The BEST of 2016!

It has been a wonderful year for the YOUR KIDS OT blog (besides being sent a ransom virus which wiped out my computer files just before Christmas - eek) !

Thank you for reading and commenting on my articles as well as purchasing my resources! 

This article will bring the most popular content for 2016! Perhaps you missed one?! What was your favourite? 

MOST POPULAR POSTS - NEW TO 2016
​1. Visual Perceptual Skills Required for Handwriting! We started the Functional Skills for Kids Series last year with this popular article! Read about different aspects of visual perception and its impact on letter formation, size and spacing. 

2. Why is my child "just playing" when they see an OT? This article outlines the importance of play as a childhood occupation as well how therapists use "play" in therapy.  There are details about finding a "just right challenge", using play as a medium to achieve goals and play as a goal in itself. There are practical ways to encourage your child to learn through play at home. 

3. Quick Ways to Calm Down: Sea Life Sensory Solutions. Inspired by the sea, learn how to make a "puffer fish puff", "clam cuddle", "turtle tongue" and a "starfish stretch".  Based on sensory processing theory, these "calm down techniques" facilitate self regulation through breathing and proproiceptive input. Later in the year I also added colouring pages to this free printable! 

4. Sensory Triggers in the classroom. This article outlines sensory triggers that your child may experience in the classroom.  Children may be over-responsive or under-responsive to stimuli in the classroom.  The article considers visual, auditory, touch, movement, oral and olfactory (smell) triggers and includes a free printable.

5. Brain Breaks To Help Concentration in the Classroom. Looking back on brain-based education and also considering sensory integration principles, "brain breaks" may be used to "alert" or to calm" children down in a classroom environment. Find some popular "brain breaks" that teacher's love to use!

6. Motion Sickness - A Sensory Issue. Sensory Triggers when travelling in a car. Have you considered the sensory information that your child may be processing when travelling in a car? This article looks at the visual, auditory, proprioceptive, vestibular, oral and olfactory triggers that your child may experience in a car that may lead to discomfort and motion sickness.  Later I also wrote some helpful tips with "Sensory Solutions When travelling in the Car".  

7. Teaching Concepts for Potty Training.  You can begin "potty training" way before your child is physically ready to use the potty.  Consider the "concepts" they need to know like back/front, wet/dry and dirty/clean. Simple counting and body awareness are also important concepts for children to grasp before potty training begins!

8. Sensory Considerations for Dressing. Another popular article looking at which sensory triggers can affect a child's willingness to get dressed or undressed.  This article explores sensory triggers, looks at your child's behaviour, provides strategies as well as a free checklist!

9. I can brush my teeth! Tips for Tooth Brushing and Oral Care. This is an important personal hygiene task for everybody! This articles looks at developmental ages and stages to encourage tooth brushing for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children. This article also addresses the components needed for tooth brushing with fine motor, gross motor, visual motor, sensory, attention and concentration skills. There is a guide to an oral desensitisation protocol as well as free printable resources (tip sheet, rewards chart and checklist)! 

10. 4 Ways to Modify Meal Times for Fussy Eaters.  Take the stress out of meal times finding alternate cutlery, dinnerware and lunchboxes. Encourage a regular routine and hide extra veggies in meals!  

MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS 2016!
1. Sea Life Sensory Solutions (Quick Ways to Calm Down).
2. Sensory Triggers in the Classroom.
3. Pencil Grip Reference Sheet.
4. Sensory Diet Reference Sheet.
5. Visual Perception Reference sheet.
Some readers also chose to purchase some of these popular sheets in a bundle with the newly launched "Bilateral Coordination and Laterality Reference Sheet".  Find details of the discounted bundle package here!

FUN FACTS 2016!

• YKOT readers come from all over the world with the top 5 countries being the United States of America, Great Britian, Australia, Canada and South Africa.
• YKOT readers are referred to articles via social media with the top 5 being Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Blogger andInstagram.  I would love to know if you come via Twitter and Blogger as I don't have accounts on these!
• YKOT was pleased to bring you 2 guest posts from Lauren at Teacher Types who wrote some "Helpful hints for learning sight words" and Angela from Balanced and Barefoot who wrote about "How the natural world enriches and supports the developing child". 
• FREEBIES - You love my freebies and in 2016 I brought you 12 FREE Printables! Check them all out here (as well as some older ones).

Certainly a highlight for me in 2016 has been participating in the "Functional Skills for Kids" Blog Series with some amazing bloggers.  We are working behind the scenes to publish our first book soon! Don't forget to subscribe to the Facebook group to be the first to find out about our launch and receive discounts! 

Are you new to YKOT? What article or resource brought you to my site?
What was your favourite in 2016?

I would love to hear from you and look forward to another great year in 2017!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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.