Autonomy and agency.

Autonomy is the ability to make independent choices. 
Agency is the capacity to exert individual influence, be authentic and express one's self.

As we listen to Autistic adult voices; autonomy and agency allow individuals to make choices in their own way, including choices about their daily lives, communication methods, and environments, is essential. 

From this understanding, we are moving away from practices such as "hand over hand" (HOH) assistance. This is traditionally how we may help children by providing the physical assistance that they need by placing (often grasping strongly) to move the child's hand for them. This physical assistance in occupational therapy has been used to provide maximum support.  While some children do benefit from full physical assistance, we are now more conscious of autonomy, agency and consent. 

Occupational therapists consider what amount of support a child needs with various activities and how best to help them to achieve their goals.  We may consider the a "most to least" or "least to most" level of support (see "prompt hierarchy explained" for more information), environmental factors, forward or backward chaining (ie. first or last step taught first) among other factors. 

In handwriting, we consider what aspects the child needs assistance. This may include grasping a pencil, motor control of the pencil, making meaningful marks on the page, sequencing the steps to form letters, applying adequate pressure on the page, reducing strain, upper body/wrist and finger strength, fine motor skills, postural control, visual spatial awareness, attention, motivation and interest. 

"Hand over hand" assistance can actually inhibit learning with handwriting, as the child can be "limp" under the adult's hand, rely on the adult for the action and not develop their own grasp and control skills.  Grasp patterns develop with a child's ability to hold the pencil (or crayon or marker) themselves.  It requires them to make adjustments as needed and learn how to move their whole arm, before progressing to fine movements with their fingers. 

Visual motor learning on the page comes from understanding that scribble can become meaningful with lines, shapes, letters and numbers (read more "from scribble to writing").  Direction of movement develops with an understanding of how these marks on the page relate to the child's own body. 

Alternatives to "hand over hand" support.

1. Provide a variety of drawing and writing tools, including small pencils and broken crayons. 
Allow your child to experiment. Give them time to scribble, go outside of the lines when they colour in, "rip" the page when they apply too much pressure and sharpen their own pencils. 

We know that small pencils and broken crayons provide small surfaces for the child to hold onto. This means that they are more likely (but not always) to use a tripod grasp (thumb, index, third finger). 

This opportunity should be afforded to all children, even if they have started school are expected to write a significant amount.  For older children, you could also experiment with pencil shavings, gel pens, highlighters, styluses for tablets, charcoal and paintbrushes.

Further alternatives  to drawing and writing tools could include using q-tips (cotton buds), scratch art sticks, chalk, fabric markers and glass pens. 

2. Provide pencil grips early. 
Use pencil grips so that your child has physical, visual and sensory support on the pencil. Providing a pencil grip means that you will not need to position your child's fingers physcially so that they are holding the pencil. If they can't grip the grip, then there are other issues involved including poor fine motor skills (so work on these too). 

3. Multi-sensory approach.
Provide opportunities to learn motor patterns (read some ideas "multisensory approach to letter reversals").  This encourages the child to make the motor patterns themselves and therefore more likely to develop kinesthetic awareness independently. 

Draw and write in sand, on salt trays, chalk blocks, uncooked rice, in the air with a ribbon wand, on a person's back or hand, with playdough or putty.  Use toy cars to "drive", figurines to "dance" or animals to "do" the actions you need to work on.

These sensory experiences can also build fine  motor skills and hand strength. Include opportunities on a vertical surface (such as whiteboard) and you will also help to develop shoulder and wrist stability.  Providing multi-sensory experiences engages the child's mind and body together, making important neural connections in the brain.  They are also very motivating!

4. Modelled instruction (verbal and visual).
Watch and copy. This requires the child's ability to process the visual spatial information.  If they have the cognitive and phsycial abilities, modelled instruction can be very affective for learning the direction of movement. You could also use modified paper (eg. graph paper or sky, grass, ground) as further visual support, together with modelled instruction. 

5. Hand under hand.
Instead of moving the child’s hand from above, rest your hand gently under theirs. This allows them to feel your movement as a suggestion, but they still control their writing.

This not my preferred method. As an alternative, I developed "hand above hand". 

6. Hand above hand. 
Allow your child to grip the pencil (with or without a pencil grip).  Holding the pencil high while the child grasps low (towards the nib/point) means that I can provide graded support.  I can begin by helping more with the movement and then reduce the amount that I move the marker (or remove my hand entirely). The child uses their own hand to grasp the pencil so they work out the amount of force they need to grip it and the amount of pressure they need to apply to the page.  They "feel" the movement but they are  creating their own marks. 

If the child "lets go", they are not motivated to draw or write.  We need to address this first and I would suggest re-visiting the suggestions above! "Tool" use comes as an extension of the body to give us more refined movements (than animals who don't use tools). A child needs to develop body awareness and use of their own arms, hands and fingers before they can effective use tools (like pencils, scissors, cutlery). It is one of the reasons occupational therapists spend so much time on fine and gross motor skills, bilateral coordination (using both sides of the body in a coordinated way - read more here) and sensory regulation (we understand that there should be regulation before expectation - read more here). 

Exceptions!
There are always exceptions. Some children will require (with consent) physical guidance.  They may have uncontrolled body movements such as seen in some children with cerebral palsy.  Some children will request your assistance and ask that you show or help them. 

Physical assistance is not "bad". It is a consideration occupational therapists make as part of the intervention process.  Going back to the prompt hierarchy helps us to make informed decisions. 


So, I have to say that I tried to use AI to help me write this article but I abandoned it (in an attempt to give you more frequent content).  I'm not sorry that this is written from my own experience as an occupational therapist.  I have heard from many of you that you appreciate the irregular but authentic content. 

In writing this article, I could not find others recommending my concept of "hand above hand". Try it out and let me know how you go!

Until next time,

indy 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/
​

Imagine you are a bubble. Keep your body still as you let your bubble float to the surface. 

Do you take part in any meditation or mindfulness activities for yourself? 

Traditional mindfulness practices guide your still body to become aware of parts of your body. In turn you learn to relax muscles and let your mind ease.  

This is really difficult.  It is especially difficult for children who love to move, have racing thoughts and who have poor body awareness. 

Body scan meditation is a mindfulness practice where attention is directed systematically to different areas of the body; noticing sensations such as tension, temperature or desires to move (or be still). This technique supports the development of interoceptive awareness—the ability to sense internal body signals—which plays a significant role in emotion regulation and mental well-being.

Occupational therapists use body scan meditation to help make the links between physical body experiences, recognising these signals or sensations and then responding to them to meet the individual's needs. These needs could be physical (ie. recognising a growling tummy signals hunger and responding with eating, recognising a  need a full bladder and responding by going to the toilet),  emotional (ie. recognising tight muscles and a gripped jaw indicates rising anger and responding by taking a break) or cognitive/executive functioning (problem solving, planning, organising). 

The following process has been inspired by insights from Mahler, K. (n.d.). Body Scan Meditation. Retrieved from Kelly Mahler’s official website

Step 1: Begin with Movement
While traditional body scan practices emphasize stillness, some children may benefit from starting with gentle movement. Light stretching, walking, or swaying can help increase bodily awareness in a way that feels grounding and manageable. Start with movements that you notice that your child is already doing. 

Step 2: Focus on External Areas First
Start by paying attention to more tangible and accessible parts of the body, like the hands or feet. These areas are typically easier to connect with. Gradually, as comfort builds, shift your focus toward deeper or more subtle internal areas.

Step 3: Allow for Playful Exploration
Body awareness can be fun. Introduce small, playful movements to engage with your child in a lighthearted way. Use their interests, imagination and creativity. 

Step 4: Notice and Describe Sensations
As your child scans through different body parts, help them to notice sensations that arise. Use descriptive language—“tingly,” “tight,” “warm,” “buzzing”—to label these experiences. Naming sensations supports the development of interoceptive awareness.

Step 5: Approach with Compassion and Flexibility
​Some sensations may be uncomfortable or even triggering. It's important to approach all sensations with a sense of kindness and curiosity. You can always skip an area and return later. Your child should feel safe to explore and discover thier own body.

By customizing body scan meditation to suit personal needs and preferences, this practice becomes a powerful tool for deepening awareness of the body’s internal landscape.

Mahler, K. (n.d.). Body scan meditation. Kelly Mahler Occupational Therapy, LLC. https://www.kelly-mahler.com/what-is-interoception/interoception-and-mindfulness/body-scan-meditation/

Introducing BODY SCAN CHECK! 

These pages have been designed to assist with developing your child’s interoceptive skills by using visual prompts, guided body scanning and response options.

This resource contains 5 sections ...
Section 1: Visual resources for the overall process of body scanning and checking.
Make your own body scanner, use a poster version, a foldable version or use the worksheets to record body sensations. 

Section 2: Parts of the body part focus.
Pay specific attention to parts of the body.  Consider which parts of the body are used with movement. Develop language skills and an understanding of body sensations. 

Section 3: Level check
Our inner drive and processes affect how we participate in activities.  Our energy levels, use of our voice, motivation, feelings and thoughts can greatly impact engagement with a task.  Just because we CAN physically do something does not mean that we WILL. 

Section 4: Power controls
Power controls are prompts to guide responses to our body signals. A "supercharge body activity" sheet is included with activity ideas to assist with regulation. These are sensory based activities to provide proprioceptive input and build self awareness.

Section 5: Games and further activities.
This section contains a collection of "activities of daily living".  We need to do self-care tasks everyday and are encouraged to use the BODY SCAN CHECK technique with ADLs. 

This section also includes "NAME" game and "MOVEMENT" game cards to build language, fostering connections with others as well as building body awareness. There are over 50 game cards with activity ideas. 

I have been developing and testing this resource over the last seven months.  I am so pleased to be introducing it to you now.  Scroll down to the bottom of this page to watch a slide show with some sample pages from this resource. I truly hope that this resource will be useful and helpful with your children. 

Stay connected via Instagram for videos and a giveaway! I'll be sharing details very soon, giving away three sticker versions of the BODY SCAN icons. 

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/
​

Executive functioning skills ... using them is a process. 

All activities need executive functioning skills. 

We need to know the goal (ie. the challenge, the purpose, the point). 
We need to know the plan (ie. what equipment do we need to organize, what are the steps and the sequence, what previous knowledge or experience can we use to help us).
We need to do the actions (ie. get started, use one's body, being aware of time, persisting and finish what we have started). 
We need to check (ie. did we do the what we were supposed to do, do we need help).

I'm not a fan of executive functioning "workbooks" on their own.  While they have a place in helping children work through their cognitive skills needed for executive functioning, they can be limited in actually putting these skills into practice. 

In occupational therapy, we aim to help a child to break down a task (ie. activity analysis) to make sure the components of executive functioning are addressed. 

To support the process, consider using the goal setting sheets HERE and we work through the goal, plan, do check framework.   
1) Goal: Challenge Activity. For each activity we talk about and write the goal (so the child is clear about what they are doing).  It is not imperative that the child does the writing.   
2) Plan: Equipment. The child identifies the equipment/physical things that are needed. If a child doesn't name all the items, we move but I highlight with strategic questioning what is missing.  This will come up as we start the sequence of steps. 
3) Plan: Steps. You can either ask your child to name all the steps  and then do them to see if anything is missing. I prefer to ask the child to write down one step and then perform that step. This encourages perseverance and checking straight away if any steps are missing or in the wrong order. It keeps the child engaged and focused when naming all the steps may be beyond their ability to plan in one go. It also helps with motivation for handwriting. 
4) Check: Review. I ask the child to reflect on their experience of doing the activity or challenge.  Was it easy, medium or difficult? Did they start it, keep going and finish the activity?  Would they do the activity again?  What advice would they give themselves before doing it again? Would they change anything. 

You can apply this process with ANY activity.

In therapy sessions I love to use crafts, self care tasks and gross motor challenges. You can increase the difficulty of the tasks with the age of your child. You may also chose simpler tasks for children who become easily frustrated or have difficulties with multiple step instructions. For older children, we may have more complex tasks that take multiple weeks  to complete. 

Here are a few activity suggestions: 

CRAFTS 

• Make a paper plane
• Make a fortune teller
• Make a paper bag puppet
• Make an origami animal
• Make playdough
• Make a fidget toy (eg. calm down jar, beaded bracelet, stress ball)
• Make a collage that represents a picture of you
• Draw a comic
• Draw a plan of your bedroom

SELF CARE TASKS

• Make a sandwich
• Make a milkshake
• Make a fruit salad
• Make a fruit skewer
• Tie shoe laces
• Blow your nose
• Wash your hands
• Pack your bag for school
• Pack away the toys in the appropriate containers
• Brush your teeth
• Tie a braid in your hair
• Tie a pony tail in your hair
• Cut your finger/toe nails
• Paint your finger/toe nails
• Sort the cutlery into the drawer
• Set the table for dinner
• Sort the plates/cups according to size

PLAY

• Tricky fingers fine motor game (with challenge cards)
• Sort playing cards in suits (or Uno cards into colours)
• Shuffle cards and deal out 5 cards per person
• Create an obstacle course
• Create an activity dice (ie. different activity on each side of the dice)
• Invent a new game using certain items 
• Play a card game or board game (eg. Twister, Battleship, Bingo, Uno, Sleeping Queens, Sushi Go,  etc)
• Create a board game
• Lego Challenge or Wikki stix challenges 

GROSS MOTOR CHALLENGES

• Work out the quickest way to move a box of books from one end of the room to another?
• Work out how many jumps would it take to increase your heart rate?
• Work out which yoga pose you can hold for the longest time?
• Work out is it easier to balance on one foot with your eyes open or closed?
• Work out which of your arms is stronger?
• Work out which leg can kick a ball the furthest?

SCHOOL CHALLENGES  

• Sort out worksheets by subject into a binder (folder).
• Find the stationery around the room that is needed for a pencil case. 
• Sort stationery according to type or colour. 
• Work out which markers (textas) are still working and keep them together. 
• Organise a bookshelf so the books are in alphabetical order by title.
• Organise a bookshelf so the books are in alphabetical order by author's surname. 
• Decorate/Cover your school book
• Rule a margin in the first 5 pages of your workbook
• Create a checklist for what you need for school each day
• Create a cartoon
• Create a puppet show
• Place a post it note on every 5th page of an exercise book as a tab. Make sure it can be seen at the top or side of the page.  Label each post it note (eg. letters of the alphtabet, subjects at school, friends names, recipe options, etc)  Use the exercise book to record information that mataches the labels. 

OLDER CHILDREN/TEENAGERS

• Plan a meal for dinner. 
• Plan the family's dinner schedule for a week.
• Plan a day trip to visit a public place via public tranport.
• Plan a packing list for a camping trip.
• Plan a holiday with a certain budget. 
• Plan a schedule for looking after a family pet. 
• Create a table with information about each subject, room location/s, teacher.
• Draw a timetable of your week including school, travelling time, extra curricular activities. 
• Draw a 24 hour chart of how you spend your time. 
• Work on a group project with peers to build a house model. 
• Work on a group project with peers to create a dance. 
• Work on a group project with peers to present to the class on a topic. 
• Use your diary to write in upcoming assessment tasks. 
• Plan the stationery you need for a test.
• Create a model of your bedroom using Lego. 
• Create a model of your classroom using cardboard.
• Design a computer game. 

Remember it is about the process rather than the product (ie. end result of doing these tasks)! 
​
Many of these tasks are important functional tasks that we may expect that our children can do. Helping them with the process of developing executive functioning skills is the aim to allow transference of skills to other activities. 

Find a Parent's Guide to executive function skills HERE (therapists have also told me that this has been helpful for them too)! ​The Parent Guide to executive functioning for children and teenagers includes:

• Traffic light framework for understanding and explaining executive functioning skills
• Visual supports for identifying specific areas of executive functioning difficulties
• Practical parent tips for children
• Practical parent tips for teenagers
• Teenager self awareness checklist with practical tips

This product is also available at the YKOT TPT Store.

Have you tried teaching executive functioning skills as a process? I would love to hear your feedback on this!

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/

Parenting is a tough job. 

We learn as we go.
We learn from our own parents.
We learn from our peers. 
We learn from social media or mainstream media. 
We read books, blogs, biographies.

We make mistakes. We keep learning. 

Whether you have a neurodiverse child or not, parenting is hard. 
Every child has their own unique strengths and difficulties. 

Parenting a neurodiverse child comes with extra expectations. You are called to not only understand the complexities that neurodiversity brings but you are also your child's advocate, fundraiser, spokesperson, routine-setter, routine-keeper, routine-adjuster, co-regulator, sensory-activity monitor, head chef, bottom wiper, wider-family explainer, proctector, fun-finder, joy-giver, disciplinarian, sleep-helper, safety-monitor, specific cup/utensil/toy finder, endless fidget-tool supplier,  appointment-tracker, professional waiting list applier, source of empathy, comfort and love. 

Of course, our children bring us joy, love and deep connection. 

But parenting is not easy!

The 5 "C"s of parenting your ADHD child comes from a book called "What your ADHD Child wishes you knew" by Dr Sharon Saline. 

1. self-Control
We need to manage our own emotions first so we can act effectively and teach your child. 

We need to practice our own self-regulation so that we don't escalate emotionally driven situations.  We are always examples for our children. We can practice breathing, mindfulness, self-care and self-compassion. 

2. Compassion
We need to meet own children where they are at, not where we expect them to be. 

This doesn't mean that we don't have wishes, hopes and goals for our children.  It means that we show them empathy, patience and forgiveness in the moment.  We acknowledge that "ordinary" tasks may be overwelming and challenging. 

3. Collaboration
We work together with our children and other adults (teachers, therapists, educators). 

We listen with mutual respect. Solve problems together. Inviting participation fosters cooperation. 

4. Consistency
We do what we say we will do.  Following up with consequences; aiming for staying steady and not perfection (as we know how hard it is to follow through with everything).  

We nurture our child's efforts to do thier best and do the same for ourselves. We remember that predictability guides chilces and consistent limites are loving teaching tools.  Children learn how to tolerate disappointment, build resilience and understand predictability. 

5. Celebration
We notice and acknowledge what's working by continuosly offering words and actions of encouragement, praise and validation. 

Self esteem is nourished based on close attention, authenticity and sensibility.  It cultivates self-confidence, reslience and comes from a place of confidence (not failure). 

This is a strengths based thinking approach; nurturing traits and behaviours your child excels at with attentive awareness. We observe, listen and acknowledge what our children say; thereby counteracting patterns of failure. 

​You can read more from Dr Saline in her book "What your ADHD child wishes you knew".  I highly recommend this book for parents, therapists and educators.  It really provides great advice to all, as these principles can be applied to all children.  There are lots of practical examples of how to put these principles into practice throughout the book, especially in the school context. 

Which "C" area is your strength? Do you find one more diffiult to do?

Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia.  She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete).  Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.  Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team.  They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK.

​The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​​​
YKOT shop:  https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html
Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot
You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/

I use a "peanut shaped" gym ball far more often than a round one. It is easier for a range of children to use either sitting on it or lying over it in prone.  We can provide vestibular sensory input with movement up/down from bouncing (alerting) or forward/backward linear movements (regulatory).  

Prone walk-outs are my favourite way to use a gym ball. In prone, we are also building upper body and core strength.  Weight bearing on the hands and building strong elbows, are a great warm up before table top activities.  I also love combining physical sensory activities with more organising or "thinking" activities. This has our sensory seekers to develop body awareness to get the input that they need while also engaging their brains with learning. Here are a few examples of how we do this - 
* Gym ball and Letter bricks - Watch HERE.  
* Gym ball and Twister - Watch HERE.
* Gym ball and Letters on the writing line - Watch HERE.
* Gym ball and alphabet vertical peg (clothespins) - Watch HERE.

Ball sitting activities can also help to build postural stability and crossing the midline by placing things on either side of the ball. Gym balls are great way to incorporate flexible seating at home, in the classroom or during a therapy session.  Here are a few examples of sitting activities - 
* Ball transfer - Watch HERE. 
* Visual Tracking - Watch HERE.

While I'm rounding out more gym ball activities, here a few more unsual ways to use a gym ball (this time a 30 cm round one).... Iron man challenge - watch here and foot taps - Watch here.  You can also watch our You-tube video of gym ball activities with Master YKOT (from 2020) wearing a "Pig the Pug Mask" for his privacy. 

Grid paper can be purchased from stationery stores with boxes of different sizes. The visual boundaries provided with squares can be used with school age children to work on visual spatial skills such as copying line drawings, copying block patterns or writing. 

In writing, we can place one letter per box and work on the size of letters.  Fill the box for a tall letter, half for a short letter or go below the box for a "tail" letter. This can also be helpful for children to plan their work when writing sentences. leaving a space between words. 

We can play games with graph/grid paper such as "Capture the flag" (watch here) and word games.  A quick no-prep word game is to write one word going down vertically on the page (see image below). Use the last letter of the first word to begin the next word using the next coloumn. You could pick a theme (eg. something you can eat, all verbs) or use a word association too. 

Grid paper is also used for mathematics! You can order the numbers so that they are in units.  You can also practice using a ruler to add lines to sums or to divide work.  The lines on grid paper are also helpful when drawing 2D or 3D shapes. 

We love a theme and  animals are always popular! This month we focused in on using my "frog resources".  Frog activities included:
* 5 little speckled frogs (from the Preschool Rhyme Printable bundle)
* Frog cutting, pre-writing and drawing (from the 10 Week Animal Theme OT Preschool Program)
* Frog puppet made from a paper plate (Watch here) - Fold a paper plate backwards to create a puppet. Add finger loops and frog features.  It has been a fun way to work on a tripod grasp and build dynamic finger movements. 
* Frog (tennis ball) muncher (Watch here) - Create a frog using a tennis ball. Cut a mouth using an utility knife. I added frog features by crocheting around the tennis ball (using this You-tube video for inspiration). You can also purchase a frog feeding game (Amazon link).
* Frog jumps - Frog activities wouldn't be complete without practicing some frog jumps too! To increase the sensory input, I use round bath mats as lily pads.  I also use a frog head band for those children who enjoy dressing up to wear while we jump. 

So if you are playing along, June's OT Bingo board prompts include:
* Chatterbox (fortune teller)
* Supine flexion
* Spoon
* Magnetic Toy
* Wall sit
* Spin
* I Spy
* Toothpicks
* Lycra tunnel 

Having you been enjoying my monthly round up of OT Bingo inspired activities? I would love to hear from you if you have tried out an activity or created your own using the prompts. 

​Remember to share your activity ideas by tagging @yourkidsot or emailling [email protected]! Thanks for joining in with the challenge. 

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/
​

Did you ever read a "choose your own adventure book"?

I loved these as a child. Make a decision and jump to a certain page number. Find out the consequences. Re-read the book and make some different choices. 

Life is a "choose your own adventure book" at times. We face a series of problems.  Decisions. Options. Consequences.

For our children, they can't always see the options. They may have trouble thinking from different perspectives, understanding another point of view or making adaptions.

Being flexible is hard. Letting go of plans. Letting go of expectations. Advocating for yourself. Making a decision and then going back to fix mistakes or try a different option. Asking for help can be hard too. 

Flexible thinking, also known as cognitive flexibility, is the ability to shift one's thinking and adapt to changes, new information, and unexpected situations. It involves being able to consider problems from different perspectives, explore multiple solutions, and adjust plans or strategies based on the situation. Flexible thinking is an important part of self regulation. 

As children mature, they begin their journey to being flexible to some things but also holding onto the things (or people, interests or beliefs) that they value. They (rightly so) want many things to go their way as they want to feel safe, connected, successful.  Our role as parents, teachers, OTs ... is to help children to co-regulate.  We can help them with empathy, support and (when they are ready) ways to solve their problems. 
​

The "Out of the Box Thinking and Drawing" Printable contains over 100 fun drawing prompts for all ages! Encourage and challenge creative thinking and drawing by looking beyond the partial image presented. The visual prompts cover a range of themes (and various levels of difficulty) from shapes, fruit, toys ... however, the challenge is to change these prompts into something new. Easier prompts are provided asking the drawer to create something from the body parts presented (eg. eyes, mouth, etc). Prompts are presented four to a page.

This printable is fun for the whole family or whole classroom!  You can repeat the same images and come up with new drawings.  You can compare what everyone has drawn to see how creative you all really are! 

I would love to see what you create! Tag Your Kids OT on social media or send me an email [email protected].

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/
​

Forgive me if I'm still walking on a cloud after April! What an amazing month!  As you know, I had the priviledge of travelling to the US to attend the AOTA conference in Philadelphia.  I have to admit feeling intimidated by the sheer number of people attending the conference (I was told 10 000 people).  I was blown away by the enthusiasm of my colleagues with their innovation, research and drive to see our profession become even stronger. ​

An absolute highlight was all the amazing people I met! After working and connecting with people online, it was a blast to actually meet in person.  It was also very reassuring that we all speak the same "OT language".  Here are some of the awesome people that I met... Jaime (Miss Jaime OT), Jayson (OT Schoolhouse ), Alvin (OT outside the box), Kelly Mahler, Annmarie (AnnmarieOT), Polly (Legiliner), Ralph (Hungry Cutters), Sarah (Doodles Help Handwriting), Michelle  (Tummy time method). I also met a handful of Aussies including Samantha Hunter (CEO, OT Australia). 

Now, it wasn't all just fun and games. I attended many fascinating talks including the Power of puppets, AI in OT practice, Ethical responsibility of trauma responsive neurodiverse affirming care, Business models fo OTpreneurship and more! Here are a few poster highlights. 

Each month this year I have been sharing prompts that I've called "OT BINGO".  The only one I really marked off last month was the conference but let's see what May will bring. The May prompts include:
* gym ball
* squeeze
* pop tube
* kinetic sand
* grid paper
* frogs
* downward dog
* playdough
​* letter size

​But wait.... Aussie OTs (teachers, parents or anyone else), I have a special treat for you! Head over to Your Kids OT on Instagram and Facebook this week (May 5 - 9, 2025).  I have a giveaway to share with products donated to me from Hungry Cutters and Legiliners! I wanted the opportunity to share my trip with you! 

Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia.  She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete).  Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.  Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team.  They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK.

​The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​​​
YKOT shop:  https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html
Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot
You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/
​

I would love to see how your children use these Fingerprint Drawing pages!

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/
​

While many of my OT sessions are child-led and based on a child's interests, there are times when I bring activities to prompt goal attainment. Sometimes the toys or equipment I bring to sessions are "invitations to play".  At other times, I have more structured activities.  The more fluid OT sessions that are child-led are more difficult to share in this forum as a blog or on social media as I don't want to stop the sessions to take photos or video. Instead, I often share the more structured activity ideas that I use. 

OT BINGO is a new challenge that I'm introducing in 2025 to encourage sharing of activity ideas from the Your Kids OT community. Each month I share a board of 9 prompts and also recap the any activities that I have done in the previous month. 

March was a busy month. The newness of the school year wears off very quickly with most children becoming familar with their new routines, making connections with their teachers, therapists and friends! 

Here is a look at some of the activities that I incorporated into my sessions during March using the prompts. 
* Silicon straw  - This oral motor activity was a huge hit when I shared this on social media.  It is easy to set up a container with water, a small basket container (as a goal) and some items that float.  We use the silicon straws to blow the items across the water into the goal and to blow bubbles in the water.  This is an effective way to encourage deep breathing and oral motor skills (lip closure, blowing). They were all feeling calm after this activity.

Some of my young children needed to work out the difference between blowing and sucking the water.  A big highlight was when one of my children who selective speaks (ie. non verbal most of the time), stopped in the middle of blowing bubbles to tell me "fish" then blew again and stopped to say "more". This spontaneous speech gave me an insight into his thoughts. 

Silicon straws (rather than plastic, paper or metal) also provide an opportunity for oral motor input by chewing.  They are also easy to clean by placing them in the dishwasher. 

Watch this oral motor activity in action HERE. 
​
* Crawl - There are so many benefits to encouraging children to crawl at any age! You can read about the benefits HERE.  One of my favourite ways to encourage crawling is by using a lycra tunnel.  The lycra material provides compression and resistance as the child crawls.  I describe it to children that it is "like receiving a hug" and everyone seems to agree.  There was one of the biggest smiles that I have seen on a school age child who crawled through my lycra tunnel for the first time.  Most children request if they can crawl repeatedly!

Crawling and breathing activities are sensory based.  They provide children with an opportunity to regulate with through proprioception (crawling) and oral motor (breathing).  It is so beneficial incorporating these sorts of activities into daily life regardless of a child's sensory profile. 

* Vertical Surface - I recently discovered that a set of "road pieces" that I had stick to vertical surfaces such as glass and white boards! This set from Kmart Aust (not sponsored) was almost donated away, however since realizing that it sticks on a vertical surface, I've definitely been bringing it along to OT sessions more! We can work on motor planning and problem solving skills to build the roads.  Driving the cars build upper arm stability with shoulders, elbows and wrists all involved in keeping the cars on the road.  For some children, we have also incorporated drawing and writing skills on the whiteboard.  

Watch this vertical surface activity HERE. 

For more on vertical surface tips, watch this series of tips:
* Encourage wrist extension
* Encourage crossing the midline and hand dominance
* Try different body positions
* Use a variety of surfaces and try different activities

* Wheels on the Bus - So ....  I decided to "borrow" the tune of the "Wheels on the bus" to work on pencil grasp and dynamic finger movements. 

The fingers on the pencil bend and stretch.
Bend and stretch. Bend and stretch
The fingers on the pencil bend and stretch.
Bend and stretch. Bend and stretch.
All day long.

The resting fingers hide away.
Hide away. Hide away.
The resting fingers hide away.
Hide away. Hide away.
All day long.

Watch the finger movements and listen to the song HERE.

Looking for visual support for preschoolers to sing the original song? This preschool printable pack contains visuals and pre-writing worksheets to support early childhood development. The Wheels on the bus printable pack can be found HERE. 

* Roll Paper - "Playing hair dressers" .. This was a fun scissor skill activity for those learning to orientate their scissors and snip paper.  We cut and rolled hair (strips of paper on a TP roll) working on fine motor and bilateral coordination skills too. I used this activity for some children who were able to cut, however also had anxiety with making mistakes.  We used the "scraps of hair" to practice turning the corner and being more precise.  Because they were "scraps" it helped the children not to worry about being perfect.   For other children, the scraps were used to make collages (for further fine motor skills). 

Watch the hair dressing paper activity HERE.

April brings great anticipation for me as I will be attending the American OT Association (AOTA) Conference for the first time!  I had to include "conference" on this month's board.  Please reach out via DM or messenger if you are attending! If you are not attending, then use the "conference" prompt to include meetings with other therapists, parents or teachers! The term can be broad!

April's prompts are:
* Conference
* Pom Poms
* Crab Walk
* Pencil Grip
* High Five
* Prone Extension
* Balance Cushion
* Buttons
* Stress Ball

Remember to tag @yourkidsot on Instagram or Facebook to share your ideas. You can also email [email protected].  

Until next time (PS: there is a freebie coming, so hang around!),
​

Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia.  She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete).  Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.  Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team.  They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK.

​The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​​​
YKOT shop:  https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html
Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot
You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUz_5nYEOCkj32DiOCQo4Q/featured
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourkidsot/
​

There is a misconception that we should never intervene with Autistic play. 

Honouring Autistic play and neurodiversity ...... and intervention are not mutally exclusive. 

We can be respectful and neuro-affirming, yet help our Autistic children by exposing them to new experiences, encouraging skills rather than forcing them, taking their lead with interests and motivations, addressing their sensory needs and supporting their development. 

In my last article, I explored the "why" underlying repetitive play patterns.  If you have not read that article, pause here and go back to the article HERE.  The article also encouraged us to consider on what the child finds beneficial about their play with reflective questions. You may also be interested to read about strategies when a child says "no" in this BLOG ARTICLE. 

One challenging area is when this repetitive play is dangerous and unsafe for the child or others. In this article, we will explore a real case study. 

What else would you have tried with Ben? Do you work with someone who also enjoys throwing things from a balcony.  Did you gain some ideas from my case study? 

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/
​