Swimming is one of the primary motor skills every human being should acquire. Why? It may save your life some day. So how do you go about teaching your child to swim? There are many excellent swimming programs available and this site does not intend to be an exhaustive guide in swimming skill development. As […]
Age old simple toys are often packed with the most benefit. Take the Dreidel, a simple gift found during the holiday season. These toys offer a fine motor challenge that refines the pincer grasp and increases coordination of the fingers. Benefits: Visual focus: holding the toy correctly requires guidance from the eyes and visual attention. […]
It is always fun to see the reaction of children when I pull out a plunger to play with. Even at a very young age, children acquire a sense of place – and plungers belong in the toilet, certainly not in the gross motor room. After I assure them that the plunger I use has […]
Play dough is a favorite of many children. This time tested activity strengthen the hands and is a great entrée into touch exploration. Benefits: Hand strengthening occurs when the fingers are fully extended (straight) and used to press down and roll the dough back and forth to make coils. Children, typically call these “snakes” or “hot dogs.” Isolating […]
Some people say I’m lucky because I never had to spend a lot of money on a “professional wardrobe.” If I had to give one reason why I couldn’t indulge myself in stylish skirts and dresses I’d sum it up in two words: “Crab Walking.” As a “go to” activity for trunk strengthening and improving […]
When I walk into a classroom, many of the students lift their heads expectantly and frequently plead, “Take me!” I carry a bag of toys. Each toy, ofcourse has a purpose, and some are actually quite difficult. But the kids always step up to the challenge. A favorite of theirs (which always brings a crowd) […]
Long ago I was an “Itinerant Therapist.” This meant that I traveled to children’s homes to work with them, lugging all my equipment and bag of trick with me. I will always be exceedingly grateful to the many families who opened their homes week after week for me to”play” with their children. The forbearance and […]
Call me old fashioned but I love board games. A while ago, the Sunday NY Times* ran a front page article about classic board games and the value of reproducing them digitally. While certain strategies and dynamics of a game stay intact, I want to list the many aspects of a PHYSICAL Board game that build […]