 It has been a week of stepping out of my comfort zone and trying lots of things for the first time! Did you see my first You-tube video? Have a look at how to encourage fine motor skill development using clothespins ie. pegs in Australia or Mandal in Turkish (thanks @babaterapist on IG).----> Fine Motor Skill Development Using Clothespins You-Tube. (My children are partly-horrified and partly-proud that their mama is now a "You-Tuber" !) I'm also new to Telehealth Occupational Therapy and the sessions that I have had this week have been so much fun! Whilst I'm new to Telehealth (or teletherapy), Telehealth is not new. It has been widely used especially in rural and remote regions. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists released a position statement in 2014 which includes the following: Telehealth is the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to deliver health-related services when the provider and client are in different physical locations. Telehealth may be used for evaluation, intervention, monitoring, supervision, and consultation (between remote therapist, client, and/or local health-care provider) as permitted by jurisdictional, institutional, and professional regulations and policies governing the practice of occupational therapy. Telehealth is an appropriate delivery model for occupational therapy services when in-person services are not possible, practical, or optimal for delivering care and/or when service delivery via telehealth is mutually acceptable to the client and provider. (World Federation of Occupational Therapists, 2014 Telehealth Position Statement). Put simply, Telehealth is a way for occupational therapists to use an online platform to deliver occupational therapy services. Telehealth is a service delivery method. You still get an OT on the end of the video call who provides clinical observations, assessment, advice, support, encouragement and applies their problem solving skills to assist your child to perform their activities of daily living. In fact Telehealth may be a video call with direct interaction with the child, it may be a phone conversation with a parent, it may be a parent sending through photos/videos for discussion with their therapist... there are lots of options. Yes there may be more involvement with a parent or caregiver during Telehealth sessions. I see this as a good thing that families are engaged in applying therapy in the home. This is what OTs always encourage even when a child is being seen face to face. There is little vantage if a child can learn skills when with their OT and then not carry it over into any other situation. "Parent coaching" is something that OTs have always encouraged! Here are a few more detailed explanations and resources of Telehealth services:
Australian OT friends, you may be interested in :
There are number of people who are also promoting webinars explaining Telehealth to therapists as well as as number of FB groups popping up! I'll leave it to your discretion to find one that suits you but always check your local registration requirements, insurance and practice standards. For parents, here are a few you-tube videos (not mine) that show you some session examples:
Sessions will look different for each child and each individual therapist will have their own "spin" on how they present things. I will be blogging my journey into Telehealth services and sharing what works for me and what doesn't! I'm using "Coviu"as my Telehealth Platform and this meets data encryption requirements for Australia. Families join via a link (like a telephone number) and do not need to download an app. Things I'm loving so far with this platform include the interactive whiteboard feature and the ability to share my screen or file (which then lets us jointly edit whatever I have shared). Some OTs have mentioned that they are using Telehealth on a tablet that allows them to write directly on the whiteboard and/or asking their families to do the same. Connectivity has been variable and I can't control that as it depends on the client's internet connection. I have a basic plan with Coviu so I can't speak about other features like waiting room music, multiple therapists, managing appointment bookings and recording sessions. I know that Coviu has the capability to do these things as well as being compatible with practice management software. If you are interested in exploring this Telehealth Platform, I would suggest doing their free online webinar. If you sign up to Coviu, I would appreciate it if you use my referral code: qt9v87. Thanks! This is how I've set up my Telehealth sessions. (Ignore my old desktop monitor and keyboard which I keep because it has some functions that my laptop does not). I have raised my laptop on a monitor stand. I use a selfie light (purchased a long time ago on e-bay) to hold my phone and provide extra lighting if needed. I have my resources ready on my desk but out of view of the camera. I can adjust the laptop screen so that it can see the resources where I have the flashcards (Learning Without Tears cards).  The children whom I'm seeing via Telehealth services are all children whom I have worked with for a long time. I think that this helps straight away as I have rapport and respect from them which has been built up over time. My first tips for starting Teleheath for OTs:
 Whilst many of us are venturing into this new online world with some gusto, Telehealth services will not suit all families and all children. That's ok too. In a world without COVID-19, Telehealth would be offered in conjunction with other service delivery models including face-to-face occupational therapy. It is a time of heightened anxiety, lots of unknown, families trying to juggle multiple concerns such as work, home schooling and health....for some Telehealth will provide a lifeline of support via their occupational therapist and for others it will be too overwhelming. Some of my OT families have elected to have individualized home programs for their children. This is a great way to implement therapy at home also! Have you ventured into Telehealth for the first time as a therapist or parent? Let me know your experience with Telehealth! How have you set up your work station? What are your top tips for those starting out?   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 website and blog Your Kids OT and Sensory Diet Activity Guidebook (ebook). Cindy is a member 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 products I love and recommend. I receive a commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.
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Your Kids OT has always had a philosophy of incorporating therapy ideas into every day life, to make learning fun and to support child development in the home.
2020 has brought us all home. We are all navigating this new life where home schooling is going to be a new norm for the foreseeable future. It is extra "work" for parents whilst the new norm for teacher's is to plan these sessions so that they are achievable at home. It is only day 2 for my children . I have one child who's lessons are independent and online. For my younger child, we are working through lessons together and incorporating other non-academic time into the day. A new normal for us all. Therapy at home will be so important too. For those of you who can, access telehealth services with your OTs. If you are in Australia, contact me for a telehealth information pack. Today I'm going to show you how to use a household item to help your child's fine motor development whilst working on academic goals simultaneously. Pegs or clothespins (depending on what part of the world you are from) are a fantastic way to work on fine motor skills. We can work on:
When using pegs...
Toddlers/Preschoolers
School age children
Don't have pegs? Try bull-dog clips (ie. binder clips)! ​
​Watch my new You-tube video series which will be posted alongside these blog posts. ---> Your Kids OT You-Tube. Are you "home schooling"? How can you incorporate pegs (clothespins) or bull dog clips (binder clips) into your child's day? ​Let me know! ​ 
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 website and blog Your Kids OT and Sensory Diet Activity Guidebook (ebook).
Cindy is a member 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 products I love and recommend. I receive a commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​
 It is back to school time in Australia. For some children, the commencement of school is exciting and they don't look back. For others it can bring on fear and anxiety. There are a number of reasons for this fear including separation anxiety, the unknown environment, a transition to new expectations, not knowing anyone at school, new routines and more. Help your anxious child with school! 1) Preparation - Help your child to be familiar with what is expected of them. Do they have to wear a uniform? Do they know where the bathroom is? Can you help them open and close their lunch box? For older children, can you go through a schedule together? Can you highlight subjects on the time table or locate classrooms on a map? Can you help with organization for their locker by providing book ends, hooks or magazine files? Do they know how to use their phones to work out travel routes? 2) Organization - Help your child to organize their belongings before and after school. Help them to organization their belongs for school. Can you provide a designated area for school bags, hats, homework? Can they see their belongings within their bag? Would a lighter interior or containers help with organization? Does your child know what to put into their school bag in the morning and where to unload things when they get home? Does your child know what needs to be done before they can leave for school? Try a visual aid such as LIFT THE FLAP SCHEDULE , ROUTINE BOY or ROUTINE GIRL For older children, can you provide an area for filing information (soft or hard copies) they receive from school? Do they have a designated place to do homework? Can you help with a system to review work and prepare for exams? Do they know how to use their diary or calendar to indicate deadlines? Do they know how to juggle the demands of extra curricular activities, homework, relaxation time and helping out around the house? 3) Let them worry! - Help your child to express their concerns. Empathize with their worries. School can be a stressful place! Don't be too quick to dismiss worries that your child raises with you. Listen. Brainstorm solutions together. Brainstorm with someone from the school (ie. a teacher, school counsellor or the principal). Help your child to name things they can do when struggling with things that they can't. 4) Build a Sensory Coping Tool Kit - together! Make sure your child is getting adequate nutrition, hydration and sleep. Is your child getting enough exercise and movement during the day and at home? Would your child benefit from a sensory diet of activities? Read more about sensory diets HERE. Help your child to work out activities to calm them when they are over-excited or anxious. These tend to be activities that apply deep pressure to the body such as jumping on the trampoline or swinging on monkey bars. They may also be comforted with a big hug of a soft toy or a warm blanket. Does your child need food to stave off the HANGRY part of the afternoon when school has finished? Does your child need some ice cubes to crunch on or suck to help ease some tension. Does your child need a "circuit breaker" with a quiet place, some television time, something to squeeze or some deep breathing? Here are some tools that can help with "circuit breaking" -
5) BREATHE ! The benefits of breathing - taking deep breaths in and deep breaths out - can not be overlooked. Deep breathing can help with stress and anxiety, lower heart rates and reduce tension. Try different breathing techniques. Here are 10 breathing techniques from Mindful Mazing and Deep Breathing Exercises for Kids from Coping Skills for Kids.  Every child is unique. What works for one child may not necessarily work for another. You don't have to do this alone. It is not a reflection of your parenting. Anxiety is a real problem and whilst some children will become less anxious with age, others need help. Does your child need more help? Seek help from your general practitioner, paediatrician, community nurse, psychologist, school principal or counsellor. Contact your local occupational therapist. They may assist with skills such as executive functioning, organization and planning. Your child may benefit from a sensory based assessment to determine what activities can help your child with modulation. Your child may benefit from assistance with regulation working through a program such as the Zones of Regulation or the ALERT program.  You may also like to read "Teaching Kids How to Manage Anxiety: Superstar Practical Strategies" by Deb Hopper, Life Skills 4 Kids. Deb is an Australian occupational Therapist with over 21 years of experience. She brings you a thorough look at different forms of anxiety and seeks to supercharge your parenting toolbox through empowering you... and make you both SMILERS. S - Speak positively M - Move dynamically I - Immerse in a physically uplifting environment L - Look to the positive E - Eat nutritiously R - Rest to Destress S - Serve Do you have an anxious child? What helps them to regulate? What new tools can you help them to put into their coping toolbox? 
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 Australia has been devastated by bushfires. The impact has been widespread with over 1687 homes destroyed this fire season. There has been tragic loss of lives and families changed forever. Ash, air pollution and the affects of the fire continue to impact people and animals all over the country. Over 480 million animals have been killed. Country Australia have already been battling with unyielding drought conditions in 2019. The bush fires were exacerbated by the windy dry conditions. There are many suffering right now. For those of us who do not live in the direct path of the fires, we have been affected by air pollution and ash. We have taken for granted the ability to open the windows of our house for fresh air, to hang out the laundry to air dry and to send our kids out to play. We have taken for granted the clear blue skies that we normally enjoy whilst frolicking on the beach or lazing by the pool at this time of the year. We collect buckets of water in our showers whilst willingly keep to level 2 water restrictions. We have conversations about how it feels "apocalyptic" as we see the eerie red sun glow over us and try to avoid inhaling the thick smoke. Activities are scheduled indoors and we ache for those who have lost so much more than us. We watch the NSW "fires near app" and pray for rain. Australian fire fighters and volunteers have worked tirelessly throughout December 2019 and January 2020 to manage the fires. They have been joined by volunteers from around the world. In despair, we have seen Australian communities and individuals doing their part to help others in need. There has been money raised, people donating food/clothing/other items, some people offering accommodation to strangers, others sewing/crafting to help save wildlife (see HERE for details). It is really wonderful to see how kind and generous people are. Pictures books produced by the QLD Government are excellent resources to help your children to talk about their feelings when natural disasters occur. Use this link ---> BIRDIE STORIES  Image Credit: NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE Your Kids OT is partnering with The Craft Train and Teach Me Mommy to bring you The Australian Bushfire Appeal Activity Pack. All proceeds from the sales of this pack will be donated to the RED CROSS. The Your Kids OT Australian activity pack includes a find-a-word, crossword, jokes, animal walks, recipe, box-letter writing, hidden pictures and animal drawing.  The Craft Train possum craft activity includes step by step instructions using a paper plate to make a ringtail possum. Kate from The Craft Train creates amazing crafts that are easy to make and look fantastic. You and your kids will love them. Make sure you check out The Craft Train for all of Kate's craft ideas.  Teach Me Mommy's Australian Quiz Cards includes a set of fun cards to test your knowledge about Australia. Nadia from Teach Me Mommy is a teacher turned mom. She shares educational activities that are plainly explained, educationally stiumulating and fun to do! Make sure you check out Teach Me Mommy for Nadia's activities.  The Australian Bushfire Appeal Activity Pack contains the YKOT's Australian Activity Pack, The Craft Train's Paper Plate Possum and Teach Me Mommy's Australian Quiz Cards. Once purchased, you will have unlimited access to these printables. You may consider purchasing more than one copy of this printable for your class, colleagues or family members. All proceeds from the sales of these pack will be donated to the Red Cross. If you prefer to make a direct donation, please use this link to the RED CROSS. Thank you for your support! 
 
Three FREE printables in three weeks!
It must be Christmas time! Did you get your copy of the Christmas Activity Advent and Push Pin Christmas Tree? Today's printables are for school age kids who are learning to write descriptions and stories. You will find two pages with Christmas story prompt ideas. Use the story creation grid to encourage your child to choose a character, what happens in the story, when it might happen and where. Encourage your child to write multiple sentences (some will just try to link one thing from each column to write a very looooooong sentence). The second page includes prompts for your child to use their "senses" (sight, hearing, touch, smell, feelings, taste) to describe Christmas. You could turn this into a poem or add this information into the story. Even if your child is too young to use these pages as writing prompts, I would encourage you to use these to talk to your child about Christmas or create a story together. Perhaps you (the adult) could write the words and your child could draw the pictures. Here are a couple of examples of stories that my OT kids have written! 
I would love to see any stories your children create using these story writing prompts! Tag me @yourkidsot on IG or FB!
Use this form below to get your FREE CHRISTMAS STORY WRITING PROMPTS printable page. Why do I have to keep filling in these forms if I have been a subscriber for a while? ... Its the easiest way for me to get the printable to you whilst enabling me to keep track of how many of you are interested (or not) in particular printables! Thanks for your understanding! If you can't see this form in your email ----> CLICK HERE to go to the YKOT BLOG PAGE and you should be able to see the form online. Some email providers block these sorts of forms and graphics.
Are you new to Your Kids OT, don't forget to have a look at these Christmas ideas from the YKOT archives!
​Christmas Activity Fun Sheets Christmas Printable Pack Reindeer Gingerbread Stain-Glass Window Cookies Potato Stamped Gift Wrap Magnetic Christmas Tree Christmas Tree Craft ​Have you enjoyed the FREE PRINTABLES that I have shared this year? Which has been your favourite? 
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Tis the season of giving!
I'm giving away my second FREE printable for Christmas 2019. If you have been following me for a while, you will know that I love to use push pins (ie. drawing pins) to work on fine motor and bilateral coordination skills. in 2017, I shared the benefits of push pin art (PUSH PIN POKE DRAWING) and earlier this year I introduced an entire alphabet set where you could use push pins to write letters (ALPHABET DOT PICTURES). So in the spirit of giving, I have made a Push Pin Christmas Tree to share with you. Simply print off the page (there are two trees on the page) onto green paper. Place the paper over a cork mat. Use a push pin to poke a small hole into each of the black dots (I tell my OT kids that they don't have push very hard - just small quick holes) .... and you are done. I turn the page around to hold the picture up to a window (black dots facing the window). Its is fun to see the light shining through the holes. Encourage your kids to form a pincer grasp or tripod grasp around the push pin. It's best to use a pin that has a large head so there is something to grab onto. You will find kids who use a lateral grasp on their pencil or who have hyper-mobile joints may struggle with this activity. Encourage kids who hold out their 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers straight; to tuck these fingers into the palm of their hand. Sometimes asking these children to hold a small item like an eraser will help them with the "tuck" (see also separation of the two sides of the hand). Encourage kids who float their wrist and/or forearm from the table to rest it down during this activity. 
You could take this a step further and decorate the tree with your favourite markers. You could even add more holes to create patterns for tinsel or baubles.
To receive this FREE PUSH PIN CHRISTMAS TREE printable, simply fill out the form below. Why do I have to keep filling in these forms if I have been a subscriber for a while? ... Its the easiest way for me to get the printable to you whilst enabling me to keep track of how many of you are interested (or not) in particular printables! Thanks for your understanding!
Are you new to Your Kids OT, don't forget to have a look at these Christmas ideas from the YKOT archives!
​Christmas Activity Advent Tree ​Christmas Activity Fun Sheets Christmas Printable Pack Reindeer Gingerbread Stain-Glass Window Cookies Potato Stamped Gift Wrap Magnetic Christmas Tree Christmas Tree Craft Pssss... Guess what? I have one more FREE CHRISTMAS printable coming! This one is for older kids who are working on writing skills. I can't wait to share this one with you too! ​Ho ho ho! 
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Let's be honest.
Who's tired? Who has tired children? Who can't even think about Christmas yet? Whether we are ready or not, the end of the Australian school year is approaching and it is less than a month until Christmas! I love Christmas and the joy it brings to my family. Somehow the buzz of Christmas gives me new energy! I love doing special activities with my kids and counting down to Christmas. In years past, I have done various "advent" calendars (read here). This year I am sharing an "Christmas activity advent" with you! I promise that the activities are easy to implement. They will encourage your children to move, make, draw and have fun. For those who want to work on cutting skills, encourage your child to cut out the decorations. Have your child choose one or two activities a day and place the cut out on the tree page. For those of you who are a little tired; I've included a page which already has the decorations and activities placed. Simply choose an activity and get started! You could cross off the ones you have done or even do them multiple times. OTs and teachers, feel free to use this in the lead up to Christmas. Choose the activities that are relevant for your setting. You could even send home a printed copy for your families. Get your FREE CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY ADVENT ---->
Looking for more Christmas ideas? Try these from the YKOT archives!
​Christmas Activity Fun Sheets Christmas Printable Pack Reindeer Gingerbread Stain-Glass Window Cookies Potato Stamped Gift Wrap Magnetic Christmas Tree Christmas Tree Craft Does Christmas bring you energy? Have you started your Christmas-themed activities? ​ 
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 member 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 products I love and recommend. I receive a commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​
 As an occupational therapist; my job is to play! (Read about why we use play in OT.) You don't need fancy toys to encourage learning through play. I'm a big believer in the cardboard box and how it can prompt imagination! Toys that I choose are very specific. I use toys to address many specific skills - fine motor, visual motor, problem solving, planning, social skills, handwriting, sensory motor development to name some... FUN is a big part of my selection process. I'm selective with games that I use in therapy sessions and have a wider range which I love to play with my family. Master YKOT is the king of board games here and we even love making our own games. I'm so excited to share with you the YKOT Amazon Store Page! I'm constantly asked about products that I use and where you can purchase them. It is difficult when my readers come from all over the world to point you to the right place. Whilst I support you looking for these items in your local toy or therapy store, the YKOT Amazon Store Page provides me with a platform to put all my favourite items in one place. I've collated this collection of recommended toys and games available many of which I have tried and test. Some are may be slightly different to the specific ones I own as I'm in Australia so the suppliers may be different. There are a few items that are on my own "wish list" so I might be shopping from my own page very soon! I have loosely categorised these items into LISTS
But note that many toys/games can achieve multiple skills simultaneously (which is often why I pick these specific items). These items contain affiliate links; which means that if you follow through with a purchase from these links YKOT will receive a percentage of the sale. PS: Don't forget to keep the cardboard box and inserts inside as they can be just as valuable as the item itself!!! Don't forget that I also design and create my very own printables, e-books and resources! These items will continue to be sold from the YKOT shop ($AUS) and on Teacher Pay Teachers ($US). With Christmas just a month away, now is the perfect time to start looking for those items that may help your child's develop and also make learning fun! Happy shopping! 
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 Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. Kindergartners get little time to play. Why does it matter? This was the title of a recent article that I shared on the YKOT Facebook Page. Read the article here. The concern is the downward pressure with preschools and day care centres feeling like they need to do “school readiness” or even “kindergarten type work” which is very academic and developmentally inappropriate. Parents often are led by child care educators and are impressed by the "school readiness" offered. I have seen it many times over in the places where I visit. 3 and 4 years olds become frustrated that they have to form letters. The educators become frustrated that they children aren't doing what they are told. I become frustrated! Before I get myself into hot water; I will say that this not the case for all child care centres and all preschools... But the downward pressure is real. Occupational therapists believe that there are fundamental skills a child needs BEFORE they start writing. These pre-writing skills include the development of the whole child from postural control, gross motor skills, sensory modulation, strength, body awareness, fine motor and cognitive skills. The preschool years are important for learning through play and developing connections. Connections with their parents, siblings, friends and others in their life. The development of these skills will assist a child with their school readiness and yes this includes dynamic control of a pencil and the visual spatial skills needed to form letters and numbers. As an occupational therapist I encourage the development of pre-writing lines and shapes through drawing.  Drawing is a wonderful early childhood experience that is a simple as providing a blank sheet of paper and drawing tool. So many children I see are not provided with the opportunities to experiment and make mistakes. They go from scribbling to writing letters without the important in-between steps of working things out, drawing around shapes (like plates and fingers) and decorating cardboard boxes. Pre-writing generally occurs in a developmental sequence. It begins with scribble and then imitating lines (horizontal, vertical, circle). Further pre-writing lines include diagonal lines, a triangle, a square and cross shapes. Have a look at my fluency patterns for more ideas ---> FLEUNCY PATTERNS. Modelling is a wonderful way to show children how to experiment with lines and shapes. Children learn through participation how lines can be orientated in different ways to achieve different outcomes. They learn that with some control they can depict things from their every day experiences. You don't need to be an artist. Simple lines and shapes is the perfect place to start. Take your child's lead as to their interest. Do they like trains - draw a few rectangles for carriages and circles for wheels; encourage them to draw lines and shapes to decorate them or draw straight lines for train tracks. Do they like rainbows and unicorns - experiment with different colours to fill a page with a large rainbow. Not sure where to start? I have created a printable resource that includes "draw with me" pages of some simple images and 30 pages to "finish the drawing". The full "DRAWING PRE"-WRITING LINES AND SHAPES" printable set encourages your child to experiment with lines and shapes to complete differently themed pages. The themes include drawing snake patterns, a gallery wall, hats, ice cream and more. There are 25 themed pages with an additional 5 seasonal themed pages. You may show your child how to draw certain lines and patterns. Encourage them to experiment with size (draw something wider, draw it longer, draw it smaller), experiment with colour and experiment with different drawing implements. Whilst your child may enjoy colouring these pages, this was not the intention. Colouring encourages pencil control, however drawing lines and shapes will encourage visual spatial awareness which is beneficial for future writing. "Drawing Pre-writing Lines and Shapes" provides opportunities to trace, draw and experiment. Do encourage your child to go beyond tracing and colouring… and to experiment with drawing! It may be purchased from the YKOT shop or via Teachers Pay Teachers.  Do you enjoy drawing with your child? What is your favourite thing to draw together?   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 member 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. You may also like:
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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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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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