BookLook Blogger Review - I Am: 40 Reasons to Trust God by Diane Stortz; Illustrated by Diane Le Feyer

I Am: 40 Reasons to Trust God written by Diane Stortz is the most recent book I selected from the BookLook Blogger program to review, because we were in need of a new devotional. It contains 40 Bible Stories, Devotions, and Prayers About the Names of God. The 224-page colorful book is illustrated by Diane Le Feyer and published by Tommy Nelson. This hardcover children's devotion is suitable for children ages 4 to 8. As children read and learn more about God; they'll discover his love for them.

The textured cover of the glittery book is absolutely beautiful and sparkling. It makes me think of God's light shining in our hearts and life. The book contains brightly animated and detailed illustrations within the pages that you'll surely adore and appreciate. 

The four-page Table of Contents precedes A Letter to Parents. The book addresses stories from BOTH the Old and the New Testament. The Bible stories begin with Genesis and end with Revelation. Each page features one of the names of God with a pronunciation guide for more difficult names followed by the story title.

A referenced scripture is indicated at the top of the page. A Bible story related to the verse helps the reader apply the newfound knowledge to their life. A Biblical truth or main idea is provided in a light purple banner on the page. For example, on page 128-129 the scripture verse is Luke 5:31-32 (ICB) which states "It is the sick who need a doctor . . . I have come to invite sinners to change their hearts and lives!" The translations for the scripture verses and passages referenced vary. The related Biblical truth stated in the banner is "Jesus heals and forgives." The Bible story titled Great Physician: Up, Down, Up was about four men in Capernaum who lowered their paralyzed friend down on a mat through the roof of a house where Jesus was staying to be healed. Jesus asked the man to get up, pick up his mat, and go home after telling them he had authority to heal and forgive sins. The Devotion for the day consist of approximately 2-4 pages in length. A corresponding Prayer concludes the devotion. In the case of the story above, the prayer was "Dear God, thank you for Jesus, our Great Physician. I'm glad He knows how to make me well. Amen." My 8-year-old daughter will most likely read aloud each prayer every day with me.

On the next page, a What Does It Mean section explains the story in age-appropriate terms for children. There is a Learn More feature which enables the child to dig deeper into Bible scripture in relation to the specific truth being discovered. An additional referenced Bible verse and story are given to explore each particular name of God further. The book referred us to Matthew 8:14-15 to read another account of God's healing work. What Happened Next? helps the reader visualize the story during a specific time period. It summarizes the events that follow next in the story.

The author explains in the book that some Bible names for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit may also be descriptive titles. Several of the names taught and featured are Great Physician, Son of God, Teacher (Rabbi), Cornerstone, I Am, Jehovah Jireh, Immanuel, Creator, The Lord My Rock, Holy One, Bread of Life, Logos, Abba, and Messiah.  Learning the different names or references of God will bring us closer to Him. They tell us all something about his character (who he is), what He is like, and what He does. The book teaches children how vast God's love is and how much He cares for us all. By reading this book, you can develop a deeper understanding of God and his character. 

Our love has grown for God and will continue to grow over time. The foundation of the book is based on a scripture Psalms 9:10 which states, "Those who know your name put their trust in you." As you study God's name you'll know Him better and become closer to God spiritually placing all trust in Him and His Word. 

The names of God and the stories in this book will reveal a lot about His character. The author's hope is that children around the world will develop an understanding of God's character, learn to know him better, and grow to love Him more. This is the reason the book was written.

You'll find a few adult and middle grade resources for Learning More about the Names of God at the back of the book. The book also includes a green bookmark ribbon to save your place.

What I Like 

• Short Devotions
• Biblical Accuracy
• Teaches the Names of God
• Pronunciation Help
• Relevant and Meaningful Prayers
• Digging Deeper in the Bible to "Learn More"
• Stories Told from Both Old and New Testament
• Age-Appropriate Explanations
• Diane Stortz Website Book Resources (Matching Game and Coloring Pages)
• High-Quality Vibrant and Beautiful Illustrations

Recommendations
I highly recommend this well-written book to Christian families wanting to explore the Names of God. We plan on using this devotion in the morning before beginning our school day.

The strong, spiritual message is given in a clear and concise manner that children can easily understand. Diane Stortz, the author, distinctly presents the names of God which is the core message yet she weaves in an additional profound message that stands out with regards to God's plan to send Jesus who will make things right again.

I definitely think this devotion would make a GREAT Christmas or Easter gift. I know we explore the names of God during those holidays in my home. This book was included in my daughter's Easter basket this year. It would be perfect for any family or Sunday school class learning about the Names of God. A teacher could also read aloud and discuss the devotion at the beginning of class.

Price
Thomas Nelson Website Store $16.99
Amazon $11.21

Note: All prices are subject to change without notice.

Would you like to see a sample. Click on the link. 

Disclaimer
I received a complimentary, free copy of this book from the publisher as part of the BookLook Blogger Review Gold Team Program in exchange for an honest review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Book Worth Reading

I'm sure many of you have had this experience before:  you walk into a bookstore with something in mind and you are drawn to another book (or 5) for whatever reason.  This happens to me a lot lately.  In addition to my work as an occupational therapist, I run a social skills group for The Meeting House.  The group is made up of children 5-8 years of age with a variety of social delays.  During the beginning of the weekly group, we have free choice and one of the very popular choices is reading books.  It's been so fun to find books that help children learn about feelings, emotions and other aspects of social emotional learning. 

Last week, I saw drawn to the beautiful cover of the book Be A Friend by Salina Yoon.  I was brought close to tears reading the story in Barnes and Noble and have shared it with just about every person I have run into since.  The story and illustrations are so incredibly beautiful and teach such an important lesson:  it's okay to be different.  

The basic premise of the book is simple:  Everyone Needs Someone.  In this case, that someone is a little boy named Dennis who doesn't speak but has a wild imagination and shares his thoughts and ideas through his actions.  Not many of the kids who are near him can be bothered by his behaviors but one day a little girl named Joy decides to take the brave step to get to know Dennis a bit more.  With time, they develop a beautiful friendship that relies on accepting and embracing someone who might be different.  In the end, the other children in Joy and Dennis' class saw what fun they had together and ended up joining in on their imaginative play.  

If you work with children, have a children or know anybody with children, I highly recommend this book being part of their library.  Sometimes children learn lessons better through stories and this story will be such an opportunity to have conversations with your children about accepting and understanding how every child is different.  Just because they may look, act or talk differently, it doesn't mean that you can't be their friend.  

I have several books about friendship for kids, but I have a special love for Be A Friend.  If you have a child who feels different from others, be sure to get this for them and read it to them again and again.  

BookLook Blogger Review: Parable Treasury by Liz Curtis Higgs

The most recent book we reviewed as part of the BookLook Blogger Review Team was titled, The Parable Treasury written by Liz Curtis Higgs. The book was published by Tommy Nelson. 

About the Author
Liz Curtis Higgs is the award-winning speaker who wrote twenty-eight books, including Bad Girls of the Bible and Thorn in My Heart. Her parable series for children has been awarded the ECPA Gold Medallion for Excellence.

Book Description (Taken from the Website)

With more than 1.1 million units sold in the Parable Series, Liz Curtis Higgs has given parents and kids alike beloved parables they can read throughout the year. This adorable compilation, Parable Treasury, allows families to get all their favorite stories in one value-packed book. For nearly twenty years, Liz Curtis Higgs has made the holidays a little brighter throughout the year with her bestselling Parable Series. In a lovely hardcover format, the Gold Medallion–winning books from the Parable Series will include:

• The Pumpkin Patch Parable, which focuses on the harvest season and shows that we can let God’s love shine through us.
• The Pine Tree Parable, a heartwarming tale of the farmer and his family, who nurture tiny seedlings into fragrant Christmas trees.
• The Parable of the Lily, which helps children understand the power of grace and forgiveness and the true meaning of Easter.
• The Sunflower Parable, which helps children discover the value of planting seeds, not only in the ground but also in the hearts of those around us.

My Thoughts and Review

The Parable Treasury written by Liz Curtis Higgs is a children's book which compiles four fantastic full-length stories into one collection using a parable format. It is suitable for children between the ages of 4-8. The hardcover padded book contains 117-pages. Each story sets during a particular season or holiday. The high-quality beautiful illustrations are vibrantly colorful. These adorable illustrations will easily appeal to children and adults alike.

The "Table of Contents" at the beginning of the treasury lists the title of and page number for each story. A "Letter to Parents" follows. Each story begins with a page dedicated to the title of the story being told. The author chose an easy to read format which utilizes a larger print throughout the stories and an italicized font for referenced Scriptures noted at the bottom of each page in oval shaped boxes.

Liz Curtis Higgs integrated and weaved related Biblical Scripture into the story which clarified meaning and added to the story plot helping children make deeper connections to the story. The spiritual, thoughtful messages will guide children to discover valuable moral lessons and virtues based on God's Word. The author prayed over and carefully selected each verse. I love that she shared the stories with her family first and then made them available to the world.

We immediately started reading the Pine Tree Parable which quickly became a family favorite in our home. It teaches children to give and serve others which glorifies God. This was the first time we read this story and it had such huge impact on my daughter. She decided that she wanted to give something special to someone in need. We also discussed each story and its important messages as we read it aloud. The heartfelt stories captured her attention so much so that she insisted on reading the entire treasury in one sitting. The stories are not too long or too short.

My daughter and I enjoyed reading every single parable in this treasury. The book contains truthful messages based on Scripture with eye-catching illustrations you are sure to love. We will definitely read the Pine Tree Parable every Christmas to remind ourselves the importance of giving selflessly. I can't wait to reread The Parable of the Lily during the Easter season.

The Parable Treasury would make a great Easter Basket gift for any child! I highly recommend the Parable Treasury to all families with children between the ages of 4-8. It may become a classic bedtime book in your home and you can enjoy the Christian stories year after year. 

Price
Amazon  $11.22
Faith Gateway Store $14.99

Note: All prices are subject to change without notice.
*You can purchase the treasury book but you also have the option of purchasing each book separately in stores.

Disclaimer
I received a complimentary, free copy of this book from the publisher as part of the BookLook Blogger Review Gold Team Program in exchange for an honest review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

Life Is An Open Book

This is a new addition to the gift guide.  My daughter is now 5 years old and in kindergarten so this is something that has been a major focus at home with her.  Finding fun and motivating ways to teach her how to spell, read and tell stories has been tricky.  However, there are so many great books and writing activities out there that have made such a big difference for

Over the course of the year, I've discovered some pretty great books that would make the perfect gift for those little bookworms in your life.  There is nothing like a good book, especially a good book that teaches important  life lessons to our little ones.  I could list a million books (not even exaggerating) but I am going to stick to ones that have teachable moments built in.  Ones that you can use to help children learn to be more creative are my favorite.

Just as important as the books, are the tools you can use to teach children how to learn the letters of the alphabet and numbers, learn how to read, spell and write.  Over the course of my career, I have tested out more toys than I can remember.  There are a lot to choose from and as parents, it can be very confusing to figure out which ones are the best for your child.

Below, you will find a handful of books that I think should be part of everyone's library.  You will also find different toys, games and activities that have been proven to be successful with the kids that I have worked with.  All of the activities I have mentioned are ones that can be used at home in a fun way.  They aren't workbooks, but real toys and activities that can be fun for children of all abilities.

I Am Books-I was introduced to these amazing children's books by one of the families I work with.  Brad Meltzer has written a series of books about real life heroes.  They are each written from the perspective of these heroes as children and talks about the struggles they had growing up.  He highlights what made them different and how they took those differences and made the world better.  For example, did you know that Albert Einstein was a later talker?  Or that Lucille Ball was encouraged to not be so funny?  My daughter who is 5 1/2 adores these books and I have been so impressed with what she has learned from each of them.  The questions she has asked and what she has taken from each book has been so fun to watch.
I Am Amelia Earhardt
I Am Rosa Parks
I Am Lucille Ball
I Am Helen Keller
I Am Martin Luther King
I Am Albert Einstein
I Am Jackie Robinson
I Am Abraham Lincoln
Disney Pixar Inside Out Box of Mixed Emotions-the success of the movie Inside Out was no surprise to me once I saw it the first time.  The kids I work with loved it and I loved how this movie helped kids feel okay about expressing their feelings and gain a better sense of understanding about their emotions.  When I saw these books, I had to pick them up to bring to work.  I run a social skills group at  The Meeting House for children with a variety of social difficulties.  We have put these books out for the kids during our snack and hangout time and they love them.  This set of 5 books features each emotion.  They are easy to read and even if you have a kid who can't read, they can look at the pictures instead.
In My Heart:  A Book of Feelings-this book by Jo Witeck is a brilliant and beautiful book about feelings.  For many of the kids I work with, understanding your feelings can be quite challenging.  In addition to being an occupational therapist, I work for The Meeting House, a recreational based after school program for awesome kids who have social difficulties.  This book is great for
Little Book of Big Fears-this book is written and illustrated by Monica Arnaldo and talks about all different kinds of things that people may be afraid of.  It introduces you to 16 children (in alphabetical order) who are each afraid of something different.  Drew is scared of raccoons and Quinn is horrified by needles.  Not all letters of the alphabet are in the book, but that is on purpose.  The letters that are missing spell out Gutsy and Brave....two things that will help a child get over their fears. This is a cute little book that helps children understand that it's okay to be scared of things and that there are ways to deal with those fears.

Hope Learning Toys-this brand of nature based learning toys have been created by a mother, teacher and toy lover.  Using a variety of objects found in the beautiful state of Maine, Heather has gathered rocks, shells, branches and wood to come up with an amazing set of learning toys.  My daughter has the Vintage Letter Alphabet Stones and adores them.  As soon as she received them, she started exploring them.  I loved that she wanted to put all the stones in alphabetical order while making their sounds.  We have been using them with her to practice her sight words during homework time and it has made it more interesting and exciting for her.  There are so many products to choose from beyond just the alphabet products.  I, for one, can't wait for the phonics matching game using wood from my favorite tree, the lilac tree.  You need to really spend some time exploring the Hope Learning Toys Etsy shop to find what products are best for your child.
Kids Story Maker-created by Magnetic Poetry, this kid friendly magnet sets encourages kids to build their own crazy stories using over 150 different word magnets.  I love how they have color coded all the words by different parts of language to reinforce nouns, verbs, prepositions, adjectives, etc..  For so many of the kids I work with, writing a story can be really challenging for them (decreased writing endurance) but they have lots of ideas.  For those kids who need some creative ways to practice telling stories, this is a great solution.  You can make a long-term project out of it by having them write a few sentences at a time...first they create their story by putting the magnets up and then they can copy them into a book.

Tell Tale-another great storytelling game by Blue Orange.  Tell Tale has three different versions to choose from (original, Fairy Tale and Disney Pixar).  Using the 60 different cards and illustrated rules, kids and families work together to make a story.  It's hard to bore of this game because it's different every time you play.  The best part is that kids are learning the whole entire time but having tons of fun.  If you want to work on handwriting, you can have the kids write their stories out as they are telling it.  It might take more than one session in order to complete it, but I am always happy to find activities that we can do over the course of a few sessions.  Great for working on improving processing speed, verbal abilities, attention and problem solving and reasoning skills.

Alphabet Magnetibook-another great magnet book by Janod.  This is the perfect on the go toy to work on learning how to spell.  The set comes with 26 pictures and over 100 letter tiles. Each picture has the name spelt out so kids can dig through the letters and put them in the correct order.  I love how the magnet board is in a grid (reminds me of graph paper), requiring them to focus on putting the letters in the blocks and staying in order.  For older kids, you could find magnets of pictures without the words written on them in order to practice spelling.  This toy is not only great for working on learning the alphabet and learning how to spell, but great for working on developing fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination and visual motor and perceptual skills.

BabyLit Playsets-I am a HUGE fan of the BabyLit series of board books.  They make such great  presents for all kids, especially kids of parents who love the classics.  When I saw these playsets, I got so excited.  There are four to choose from:   Pride and Prejudice, Alice in Wonderland, Moby Dick and The Jungle Book.  Each set comes with the original board book and different punch-out cards featuring the different characters from the story. The box it comes in doubles as the scenery/background for the story.  These are great for working on improving focus and attention, language skills and creative skills.  You can also work on improving fine motor skills and visual motor/perceptual by pushing the pieces out of the board and putting them together to play with them.  I can't wait to get a couple of these sets not only for gifts, but to use in my social skills groups to put on little plays with the kids.

When kids learn how to read and write, the world opens up to them in the most exciting of ways.  The tricky part is actually finding ways to encourage kids.  The books and activities I talked about in this post have been proven to teach kids.  The most important thing about each of them is that they are fun and that it ends up giving them confidence.  My rule is to always start out simple and increase the challenges as the kids master them.  Kids are way more likely to keep trying when they are given the time to move at their own pace.

Do you have any great books that you have read that you want to share with my readers?  How about alphabet and handwriting games or activities that your kids love?  I would love to hear from any and all of with your suggestions.  I am always a click away and so appreciate all the suggestions that have been given to me from you all.

Paper Bag Book Report

Are you looking for a fun and creative literature activity?

Alyssa recently completed her Horizons Reading and Phonics curriculum so we started focusing more on reading comprehension activities. Paper Bag Book Reports were a popular activity in my classroom when I taught public school so I decided to try it with my daughter. This activity is motivating Alyssa to read literature and encouraging her to use her imagination. She is really enjoying it! She started her second paper bag book report this week immediately after presenting the first one.

Items Needed
Any Book or Story (Picture, Chapter, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Biography)
Pencil with Eraser
Crayons, Colored Pencils, or Markers
Book Report Form
Lunch Size Paper Bag
Household Items or Craft Art Supplies

Paper Bag Book Report

First, children select a book based on their interest and independent reading level. You can give younger children three options to choose from to make it a little less intimidating. Then, your child will read the book. You can read the book aloud for non-readers. They can jot down a short 1-2 sentence plot summary, brainstorm a list of relevant story items, or plan their paper bag illustrations with sketches.

Paper bag book reports may appeal to kinesthetic, hands-on learners but will also capture the interest of children with any learning style. It is a wonderful alternative to the standard book report forms your children may start to dislike or consider boring over time. They can be easily differentiated for reading levels and are adaptable for any grade level. Children can work at an individualized pace within the time period you give them to complete the project. Our assignment was very basic so the time spent on the project will vary depending on your expectations.

The paper bag activity is very versatile and can be used in several different ways:

• Focus on one story element or all of them 
• Each side of the paper bag can be dedicated to a particular story element
• Show how the character changes from the beginning to the end
• Each side of the bag can be a setting illustration
• The bagged items can represent the main idea, characters, setting, problem, solution, plot, or theme
• Use only illustrations on the bag and retell the story elements verbally using the significant items
• Require the student to type and glue written pieces on the bag
• Create or find a rubric online for grading purposes if desired. 
• Utilize this project for EACH chapter in a book or for the entire book
• Add in a vocabulary activity
• Incorporate book evaluations including the likes and dislikes of the story

Note: The possibilities are endless. What would you do?

What We Did
Alyssa (Age 7 1/2) read Jamie O'Rourke and the Pooka written by Tomie DePaola. She drew a picture of both of the main characters on the bag (front and back sides). The title and the author's name was written on the front of the bag. She was required to find 5-10 significant items related to the book and be able to explain how they were relevant to the story. We didn't focus on any story element this time around. My daughter presented her book report to me, but I may limit the presentation to 10-15 minutes next time. Alyssa wanted to tell me all of the story details during her first presentation. She included a book evaluation by telling me how many stars she gave the story and if she would recommend it to a friend.

Alyssa's Paper Bag Story Items

• Dishes
• Eating Utensils
• Food (Chicken)
• Moon (Setting - When the story took place)
• Bed with Pillow (Jamie was lazy and slept a lot)
• Jamie's Red Scarf
• Map of Ireland (Setting - Where the story took place)
• Magnetic Coat (Thank You Gift to Pooka)
• Mirror (Pooka looked at himself in a full length mirror before leaving the dirty house)
• Donkey=Pooka
• Cleaning Cloth, Towel, or Rag 

It was a great way for me to check her understanding or comprehension of the main story elements during her retelling. It will help improve her presentation and public speaking skills. I plan on having her present the content to friends and relatives willing to listen. 

I will link this post up tomorrow at Share It Saturday. 

The Wonders of 'Wonder'

*I know that I have dedicated this blog to toys and apps but am taking a bit of a detour because I think this book is that good and should be read by anyone who works with children.

At the suggestion of my sister Molly, I began reading the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio on Thursday night.  I didn't know much about it other than I had to read it and had to read it immediately.  As mentioned, I began reading on Thursday and I couldn't put it down.  I finished it tonight while standing on the subway platform.  And I was unable to control myself and had tears running down my cheeks as I read the final pages.

The first thing you should know about this book is that it was written for young adults and tweens.  It's not meant for adults but I know of more adults reading this book right now, perhaps at my encouragement.  The second thing you should know is that you will cry.  Both the good kind of tears and the sad kind of tears.  Don't do what I did by reading the last few pages without a tissue handy.  You will need it.  Lastly, make sure that you have chunks of time to read it because you won't want to put it down.  You will be as anxious as I was to find out more.

I'm not going to share much about this book because I want you all to read it the same way I did.  Full of wonder and excitement with each turn of the page.  I will tell you that you will fall in love with 10 year old August, the main character of Wonder, and his friends and family.  You can go to the author's website here and check out the book trailer.  Below, I will share the description as written by R.J. Palacio:

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

I don't feel this way about many books but Wonder is the kind of book that I think everyone should read.  Especially those of us who work with children; most especially those of us who work with children with special needs.  Your eyes will be opened and your heart will want to burst.  I couldn't help but think of so many of the children I have worked with over the last 10 years and wonder if they ever felt the way the August felt.  I think parents of young adults and tweens should read this either with their child or at the same time.  It can teach your child about empathy, putting yourself in other's shoes and learning about how so much can be accomplished with the simple act of kindness.

Be sure to check out your local bookstores for your own copy of Wonder.  R.J. Palacio has written a gem of a story and I hope that this is just the first of many books we will be reading from her.  I read mine on my iPad but will be going out tomorrow to The Community Bookstore in Park Slope to get my hard copy.  I am already looking forward to reading this a second time because I feel like I rushed through in order to finish it!

I do hope that you all run out to purchase this book and would love to hear from all of you about your thoughts on this book if you choose to read it.  I would love to hear about what your favorite part was or what lessons you learned from reading August's story.  I am just a click away and hope to hear from some of you.

Happy Reading!

2011 Holiday Gift List

For those of you who haven't received my holiday list in the past, here is this years.  This list is different from ones in the past as I added a section for iPad/iPhone apps that I have found useful, both at home with my daughter and at work with all the children.  

Oldies but Goodies:

Here are a few of my favorite toys from the last few years.  They never get old and are a constant request at the gym from children of all ages!

Tumblin' Monkeys

http://www.amazon.com/Mattel-T1852-Tumblin-Monkeys-Game/dp/B002MUALIM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323043558&sr=8-1

*works on color recognition, fine motor development, turn taking, problem solving

Wok and Roll

http://www.amazon.com/I-Play-P25056-Wok-and-Roll/dp/B00141D6BE/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1323043625&sr=1-1

*works on fine motor development, color recognition, matching, improving frustration tolerance

Whac-A-Mole

http://www.amazon.com/Mattel-P8115-Whac-A-Mole-Arcade-Game/dp/B0028K2WBA/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1323044017&sr=1-1

*great game that kids ask for all the time.  works on color recognition, improving following directions, modulation and regulation/decreasing impulsive tendencies, upper extremity strength

Sticky Mosaic Activity Sets

http://www.orbfactory.com/

*these continue to be a huge hit with all the children.  They are now making sets for the littlest of fingers to the biggest, girls and boys.  They have simple projects that can get done quickly and have recently added a bunch of picture frames, 3D sets, etc.  These are great for fine motor development, increasing grasp strength, improving eye-hand coordination, number and color recognition

Magna-Tiles

http://www.amazon.com/Magna-Tiles-Clear-Colors-piece-set/dp/B000CBSNKQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1323101045&sr=1-1

*another constant favorite with children of all ages.  Works on visual motor and visual perceptual skills, color and shape recognition, motor planning.  Encourages creativity

LEGO Building Mosaic Set

http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Building-Fun-Mosaics/dp/B000FZEUQ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1323101889&sr=1-1

*one of my all time favorite toy finds!  Not sure that they are in production, but every once in a while you can find them on sale for a decent price on Amazon.  These are great for fine motor/grasping skills, finger strengthening, color recognition, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and improving eye hand coordination.  

Jawbones Manipulative Toys

http://www.amazon.com/Jawbones-Construction-Toys-215-Piece/dp/B001NKGZW8/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1323116209&sr=1-1

*for those who love LEGOS and any other manipulative toys.  You can twist, turn, snap and pop all these different shapes into place to make lots of cool designs.  You can make your own or follow the patterns provided.  Great for working on grasping, fine motor strength, motor planning and visual motor and visual perceptual skills.  Also great for color recognition.

Some of my new favorites:

I spend hours and hours a year testing out and looking for new toys, books, etc. for the children I work with.  Nothing brings me more satisfaction than seeing children learn how to play a new game and develop new interests and skills.  Here are a handful of my favorites!

Wild Wool and Robo Champ LEGO Games

http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Games-Wild-Wool/dp/B003U2G7E8/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1323043693&sr=1-1 and

http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Games-4568151-Robo-Champ/dp/B003AVNKVW/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1323043693&sr=1-2

*this is a fun game that keeps children engaged for a long period of time.  It works on fine motor skill development, such as strength and in-hand manipulation skills.  Great game to play with friends and come up with different rules.  also works on problem solving, turn taking, compromising and working with other children to resolve conflicts/come up with game rules

LEGO Brick and More, My First LEGO Set

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004478GH4?ie=UTF8&tag=lothma04-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B004478GH4

*great first LEGO set for the younger ones who want to play with LEGOS like their older siblings.  LEGOS are always a great way to increase grasp strength and improve in-hand manipulation skills.  Also works on improving eye-hand coordination, visual perceptual skills and visual motor skills.  Can work on color and shape recognition as well.

Story Cubes

http://www.amazon.com/Gamewright-318-Rorys-Story-Cubes/dp/B003EIK136/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323044143&sr=8-1

*for older/school age children.  These cubes are great for working on sequencing, creativity and story telling.  Can be done individually or with a group of friends to make it more interactive.  

Bananagrams

http://mbeans.com/bananagrams.html?deptid=180

*for older/school age children.  Works on letter recognition, spelling and improving fine motor skills/grasping skills and improving in-hand manipulation skills.

Jenga

http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-53557-Jenga/dp/B000GBA60W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323049783&sr=8-1

*not a new game, but new to my list.  This has become a new favorite in the gym as of late.  Works on motor planning, modulation/regulation, turn taking and problem solving.  For school or group situations, you can take the Jenga pieces and write questions on them and turn it into a social skills game as well!

Unforgettable Memory Game

http://www.landofnod.com/educational-toys/toys-gifts/unforgettable-memory-game-junior/f6640

*i am a big fan of wooden games and things that don't make a lot of noise or require batteries.  I saw this game in the Land of Nod and was immediately sold.  There are 8-memory games in one set.  Great for working on eye hand coordination, memory, sequencing, improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills.

Waiter-In-Waiting Balancing Game

http://www.landofnod.com/all-toys/toys-gifts/waiter-in-waiting-balancing-game/f9050

*another one of those great wooden games that should last forever!  You have to try and figure out the best way to get as many of the blocks balanced on the waiters arm.  Great for color recognition, improving frustration tolerance, motor planning and works on modulation and regulation.  

Kids City Maps-City Walk Cards

http://www.landofnod.com/educational-toys/toys-gifts/kids-city-walks/f7833

*there are a million amazing things to do in this city (and every city really!).  These cards will give you some fun activities to do in NYC and many other cities that you just might visit.  

Yogarilla Cards

http://www.superduperinc.com/products/view.aspx?pid=OTSC8609

*i have recently become a big fan of Yoga during my OT sessions.  The benefits are endless for all children (and adults).  Yoga can work on motor planning, improve modulation and regulation, improve bilateral coordination skills and works on crossing the midline.  These are great cards that make it easy to explain how to do each pose even if you aren't into yoga yourself.  

Move Your Body Cards

http://www.superduperinc.com/products/view.aspx?pid=FD116

*great for motor planning, following directions, body strengthening and motor coordination.  Cards are easy to understand and super motivating.

Pre-Handwriting Fun Deck

http://www.superduperinc.com/products/view.aspx?pid=FD119

Fine Motor Fun Deck

http://www.superduperinc.com/products/view.aspx?pid=FD105

*these cards are a fantastic way to introduce handwriting and pre-writing skills to our younger children.  They are dry erase cards so you can use them over and over again.  There are a bunch of hand and body activities to go along with each written activity on the back.  The benefits to these two sets of cards are endless.  They are a new favorite for my children at the office!

Ten Little Monkeys and Old MacDonald's Farm Dot Books

http://www.amazon.com/Poke---Dot-Little-Monkeys-Poke-able/dp/1584769386/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323115961&sr=8-2

http://www.amazon.com/Poke-Dot-MacDonalds-Poke-able-Poppin/dp/160169024X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

*i discovered these fantastic books this summer.  They are a favorite of my daughter.  They are great for fine motor skill development, visual motor and visual perceptual skills, improve counting skills and eye-hand coordination

iPad/iPhone Applications

It didn't seem right to not include this category in this year's list.  I, like many of you, have begun to use the iPad in the gym more often.  It is a very motivating tool for the children and the applications available are endless.  I find that I am able to work on concepts and achieve goals using the iPad as inceptive.  It is also great because it works on improving eye hand coordination, finger and hand strength and improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills.  Here are just a few of my favorites (but this changes on a day to day basis as new ones come out!)

Crayola Trace and Draw and Crayola ColorStudio HD 

*http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058CT33K?ie=UTF8&tag=lothma04 20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0058CT33K

you will need to order this stylus in order to get the full effect of these games.  Children love the coloring and drawing aspect of these two apps.  You are able to adjust the difficulty of each project which makes this a good app for all ages.  Even those most resistant to doing handwriting and coloring can be motivated to do this when presented on an iPad.

Fun With Directions HD

Great application that works on following directions and auditory processing.  There are varying levels so this is good for pre-schoolers through grade school.  Works on a bunch of different concepts that our children are learning in school. 

Kidsapp hd: The Farm

This has been a big hit with preschool and younger grade school children.  Colorful puzzles and coloring pages are very motivating for children.  This is good for visual tracking and scanning when you ask them to find animals in the barn.  

Wally's Where's My Water/Cut the Rope

*fun game for the older kids who love to problem solve.  I like to work on these kinds of games with my children who have regulation and modulation issues.  Teaches them to work on slowing down their actions and not rushing through an activity.  This one is fun for the parents as well!  I am currently hooked on Wally's Where's My Water!

Rush Hour

*like the board game version of this, but on the iPad.  Children are a big fan of this game and so am I.  This works on problem solving, improving frustration tolerance.  I love presenting games that a child might play in this format to work on generalizing skills learned elsewhere or in a different way.  

PianoBall

*for those children who love music.   Older preschool/elementary school level app.  Learn how to "play" the piano by following the directions.  Works on color recognition and modulation and regulation, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills.  The children are SO proud when they can play a whole song!

Question Builder

*great for auditory processing and working on how to answer questions.  Works on answering who, what, why, how questions in a fun and motivating way for children who might resist these types of activities otherwise.