Art

5 Tools to Support Handwriting Legibility

5 Tools to Support Handwriting Legibility

Completing handwritten pencil and paper work can be an important part of a student’s day.  For students who struggle to write legibly, there are tools that can help.  Here are 5 of my favorite tools to help support handwriting legibility.   1. Slant Board In order to...

Fun Friday in the Classroom

Fun Friday in the Classroom

Incorporating Fun Friday into your lesson planning will provide various hands-on learning opportunities for your students.  It is a great way to end the week and give students a chance to get creative!Cooking and Art Incorporating cooking and art into your classroom...

Winter Fun!

Winter Fun!

Beat the Winter Blues By January, when the holidays are over and everything settles into routine, the winter blues can set in. The weather in the mid-west gets cold, rainy, snowy, and gross. Indoor recess becomes the norm, and students (and staff!) get restless. Some...

5 Ways to Use Play-Doh in the Classroom

5 Ways to Use Play-Doh in the Classroom

Play-doh is one of my all time favorite materials to use as an OT. It is extremely versatile, readily available and affordable.  Almost all of my students love engaging with it.  Not only is play-doh fun, but there are also so many therapeutic benefits!  Here are my...

How to Encourage the Art Process

How to Encourage the Art Process

As an OT working in schools, many of my younger students have goals to participate in multistep fine and visual motor activities.  This often includes those adorable art projects we all know and love! My favorite part about these activities is the process.  However,...

3 Ways to Use Highlighters Within Classroom Tasks

3 Ways to Use Highlighters Within Classroom Tasks

Highlighters are a simple tool that I find myself using a ton with students.  They are inexpensive, portable and easily accessible.  Classrooms almost always have highlighters available, which is great for me as a school based OT.  Obviously, one way to use...

3 Easy Hand Strengthening Activities

3 Easy Hand Strengthening Activities

Having adequate hand strength is essential in order to perform many daily skills. Check out this post for more about hand strength and a few activity ideas to get you started.  Today, I want to highlight 3 additional easy hand strengthening activities that you can...

OT Tips for Choosing School Supplies

OT Tips for Choosing School Supplies

I know it is July, but before we know it the new school year will be upon us. With a new school year comes school supply shopping!  Some of you may be preparing now to return in August or may be looking to get your shopping done early.  If you don’t go back to school...

All About Puzzles

All About Puzzles

Puzzles are a great way to work on fine and visual motor skills, visual perceptual skills and problem solving skills. Additionally, they can also be a calming self regulation tool or rec/leisure option. There are so many different kinds of puzzles out there and it can...

Summer Learning Bags For All

Summer Learning Bags For All

Purchasing Materials   Our school district administration was able to purchase materials for each student in our entire school! We used these materials to create and send home Summer Learning Bags. These materials differ from what was sent home throughout the...

5 OT Tips for Teaching Coloring Skills

5 OT Tips for Teaching Coloring Skills

Coloring is another important school related fine motor skill for children to learn.  While some students may be very motivated to color independently, other students may need more support to engage successfully.  There are some simple ways you can support your...

5 OT Tips for Teaching Name Writing

5 OT Tips for Teaching Name Writing

One of the most common motor skills students practice in school is learning to write their name.  Kids are asked to identify and write their name all the time in the classroom, on class work, tests, and other required activities.  Even as my students enter high school...

All About Hand Strength

All About Hand Strength

One of the main reasons students may get referred to OT relates to difficulty with fine motor skills and handwriting.  Kids are not necessarily playing the same way they used to, which can really impact development of important motor skills, especially hand strength. ...

Three Easy to Implement Virtual Ideas

Three Easy to Implement Virtual Ideas

I love finding easy to implement ideas for my families at home.  Whether you’re teaching completely virtual, a hybrid, or coaching families, utilizing activities that most households have materials for is so important!  I never want families to feel like they need to...