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Happy New Year!
As we start 2018, let's take a moment to look back on 2017 and some of the highlights from my little blog! I'm really proud of what I have achieved in 2017 and couldn't have done it without you, my lovely readers! An Author! 2017 started with a bang with the release of two e-books which I co-authored! It has been such a pleasure to work with the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team and achieve the publication of these two e-books. Have you got a copy of The Handwriting Book or The Scissor Skills Book? What did you think? I would love to hear your feedback! Stay tuned for further publications too come!
Popular Blog Articles
The top 5 blog articles for 2017 were:
I was so pleased to bring you some amazing guest posts this year! Here are some of my favourites!
Popular Printables The top 5 printables for 2017 were:
In 2017, I introduced a "guided tour" of the Your Kids OT website for new subscribers! If you haven't joined the tour yet, enter your email address below to start this email sequence which will bring you more highlights of my site. Join the Guided Tour of Your Kids OT!
Wow what a busy year!
Whether you are a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or occupational therapist... I hope you continue to find articles that are interesting to you, tips to help with your child's development, creative ways to make learning fun or professional development for ongoing practice. I know that not all articles will appeal to all of you as you all have different backgrounds, experience and current needs! In the same way, not everyone likes to receive information in the same way. Some like a quick photo and caption (follow me over on Instagram) where you will often get a "behind the scenes" look at my life as a mum and therapist. Some of you are Facebook addicts and enjoy the diverse articles and fun things I share on the YKOT page. A 2017 highlight has been a following of over 11K on Facebook! Thank you again for your ongoing support ofYour Kids OT! If you have any comments or feedback, I always love to hear from you! Looking forward to 2018! 
"Different, Not Less" Dr Temple Grandin.
Dr Temple Grandin is internationally recognized as a renown scientist and spokesperson about her own life as a person with autism. She seeks to help others to understand that people with autism may have differences which make them unique and special. Dr Grandin shares her own experiences so others can gain insight; demystifying what it means for someone to have autism, helping to remove preconceptions and prejudices. "The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin" is a wonderful picture book written by Julia Finley Mosca and illustrated by Daniel Rieley. Presented as a children's book with rhyming couplets and engaging pictures, the book outlines Dr Grandin's life including her struggles in childhood (such as speech, regulating her emotions, social interactions with teachers and peers). The reader journeys with Dr Grandin as she discovers her own unique features and recognizes that she is "different, not less". Whilst the book provides a simplified version of Dr Grandin's life, it provides an age-appropriate introduction to Autism for children to understand. It introduces concepts and themes about visualization (seeing in pictures), difficulties with communication and social skills, acceptance of support, facing adversity, accepting one's weaknesses and strengths, problem solving and learning from mistakes. All children will be able to relate to these themes. We learn how Dr Grandin's perseverance and determination helped her to "march right through that door", leaving readers with a powerful message to embrace their unique characteristics and to stand tall when facing challenges or new experiences. At the end of the book, there is a letter by Dr Grandin to the reader, some fun facts and a timeline of her life. These supplements help the adult reader to understand more about this incredible woman, providing more of the "back story" for those who may be reading about Dr Grandin for the first time. 
TheWorld Health Organization (April, 2017) report that the prevalence for autism is now 1 in 160 children. This means that most children will know of a child who has autism; whether this is within their own family, their school environment or local community. Despite the prevalence of autism, there continues to be many prejudices and preconceived ideas about autism in our society. Books such as "The Girl Who Thought in Pictures" are important for educating both our children and society at large, introducing them to autism in a way that can be related to through the life of Dr Temple Grandin.
I highly recommend this book to families, therapists and schools. I have created a set ofprintable resources to accompany this book which includes writing prompts for a character study, story re-tell, an examination of the themes and a word find puzzle. These printables are FREE for a limited time (offer ends October, 2017), so download them today and buy the book!
Also available from our TPT store!
Have you read "The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Temple Grandin"? I would love to hear what you think of the book!
Disclosure: This product was gifted to Your Kids OT for the purposes of a review. 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. 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.
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 Encouraging a tripod grasp and a child's interest in drawing can be difficult. As an occupational therapist, I am often asked to see these children to help them with their first steps in holding a "drawing implement" and to help them to make meaningful marks on the page. We use the term "tripod grasp" to describe a grasp of the pencil or crayon with three fingers of the hand (thumb, index and third finger). Ideally, movement and control of the implement also comes from the muscles of these fingers. By about 4 years of age, a child can be encouraged to use a tripod grasp. Not sure if your child is holding the pencil or crayon the way they should be? Refer to this article HERE which talks about developmentally appropriate pencil grasps, inefficient and functional grasps. Introducing "Effortless Art Crayons" by Two Sparrows Learning Systems. "Effortless Art Crayons" are a uniquely shaped crayon which was originally designed with input from an occupational therapist. They are short triangular shaped crayons that may be used at either end. There is also a small raised section in the centre which may be used to assist grip (but doesn't need to be). This unique shape works well for children of all ages. I found that the young OT kids whom I see (who are yet to develop a tripod grasp), held these crayons comfortably. I encouraged these children to "pinch" the crayon, although the triangular shape lends itself to be held with one finger on each surface (ie. a tripod grasp). There are six points of contact of the crayon to the page from the triangular ends, rather than the traditional one rounded end of a crayon promoting success in those beginning to marks on the page. The crayons glide along the page easily, which explains the "effortless" in the name of this crayon. Children do not need to exert much pressure onto the page which is really helpful if they have poor hand strength and poor control. Read about more tips for those who have difficulty with pencil pressure HERE.  We also found that the crayons could draw a controlled thin line or a thicker shaded line (the "art" aspect of the crayon). My daughter, Miss 10 years especially enjoyed using these crayons to create! According to her, they are the "best crayons ever" as they give her the control that she would otherwise have from pastels or coloured pencils but with the shading and depth of colour of a crayon. {I have a feeling that I may have lost this set of crayons to her!} Two Sparrows Learning System is a family owned business owned by Nancy and Jason. Nancy is a former special education teacher. The company vision is to "create learning products for all ages and abilities that are intuitive, inclusive, and environmentally conscious in design". The "Effortless Art Crayons" are their first product and are hand made from 100% recycled crayons! This is a terrific initiative where old crayons are collected (and saved from being dumped in our environment) to produce these unique products. "Effortless Art Crayons" are currently only available for shipping in the USA, however follow Two Sparrows Learning Systems on Facebook or Instagram to be kept up-to-date with new products and initiatives. What is your favourite crayon for those developing a tripod grasp? Have you tried these? 
Disclosure: This product was gifted to Your Kids OT for the purposes of a review. 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. You may also like:
Last week we looked at the gross motor skills involved with page stabilization. If you missed it, catch up on it here (Gross motor skills needed for page stabilization during writing)!
But what if your child is still struggling to hold their paper whilst they write or draw? I was recently introduced to the Stay Put Mat: Non Slip Writing Aid! The Stay Put Mat:Non Slip Writing Aid was designed by a mom to help manage slipping papers on a table. The Stay Put Mat:Non Slip Writing Aid consists of a magnetic frame made on a non-slip base. It is durable and lightweight and easy to transport around (so important for a mobile OT)! I have been testing the Stay Put Mat:Non Slip Writing Aid in my OT sessions and these are my favorite ways to use this non-slip mat!
I especially love how the page does not get marked with use in the Stay Put Mat. There are no tape marks or blue-tak stains. There are no rips, tears or creases either! 
Who would benefit from use of the Stay Put Mat:Non Slip Writing Aid?
The Stay Put Mat:Non Slip Writing Aid provides an innovative attractive way to compensate for difficulties with page stabilization. It would benefit:
Occupational Therapists will find this mat invaluable! For more information bout the Stay Put Mat: Non Slip Writing Aid, visit the website "STAY PUT MAT"! Have you tried this mat? 
Disclosure: This product was gifted to Your Kids OT for the purposes of a review. 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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As an occupational therapist and mum, I always have a mental checklist when I am buying toys for my own kids, my practice and as gifts for others.
I have recently discovered the beautiful range of Click Clack Toys: "Designing for today's kids for tomorrow's world"! Click Clack Toys is an Australian owned company which designs and makes handmade toys. Click Clack Toys have sent me some of their toys for the purposes of review and have a given me an "Airport Starter Kit" and "Helicopter" to giveaway to one lucky Australian reader. More details to follow below. Back to my checklist when choosing toys... Is the toy well made? I was really pleased to "feel" the Click Clack Toys. The wood is really smooth and made from sustainably managed plantation timber forests. They use water-based non-toxic paint which add really great detail to the toys and won't scratch off easily. Does the toy promote skill development (motor, visual-motor, problem solving, pretend play, co-operation, sensory)? A big tick here! The unique design and main feature of these toys are that they "click" together. Children are encouraged to join parts of the toy together to make a whole. From a simple animal "Critterz" that has two parts to a more complex vehicle and then to building a structure that houses the vehicle. This promotes your child's busy fingers to match components using fine motor skills, hand strength as well as their problem solving skills. Younger kids will need help to match the right parts together. Once "clicked" into place, the toys are ready to be played with! This is where imaginary and pretend play take over. There are a wide range of vehicles in the range including a plane, helicopter, police car, postal van, fire truck and more. Made at just the right size for little hands to move, these vehicles can be used to create their own stories of rescue, delivery and construction. Children develop play themes from their experience with books, story telling and real life opportunities. Visiting the local fire station may encourage "fire truck" play to rescue people or animals. Watching a building site may encourage "diggers" and "cement mixers" to create their own work site. Seeing a plane flying over the house may create intrigue about "plane" and "airport" play. ​ The "Critterz" range are incredibly cute animals that "pull back" on wheels. Hand skills are put into practise applying just enough pressure to activate the "pull back" mechanism before seeing these animals race away. Great for racing with a friend or sibling. We found the perfect spot on the trampoline! 
​Is the toy "open ended"? Can it used in a few different ways?
These toys are definitely "open ended". Although the nature of the vehicle, structure and animal may guide initial play ideas... there are no set rules. Children may play with these toys and have a different "story" each time. The "helicopter" might fly to rescue someone an accident in the snowy mountains one day and then fly on a sight-seeing tour over a volcano next time. Some children will need help to think of new ideas as play is initially limited to personal experiences. To extend play, children may like to use existing toys or create their own extensions. For example, they may create a cardboard city for the people to visit. They may use blocks to build a bridge or animal shelter. They may use playdough or kinetic sand as a "building material" for the construction toys. Changing "where" your child plays with their toys will also extend play. We took our play set and critterz onto the trampoline! Will the toy endure the test of time? These quality toys are "classics". They do not follow the latest blockbuster movie or cartoon character. These toys build on traditional play experiences. These toys are built to last and can be passed onto the next generation! Is the toy appealing? When we opened the box, my children instantly found the toys appealing. They are child-friendly in size and shape. The painted features and life-like resemblance of the toys will appeal to both kids and adults. The wheels work on the vehicles and "Critterz", moving these great distances on smooth surfaces. Both Mr 6 and Miss 10 found this very appealing as they raced their "Critterz". ​​ For more information about Click Clack Toys, refer to their website. 
Love the sound of Click Clack Toys? Thanks to the lovely people at Click Clack Toys, I am giving away an "Airport Starter Kit and Helicopter" to celebrate reaching 4000 Your Kids OT FB likers! This set will make an excellent Christmas present for your child, niece, nephew or grand child! Open to Australian residents, enter now!
Note: I have not received remuneration or compensation from Click Clack Toys. I have been gifted an "Airport Starter Kit and Helicopter" and Critterz for this review. All comments and opinions are my own. Click Clack Toys will supply the winner of this giveaway an "Airport Starter Kit and Helicopter". Conditions apply. 1. This is a game of skill. Mandatory requirements include visiting Your Kids OT FB page and Click Clack Toys FB page. Entries must answer the question "Complete Click Clack Toys slogan - Designing for today's kids for ........". Additional entry points are given for following Your Kids OT and Click Clack Toys on Instagram. 2. This game is open to Australian residents only. 3. This game of skill is open from Monday 26/09/2016 12am and closes Monday 17/10/2016 12am (Sydney time). 4. Eligible prize winners will be drawn randomly on the 17/10/2016 at 12:00PM. Prize winners will be notified via YOUR KIDS OT Facebook page and private message. Prize winners must inform Your Kids OT of their mailing address within 48 hours of being notified as the winning entry. 5. There will be 1 prize winner drawn with the winner receiving an airport starter pack and helicopter. The prize will be delivered by Click Clack toys directly to the winner. 
As an OT and as a mum, I love seeing my kids become more independent. I love seeing them in the kitchen learning skills for life. I love seeing them planning, organising and making healthy choices. The Breville Boss To Goâ„¢ Plus machine is a handy tool to encourage independence in the kitchen.
I have created these simple breakfast smoothie recipes to help your kids start the day! Miss 9 loves using the Breville Boss To Goâ„¢ Plus to make these herself. The Breville Boss To Goâ„¢ Plus is a personal blender with a powerful 1000 watt motor. I really love the cafe style tumblers that it comes with that can be used to load up the ingredients. The tumblers have a smooth edge which means Miss 9 can drink straight out of them after she makes her smoothie. Travel lids supplied are perfect additions to the tumblers if we are running late in the morning! 
SENSORY BENEFITS - ORAL MOTOR INPUT
Oral motor input is important for the organization of the central nervous system (Williams and Shellenberger, 1994) and can help with regulating attention and mood (Oetter, Richter and Frick, 1993). Using the "oral system" is therefore a great way to start the day! ​​ You could also encourage your child to use a straw to drink their breakfast smoothie. "Sucking is also a calming and organizing activity which requires closing the lips, lip strength and the ability to hold the jaw in a stable position" (Yack, Aquilla and Sutton, 2015). Smoothies tend to be thicker than juices so require a stronger sucking action. You could try a novelty winding straw to encourage even stronger oral input. ​ 
These breakfast smoothie combinations are milk-based. You may use full cream or lite milk or experiment with alternatives such as soy or almond milk. The fruit suggestions may also be changed according to seasonal preferences or your child's tastes. The Breville Boss To Goâ„¢ Plus boasts up to 42% finer particle size compared to some popular personal blenders so you can blend your smoothie to your desired consistency. I would also recommend drinking these smoothies straight away as they get really thick over time! Adding more milk or ice cubes will also help to make your smoothie thinner.
We also made our own almond meal to add to the Mango Sunrise Smoothie using the Breville Boss To Go™ Plus to grind up a handful of almonds in the stainless steel tumbler. It was so quick and easy to do! We have been making lots of non-diary juices and ice lollies using the Breville Boss To Go™ Plus! Stay tuned for more recipes to come. I hope you and your kids enjoy these breakfast smoothies! ​ 
Disclosure: The Breville Boss To Goâ„¢ Plus was gifted to Your Kids OT for review. I did not receive remuneration for this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
References: Williams, M. & Shellenberger, S. (1994) "How Does Your Engine Run?":A Leader's Guide to The Alert Program for Self-Regulation. Stillwater:PDP Press Oetter, P., Richter, E. & Frick, S. (1998) M.O.R.E.:Integrating the Mouth with Sensory and Postural Funcitons. Hugo:PDP Press Yack, E., Aquilla, P. and Sutton, S. (2015) Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration (Third Edition). You may also like: ​
​"Autism Discovery Tool: Sensory from Within" by Spectrum Idea Lab is an innovate app that was designed as a communication tool to help with the conversation about autism and sensory processing. It can be used with those who have autism to help them to gain self awareness. It can also be used as an educational tool for parents, siblings, classmates, extended family or friends who want to gain an insight into autism and sensory processing. The app may also be used by teachers and therapists to further their learning and development.
There are seven sensory experiences to explore in the "Autism Discovery Tool: Sensory from Within" app. These sensory experiences are vision (in a library), hearing (in a classroom), smell (in a kitchen), taste (make a smoothie), touch (in a shower), balance (in a playground), body position (playing mini golf). I will show you some screenshots through the "smell" experience to provide an explanation of this app. On the first page labelled "typical" you will find a picture of the scene (in this case a kitchen) and a definition (visual and auditory explanation) of the sensory area . There is also a picture of a suitcase on the top right of the screen which is a sensory "toolbox". 
​Each sensory system has an explanation (visual and auditory explanation) of how some people are oversensitive, others undersensitive, others have a distortion of the sense and others have an enhanced sense. There are various animations that occur depending on each of these variations. For example in "smell" the puffs of steam that rise from various items in the "kitchen" change as you explore the various sensitivities a person may experience in relation to smell.
There are several sensory "strategies" to uncover for each sense which are added to the sensory "toolbox" as you open them. There is a verbal explanation and sometimes an animation of the sensory strategy that matches. In this example, there is an explanation about adjusting airflow whilst you open the window. These strategies can be access at any time during the discovery of smell (eg. whilst exploring undersensitive, typical, distorted, etc).
Once all the strategies are found, you can review them in the toolbox. You can also start over with the rewind button in the bottom right hand corner.
When re-starting the app, the whole app may be "reset" to use again with a different person or to begin the discovery again. You may select any sense and there is no particular order required when using the app. 
​The "Autism Discovery Tool: Sensory from Within" app is unique and provides a user-friendly interface to explain how sensory triggers may impact a person with autism both in terms of strengths and challenges. It also provides some sensory strategies which may be of benefit to those with sensory sensitivities. Whilst the app was designed for people with autism, the explanations relating to sensory sensitivities and strategies may also be applicable to others who experience sensory processing or modulation disorders.
This app is a fantastic educational tool! I think that it is ideally used between someone keen to learn and someone with some understanding of autism and sensory processing (such as an occupational therapist). It is possible to navigate this app without any prior knowledge, however, there may be further explanations required. This app would be suitable for 1:1 conversations or even presented to a group of people. The app is suitable for children as they will enjoy the interactive nature of the pages, however they will probably not be able to take in all the information at one time. They will also need an adult to help to navigate through the app depending on their age and abilities. Overall this app helps the reader to gain insight and empathy for those with autism through an understanding of their sensory experiences. It is a really unique app that lets you "experience" sensory environments through the play features. April is Autism Awareness Month, so help raise awareness about Autism and share this useful app with those in your work place, mother's groups, FB groups, family and friends. Do you know someone who would benefit from this app? Make sure you enter the giveaway below (open to Australian residents only)! 
Disclosure: Autism Discovery Tool: Sensory From Within App was gifted to Your Kids OT for editorial consideration. Spectrum Idea Lab have also gifted 5 promo codes towards a giveaway of this app. I received no remuneration for this post and will receive no commission from any purchases of this app. All opinions expressed are my own and based on my expertise, experience and personal opinion. ​
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I love this time of the year.! The end of the school year is fast approaching, the anticipation of Christmas is exhilarating and summer holidays at the beach tantalizingly close!
Here is a round up of my favourite travel toys and games! Of course, me being me these games make learning fun and your child may even work on their play skills, fine motor skills, social skills, visual perceptual or motor planning skills whilst they play! They would be excellent presents or stocking stuffers for Christmas too! ​​ Note: Stores listed below are Australian. International readers may wish to try their local toy stores or larger toy distributors such as Amazon for similar products. 
FOR TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS!
1. Train Tape - A roll of tape with train tracks available from Finlee and ME comes with one small train. Such a simple idea that your train-crazy kids will love. It certainly beats bringing heaps of wooden or plastic track with you. The tape can be stuck onto carpet or floorboards and removed when you finish your holiday. Best to do a test first especially if you are at a holiday house. To make it last a bit longer, you could tape it down onto large cardboard sheets and fold it up. We combined the train tape with paper plates and Mr 5 used his own trains. He also decorated the paper plates as "stations" with houses and stickers. A fabulous way to encourage imaginary play whilst on holiday! 
2.Water Painting Books - You can find these any chain stores such as Big W, Target and Kmart. We love these Melissa and Doug "On the Go" series books available from Kids Stuff. Just fill the "pencil" with water and "colour in" the page. The picture then turns to a colour print.
3. Kids Animial Torch - These hand push torches by Typo are so cute! Kids love playing with "light" so why not encourage their hand strength "squeezing" these torches at the same time! 4. Young Ones Carry Along BBQ and Beauty Salon - Cute carry along "suitcases" available from Target Australia. Bring your imaginary play on holidays with these all-in-one sets. I love how the suitcase itself forms part of the play either as a BBQ or Beauty Salon and all the pieces fit back into the suitcase. 5. Torch Projector Space - Insert the provided discs to project a picture of space (nebulae and galaxies). Available from theAustralian Geographic Shop, this torch may foster imagination for budding astronauts as well as encourage some fine motor manipulation. 6. Playskool Potato Head Marvel Mashable Heroes - These mini "Mr Potato Heads" have superhero outfits to create Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine and Iron Man. They are fantastic for keeping hands busy with pushing and pulling whilst imaginary play with the superhero characters is great too! These toys are available from a range of toy shops, including Toys R Us. These are popular with "big" kids too! 7. Our Generation Doll - These 45 cm dolls have soft bodies and are very cuddly. Perfect to bring on a road trip or even a plane ride to keep your child company. They are very natural looking dolls with age-appropriate proportions. There are a range of accessories available to change outfits or for further pretend play. These dolls are available from Kmart and David Jones. This doll is also suitable for older kids looking for an alternative to a "baby" doll. 8. Spexa: Doll's House Book - This "doll's house" unfolds into four different room scenes ready for your child to add their own doll or puppet to play. Available from IKEA Australia it is portable and easy to fold back. Great for imaginary play as well as visual scanning and visual figure ground skills as your child looks at the details of their "house". 
FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN
​1. Travel size Connect Four, Battleship, Guess Who and Hangman by Blue Opal Australia- I purchased these games at a local toy shop and I use them a lot in my OT sessions! School age kids will love these travel size versions of their favourite games and they can inadvertently work on their pincer grip, visual perceptual and fine motor skills at the same time! 2. Snake Puzzle - A classic fidget toy with a wide range of colours from Smiggle. Hours of fun making new shapes and patterns, keeping hands and fingers busy with the manipulation. 3. Make a Match Memory Game - Woodland Friends Edition - This beautiful wooden memory game comes in a small drawstring bag. The pictures are black ink drawings and will prompt creative imaginary play as well as visual memory. It is available from Finlee and Me. 4. Laser Peg Light Up toys - These light up toys are available from a range of toy stores including Toys R Us. Each box comes with a number of different models which can be copied. Laser Pegs are also compatible with "other bricks" and has an added bonus of lighting up. Kids can work on their visual motor skills as well as their fine motor manipulation with this toy! 5. Spirograph - A classic arts and craft set that comes in a transportable tin. "Originally developed as a drafting tool by a mechanical engineer, the distinctive wheels and rings of Spirograph cleverly combine the principles of art and maths in a unique way that has inspired generations!" I remember loving this as a child and your child can spend hours making their own patterns and designs. Available from Kids Stuff. 6. Stunt Kite - Loved by kids of all ages, kites are the perfect thing to throw into the car for run at the beach or park. These stunt kites are available fromKmart and will get your kids moving! ​​ 7. Solar Power Kit - A variety of kits available from the Australian Geographic Store. Your child will love clipping the pieces together to form various models (ranging from 6-12 models depending on the kit). You don't need glue, paint, nails or batteries! Learn the principles of solar power whilst watching your model go. 8. Cat's Cradle - This version of the string game from Smiggle comes with a useful instruction booklet. Your child can work on their bilateral coordination as they use both hands together to manipulate the string. Are you travelling these holidays? What is your child's favourite travel toy or game? 
Disclosure: Train Tape was gifted to me by Finlee and Me to provide a blog post for their site. I have not been paid any renumeration by any of the companies listed here. There are no affiliate links and I do not benefit financially by recommending these toys and games. All opinions expressed are based are my own and toys have been purchased from my own funds.
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A "no-mess" moulding goo? We had to try this out!
I purchased these for $1 a tub from Kmart (price is now $1.50 Aust). It comes in a range of colours and is not suitable for children less that 3 years of age. Definitely a potential choking hazard! It says "sticky but not wet" on the label and it was. The moulding goo is made from little polystyrene balls that stick together. The first challenge is to get it out the plastic container as it is so sticky. 
Once out of the container, you can shape the goo with your fingers and hands into basically whatever you want. You can roll it into balls or press it into a mould.
Mr 5 found it a challenge to think of ideas for moulding and wasn't very fond of the "stickiness" of the balls. Miss 9 enjoyed pressing the goo into shape moulds and mixing the colours to come up with a creation. Separating the colours out again was pretty impossible so if you want separate colours don't mix them in the first place! Suitable for children 3 years and older, this activity should be supervised with preschoolers as it should not be consumed! Three year olds will be able to manipulate and shape this "goo" without leaving a mess on your table or floor. It also never dries out so if it is not packed away straight after use it will be fine to use again and again. OTs may find this a great alternative to take along to therapy sessions as an alternative sensory experience. It can be used to encourage exploratory play as well as an opportunity to develop fine motor skills. ​ A cheap alternative sensory experience. Have your kids tried it? 
Note: I have received no remuneration for this post and all comments made are my own.
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Looking for more sensory experiences? Try these...
 When colouring-in doesn't stay on the page! Quiver-3D Coloring App is designed to bring your colouring-in to life! Formally known as ColarMix, this app has been around for a few years. It has always been a hit with kids I see for OT. With a few upgrades, Quiver-3D Coloring App has developed with more interaction and appeal! What do you need? 1. Download the Quiver-3D Coloring App for free (however you will need to pay to use certain "packs"). 2. Visit the Quiver website to download colouring-in pages and print off the pages you want to use. 3. Encourage your child to colour-in the pages (or you could colour-in a page too! Watching a "grown up" colour-in can be incredibly motivating for children). 4. Open the app and hover your device over the colouring-in page. Select the page and then once processed keep holding the device to see the page come to life. Most pages have an interactive component so that you can press to activate fireworks, kick a ball, squirt the fire hose, etc. 
 
The app has a few options whilst playing such as taking a photo, recording a video or changing the size of characters. Here is a video we recorded of Mr 5's colouring-in. He was thrilled to see the fireworks actually take off and explode! {Note: If you are reading this in an email, you may need to click on the title of this article to take you to a live web page to view the video.} Young children will need help to hold the device whilst they press the screen for interactive play. We found that this worked whether the page was flat on the table or stuck to a vertical surface. This app is a fantastic way to encourage colouring-in the traditional "crayon to paper" way we have always coloured-in. The surprise is the magical touch of bringing your child's pictures to life. Your kids will love it! With so many amazing apps encouraging "device colouring-in" where the screen is coloured in with a stylus or finger, it is refreshing to see kids being encouraged to put marks on actual paper. Colouring-in is a great way to prepare kids for handwriting. Here are 5 ways your child can benefit from "traditional colouring-in"... 1) Proprioceptive feedback - It is important for kids to learn about pressure applied to the page. Too much and the output is dark (or you break a pencil or make a hole in the page), too little and the output is light. Trying different tools (ie. crayons, textas, pencils, paint) can provide different outputs. Which tool is easier to colour in large spaces? 2) Hand dominance and bilateral coordination - Which hand is used to colour in? Does your child switch hands when they move across their bodies to colour? Is one hand being a "helper" to stop the paper from moving? 3) Dynamic Tripod grasp and wrist position - How does your child hold the pencil? What is developmentally appropriate? Do they hook their wrist? Do they move their whole hand as they colour? 4) Observing visual cues - Does your child notice they boundaries where they should colour-in? Depending on their age, you may encourage different colours for different parts of the picture. 5) Pride in their work - Children love praise. They love recognition of what they have done and this reinforces their behaviour, encouraging them to repeat it! All children love having their "work" displayed. Perhaps you could display their "picture of the week" and change it in a prominent position (the fridge is always popular)? Some of you may be reading this shaking your heads! What is the world coming to where we need to be reminded of the benefits of traditional "colouring-in"...well this is the way things are right now. Technology is here to stay and evolving all the time. Our kids are part of this digital age with all it's expectations. I love how this app brings both the traditional and modern together. Have you got a reluctant "colourer"? Would this app motivate your child to "colour-in"?  Disclosure: No remuneration was received for this article. All opinions expressed here are my own. You may also like this:
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AuthorHi, I'm Cindy and I am an Occupational Therapist. I enjoy working creatively with children to see them reach their potential. Read more about me here. 
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Disclaimer: The information on this site is general in nature and should be used for educational and entertainment purposes. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. This blog does not replace formal therapeutic professional advice given by a health professional or medical practitioner. Reviews and endorsements of products will only be made based on my expertise and personal opinion; and deemed worthy of such endorsement. The opinions shared in sponsored content will always be my own and not that of the advertising company or brand. Content, advertising space or posts will be clearly identified if paid, affiliated or sponsored. Affiliate links may be found throughout this website in advertising. This means that if you follow through with a purchase from these links, Your Kids OT will receive a percentage of the sale. Your Kids OT undertakes to meet the requirements of the "Social Media Policy" as published by Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Further information about this policy can be found here.
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About me
AuthorHi, I'm Cindy and I am an Occupational Therapist. I enjoy working creatively with children to see them reach their potential. Read more about me here. 
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