Category: Fine Motor

Why your child presses "too lightly" when writing!

14/5/2017

"5 year old Cody writes so lightly that we can't read his work! He doesn't seem to know how hard to push on the pencil and is just not interested in writing or drawing!"

Cody's mum is confused because he loves playing with Lego and didn't seem to have a problem with his fine motor skills. She is worried that he is just not going to cope with "big school" and all the writing that needs to happen there.

Too little pencil pressure!

Why do some children press "too lightly" when writing?

1. Sensory Processing or Modulation Difficulties.
Everyday, we receive information from our senses through our eyes, nose, mouth, ears, skin and joints. We use this information to interact with the people and the environment around us. Each of us process this sensory information in different ways and our brains need to organise this information so that we can function in everyday situations such as in the classroom, at home or the playground.

Proprioception is our "sense" which informs us of about our own body, how our body parts relate to one another, how much our muscles stretch, the speed of our movement in space, our timing as well as the amount of force our muscles produce.*

Poor body awareness and proprioception may result in difficulties manipulating objects such as pencils for writing. Children may have a weak grasp and have difficulties grading the amount of force to apply (ie. too much or too little pressure to the pencil).

An over responsive child may avoid the "feel" or touch of objects. They may avoid or lightly "hold" pencils or other writing tools. This makes it difficult to apply adequate pressure to the page when writing or drawing.

A child with poor registration may have difficulty "registering" how the pencil feels in their hand. They don't know how to control the pencil and it is not an extension of movements made by the hand.

2. Weak Hand and Finger Strength
Children with weak hand and finger muscles may have difficulty grasping a pencil effectively or for a sustained period of time. They may have difficulty applying enough pressure, write quickly enough, write for a long enough duration or write enough on the page. These children may swap hands regularly or just drop the pencil for "no reason".

Read more about hand and finger strength in a recent article.

Tried and Tested OT tricks when a child presses "too lightly" when writing!

OT intervention for pencil pressure provides a child with ways to be aware of their pencil pressure, practise techniques to increase their force when it is too light and provides ways to compensate when they struggle to grade their movements.

1. PREPARE THE BODY FOR WRITING
Before running a race, we need to prepare our body by training our muscles. We need to stretch, practise aspects of the race, be aware of the environmental conditions and know what is involved with running the race.

In handwriting, we need to also prepare the body and understand what is required. Activities which provide "heavy work" or proprioceptive input to skin, muscles and joints can prepare the body for writing. This may include hanging from monkey bars, jumping on the trampoline, wiping a whiteboard clean or lifting school chairs onto the table. Find more"heavy work" ideas HERE.

There are also ways to increase the "heavy work" and proprioceptive input to fingers and hands prior to writing. This may include squeezing some play dough, using tongs or tweezers to transfer items or doing a variety of finger exercises. Find my ideas for "heavy work for little fingers" HERE and if you didn't link over to my recent article about building hand strength, then you can find that HERE for more ideas for preparing hands for writing .

2. HELP CHILDREN TO BE AWARE OF THEIR PENCIL PRESSURE

a) Change the Writing Tool

Try a weighted pen or pencil -This can be achieved by purchasing a heavy weight pen or pencil. Pencil weight writing aids (see photograph) or a collection of nuts/bolts may also be added to pencils. This extra weight provides increased proprioceptive feedback to the user, giving information about how the pencil is moving across the page. "Weighing" down the pencil also naturally pushes it onto the page with less force needed to write or draw. An alternative to this is to have your child use a small hand or wrist weight whilst writing.
Try a brush pen. These pens are used for calligraphy and "fancy" writing. Encourage your child to experiment with pressure placed on the page. They can practise pressing down harder to exert more force and produce bigger/darker strokes and reducing the pressure placed on the pen to produce thinner lighter strokes.
Try a squiggle pen or vibrating pen. These pen move and shake as the child "writes" providing proprioceptive feedback (don't expect neat writing though!).

b) Change the Writing Surface

Try sand paper (or other textured paper) placed underneath ordinary paper. This may be secured with a clipboard and provides proprioceptive feedback with the "bumps" felt by writing or drawing over this paper.
Try rubbing a crayon over rubbing plates. Young children love this activity and enjoy seeing the hidden picture revealed as they rub the crayon. This encourages firm pressure placed on the page to produce a result and proprioceptive feedback is provided whilst rubbing. Children can see and feel how much pressure to apply to get a result . (You could also try rubbing over coins, leaves, bricks, tree bark and experiment with different textures).

c) Other

Try colour grading activities. Have your child "colour-in" with a lead pencil. Have them try to achieve shades from very dark to light by applying different amounts of pressure to the picture.

3. HELP CHILDREN TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE PAGE

a) Change the Writing Tool

Try a stylus with an ipad or tablet. This requires some "pushing" onto the screen to write or draw. (A word of caution: check your child's wrist position and consider placing the ipad/tablet on a slope.)
Novelty light-up or noise making pencils/pens. There are some pencils which require increased pressure placed on them to activate a light or a noise. These can be a fun way to help with increasing pencil pressure.

b) Change the Writing Surface

Try carbon or copy paper. This requires a child to "press" down so that their work is copied onto to the pages underneath. Children love to see their work "duplicated" using this paper.

4. HELP CHILDREN TO COMPENSATE FOR NOT APPLYING ENOUGH PENCIL PRESSURE.

a) Change the Writing Tool

Change the Pencil - In the US, try a #1 pencil. In Europe or Australia, try a 5B (or higher). "B" grade pencils have a greater graphite content and are softer. They are smooth to write and draw with. Read more about pencil grades atJet Pens (no affiliation).
Try a pen -Pens generally need less pressure than a pencil to produce a mark on the page. Gel and roller-ball pens are smoother than ball point pens and require less force for the ink to flow. I personally like writing with the Paper-Mate Ink Joy Gel Pens! For middle-school kids you could try the Pilot Frixion erasable pens (however, I have heard that the ink may disappear from the page if left in the heat).

b) Change the Writing Surface

Try a "Magnadoodle" or "Etch-a-Sketch". These are excellent ways to encourage early drawing and writing. A plastic stylus uses magnetic force to produce a picture or letters.
Try writing on whiteboards using a dry-eraser marker. A whiteboard provides a "smooth" writing surface and require less pressure placed than a piece of paper.
Try a slope/slant board or a vertical surface. This angle will help to support the hand and wrist position for writing.

Are you concerned about your child applying too MUCH pressure on the page? Is your child breaking pencils or pushing so hard they make holes in the page? Read "Why Your Child Presses Too Hard When Writing" from Miss Jaime OT!

What are your tried and tested tricks for helping children who have difficulty with pencil pressure? How would you advise "Cody's mum"?

Cindy is a registered Occupational Therapist practising in Sydney Australia. She has two young 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. Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.

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.

OFFER ENDS May 21, 2018

* Kranowitz, C. S. (2011). The out-of-sync child: recognizing and coping with sensory processing disorder. Place of publication not identified: Paw Prints.

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Developing Hand Strength for Scissor Skills, Handwriting and More!

22/4/2017

Ever have an arm wrestle? or pulled in a "tug of war"? or have you tried indoor rock climbing?

These activities all require a significant amount of upper body, hand and finger strength. We might not all win arm wrestles ... but we all require adequate strength in our arms, hands and fingers to perform daily activities.

Children need adequate hand and finger strength to carry out their daily "jobs" such as writing, using scissors, doing up buttons and using a knife and fork. When muscles in the hands are strong, children can hold tools for longer and use them more efficiently.

If a child has weak hand muscles they may tire quickly (giving up) or swap hands (to give the other hand a turn). In using scissors, they may have difficulty opening and closing their hand adequately to cut the page or drive their scissors forward. In using a knife and fork, children with weak hand muscles may not be able to apply adequate pressure to stabilize or cut the food properly. In handwriting, children with weak hand muscles may have difficulty applying pressure to their pencils or they may not be able to write as much as others.

Some children may have poor hand and finger strength due to low muscle tone, developmental delay or a neurological condition. There are sometimes no known cause for a child's hand weakness, however medical advice should be sought if you are concerned.

Activities which help with the development of strength involve some weight bearing or resistance. They involve pushing or pulling and may also be considered "heavy work" when looking at a sensory diet. Read more about sensory diets here.

You could try the following activities to encourage the development of strength!

Upper Body Strength and Stability(hands, arms and shoulders).

Wheelbarrow walks
Animal walks (crab, bear, etc)
Crawling through tunnels, over cushions, under thin mattresses, etc (read more about the benefits of crawling here)
Hanging and swinging from monkey bars (or trees limbs)
Working on a vertical surface (eg. painting, drawing, washing windows, using easels/whiteboards) or even lying on the floor to work on the underside of a table (place some paper on the surface first).
Hanging and swinging on trapeze rings or bars
Overhead flying fox or zip line
Climbing upwards on a slide
Walking a ball "up a wall" with one's hands without dropping it
Push-ups (can be modified on knees)
Plank (can be modified on knees or over a small therapy ball)
Scooter board activities lying prone over the board
Therapy ball activities lying prone over the ball
Throwing and catching a basketball (or similar)
Pulling on a rope
Chair push-ups (from a seated position, lifting whole body up from a chair with arms straight)
Pulling a wagon of toys
Lifting school chairs onto a table
Woodwork activities such as hammering or sawing
Carrying buckets of water or sand

Hand and Finger (Pinch) Grip Strength

Squish, squeeze, poke and manipulate play dough or putty (Read more play dough ideas here.)
Play with rubber bands (use geoboards, make them in a rubber band ball, wrap them around a tennis ball can, etc)
Pulling apart construction toys (such as Duplo bricks, LEGO bricks or pop beads)
Squeeze "popper toys"
Squeeze stress balls or other fidget toys
Use tongs to squeeze and grasp small objects (such as pom poms or blocks)
Scrunch newspaper or other paper into balls and throw them
Tear and rip paper into small shreds
Sharpen pencils with a hand held pencil sharpener (Read why I don't want teachers to sharpen pencils for their kids here.)
Squeeze a hand-held hole puncher or craft punch
Squeeze a sponge to soak up water and squeeze out the water again (ie. washing outdoor toys or furniture)
Squeeze bath toys
Squeeze juice from an orange (or other fruit)
Squeeze a water spray bottle to water plants or spray paint
Help to grate vegetables (ie. carrots, zucchini)
Help to use a sifter that has a squeezable handle (Read more about the benefits of having kids in the kitchen here.)
Pushing hands directly with another child or adult
Squeezing clothes pin (pegs) in games or to hang out laundry
Playing with wind-up toys
Using eye-droppers to transfer water

For even more suggestions for building hand strength read more pincer grip ideas here! Read about heavy work for little fingers HERE!

These hand strengthening activities are a great way to get hands ready for handwriting, scissor skills and more!

Does your child struggle with the strength needed to carry out daily "jobs"? Are they constantly "swapping hands"? What is your favourite way to help develop hand strength?

Cindy Chuan is a registered Occupational Therapist practising in Sydney Australia. She has two young 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.

Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.

Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this article to promote products that I recommend. This means that if you follow through with a purchase from these links, Your Kids OT will receive a percentage of the sale. 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.

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Pre-scissor Skills: Opening and Closing Hands

19/4/2017

Parents, do you remember placing your finger into the palm of your baby's hand? They sweetly wrap their fingers around your finger and you go "awww, their holding me!"

This first "grasp" pattern seen in babies at birth is a primitive "grasp reflex". It only lasts for about four months, however it prepares babies for voluntary grasp and release patterns.

Grasp and release patterns are an important part of early child development. At about four months, babies are reaching for objects with a momentary grasp and by about nine months babies are learning to release objects voluntarily (Parks, 1996).

Coordinated grasp and release skills (and therefore the opening and closing action of your child's hand) are important for the development of scissor skills. Children need to be able to hold scissors and guide them to open and close as they cut across paper.

You can use the following activities to encourage children with "opening and closing hands".

Play finger rhymes and sing action songs (for example: Open Shut Them, 5 Little Ducks, Round and Round the Garden). For more finger rhymes refer to this FREE printable.
Play with hand puppets where the hand can open and close the puppet's mouth to talk or sing.
Use tongs or tweezers to pick up small objects such as pom poms, cotton balls, ping pong balls, etc.
Use scissor tongs that are specifically designed with handles similar to scissors, which allow the child to pick up small objects using the "ball" at the end (refer to photograph above).
Incorporate clothespins (pegs) into games and craft activities.
Squeeze spray bottles filled with water or paint.
Use eye-droppers or turkey basters to mix colours or move water.
Squeeze bath toys to squirt water.

Parks, S. (1996). HELP strands: curriculum-based developmental assessment: birth to three years. Palo Alto, CA: VORT Corp.

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Scissor Skills Busy Boxes!

12/4/2017

Cutting, laminating, photo copying, lesson planning .... do you do your preparation in the school holidays?

Teachers and OTs (or an other therapists for that matter)... we have a problem!

We never quite "switch off"!

We are always looking or listening out for a great idea that we can implement with the kids we see. Even on holidays... I notice ramps and think about access, I notice toys in shops and think how I could use that or I watch kids play and guess how old they are! Yep, I have a problem!

Last year we were quarantined at home during one school holidays due to illness (gastro from memory). To make the most of this time, I made these scissor skills busy boxes! I knew that they would come in handy once the illness had passed and I was back at work! These boxes are perfect for home, preschool or in an OT tool kit!

Yes they take a little while to set up but they are worth it!

I sourced theseplastic boxes years ago from IKEA Australia and love that they have little compartments which can be adjusted in size. They also have a lid making them ideal to move around from place to place!

I set up two types of boxes but you could use a combination of craft and cutting strips. The cutting strips were made from scrapbooking paper. This is a little thicker than normal writing paper and easier for little hands to hold and to cut (as it doesn't flop around as much and require too much stability with the non-dominant hand).

In the cutting strip box, I wanted to have a range of developmental stages including shorter strips, thicker lines, thinner lines, curves, straight lines, corners and more! Read more about developmental stages over at MamaOT. If you are making this box for home, you may want to consider where your child is at developmentally before starting!

A craft box is a great way to encourage those who are just starting out with scissors! Present a range of things to cut such as straws, crepe paper, wrapping paper, tissue paper, wool, ribbon, twine, tinsel, etc! Encourage your child's creativity with some glue to stick down all the things they cut!

These scissor skills busy boxes will appeal to your child if they already interested in cutting or they love experimenting with craft supplies!

However, there are some children who are just...not..interested...in...cutting! These are the kids who are referred to OTs because of poor fine motor skills, poor hand strength and poor postural control. Sometimes these children have difficulty with cutting because they have not yet established a hand preference or have poor bilateral coordination (see here for more information).

Here are some tips for using the scissor skills busy boxes!

Consider your child's stage of development. Provide cutting lines which are age-appropriate or just beyond what they can currently manage.
Choose appropriate scissors for your child. There are a wide range of scissors available! Consider your child's hand size and ability. Some scissors provide additional help (such as the spring-loaded preschool scissors below). There are also specific left-handed scissors available.
Help your child to NOTICE the cutting line. Use wool, wikki stix, play dough or pipe cleaners to cover the cutting line. Then take off the material and have your child trace the line with their finger. Help your child to be follow the visual motor cues of the line (even when it turns or curves). I love using glitter to go over the cutting line (and letting the glitter dry). This provides a "bumpy path" for cutting and further sensory feedback for those who need it. (Read more about using glitter in therapy here).
Emphasize "turning points". Use stickers, stamps or even holes to help emphasize when scissors need to turn to stay "on the line".
Stick it down! Whether your child is cutting out lines or craft material, turn this into something tangible for your child. Help them to make a crooked road, cages for zoo animals, design a city or some other fabulous work of art. Giving your child's scissor skill practice a purpose will be more rewarding for your child than just cutting out various lines for the sake of up-skilling their scissor skills. This will also encourage imagination and play!
Be on hand to help. You could use these "busy boxes" to keep your child entertain themselves happily snipping and cutting. If your child is not so keen or is just starting out, be on hand to help. Your child may need help to open and close the scissors. They may need help to stabilise the item being cut. They may need help to use both hand simultaneously. They may need help to turn the page. They may need help to keep going and persevere with something they find difficult.

Please tell me that I'm not the only one who has trouble "switching off"! Perhaps this is a subconscious reason I started this blog, so that I could record ideas and observations!

Have you got a "busy box" for scissor skill practice? What have you included in your box?

For more great ideas, tips and neat tricks to help your child develop scissor skills... watch this space! The Functional Skills for Kids Team (that includes me) are working on our next e-book just on scissor skills! "The Scissor Skills book" will be launched very soon! I will be sure to tell you about our launch specials if you are subscribed to receive the YKOT e-newsletter (thank you to those who are already subscribed).

MESS FREE Q-TIP STAMPING! {WITH FREE EASTER PRINTABLE}

19/3/2017

MESS FREE? ✔
EASILY TRANSPORTED? ✔
FUN AND ENGAGING? ✔
MORE THAN ONE THERAPY GOAL? ✔

This activity ticks all the right boxes for a mobile occupational therapist!

Have you heard of Q-tip painting? (Q-tips are also called "cotton tips" in Australia and are usually found in the personal care section of a supermarket). Q-tip painting has been quite popular in the last few years with Q-tips used as paint brushes dipping into paint and making "spots" onto various printables available.

Last year, I put together my Q-tips and my ink pads... creating Q-tip stamping! It was a hit with my kids; providing the same fun engaging activity without the MESS!

This is why I love Q-tip stamping!

Mess-free! I don't have to carry paint, bowls to pour the paint into or things to clean up the paint. I don't have to worry about cleaning up tables or be concerned about getting paint on school uniforms. An ink-pad is so much easier to transport - small and compact! Ink pads usually have a lid which keeps the ink from getting on anything you don't want it to.
Dynamic tripod grasp! We can work on holding a Q-tip like a pencil using a dynamic tripod grasp with a pinch between the thumb and index finger and open web space of the hand.
Separation of the two sides of the hand! Whilst the thumb and index finger pinch the Q-tip, the other fingers are tucked away. I can encourage the movement of the Q-tip with just the thumb and index fingers. As Q-tips have tips on both ends of the stick which can be used for stamping; try having your child use one end of the stick for one colour and then spin it to dip the other end in a different colour! Read more about the separation of the two sides of the hand HERE.
Pencil pressure! Kids need to apply just enough pressure to the Q-tip to apply the ink and to "stamp" the page. If too much pressure is applied the Q-tip will bend and break. If too little pressure is applied you can't see the "stamping" on the page.
Eye-hand coordination! A repetitive activity (most kids won't notice that it is repetitive) where focus is on stamping within the circles provided. Children will try to stay in the circles and control their hand movements. I have found this is so much more successful for kids than other pencil paper tasks which require eye-hand coordination (perhaps it is more motivating?!).
1:1 correspondance! As each circle is stamped individually, children can count each circle as they stamp working an important pre-mathematics and pre-reading skill.
Visual Perceptual and Spatial skills! If you want to make this activity more complicated, you could pre-stamp in the circles of a example page and have your child match your colour patterns.
Fun and colourful! Kids love this activity and don't realise they are "working" when they are filling in the dots. With a multi-colour ink pad, it is easy for kids to apply more than one colour on their page. There are a range of printables available on the internet but I have created these sweet Easter printables for you (actually I created this for me too - I use everything I create so everything is "tried and tested" before I release it). Download yourFREE EASTER Q-TIP PRINTABLE HERE!

This is an activity that would well in a classroom, at home or in an OT session! You could shrink down the pages and turn them into a card or display the finished pictures!

Have you tried Q-tip STAMPING before?

Do you have other mess-free activities that you use in therapy sessions?

If you try this activity for yourself, I would love to see it! Tag #yourkidsot on Instagram or email me at cindy@yourkidsot.com

Don't forget to download yourFREE EASTER Q-TIP PRINTABLE HERE!

Cindy Chuan is a registered Occupational Therapist practising in Sydney Australia. She has two young 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!

Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT

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Crossing the Midline with Rainbow Drawing!

8/3/2017

Everyone loves rainbows!

The colours of a rainbow can brighten a cloudy sky. I often feel like breaking into song ... "Somewhere over the rainbow...."

Rainbows are everywhere in preschool and school craft activities and projects. This is a special one as we look at how the whole body works in crossing the midline. The "midline" is the imaginary line which can be drawn from your head to your toes through your belly button, dividing your body left from right.

Some children have difficulties integrating the left and right sides of their body. They may adjust by moving their work to one side, shifting their body position on a chair or neglecting to use one side of their bodies. Read more about crossing the midline and bilateral coordination HERE.

When encouraging "crossing the midline", we look at a child's ability to rotate at the trunk to use their right hand in the sphere of the "left side of the body" and their left hand in the sphere of the "right side of the body".

What to do:
1. Set up this simple rainbow drawing with a large piece of paper or cardboard.
2. Have your child sit cross legged in the centre.
3. Give your child a crayon or texta and ask them to reach across their body to start the rainbow. (ie. using the right hand, cross over to the left side and vice versa for the left hand).
4. Repeat this with multiple colours and in both directions (it is up to you if you want this rainbow to reflect the "real" colours").

Once the rainbow is completed, I also had my kids "drive along" the rainbow. I encouraged them to take a car with their right hand, cross over to the left side of the body and drive it back on the rainbow to the right. Sometimes we then pass the car behind the child's back and at other times, the car did a U-turn and drove back along the rainbow (with the alternate arm pushing it).

Do your kids love drawing rainbows? Do you ever break into song (even in your head)?

What is your favourite "crossing the midline" activity?

Cindy Chuan is a registered Occupational Therapist practising in Sydney Australia. She has two young 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!

Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT

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THE "ELASTIC BAND" TRICK FOR PENCIL GRIP AND INSIDE "THE HANDWRITING BOOK"!

25/1/2017

How does your child hold their pencil? How do you? Does it really matter how the pencil is held? Well the last question was the subject of my very first blog post and you can read that HERE!

Some of the main aspects of pencil control come from how the pencil is held and how it is manipulated whilst in the hand. Ideally occupational therapists are looking for the following features when it comes to pencil grasp:

a pinch (between the pads of the thumb and index finger) of the pencil
support of the third finger along the pencil
an "O" shape formed with the thumb and index finger
the pencil resting in the web space of the hand
control of the pencil made with this tripod grasp (thumb, index and third fingers) whilst the 4th and 5th fingers are held stable
wrist straight and resting on the writing surface

Here is a quick "trick" to help with the position of the pencil!

This "trick" (or hack - I don't like the word hack though) is for those kids (and adults) who rest their pencil across the index finger rather than in the web space.

This "trick" will help move the pencil into the web space whilst your child "pinches" it near the nib (where the pencil shaving meets the pencil cover).

This "trick" encourages a more dynamic pencil grasp and open web space.

What to do?

Attach two elastic bands together.
Place wrist through one elastic.
Place the pencil through the second elastic (you may need to loop it around the pencil).
Hold the pencil near the nib. Start writing!

Considerations!

Choose the elastic bands carefully - too narrow and they will pinch the skin, too big and they will not hold the pencil with adequate tension. You may need to make extra loops around the pencil or wrist to work out adequate tension. You could also try a "hair elastic"!
Tolerance of the elastic band around the wrist. Some children (especially those with sensory processing difficulties) may have difficulty coping with the elastic band around the wrist. You may try this over a long sleeve shirt or a glove.
This will be more "effort" for your child as the tension of the elastic band will form a resistance during writing. It will also provide proprioceptive feedback. Keep initial use of the elastic bands to short durations.
This is a guide and will not "fix" a pencil grasp. Children may still use a lateral grasp whilst the elastic bands are attached.

Have you tried the "elastic band trick"? Do you know a child who might benefit from trying this?

I’m excited to report that The Handwriting Book has already reached hundreds of people so far this week!

Thank you for wanting to learn more about how to support handwriting development in kids and for being excited about using new handwriting strategies and ideas in your home, classroom, or therapy practice.

Would you like to know more??

Who is The Handwriting Book for - therapists, teachers, or parents?

The answer is...all of the above! The information in this book is perfect for parents who are trying to support their kids in the development of handwriting skills.

Therapists will love having all of the handwriting information, tips, and strategies they need right at their fingertips as they work with kids and write evaluations and goals for the students on their caseloads.

The Handwriting Book is also great for teachers who are looking for information and ideas to support handwriting development in the students in their classrooms.

Can I get a print copy of The Handwriting Book?

Not quite yet...if we continue to get a lot of requests for a print copy of the book, we may consider adding an option to purchase the book on Amazon in the future, but for now, the book will be available only as a pdf format ebook.

What was your contribution to The Handwriting Book?

The Handwriting Book is the result of a year long collaboration between 10 dedicated therapy bloggers who are all experienced pediatric therapists from across the globe! We have each written a contribution to the book and have worked together to bring you this unique reference.

We have been working to bring you our knowledge, experience, tips and tricks ... creating the ultimate guide to handwriting!

The Handwriting Book will provide you with evidence based practice as well as tried and tested practical tips!

The Handwriting book covers:

The Developmental Progression of Pencil Grasp and Handwriting Strokes
Fine Motor Skills
Gross Motor Skills
Sensory Considerations
Visual Perceptual Skills
Tips and Strategies for the Reluctant Writer
Ideas for Combining Handwriting and Play
Activities to Practice Handwriting Skills at Home
Tips for Sizing, Spacing, and Alignment in Written Work

More questions or comments about THE HANDWRITING BOOK? Just comment on the blog or email me. Don't forget to use #thehandwritingbook on social media when commenting about the book!

Do you have a favourite "therapist tip" from the book?

Get 25% off with the discount code: HANDWRITINGHELP1
**Valid until 29th January, 2017 **

DON'T FORGET THE FREE PRINTABLES ARE NOW AVAILABLE UNTIL THE 29TH JANUARY, 2017!
GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

PURCHASE THE HANDWRITING BOOK NOW

Thank you again for those who have supported me with the purchase of this new e-book! I really hope that you find it a useful resource that you will continue to refer to again and again!

More great tricks:

Card Holding Tricks!

Pom Pom Trick!

Tummy Time Tips!

Teachers Please Don't!

19/1/2017

Wow, what a lovely craft!

The craft had a photo of Miss 4 years on an elf body, with paper concertina arms and legs.

Did you make that (Miss 4 years)?

Um no, I did the folding! The sheepish teacher admits to me.

This situation greets me more often than not and it prompted me to write this post. With school resuming in Australia very soon, this article is for teachers! If you see your teacher "guilty" of these things maybe you can prompt them with "why"?

Also note, when I say "teachers", I'm also talking to OTs and parents who may also be "guilty" of these things!

1. Teachers PLEASE don't do the craft FOR your kids!
This is my top gripe with preschool and school teachers. Kids do not need or want insta-worthy craft! Parent's don't want to see YOUR crafting skills (even if does make the classroom look beautiful).

Kids need opportunities to snip, cut, rip, glue, fold and to make mistakes! They need to have craft opportunities where they can learn about spatial relationships (even it means legs are coming out of heads, arms are different lengths and tongues don't curl properly). Painting outside the lines means they can work out where things are in relationship with themselves. Manipulating glue stick lids or squeezing the PVA glue are opportunities for fine motor and hand strength development. Early opportunities for snipping and cutting will lead to smoother cutting and better manipulation of the paper with practise. Folding those paper planes and flying them, kids will learn that more accurate folds make better planes and should practise these fine motor skills. Rolling, tearing and scrunching paper are so important for bilateral coordination and fine motor development.

At home, provide lots of craft materials for your kids to create, experiment and learn! You may not be "crafty" yourself or even like the finished product that your child produces (lets be honest here)... but it is not actually always about the finished product. Allow your child to work through the process. Need some ideas? Check out my "homemade arts of craft section". Each craft here is designed to be done by kids (with minimal help from adults).

2. Teachers PLEASE don't sharpen pencils for your kids!
I'm sure this is a time saving thing, but teachers why not provide ordinary pencil sharpeners in the classroom?! They don't even make a mess as they have little containers to catch the shavings. I don't mean to be patronizing but I would love to see more pencil sharpeners in preschool classrooms especially. What an easy natural way to work on bilateral coordination and fine motor manipulation. So much of the "turning" action when sharpening a pencil is made by the thumb and index working together. What a perfect "pre-writing" activity! If your child is using their whole hand to turn the pencil, encourage them to do this with the thumb and index finger - it may take practise!

As OTs we come up with exciting and creative ways to work on these skills, however such a simple thing as sharpening pencils regularly will help your kids to develop these skills! I may be including "pencil sharpening" as homework this year for my OT kids!

Make sure you encourage your child to do this at home too! You will be surprised with how quickly your child might say "my hand is tired" as they are not used to using these muscles.

3. Teachers please don't expect good handwriting if your child is sitting in a plastic garden chair!
It has been a few years now since I worked in a school where the standard chair for students was a cheap plastic garden chair with arms rests. These chairs were horrible for posture at a desk. The arm rests did not allow the chair to go under the tables, the child was either sitting back in a slouched position or sitting right on the edge at the front of the chair so they could rest their arms on the table. The chairs easily tipped and were difficult to move in and out of the table.

Other schools may not be as bad with the chairs provided, however I do want to remind you that posture is important. Children should be able to comfortably place both feet on the ground and the table should be slightly higher than their bent elbows without elevating their shoulders. Children should also have enough space so they are not "on top of" the child sitting next to them.

Check your tables and chairs at home too! Check where your child may be doing any "table top" work. The dining table may be a great option but often kids have their legs dangling and their arms are uncomfortable as shoulders are elevated so that they can reach. Small children may work better at a coffee table whilst sitting on an ottoman or cushion. You may want to invest in an adjustable table and chair that grow with your child.

You will find out the importance of posture and gross motor skills in "THE HANDWRITING BOOK" which is currently being launched! Apply the launch week discount code: HANDWRITINGHELP1

4. Teachers please don't take away writing lines too early!
Removing writing lines too early is like removing the lane marks on a road and expecting people to drive within the imagined lanes accurately. Some people can do it, but many can't! (OK - A slight exaggeration but you get the picture!)

Writing on lines provides children with a visual guide as to how to position letters. They can work out the size of letters and how they are positioned in relation to each other within a word and a sentence. When you remove the lines, kids need to be able to visualize how tall letters need to be and even how to write in a straight "line". Yes they need to know how to visualize this themselves - but at what age?

Often when I see children in year 1 or 2 or even older who have handwriting legibility difficulties, I need to give them the "lines" back to help with the visual spatial and organisational skills. I use my "earth paper" to provide a strong visual guide and then we work back to needing less lines. You could also use grid paper to help with organisation and spacing.

5. Teachers please don't punish kids by making them sit still or keeping by them in from recess or lunch.
Research shows that kids need opportunities for movement, exercise and fresh air.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (2012) make the following recommendations about the need for recess.

Recess is a necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.
Cognitive processing and academic performance depend on regular breaks from concentrated classroom work.
Recess is a complement to, but not a replacement for, physical education.
Recess can serve as a counterbalance to sedentary time and contribute to the recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day, a standard strongly supported by AAP policy as a means to lessen risk of overweight.
Whether structured or unstructured, recess should be safe and well supervised.
Peer interactions during recess are a unique complement to the classroom. The lifelong skills acquired for communication, negotiation, cooperation, sharing, problem solving, and coping are not only foundations for healthy development but also fundamental measures of the school experience.

In conclusion the AAP state "recess should be considered a child’s personal time, and it should not be withheld for academic or punitive reasons".

Any teachers, OTs or parents guilty of some of these things?

I love working with my "teacher" friends and colleagues! I count many teachers as very good personal friends! Please don't take this article personally.

I did have a good chuckle with the teacher I mentioned in my introductory story! She "knows" where I stand with letting kids do the "craft"!

Let's go "BACK TO SCHOOL" in 2017 with a fresh look at how we "help" our children with their development and learning!

This article is part of the 2017 Aussie Back to School Blog Hop!
Read the "back to school" articles here by some wonderful Australian Bloggers! You will find out how the first time school mums are feeling, tips for special needs parents, great lunch box ideas as well as suggestions for those who don't like crunch and sip!

Teachers Please Don’t! | Your Kids OT
Advice For First Time School Mums From Seasoned Mums and Teachers | The Multitasking Woman
10 simple ways to make school lunches more fun | Kidgredients
Teacher Types Top Tips for Going Back to School | Teacher Types
Maintaining a Play Filled Routine throughout the School Term | Kids Play Space
5 Must Have Items for Starting Day Care | My Bored Toddler
Handling Crunch and Sip with Fussy Kids | Play With Food
How to share your child’s special needs with their new teacher | My Home Truths
16 things the school holidays have taught me | Eenie Meenie Miney Mum
The Most Important Skills Your Child Needs for School | The Happy Me Shop
101 Sandwich Filling Ideas for Kids | Create Bake Make

Reference:
The Crucial Role of Recess in School. (2012). Pediatrics, 131(1), 183-188. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-2993

APPLY THE LAUNCH WEEK DISCOUNT CODE: HANDWRITINGHELP1

VISUAL PERCEPTUAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN TYPING!

14/12/2016

Imagine an 11 year old girl attending an evening class at a local school with her friend. They wanted to learn how to type so voluntarily enrolled in a "word processor" course!

Gosh that was a life time ago and certainly ages me! Have you even heard of a "word processor"?

Keyboarding and proficient touch typing is an essential skill for the 21st century. I don't believe that it will completely make handwriting obsolete, however I would be living in a cave if I didn't acknowldege how important keyboarding and typing skills are to a student's every learning.

Learning to use a keyboard and to type isn't easy! It is a false assumption that children with handwriting difficulties will learn to type easily. It will certainly help these children in the long run, however, it is important to be remember that children with motor and planning difficulties (eg, bilateral coordination, eye-hand coordination, motor planning, visual perceptual and fine motor difficulties) in handwriting will also have these difficulties when initially learning to use a keyboard to type. Accomodations for these difficulties may need to be considered when teaching keyboarding and typing skills.

I learnt how to type on a word processor! Photo Credit: D. Kadavy via Flickr under the Creative Commons License. No modifications were made to the image.

How do YOU type?
Hands up if you are a "2 finger" typer? Do you use your two index fingers to stab at the keyboard? Whilst there are a lot of proficient "2 finger" typers out there, I think it is important to teach kids proper finger positioning when learning how to use the keyboard!

If you have a keyboard in front of you, look down at it for a moment. What do you see?

letters, numbers, symbols
whole words
a series of rows
diagonal colums and straight columns of keys
function keys
a track pad or a mouse nearby
keys split into different sections
lights
white on black, black on white, something else?

Did you notice what I asked you to do? Looking up at a screen then looking down at the keyboard. Did you easily find your place back up on the screen to read my suggestions? For children with visual perceptual difficulties this is one of the main issues they may have difficulty with as they look up and down and up again. They may also have to move their hands completely off the keyboard so they can see the keys. One of the main benefits of touch typing is eliminating this need to look up and down so often.

Here is a look at the various aspects of visual perceptual skills required with keyboarding and typing.

Eye-Hand Coordination
Eye –hand coordination is the ability to coordinate eye movement with hand movements and includes the ability to process visual information to guide hand function. In keyboarding and typing, eye- hand coordination is needed to required to press the required keys. Beginner typists will need to look for each key to be typed, look up at the screen to make sure what is typed is accurate, look down again and so on.

As touch typing develops, the eye can rest on the screen and monitor what appears rather than how the hand moves. The fingers are less reliant on "sight" of letters on keys and can move more automatically.

Children may also need to watch their hand guide a mouse or track ball, with constant looking up at the screen and down at their hand as they work out the visual-spatial differences of moving something on a horizontal plane and how this can affect a cursor on the vertical plane.

Visual Discrimination and Form Constancy
Visual Discrimination is the ability to classify objects or shapes based on visual information such as colour, form, pattern, size or position. Form Constancy is the ability to identify an object, shape, letter, number, symbol when it is presented in a different way (eg. larger, smaller, rotated, italics, bold, different font, sideways, upside down, different colour).

In keyboarding, and typing, children need to be aware that letters are produced in capital and lower case form. Most keyboards come with capital letter keys. Children need to grasp the concept of lower case letters being produced on the screen when capital letters are pressed on the keyboard.

Some children will have difficulty reading certain fonts on the screen which they may be unfamiliar with. Some letters look quite different in different fonts (eg. a, g, k). Some children may also have difficulty with words written in italics and they may have difficulty with distinguishing letters because of their size on screen.

Recommendations and Accomodations for Visual Perceptual Difficulties

Use stickers on the keyboard. There are many stickers on the market to help children to learn to type. Some of the features that stickers can help with include lower case to cover capital letters, both lower and capital letters on the one sticker, color coding so that the same finger strikes a certain colour. I purchased my keyboard stickers fromBright Star Kids. You may also find similar stickers on Amazon. You may also like to buy two sets of stickers so that you can place the "home key" stickers on your child's fingers.
Change the computer font to reflect a familar handwriting font that your child is familiar with. In NSW public schools the most common font is NSW Foundation Writing.
Teach proper finger positioning and touch typing. This will mean that over time, your child will not need to look at their hands when typing and they can concentrate their visual attention to the screen and what is being produced.
Change the mouse or cursor options on the screen. On a PC, this may be done through the control panel. You may want to experiment with options such choosing a scheme with a large cursor (for easier visibility). I also recommend selecting the "Show location of pointer when I press CTRL key". This is helpful for those children who have trouble locating their cursor/pointer on the screen within the confusing information that may be presented on the screen. Other options include downloading animated pointers. The cursor blink rate may also be changed so that it provides the appropriate visual prompt for your child so that it is not too fast to be noticed.
Provide a vertical easel document holder so that your child can see work to be copied in the same plane as it will be produced on screen. Some of these holders also include a highlighting line guide to help keep track of where your child is up to on the document to be copied. You may purchase these from Amazon.

Position in Space or Visual Spatial Relationships.
Position in Space or spatial relationships involves the ability to process information about oneself in relation with their environment in space, orientation and position. It may involved the ability to understand directional language concepts such as up/down, next to, left/right, over/under, etc.

As mentioned previously, as typing and keyboarding skills develop there is less reliance on visual guidance to find the right keys on the keyboard. Over time touch typers can understand where their fingers are "in space" and in relationship with other keys to be struck without looking. This is also true for the use of the mouse and trackball.

Figure-Ground and Visual Memory
Figure-Ground is the ability to see an object or form when presented in a complex background. Visual memory is the ability to remember and recall objects, shapes, symbols or movements in short term memory. Visual memory requires visualization of what to remember.

In keyboarding and typing skills, both figure-ground and visual memory skills are required to learn the layout of the keyboard. They are needed to have a map (ie. visualization) of the keyboard in one's mind so that that finding the keys becomes automatic. Difficulties with figure-ground and and visual-memory may lead to more reliance on the visual skills of looking and scanning (ie. hunting) for the correct keys on the keyboard. This will slow down the typist and can often be observed with "2 finger typists".

Both figure-ground and visual memory skills are also needed to enable a child to maintain their place on the screen when looking down and then up again to keep track of what they are writing on the screen. This is further complicated if the child is copying text to type onto the scren as they are looking at the stimulus, looking at the screen, looking back at the stimulus, looking at the screen, looking a their hands and so forth.

Locating the cursor/pointer may also be difficult for children who have difficulty with figure ground skills. The pointer may look like a large capital "I" when typing text and be confused with the print on screen.

Well I'm please to tell you that that 11 year old girl who learnt to touch type on a word processor can now type approximately 70 words per minute. I use this on a daily basis as an OT and for this blog!

BUT I also pre-wrote most of this article on paper first with scribbes here and there when I edited the order of my work and brainstormed what I wanted to cover!

So don't throw the pen and paper away just yet!

This article is part of the "Functional Skills for Kids Series by Pediatric Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapist". This is the last month of the 12 month series so do go back and check out any months you might have missed! You will find all the childhood functions HERE. Read all Your Kids OT’s monthly posts HERE

Find more information about “keyboarding and typing”, read what other Occupational and Physical Therapists participating in the “Functional Skills for Kids series” have written:

When is My Child Ready to Learn to Keyboard? | Miss Jaime, O.T.
Fine Motor Skills and Typing | Therapy Fun Zone
How to Implement a Keyboarding Club | Sugar Aunts
10 Keyboarding Modifications to Help Kids Type Better | Mama OT
Activities to Help Children Learn to Type | Growing Hands-On Kids
Assistive Technology for Kids Who Struggle With Handwriting | The Inspired Treehouse
Work Station, Positioning and Keyboarding Skills| Your Therapy Source
Visual Perceptual Considerations When Typing | Your Kids OT

BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE!

Have you enjoyed this 12 month series about Functional Skills for Kids? It has been an honour to work along side these amazing therapy bloggers. You can stay in touch with our whole team by joining us on FACEBOOK. Join THE FUNCTIONAL SKILLS FOR KIDS GROUP PAGE to be find out about the books we will producing based our this series and much more!

Cindy Chuan is a registered Occupational Therapist practising in Sydney Australia. She has two young 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. Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.

Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this article to promote products that I recommend. Your Kids OT is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Your Kids OT. 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.

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Activity Book Gift List! Inspire Writing, Drawing and Creativity!

28/11/2016

Activity books are not boring!

If your only experience of activity books are the sticker books or maze books that you find in supermarkets then these books will really wow you!

Now there is nothing wrong with a cheap sticker book filled with super heroes or fairies (in fact my kids have loved these books), however the books I am recommending today do even MORE than keep the kids busy for a little while. These books will inspire your kids to draw, write and to to create, use their imaginations and learn (in a fun way)!

These books do come with a warning label (ok just a precaution from me) that some parent involvement may be required for younger kids. This is actually a huge bonus with side-by-side drawing such a great opportunity for learning, bonding and nurturing. I don't see this as a negative!

OK, so what makes these books so good?!

For younger kids:

DIY ABC by Eleonara Marton - The illustrations in this ABC board board are fantastic. Kids are encouraged to draw, write and even cut in this book (eg. draw the ants in the ant hill, cut the grass). Find this at Amazon or the Book Depository.
The Usborne Big Doodling Book by Fiona Watt - This books prompts doodling and imagination. Similar to the DIY ABC book but for slightly older children. Add features to drawing prompts and decorate. Find this at Amazon or the Book Depository.
Fingerprint Activities Animals by Fiona Watt - We have been long time fans of theEd Emberley finger print books (check them out if you haven't seen them before). This book works on a similar principle with ideas to add doodles and drawings to finger prints. The bonus with this book is that it comes with the ink pad already attached so no further materials are needed. Finger printing is a wonderfully fun and creative way to encourage finger isolation and fine motor manipulation too! Find this at Amazon or the Book Depository.
Lots of things to find and color! by Fiona Watt - As you can see, I'm a huge fan of Fiona Watt and Usborne books! This book has beautiful line drawings ready to find and color (colour - if you are Australian or British). This books encourages visual perceptual skills with scanning, figure ground and discrimination all used to find certain clues given to you by the prompts. Find this at Amazon or the Book Depository.

Journals and Mindfulness

Draw and Write Journal for Kids by Creative Kids - This book encourages some introspection and reflection (eg. draw what you did today). Scaffold lines are provided (ie. additional lines) to encourage letter sizes and spacing so this makes a great book for those wanting to work on handwriting skills at home! This book also encourages general doodling and drawing to personalize the book for your child. Find this at Amazon or theBook Depository.
My First Gratitude Journal by Creative Kids - An introductory book for kids who have never written in a journal and may not have "reflected" before. Kids are encouraged to think about the people in their lives and to be thankful. Younger kids may need help with recording their thought and feelings. Find this at Amazon or the Book Depository.
Start where you are: A Journal for Self Exploration by Meera Lee Patel - This book features inspiriting quotes in hand lettering. It asks open ended questions and prompts your child to think about what THEY think and feel. This book is suited to older kids (10 years and older). Find this at Amazon or the Book Depository.

For Older kids:

How To Be and Explorer of the World by Keri Smith - With a focus on art and science, this book sends your child on a adventure to be an explorer of the world. Your child will collect things, analyze them and document the details. Find this at Amazon or theBook Depository.
FNSH THS BK by Keri Smith - This book is genius! It draws kids in with a mystery and a challenge to help to finish the book! Essentially this book is a series of small writing and drawing challenges to prompt your child to observe their surroundings and put it down into the book! Find this at Amazon or the Book Depository. If you like these two books by Keri Smith, check out her other books too (Amazon Link)!
712 more things to draw by Chronicle Books- A series of drawing prompts that range from a nose to a paperweight to a dust bunny! A fun book to do with your child! Find this at Amazon or the Book Depository.
642 Things to Write About by Chronicle Books - The writing version of the book above may appeal to the those already keen to write or to teenagers (and adults). Find this at Amazon or the Book Depository.
Make Buildings - Inspire the future architect in your child! They will learn about different shapes and features of famous buildings. Your child will experiment with drawing their own buildings too. Find this at Amazon or theBook Depository.
Word Play by Chuck Whelon - Comics! Your child might be a reluctant writer and reader. This book contains a series of pictures with empty speech bubbles. It is up to you child to think about the dialogue they can add to bring these comics to life. Find this at Amazon or the Book Depository.

Would you like to take a quick look inside some of these books? Here is a short video to show you three of the books we are working through!

Don't expect your kids will work through these books cover to cover in one sitting.

I have encouraged my kids to date their entries into these books so that they can pick them up and put them down again. My DD has been working on "712 Things to Draw" with Mr YKOT for several years and that's ok! It is a great way to reflect on how their drawing changes as they grow older and mature. My DS has just started "Make Buildings" with Mr YKOT. Shh don't tell anyone, but my nieces and nephews will be receiving some of these books for Christmas this year!

This article contains affiliate links, however I really love these books! Many of the Amazon links will also give you an inside look of the books as well..

Have you seen any of these activity books? What do your kids think?

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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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Hi, 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.

Why your child presses "too lightly" when writing!

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Crossing the Midline with Rainbow Drawing!

THE "ELASTIC BAND" TRICK FOR PENCIL GRIP AND INSIDE "THE HANDWRITING BOOK"!

Teachers Please Don't!

VISUAL PERCEPTUAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN TYPING!

Activity Book Gift List! Inspire Writing, Drawing and Creativity!

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