immediately.

I do not receive any renumeration for registration at either of these conferences. 

​I hope to see you there!

No no no no!
No can present in different ways. 

No, I know my limits and I'm advocating for myself. 
No, I can anticipate what you are asking and I don't feel comfortable.
No, I'm overwhelmed and can't face it. 
No, I don't like new things.
No, I don't know you.
No, I'm busy doing something else. 
No, not yet. 
No, please don't make me. 

​Sensory avoiders actively self-regulate by moving away from activities. They have a low neurological threshold which can be affected by unfamiliar situations, prior experience and their perception of an activity or environment. They actively act to keep from meeting the low thresholds. Avoidance may be seen with a stress response (fight, flight, freeze, fawn or flop).

Let's think of the child's central nervous system with the analogy of a bucket, sensory input being the water in the bucket and the beach being their environment or task cues. These children have a small bucket which can be filled too quickly, causing discomfort and stress. The child actively tries to control their environment, the activity and the routines to create predictability and a sense of safety. 

Characteristics
​A child who may have an avoider sensory pattern more than others is actively trying to limit their sensory input which may result in “controlling” or “withdrawing” behaviour as they seek to reproduce what is comfortable for them.

It is important that the child’s social, environmental and family context are considered when determining if the avoidant behaviour is related to sensory demands or not. Sometimes a child may have a sensory response to a non-sensory demand. Eg. They refuse to touch playdough when a particular person is sitting next to them or hide under the table to avoid saying hello to someone or run away when it is time for maths.

​A child who may have an avoidant sensory pattern more than others may demonstrate some of these characteristics.

• This child may withdraw from social situations, new activities or certain environments. They may retreat to familiar places (eg. their bedroom, under their desk, a former classroom).
• This child may require routines to be in a certain order (eg. getting ready for school) with particular requirements (eg. shoes facing forward, same brand of socks).
• This child may refuse help from one teacher but accept help from another.
• This child may have difficulty with new situations (eg. new school, teacher, seating position).
• This child may perform a task in one environment but not in another (eg. toilets at home but not school).
• This child may participate in an activity on one day but then refuse on another day.
• This child seem to “over react” or be “bossy”.
• This child may appear rigid with routines and experience difficulties with changes (eg. wet weather preventing outdoor play, no time to finish task, additional assembly, fire alarm).
• This child may avoid “risky play” or playground equipment where their feet are not touching the ground.
• This child may avoid multifacted tasks such as handwriting.
• This child may seem hyperaware or vigiliant.
• This child may not like being praised.
• This child may not respond to traditional rewards or consequence based strategies.

There are a number of strengths also associated with an avoider profile. These may include: 

• Self-awareness of own limits (self-protective)
• Ability to advocate for self
• Participates well with structure, routine and predictability
• May be careful, thoughtful and detail-oriented
• May be content to be alone or in familiar environments
• May be a good planner with an anticipation of problems
• May identify sensory experiences that help them to feel comfortable
• May thrive with connection to others

Sensory Supports
In general, a child who exhibits an avoider sensory pattern more than others will benefit from an awareness and understanding of the triggers (as discussed previously). Empathy and compassion are the first steps in providing support for this child. They benefit from genuine connection and relationships built on trust and communication.

Sensory based intervention can help with regulation even when the trigger is not sensory based. Sensory strategies help to regulate the nervous system and may be used in conjunction with other regulation strategies.​

Intervention planning should aim to reduce anxiety and sensory input, while developing routines and structure. Gradually increase exposure or provide creative ways to participate.

• Designate safe places or places to retreat (eg. tent in the classroom)
• Develop and provide opportunities for familar regulatory activities (eg. bouncing on therapy ball)
• Maintain consistency of routines where possible and develop contingencies to expect disruptions
• Limit participation in group activities
• Reduce the task demands or present small achievable steps
• Develop comfortable structures and routines (eg. Self squeeze of arms and legs before desk work)
• Body doubling or joint participation to complete tasks
• Be creative and flexible in how activities are completed
• Use declarative language to suggest rather than tell the child what to do (eg. “I would what would happen if...” or “I noticed that it is raining ...”
• Allow additional time
• Encourage a growth mindset and assurance that making mistakes is a learning skill
• Develop positive affirmations and mantras

For more information: 

• Overview of Dunn's sensory profiles
• Sensory Profile Language
• Sensory  Profile Strengths Based Approach
• Bystander Sensory Profile
• Sensor Sensory Profile
• Sensory Profiling Guidebook! 

Please note that these profiles discuss those children who are responding "more than others" with these patterns. We will discuss those who have mixed profiles and are responding "less than others" in the near future. 
​

We all avoid things that we don't want to do.  Some people talk themselves into doing those "hard things" and others can never face them. 

Working with children who are "sensory avoiders" can be a challenge but we are also in a position of privilege to help them by building nervous system awareness, guiding regulation and developing parameters to help them in every day life. 

​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/

So your child is starting OT. 
How do you explain why they are going and what to expect? 

It will depend on your child's age, level of understanding and why they are seeing an occupational therapist. 

Preparing your child (or helping a family to prepare) with information about why they are going can help with anxiety and expectations. A positive and realistic explanation can help to frame occupational therapy, setting up the relationship with trust and respect. 

Some of the ways we might explain OT to kids - 

• Use the "Fun Helper" Approach: Tell them they are going to meet a special teacher or friend who plays games to help them get better at things they want to do.
• Focus on PLAY: Explain that in OT, they will play with toys, use swings, do crafts, and move around, and it will feel like fun, not schoolwork.
• Relate to Daily Goals: Use examples like, "This will help us make writing easier," or "It will help us get dressed by ourselves".
• Analogies: Explain that just as someone needs glasses to see better, they might need an "expert helper" to make tricky tasks feel easier.
• Validate Emotions: Let them know it is okay to feel nervous, but emphasize that the OT  is a safe space to practice new skills and explore feelings.

Regardless of the reasons that your child might see an OT, there are some common expectations that are so important, that I'm calling a child's rights! 
* Automomy - They have control over their own bodies and choices.
* Agency - They can help to make decisions.
* Consent - They can say yes or no and be heard. 
* To be understood - Their communication is respected. 
* Active Participation - They can be engaged and involved in the therapy process.
* Safety- They will be emotionally and physically safe.
* Colloboration - Their goals will be heard. 
* Joy and connection - Therapy can be fun and enjoyable.
* Meaningful occupation - They will play, rest and learn activities of daily living. 
* Individualised support - Their needs will be addressed.
* Regulation - They can take breaks as needed.
* Authenticity - They can be themselves without pretending.
* Strengths - Their interests and strengths matter. 
* Dignity - They will be treated with kindness and empathy.

​A video can also help to explain to your child what they should expect. Some of the following videos are designed to show kids and some are designed for parents to understand how to explain OT.  Watch them all and choose what is appropriate for your child.

• Ready Kids: What is occupational therapy? Explained to kids in 90 seconds.
• Ready Kids: What is occupational therapy? Explanation for adults
• Cstars: What is pediatric occupational therapy?
• Twinkl Teaching Resources: Occupational Therapy for Kids
• Humber Teaching NHS Foundation: Children's Occupational Therapy Animation
• Autism Australia: OT for autistic children
• Ontaria society of occupational therapists: See how we help kids learn and be successful in schools 
• Harkla: OT Kids Explained (Executive Function, Sensory Routines, Reflexes)
• Parents Helping Parents: What is OT?
• InfOT: Pediatric OT​
• Westside Children's Therapy: Growing Skills OT for older kids

​We (occupational therapists) are here to help kids to participate fully in their daily life, to develop skills, be motivated, with the right tools within the environments they need to function in! We are holistic and help to address physical and motor skills, internal systems (nervous system, sensory system, cognition), social awareness and participation.  We look at accomodations, advocacy,  equipment needs and environmental changes. 

Children can expect a dynamic therapeutic relationship! 

How do you explain occupational therapy to a child?

Until next time,
Cindy
​

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/
​

This student has poor fine motor skills for handwriting. Let's move them to typing! 

But what happens with this same student's fine motor difficulties affect their ability to type? 

There is sometimes an assumption that typing is a quick and easy fix for a child with handwriting difficulties. While handwriting and typing have different fine motor skill requirements, typing itself is a complex skill. Typing requires an integration of fine motor skills, visual motor integration, bilateral coordination and executive functioning skills. 

Of course typing is not the only way that we can access technology.  There are speech-to-text options, touch screen options and even more complex technology like eye-tracking. It wonderful that there are so many options available. Adaptive technology is the key for some children and adults to access the online world and record information too. 

Occupational therapists have a role working with school-aged children in teaching correct keyboarding technique, supporting assistive technology use and helping students with handwriting difficulties to transition to typing.  For our children who we want to teach to type, we want to build their fine motor skills to access the keyboard.  Not all of these students will end up as touch-typers but we can lay good foundations that can also be transferred to other activities such as using a computer mouse, playing a piano (or other musical instrument) and managing self care tasks such as buttoning or shoe laces.  

* Wrist extension
Similarly to handwriting, if we can encourage the wrist and forearm to be placed on the table, this provides stability needed to use our fingers.  If the wrist and forearm are too high (ie. hovering) or below the table, this may lead to fatigue and poor endurance.  Ergonomically, there are wrist supports that may be used for extended typing, however for our children learning to type, it is more important to develop the wrist strength and forearm stability. 

Wrist strengthening activities may include weight bearing on the forearm and arms (eg. over a therapy gym ball and walking on hands), donkey kicks, carrying loads (eg. bucket of sand), pulling or climbing up rope ladders, monkey bars, or working on vertical surfaces (Eg. drawing on easels). 

* Strong Palmar Arches 
Our hand muscles help to form the arches of our hand: longitudinal, traverse and oblique. These arches work together to build the natural curvature of our hand (structure) and also allow finger dexterity. They help us with opening up the webspace of our hand and provide a foundation for other fine motor skills (including in-hand manipulation and thumb opposition). In addition to typing, we need strong palmar arches for so many every day activities such as opening and closing bottles, cupping our hands to roll a dice, playing ball games and more!
​
In typing, the palmar arches allow the hands to form the natural curvature so that the pads of the fingers touch the keys. Other parts of the fingers do not need to rest on the keys and it can prevent accidental touching if the fingers are held straight (extended). 

Activities that help develop the palmar arches of the hand include crawling and weight bearing activities onto the hands.  The hand strengthening activities mentioned earlier will also help with the development of the palmar arches. Squeezing a stress ball or playing ball games (eg. handball, tennis) can provide more opportunities to develop the palmar arches. Occupational therapists love to use a "munchy ball" which is a tennis ball with a slit (often decorated as a face).  Thes balls are squeezed open so that they may be "fed" with various items.  

* Open Webspace
An open circular webspace is achieved when the thumb and index finger can form a circular shape when touching. This relies on the thumb being able to fully rotate at the carpal metacarpal (CMC) joint so that it can touch each finger tip. 

In typing, an open webspace provides stability for dynamic thumb movements. The thumbs typically press the space bar. Activities such as "thumb wars" can promote thumb mobility. 

* Individual finger strength with isolated movements
Each finger needs to be able to press a key on the keyboard individually with adequate force.  This can be difficult for children with poor joint stability and hyper-mobile joints.  Some children hyper-extend at the proximal or distal interphalangeal joints. Some children press multiple keys at the same time.  

While the separation of the two sides of the hand is not as important in typing as it is in handwriting, stability of the hand is important so that each finger can demonstrate the dexterity needed to type individual keys. The fingers are required to move up and down as well as from side to side to reach different keys on the keyboard. 

Games such as pop-its or "Tricky Fingers" are fun ways to develop finger isolation.  Finger and hand strengthening activities may also include the use of tongs or clothespins (pegs) to provide additional resistance when picking up items.  Playing the piano also helps to develop individual finger strength although it is a cyclical discussion as some isolated finger strength is needed to play the piano! 

* Finger dexterity and use of the pads of the fingers
It seems obvious that the pads of the fingers should touch the keys during typing, however in my experience, I have seen children use many alternatives! They may use the sides of their fingers, their nails or their finger joints. 

Children can practice finger touching each finger to their thumb individually. More finger warm up activities can be found here. 

Playdough is one of my favourite OT tools.  Create small balls of playdough and use these to work on the fine motor skills needed for typing. 
1. Squash: This action promotes flexion and extension at the metacarpal joints while developing stability of the wrist, palmar arches and interphalangeal joints of the fingers. 
Begin with your hands positioned on the table as if you are going to type.  Place one ball of playdough under each finger pad.  Squash the ball of playdough with an individual finger or your thumb. Try to maintain joint stability while resting your wrist and forearm on the table. Try not to raise your whole hand as you squash the playdough. 
2. Kick: This action promotes flexion and extension of the interphalangeal finger joints while developing stability of the wrist and palmar arches. 
Begin with your hands positioned on the table as if you are going to type.  Place a ball of playdough in front of each finger.  "Kick" the ball with each individual finger. Try to maintain joint stability and rest your fingers back onto the table after kicking. Try not to raise your whole hand or arm as you kick the ball of playdough. 
3. Thumb flicks: This action promotes thumb joint mobility and strengthening of the webspace of the hand.
Begin with both hands fisted, keeping your thumbs separate.  Place one ball of playdough so that you can flick it with one thumb.  Try to flick the playdough between the thumbs. Try not to raise your whole hand or arm as you flick the playdough. 
4. Squeeze: This action promotes sideways movements of the fingers. 
Place a ball of playdough between two fingers (or thumb and index finger). Squeeze the ball of playdough between your fingers and continue to each finger space. 

Watch these playdough activities with any of these links:
* You-tube
* Instagram
* Facebook 
​

Would you like to share this information about "Fine Motor Skills for Typing"?

You can find this resource as a part of the Fine Motor Information Sheets.
This pack contains:

• Fine Motor Skills overview (3 pages) - Definitions, Hand Strength, Games and Activities
• Fine Motor Skills for Handwriting
• Fine Motor Skills for Typing
• Fine Motor Skills for Cutlery and Utensils
• Fine Motor Skills for Managing Fasteners (3 pages) includes visual sequences.

These pages may be emailed or printed to share with families and teachers. I attach them to assessment reports to provide activity suggestions. Get your copy at the YKOT shop or TPT store. 

Keyboarding or typing has become an important component of learning.  

Working on the fine motor skills that support keyboarding can have additional benefits with other activities that require fine motor skills.  Occupational therapists play a key role in providing this support while coaching and educating parents and teachers too. 

Until next time,
​Cindy

We've made a connection.
I'm led by the child in play. 
We have shared attention.  
Now what? 
How do I engage my child with playing "with me"? How can I teach them to take turns or share? 

Early sharing and turn-taking skills start well before we ask a child to "give" you something or "wait" for their turn. 

For some children, the idea of  "sharing or taking turns" is met with fear. Someone is going to take my toy from me.  I'm never getting it back. I didn't even get to really play with it.  OR I don't want to play that way. I like being in control of the objects/role/game.  

Here are some practical ways to build a foundation of sharing and turn taking in a neuroaffirming way. Begin by reflecting on what your child may already be doing through PLAY (of course)! 

1) Sharing by colour: Different colours of the same items. 
Name the colours as your child is playing with the items of different colours. 
Examples: Coloured balls, coloured pop tubes, coloured pencils, coloured pom poms, etc.
"John you have red. John you have green.  Yellow's turn.  Blue's turn". 
By labelling the colours, you are indicating that each item is having a turn.  Your child is independent in play.  Don't anticpate the colours initially for your child to take but reflect on what they are already doing. Over time, you may anticipate and your child may respond by picking the colour that you have named. This gradual "demand" request may be instant for some children and for other children it can take a much longer time (ie. weeks, months). 

2) Sharing by objects: Different objects of the same group performing the same action. 
Examples: Farm animals. Cars. Bugs. Figurines. 
"Pig eating. Cow eating. Horse eating. Donkey's turn. Duck's turn." 
You can reflect on a your child's play if they are already doing this.  If they are not, you can model some actions beside your child as they play.  Invite your child to help the objects to take turns. There are no rules here with how many times you perform the action or how many times the child helps the objects to take turns.

​You can start with single step actions and increase this to two-step or multiple-step actions over time. "Bluey is going up the ladder and down the slide. Rusty is waiting for a turn. Rusty is going up the ladder and down the slide. Bluey's turn to wait." 
This introduces your child to taking turns with an element of waiting. Don't rush to participate and allow your child to play with as many objects as they want to. If someone has more than "one turn", then reflect on this. "Bluey is having another turn". 

You can also introduce an additional action for the one who is "waiting". "Bluey is having a turn on the slide. Rusty is waiting on the swing.  Bluey has finished on the slide. Rusty's turn on the slide and Bluey's turn on the swing". 

3) Sharing with your child's body parts or a toy's body parts. 
Examples: Balloon play. Ball play. Simon says. Washing in the bath. Doll/teddy play. 
"Shake your hands. Shake your foot. Shake our head." or 
"Wash teddy's tummy. Wash teddy's back. Teddy's hands can have a turn. Teddy's face can have a turn". 
You can model this with your own body or on the toy.  You may have two identicial toys where you model on your toy.  If your child is not interested in following your request, go back to reflecing on what they are doing. Bath time or dressing time at home can be natural times where you label body parts. 

4) Multiple children/adults jointly sharing one item together. 
Examples: Sharing a table of playdough. Sharing one parachute. 
"We are all sitting at the table. We are sharing the table." (You may be doing the same or different things at the table). or
"We are all holding the parachute together. We are sharing this game.  You are lying down and the parachute can go up/down". 
This requires some shared attention of the place or the activity. It introduces connection and collaboration without demanding participation. Some children find it easier to relate to adults (as they are more predictable) and other children find it easier to connect with other children. It is helpful to introduce this aspect of sharing with toys, adults and children. 

5) Multiple children/adults sharing an item that is split between them. 
Examples: The tub of playdough/sand is split in half and given to two people. A piece of paper is cut into two. The pretend pizza/cake is split into two. A game that has multiple features that can be shared (eg. Hungry Hippos). Multiple balls where everyone gets their own ball. 
"We will both have some.  We are sharing". 
This requires shared attention and connection with the other person. Inner motivation is needed to compromise for the other person to have what the child has. You may consider an "uneven split" if this helps to build this concept. 

Don't forget to register for your free ticket to the PLAY CONFERENCE! It starts soon - March 9th - 12th for the free viewing.  Four days of expert-led sessions with a look at rebuilding child development in a screen dominated childhood.  Topics include Neurodiversity-Affirming Play in the Early Years, Play to Praxis: Building Motor and Speech Planning Through Real Play, Utilizing a Strengths-Based Framework That Is Child-Centered and Play-Focused and MORE!

But if you can't make it to the free viewing, consider upgrading to the VIP ticket.  The VIP Ticket is the best way to make the most of the 2026 Play Conference.Here’s what you get:

•  Accredited CEUs for OTPs, PTs, and SLPs
•  Private podcast feed for flexible listening
•  Conference workbook + exclusive speaker bonuses
•  Extended access to all sessions​ ​

This article was written in response to a question one of my supervisees had recently! 
​How do your teach your child to share and take turns? 

Until next time,
Cindy

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/

​"Really dislike this as inappropriate simplification. Have a highly sensitive child who has been assessed by 3 OTs so far, we understand his sensory profile very well. My child can present like any of those profiles depending which sensory system we are talking about, what is his arousal, sense of safety and many other things including motivation and interests; and this is well documented in our reports."

"Dr. Dunn’s work is a foundational strengths-based approach in sensory processing that all other theorists in this arena miss. This graphic misrepresents the richness of her clinical reasoning and does a disservice to clinicians by highlighting the negative aspects rather than the balanced approach that is the highlight of Dr. Dunn’s life’s work."

These were comments that I received on my social media pages recently. They are both true to the people who wrote them.  

Sensory profiles can be complex to understand. True.
Sensory profiles can appear with mixed patterns. True.
Aroual, sense of safety, motivation, interests, connection with people, different environments can affect presentation of sensory profile. All true. 
The fact that this parent knows their own child and that the OTs who have worked with this family have explained it so well for them. All true and wonderful. 
Carer education and training is a key implementaton of sensory strategies with strong strength evidence to support it.

Social media can only ever provide a snapshot.  I am summarising a small amount of information into a few paragraphs or an image. I never disputed that Dr Dunn's framework is strengths-based. I strongly admire Dr Dunn and I'm in awe of her life-work! In fact, my new guidebook makes mention of strengths for each profile. 

But, I don't think the person who commented on my social media pages got that far and maybe I didn't make it obvious.

So thank you. 

When we observe a child...  understand what interests them, become aware of their preferences (activities, environments, people), observe their responses, understand who they connect with and why, appreciate what helps them to feel comfortable, work out what they are doing (or not doing) to help them feel safe and regulated... we can acknowledge and affirm if they are over responsive, under responsive or typically responsive to sensory information.  We can recognise if this interferes, helps or promotes their activities of daily life.  

We can develop an understanding of a child's sensory profile pattern and preferences (I use the standardized assessment The Sensory Profile-2). Preferences do not mean an absent of other characteristics. This is not a "diagnosis" or "label".  A child's preferences can change. A pattern or preference does NOT automatically mean that intervention is necessarily required. 
​
There is no judgement. There is awareness and empathy.  

By understanding a child's preferences, we can appreciate their strengths.  We can help them to build self-awareness and help them to advocate for themselves as needed. 

These are some examples of strengths that "more than others" from each sensory profile MAY have. 
Bystander Strengths:

• Easy-going
• May focus on tasks more easily screening out busy environments
• Tolerant of change and variability
• May watch and then do
• Although slow to respond, follows instructions
• May be an independent student when key information is highlighted to them
• Less reactive to multisensory  environments

Seeker Strengths:

• Energetic and full of curiousity
• Observant and comments of sensory experiences
• May be highly creative and expressive
• May have strong interests and passions which are motivating
• Natural problem solvers
• Resilient in multisensory environments

Sensor Strengths:

• May enjoy predictable, repetitive play or structured leisure pursuits
• May enjoy rhythmic activities
• May enjoy watching and then participating
• May be detailed-oriented
• Empathetic and caring to others
• Creative and imaginative
• Emotional intelligent

Avoider Strengths:

• Self-awareness of own limits (self-protective)
• Ability to advocate for self
• Participates well with structure, routine and predictability
• May be careful, thoughtful and detail-oriented
• May be content to be alone or in familiar environments
• May be a good planner with an anticipation of problems
• May identify sensory experiences that help them to feel comfortable
• May thrive with connection to others

I shared a new resource recently! The Sensory Profiling Guidebook outines the theoretical framework (SP-2) that Dr Dunn developed. It describes characteristics and support strategies for each profile (over and under responsive) as well for mixed profile patterns. It includes additional regulation strategies to support relationship and co-regulation, breathing and oral motor activities, rhythm AND now the guidebook contains this new strengths-based image seen above. 

For those of you who have already purchased this guidebook via the YKOT shop, the updated strengths based image version was emailled to you last week.  If you purchased this via TPT, please email me at [email protected] with your order receipt and I will also give you the new version. 

If you haven't got a copy yet, take a closer look via the you-tube video (note that it doesn't have the updated page).   

I take every effort to share or create evidence-based, trustworthy information and resources.

 For more information on this topic:

• Overview of Dunn's sensory profiles
• Sensory Profile Language
• Bystander Sensory Profile
• Sensor Sensory Profile
• Seeker Sensory Profile
• Avoider Sensory Profile (coming soon)
• Sensory Profiling Guidebook! 

A strengths-based approach is important. It helps us to see our children with understanding and appreciate what they are naturally drawn to but it also helps us to know how to support them. As parents, educators and therapists, we want our children to not only survive but to thrive.  

I read every comment and appreciate each of you. While my information is general in nature, I hope that it brings some help to those who are seeking it. 

Until next time,
Cindy

If you’ve ever tried to end a game, pause a video, or say “that’s enough screen time” and been met with big feelings, you’re not alone. Digital games are designed to be engaging — fast, colourful, predictable, rewarding — and for many children (and adults too), they feel excited, comforted, and deeply motivated.

In a world that can feel noisy, demanding, and unpredictable, it makes sense that kids are drawn to spaces where they feel competent, in control, and successful. Understanding why children love digital play can help parents, caregivers, educators and therapists to nourish their nervous systems, rather than overwhelm them.

Play has always been essential to children’s growth — helping them explore their world, develop relationships, develop skills, expand their comfort zones, and learning to regulate emotions. In today’s digital era, technology offers powerful new tools for play-based learning but also demands careful boundaries to ensure that play remains enriching rather than consuming.

Play can be a boundary breaker for a child. From  an occupational therapy perspective, play supports sensory regulation, motivation (to try new things or be with new people), social interaction (develop friendships, experiment with roles, negotiate, share a common interest, care for others), creativity (physical or verbal expression), and meaningful skill acquisition. Technology isn’t inherently at odds with these goals — but how and when it’s used matters. Thoughtful tech-based play can support development; unmanaged, highly stimulating screen time can contribute to dysregulation and compulsive patterns similar to behaviours seen in addictive systems (e.g., constant reward loops) unless balanced with other activities.

Digital play isn’t inherently harmful — many apps provide structured, developmentally supportive experiences. But not all screen time is created equal. A recent appraisal of hundreds of early literacy apps found that only a fraction aligned with expert standards for evidence-based reading instruction, with common shortcomings like lack of explicit instruction and corrective feedback. 

Too much passive or fast-paced screen play — with quick rewards and little cognitive challenge — can push a child’s nervous system into dysregulation, competing with their ability to engage in real-world play and social interaction.

What can we do as parents, caregivers, teachers and therapists?

• Set clear limits and routines around screen time. 

This can be easier said than done. Have a plan and share that with your child. Have a plan for managing the push-back and invite problem solving with your child. 

• Choose apps that invite participation, creation, and problem-solving rather than passive consumption.

I limit the number of apps I use during OT sessions and do not make it a routine item to bring.  Some of my favourite apps include SnapType, Osmo Monster, Osmo Tangram, Dexteria Jr, Sesame Street Breathe, Peppy Pals.  There are other apps I use which are unfortunately no longer available. 

• Blend digital play with physical, sensory-rich activities that support the whole child — body and brain.

​Try Wakeout Kids, Cosmic Kids Yoga, Motor Skills and Go Noodle Videos.

• Being present when possible — co-playing helps children transfer skills and stay regulated.
• Keep screens and children in a shared open space.
• Encourage good sitting posture
• Encourage good vision practices.

Optometrist recommend:

1. Apply the 20-20-20 rule – every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet (60cm) away for 20 seconds. That will give your eye muscles a rest.
2. Try to blink regularly. Focusing on a screen may make you blink less, which may make your eyes dry and uncomfortable.
3. Position your computer screen so that:

                 * it is between 40 and 76 centimetres (16 to 30 inches) from your eyes
                 * the top is level with, or slightly below, your eyes
                 * it is tilted away from you at a 10- to 20-degree angle
                 * there are no distracting reflections, e.g. from a window.

• Encourage fine motor skills!

Occupational therapists have been seeing what we antedoctally call the "gamer's grasp".  There are also hand grasp presentations that have developed and become reinforced with digital technology use. These patterns include more thumb extension in a lateral position, weak interdigital thumb muscles, poor hand strength, difficulty with individual finger movements (needed for typing) and a closed webspace from holding a table or phone.  Children are pointing with either their thumb, index or third fingers while holding all fingers in extension.  

Encourage your child to keep devices on stands or propped up.  When pointing, use the index finger and tuck the remaining fingers into the palm of the hand.  Participate in non-digital fine motor skill activities! Consider the opportunity cost of time spent with a screen and what they are missing out on. 

• Support your child to transition in and out of screen-based play.
  • Using timers (ie. countdown digital timer, visual timers, auditory times, sand timers)
  • Presenting another preferred activity (non-digital)
  • Providing warning and validating how it may be hard to stop.
  • Presenting a regulatory sensory activity such as movement (eg. trampoline), deep pressure (eg. cuddle, weighted item) or oral motor input (eg. crunchy snack, water).

Would you like to learn more about "navigating screens in therapy"?  This topic is being covered in the upcoming Play Conference. This free, online conference is designed for OTPs, PTs, and SLPs who want to make play truly effective for modern childhood – and gain practical strategies that actually stick across homes, schools, and clinics.

 Free conference runs March 9–12, 2026
 Sign up today for your free ticket 
​
And if you want the most out of the experience, the VIP Ticket is available at a discounted rate before and during the free showing. The VIP ticket is in $US and I earn a small commission for this promotion if you purchase a ticket. 

What is your biggest challenge with supporting play in a digital age? What helps you to navigate this with your child? 

Until next time,
Cindy

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/
​