Luck of the Crafty Irish

As a child, I grew up being told that there was no day more important for us irish than St. Patrick's day.  There was always a special treat for me and my sisters and there is even a fun family story about our father decorating our house from top to bottom after my sister complained that we never did anything to celebrate Valentine's Day!  As a pediatric therapist, I like to have a few good crafts up my sleeves for the big day.  Here are a few that I will be doing with my kids at work over the next few days.

Shamrock Dot Craft-this is a very simple and quick project for children of all ages.  All you need is a cardboard shamrock that you can most likely find at any party or card store.  Take the shamrock and tape it onto a piece of white paper.  You can either use green washable paint or a green stamp pad to make the outline.  Depending on the kid you are working with (do they freak out when their hands get dirty???), you can use their finger or an eraser on a pencil as their "stamp". Once they are done stamping around the shamrock, and it dries a little, they can peel off the shamrock template and they will have a big white space in that shape.   I prefer to find a larger shamrock to work around so that kids can then write about what they feel lucky for.

Shamrock Marble Painting-I am a big fan of marble painting in any form.  Great for working on bilateral coordination, eye-hand coordination and focus and attention.  It's also a great activity for kids who may be more sensitive to getting their hands messy.  You can either find pre-cut shamrocks or cut one out on white paper or cardstock, tape them to the bottom of a cardboard box or a large tupperware that you are okay with getting dirty.  Choose some different shades of green paint and squirt a little of each into the box, throw about 1/2 dozen marbles into the box and let them roll away to make a fun pattern all over the shamrock.  If you are working with a kid over a couple of days, you can have them make the shamrock one day and write a message on the back when they come back.

Marshmallow Shamrock Stamping-if you are looking for something super easy and really fun, this might be your project.  All you need are a bag of large marshmallows, some green paint, a q-tip and some white paper.  Show the kids how to make a shamrock by placing three circle near each other, take a q-tip and have them make a stem and voila...you've got yourself a St. Patrick's Day clover.
*a real challenge for older kids would be to have them use the smaller marshmallows to make their shamrocks.  Makes them use those little hand muscles to a different level.  Plus, you can have the kids make cards for their loved ones either telling them what they feel lucky for or have them copy some Irish Proverbs onto a card.

Rainbow Bracelets or Necklaces-St. Patrick's Day isn't just about shamrocks, it's about rainbows and pots of gold.  A very simple, colorful and tasty activity is to make rainbow bracelets using Fruit Loops and pipe cleaners.  This is a fun way to work on improving bilateral coordination, visual motor, grasping, fine motor and sequencing skills.  Depending on the age of the children you are working with, you can have the colors all sorted out or make them sift through a bowl of Lucky Charms as they string the cereal onto the pipe cleaner.  You can decide on a necklace or bracelet based on the child's age, skill level and attention span.

Fruit Loop Rainbow and Pot of Gold-for some of my younger kids who are quite ready for shamrock making and stringing beads, I am going to use the Fruit Loops to make a rainbow.  It's an easy activity but works on so many great fine motor, visual motor and eye-hand coordination goals.  I found this free template that I will be using with the kids.  Again, depending on the child's age and skill level, I will either have all the colors pre-sorted for them or have them sift through and find the color they need.

While many of the kids I work with aren't Irish, it doesn't mean we can't use the day to do a fun craft and think about why we think we are lucky.  Kids also like any reason or holiday to be able to make something and take it home to give to those they love.  Do you have a work or family favorite St. Patrick's Day craft?  I would love to see some of the amazing things you do with your kids!  I am always a click away and love hearing from you.  And for those of you who celebrate....May The Luck of the Irish be with you always!

It's Okay to Play With This Food!

It's been a while since I found a new game that I felt worth sharing.  To be honest, when I find something, it sticks around for a while.  For example, Tumbling Monkeys and Wok N' Roll have been part of my work routine for as long as I can remember.  When I read about how cold it was going to be this past weekend and that I would be entertaining not only my daughter but also another friend of hers, I decided it was time to add some new games to my daughter's collection. I went into my local toy store, Little Things, in Park Slope and could have gone a little crazy.  I was drawn to many of the educational games but knew that it wouldn't be well received by my daughter who is officially on winter break.  Instead, I went with a game that help work on improving her fine motor skills, particularly something that might help promote a better grip.  Yeti In My Spaghetti, by Play Monster (formerly known as Patch), was a HUGE hit with both my daughter and her friend.

I like when games are simple and easy for kids to play...that means that grownups don't have to struggle when reading the directions in order to figure out how to explain the game to said kids! How many of you have purchased a game like that and then never played it because you just couldn't figure it out??  Nothing frustrates me more!  Even better, there are no batteries required which means that this is a quiet game free of noise and lights!  The object of Yeti In My Spaghetti is quite simple:  place the 30 pieces of spaghetti over the bowl in a criss cross pattern and then place the Yeti on top of your pile.  Choose who is going to go first and begin pulling the spaghetti out from under the Yeti without letting him fall into the bowl.  You must be mindful, look at what you are doing and take your time when pulling the spaghetti pieces out because if the Yeti falls while you are pulling it out, the game is over.

Besides the fact that this game is fun, it is great for working on a ton of skills for your little friends (I can't help but let my occupational therapy brain go there).  Ideal for kids starting at age 4 (or a super patient 3 year old) and perfect for working on:
*facilitating a pincer grasp as you pull the spaghetti pieces out
*improving eye-hand coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills as you scan and plan what piece is best to take out from under the Yeti
*improve executive functioning skills, especially focus and attention and organizational skills
*improving social skills such as turn taking, good sportsmanship and teamwork (you can play in teams)

If you begin to get bored with the game, you can come up with some alternative ways to play it.  For example, add a dice to the game and have kids roll it and then take how ever many pieces of spaghetti that they roll.  If you really want to work on improving fine motor skills, have the kids remove the spaghetti pieces using a strawberry huller.  Do you have any other ways to vary how to play this game?

If you have kids or work with kids, I highly recommend this game.  Reasonably priced, easy to carry around and most importantly, fun to play.  Great for parents or therapists, even those that travel from home to home, since it is lightweight and doesn't require batteries.

If any of you have any great games that you have recently discovered or ones that are long time favorites, please share them with me and my my readers.  I am always a click away and love hearing from you all!

Goody Goody Gumdrops! Drawing Made Easy and Fun!

For those of you who are regular readers, you will know that I am always on the lookout for new activity and drawing books.  Yesterday, while walking through one of my favorite Park Slope stores, Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store, I found a great new drawing book:  Goody Gumdrops.  Some kids are naturals when it comes to drawing.  They think about what they want to draw and just go with it.  But for many of the kids I work with, this is not the case.  Not only is not easy for them, it is something that causes them to get frustrated and makes them want to avoid the task all together.

I was eager to test out Goody Gumdrops by Ed Emberley after I saw it the other day. My almost 6 year old daughter was also very eager to test it out and then played with it for about an hour. It is one of the cutest and easy to follow drawing books out there.  If you are unfamiliar with Ed Emberley, he has books filled with easy and creative ways to teach children (although I have learned as well) how to draw by breaking it down into simple steps.  I loved the fingerprint books that were (and still are today) around when I was growing up.  Each page of the Goody Gumdrops book contains two different colored gumdrops with two sets of directions to follow in order to learn how to make a variety of animals. On the back side of the page, there are two other gumdrops that you can try and make the animals without the visual cues.  Kids will learn how to make almost any animal you can imagine.  My daughter loved learning how to draw a hedgehog!  By adding simple shapes and lines to the gumdrops, they have a higher chance of success learning how to draw.  At the end of the book, there are a bunch of other pages with frames for kids to make larger creations that they can then share with people.

Learning how to draw is an important part of growing up.  Not only is it a great way to work on improving graphomotor skills, but it is also great for increasing a child's confidence and self-esteem.  It's also the way kids begin to learn how to tell stories.  Before they learn how to write, they need to rely on drawing pictures to tell us stories.  Often times, kids avoid drawing because it is hard for them and they don't think they are good at it.  Forcing them to draw won't make them learn any better or faster.  Actually, forcing a child to do something that is hard for them may make them hate it and avoid it even more. It's critical that when working on a more challenging skill, that you make it fun and motivating for them to work on.

I am excited to begin using Goody Gumdrops with my kids at work.  It's definitely going to be one of the books that I recommend to families to use at home with their kids.  Do you have any great learn to draw books that you use or recommend to others?  If you have anything wonderful to suggest, I would love to hear about them.  I am only a click away and love hearing from you all!

Stick It To Me!

According to my friends at Red Tricycle today is National Sticker Day which I love to know.  I have always loved stickers.  As a matter of fact, I have a little folder at home with some of my favorite childhood stickers and my daughter loves to look at them!  Stickers play a huge role in my work life as well.  They are used for way more than just a reward at the end of a great session.  Stickers can be used to work on improving fine motor skills, grasping skills and a ton of visual motor and perceptual skills.  You can work on improving bilateral coordination and crossing midline by taking the stickers and placing them on one hand and having them take the stickers off with their other hand.  I have also worked on improving upper body strength by placing a piece of paper on a wall above a child's head, placing stickers on the floor or on their feet and have them bend down to take them off and reach up high to put them on the paper.  Below, you will find a few more ideas of what you can do with stickers with your kids.  The best part about these all of these activities are ones that they are easy enough to do at home with them.

Writing-I have found that once kids learn how to write the letters of the alphabet, they need to start using that skill in a functional way.  I have used stickers of sports teams, characters or various objects to do just that and kids adore it.  I actually just started a Shopkins Book with one of my little guys who was clearly getting bored of just practicing his letters.  I couldn't get over how motivated he was and how all those letters that he had been struggling with were written with ease.  I was also excited because he was asking how to write the letters he didn't know and immediately practiced them.

Cutting-using stickers during cutting activities is a great motivator as well.  I will have kids put stickers on the top of a piece of paper and then draw lines from the bottom of the paper up to the sticker.  Depending on the child's skill level, the lines will be straight, curved or zig zags.  When cutting out shapes, I place the stickers along the shape (i.e. at the corners of a square or triangle) which gives them a visual reminder to turn the paper once they cut to that sticker.

Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics-I have probably talked about these a million times on this blog but they are the best and can work on so many occupational therapy goals.  These little sticker squares are great for working on improving grasping skills, grasp strength and eye-hand coordination.  At the end, the kids get a piece of art or some kind of cool project that they have completed that they get to show off.  My daughter's favorite are these Silly Snack ones because they remind her of her current obsession, Shopkins.  The variety in the Orb Factory line is amazing and you won't have any problem finding a set that will be sure to bring a smile to your child's face.  These are also a great activity to use during therapy sessions.  Place it on an easel to work on improving shoulder stability and upper extremity strength or have them work on it while they are lying prone over a bolster or on a new swing.

Sticker Puzzles-another one of my favorite therapy activities.  These sticker puzzles by Lee Magic Pen are an incredibly motivating activity for my little friends at work.  They also come in a variety of sizes so you can find ones that are good for preschoolers and ones that are good for the older kids in your life.  The goal is simple:  you have a grid with numbers on them.  You then take the a sheet of stickers with numbers on them (in mixed order), peel the stickers off and place them in the matching square.  These tend to be even more motivating for the kids on my caseload because there are 8 different puzzles in each booklet and they feature popular characters.  The Frozen and Cars ones are by far the most popular amongst my kids.  Great for working on improving fine motor skills like grasping and strengthening, eye-hand coordination and visual tracking skills.  I like that you can grade the activity based on each child's skill level.  For example, if you are working with a young child, you can give them the stickers in order so they don't get frustrated.  For older kids, you have them do it indepenently.  Best part, these are crazy inexpensive, lightweight and travel easily to keep your kids occupied on a plane, in a car or at restaurants.

Stickers in general are a great thing to have in your bag of tricks. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to carry around.  If you check out your local toy stores or stationary stores, you will be shocked to see the variety of great stickers at an affordable price.  My favorites are Smickers scented stickers and books and the Kawaii stickers.  Another big hit amongst my kids (especially my own daughter) are the Usborne Sticker Dolly Dressing books.   What I love about them is that you can be creative with them and kids love them so you can really hide the fact that you are doing "work" with them.

Now that I know it is National Sticker Day, I plan on having a lot of sticky fun with my kids today.  What are your favorite things to do with stickers?  Do you have a favorite sticker book or collection that you would reccomend to me and my readers? I am just a click away I love hearing from you all and value your ideas!

Genius...Super Genius!

My daughter is in the process of learning how to read.  She's on the verge but for whatever reason, is resisting and has hit a bit of a wall which can get frustrating for this mom!  Part of me thinks that she is afraid that once she learns how to read that we will stop reading to her.  Even though we have promised her that we will always have our nighttime reading routine, she doesn't seem to want to take the final leap and read herself.
In the process of her learning, I have also tried to find fun word games that will help us work together to get her over this hump.  As you all know, there are a ton of options out there and many of them are just too educational which is just not going to be what works with my daughter.

The other day, I spent some time at one of my local Park Slope toy stores at their game choices.  My eyes quickly spotted the Blue Orange logo on a learning game and I was sold.  For those of you who aren't familiar with Blue Orange, they are the masterminds behind some of my favorite games:  Thumbs Up, Doodle Quest and all of the Spot It games.  Not only are their products fun, they are educational.  But they are more fun than educational making kids want to play them over and over again.

I picked up Super Genius First Words and Super Genius Reading 1 to use with my daughter who is still focusing on learning simple sight words (at this point, we are trying to master 3 letter words) and so far, so good.  There are other versions of the game for those who are already reading and can handle the challenge of larger words.  There is also a math version of the game that works on addition and multiplication.  I've used this a bit with my daughter and can't wait to bring it to work to test out with some of my other kids there.

If you are familiar with and love the the Spot It games, you will be a big fan of the Super Genius games.  The concept of the game is pretty similar:  you have to find the matches between two cards.  The biggest difference is that instead of finding the matching pictures, you are trying to match the word to the corresponding picture or in the case of the math ones, you are looking for the matching number and math problem.  There are many ways to play the game which keeps it fresh and exciting for you and your kids:
Face Off-Score the most cards at the end of the game by being the first to find the match between the two faceup cards
Flip Flap-get rid of your cards as fast as possible
Sardines-have the most cards at the end of the game
Click Clack-find the pair between two cards
Cooperative-remove all the cards from the table by matching them to their neighboring cards

Super Genius works on the following skills:
Visual Perceptual Skills-great way to work on improving eye-hand coordination, visual tracking and visual attention.  As you scan your cards for matching pictures and words, you are building crucial visual skills necessary for reading and writing.
Executive Functioning Skills-fun game to work on improving focus, attention and organizational skills.  These are critical skills for school aged children as the academic expectations increase and they are required to focus for longer periods of time.
Speech/Language and Reading Skills-clearly this game was meant for working on improving reading skills.  But it is also great for improving speech and language skills.  This can be used by parents and speech therapists to also work on building a child's language and conversational skills.
Graphomotor Skills-If you are working on a 1:1 basis with a child and they are also working on handwriting skills, you can adapt this game so that they have to write the words as they find the match.  Encourage them to work on spacing, sizing and/or upper and lowercase letters.  If you have a child who needs to develop drawing skills, you can have them draw a picture for every word they write as well.  When possible and appropriate, encourage kids to work on holding their writing instrument with an appropriate grasp.
Social Skills-what I love about almost every single one of the Blue Orange games is that they all have a social focus.  Whether it be working as a team to find the matches or encouraging kids to be a good sport when they win or lose, Super Genius can be used to work on many social skills that are vital for kids growing up to work well with others.

For any of you who are dealing with a kindergartener (or any student) and all the unrealistic learning expectations, I completely sympathize and understand how important it is to try and keep learning fun. Due to the nature of my job, my own kid ends up not getting as much of my focus and attention at the end of the day when it comes to her school work.  Because of that, I have made it a point to find fun games that will motivate both of us at the end of our busy work and school days.  I was so happy that my daughter was excited to play Super Genius.  I was even more excited that she didn't feel stressed out and ended up feeling proud of herself as she sounded out the words and then found the matches between the two cards.  Keeping learning fun is my goal with not only my daughter but every single child I work with.

What are your favorite educational games?  Specifically, what educational games focused on reading and literacy are your favorites?  I'm more personally interested these days...I know the power of reading and how magical it is and can't wait for that for my daughter.  Please feel free to share your ideas with me.  I am always a click away and love hearing from you all!

Make Your Kids Appy!

Typically, I include a section in my Holiday Gift Guide that talks about great apps, but decided to keep that off this year.  However, I have been asked by many of the families what they can put on an iPad.  In today's world where technology appears to be taking over things, I think it's important that if we do introduce our kids to an iPad that we are at least mindful about what our kids are playing.  It's easy to just go to the app store and pick out the free ones but you would be surprised about some of the content on those apps.  Sometimes it's totally worth it to pay for a good app.  I also find that parents are more likely to use an iPad during the winter months (I mean, if winter ever arrives) when they find themselves stuck inside more.  They may spend lots of time playing with their toys and being outside, but need something more sometimes.

Speaking from personal experience, sifting through the countless number of kids apps on iTunes can end up being a full time job.  It can also get incredibly frustrating because many of the apps are no good and you end up wasting money and using space on your iPad that you could use for better things.  I have broken down my app suggestions for you into categories to make it easier to find what you are looking for.

Alphabet/Reading: of course you can use flashcards to teach children letters and numbers.  However, sometimes, especially for the kids I work with, they need something really motivating to get them to focus and attend to learning. Trying to figure out which ones should be on your iPad can get frustrating because there are just so many of them.  Here are a few of my favorite kid-tested alphabet apps.  

Faces iMake ABC-this alphabet app has two different games.  The first one, Learn ABC shows you a picture of something that starts with that letter and then breaks into a bunch of pieces.  The children then have to drag all the objects back into place like a puzzle to put the picture back together. The second game, Find ABC, has a letter and then a dozen different objects.  Your child's job is to collect the 5 objects that begin with that letter and place them in a grid. This hands on ABC game will be sure to get your kids excited about learning their letters.  

ABC Gurus-created for early learners/preschoolers, this ABC game is fun and creative and helps them not only learn their letters, but the sounds each of them make.  Kids love that they can pick a letter and then personalize it by coloring it and adding faces to it.  Once they are done personalizing their letter, they can then interact with it.  Kids don't only work on being able to identify their letters, they are working on learning the sounds of them and working on their creativity skills.  

Avokiddo ABC Ride-I am a giant fan of all of the Avokiddo apps.  More importantly, the kids I work with love them and ask to use them over and over again.  In this app, kids choose a character (Beck or Bo) and take them on an alphabet biking adventure.  Kids get to learn about the letters of the alphabet (you can choose to go in order or have the letter show up randomly) through fun mini-games.  For each letter of the alphabet, there is a fun activity/work associated with it.  Once they finish the game (catch the falling apricots in a basket, find the H hidden under a hat, etc.), they have to drag the letters of word back into place.   There are 26 different interactive scenes where kids get to practice spelling words depending on the letter of the alphabet.
Endless Alphabet-this app by Originator Kids might have been the one that convinced me that the use of an iPad during therapy might be far more beneficial than I had ever imagined.  In this truly delightful and interactive educationally based app, kids will their letters and begin to learn how to spell.  I love that my daughter has learned a bunch of new words and has been able to generalize them in the real world (she is a big fan of belch).  For each word (and there are a bunch of them), kids get to watch a short little video explaining the words after they drag all the letters back into place.  I like to challenge my kids to place the letters in their spot in order, but that can be too difficult for some of the younger kids I work with.  Just recently, Originator Kids has launched a comprehensive app called Endless Learning Academy.  I haven't had a chance to play with it much, but plan on it being used a ton in 2016.  Kids will learn letters, numbers, shapes, spelling and even Spanish while hanging out with their favorite loveable monsters. This is more of a subscription plan kind of app, but based on what I have seen so far, it is totally worth it.

Handwriting/Drawing: finding good handwriting and drawing apps is really important to me since it is one of the things I work on the most with the kids I work with.  I don't ever just use an iPad/tablet when working on handwriting but I do use it as a motivator to practice letters and numbers.  I always have a Boogie Board or a paper right next to me when using the handwriting apps so as soon as the kids finish up practicing the letter on the iPad, they then have to write it again.

LetterSchool-this is by far my favorite and most used/suggested handwriting app for the last several years.  Children can work on learning how to write upper and lowercase letters and numbers.  There are two levels to move through and for each letter or number, there is a 3-step process of practicing them.  First you learn where a letter starts and watch it being made.  Second, you have to drag the lines to complete the letter.  Lastly, children have to write the letter.  I like that this isn't solely a tracing app and the kids actually have an opportunity to practice their letters without lines being provided.  

Writing Wizard-this Montessori based app is another one of my go-to handwriting apps.  It not only allows you to practice letters and numbers, but also has shapes and pictures for you to practice.  One of the things I like about this graphomotor based app is that it is very colorful and engaging for the kids.  You can also customize it based on the child you are working with and his/her particular goals. Another nice thing about this app is that you can practice writing words that you personally add to the word list.  While grownups will like the learning aspect of the game, the kids will have fun learning since there are different ways to interact with the letters/shapes/numbers once you have successfully completed tracing them.   Similar to LetterSchool, there are options for the children to practice writing the letters, numbers, etc. without tracing.  

Little Writers-this is a great graphomotor app for younger kids. Like the previous two apps, this one is not just a tracing app; as the child progresses in their skills, you can increase the level of difficulty and have the dots disappear.  In the full version of the app, kids can work on learning how to write both upper and lower case letters, numbers, shapes, etc..  You can customize the whole app making it perfect for your child by recording your own voice, adding your own words to the list and adding pictures of people and objects!  Kids love the cute graphics and how easy the app is to use.  I love that it is so motivating and engaging for the kids making learning how to write a non-stressful and fun activity.  

Stella and Sam Draw Along-Stella and Sam are a brother and sister and their drawing app is a favorite of so many of the kids I work with.  It's an engaging drawing app that gets kids excited to draw.  All they have to do is a pick a shape, decorate and watch it come to life.  Kids can save their images which is always a big deal for kids.  I love that while working on drawing, kids are also working on increasing their creativity and imagination skills.

Visual Perceptual Skills: visual skills can be broken down into a few categories:  visual perception, visual motor and visual attention.  All of the apps below work on all of these plus so much more.  Kids who struggle with visual skills may have a more difficult time with putting together puzzles, learning how to write and draw and complete patterns and sequences.  When children struggle with things, they tend to avoid them all together.  The iPad is a perfect tool to work on building confidence and self-esteem in this area of development.  Once children realize that they can be successful with something on the iPad, it is easier to generalize that skill to an hands-on activity.  In my sessions, I try to follow-up the iPad activity with a more hands-on game or puzzle and recommend that parents do the same thing.  There are a lot of great apps out there, but here are the ones that are the most popular with my kids now.
Winky Think Logic Puzzles-this is a great app to work on improving problem solving and motor skills.  At the same time, kids are having fun and being challenged to use their brain to solve a variety of mind puzzles.  It's a fast moving game that works on improving visual motor and perceptual skills, executive functioning skills and can be played individually or with a friend.  There are three different levels of play, making this good for a wide range of ages.

Lumio Shape Arts-I remember playing with those plastic and wooden tangram sets growing up and having so much fun.  When I started in private practice ages ago, I tried to find the perfect tangram set to use with my kids.  Fast forward to the introduction of the iPad and then my search for the perfect tangram app began.  Shape Arts is the closest to perfect tangrams app that I have found (and my wallet will let you know that I have tried too many).  Great for working on improving eye-hand coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills, executive functioning skills and focus/attentional skills.
Bugmazing-in this game by LittleBit Studios, kids can work on developing crucial visual motor, visual perceptual and executive functioning skills.  Choose a level of play and kids will be able to travel through a series of mazes while learning patterns, colors, letters of the alphabet and so much more.  There are over 20 different challenges for the kids to work their way through.  They love that they can collect coins and jewels along the way.  I love that they can work on important visual skills while having loads of fun!
Toonia Differences-there was a time in my life when I was absolutely addicted to that Spot the Difference game that was all the rage when iPhones first came out.  I could spend hours on it trying to beat my best score.  When I discovered the Toonia Difference game, I was psyched that someone had created a version suitable for kids.  The game is simple to play:  compare two pictures and try and spot the differences between them as fast as you can.  The pictures are cute and can encourage conversation at the same time they are working on improving a variety of visual and executive functioning skills.  

For Little Kids (2-5 years):

Lazoo Zoo-this is a super cute interactive app that allows kids to interact with all kinds of different animals at the zoo.  Their job is to feed the animals and after they do, they will watch the animals transform and change depending on who they are and what they eat.  Great for learning about colors, foods, animals, etc.. Also great for working on improving eye-hand coordination and language skills. 

Sago Mini Pet Cafe-this is one of my favorite apps for my younger kids.  Actually, you can't really go wrong with any of the Sago Mini apps available right now.  The funny thing is that some of my older kids still love to play this game even though it's too young for them.  Through 3 different games, kids will learn about colors, numbers and other educational concepts.  Also great for working on improving visual motor and perceptual skills, eye-hand coordination and focus and attentional skills.  

Look and Find Elmo on Sesame Street-my little girl never got into Elmo or Sesame Street like so many of the kids I work with, but I think that makes her the exception.  It's amazing to see how excited so many of the kids I work with get over Elmo and all his buddies.  In this app, kids can entertain themselves and work on improving eye-hand coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills while looking for different items hidden throughout 6 different Sesame Street scenes.  Kids love it because Elmo will keep popping up cheering them on while they are looking for the different items.
Bugs and Bubbles/Bugs and Buttons/Bugs and Buttons 2-I love all of the apps by Little Bit Studios and while I put this in my younger kids section, they are all appropriate and loved by my bigger kids as well.  These apps are still as entertaining and as motivating as they were when I downloaded them years ago.  They are still one of my  most recommended apps for parents to add to their app collection.  First of all, each app comes with 18 different games that teach your child a variety of things:  colors, shapes, matching, eye-hand coordination and a million other things.  Second of all, there is such a variety in the games that your child can play it over and over again without getting bored.
Pepi Doctor-still one of the most recommended apps at work (and at home), even after years of play.  I think kids connect with the characters in the game and love helping them feel better.  They start by choosing one of the 3 characters.  Once they choose their character, they then get to be the doctor in 5 different games.  Whether it be cleaning their teeth or putting back together a broken bone, kids are motivated and engaged during this game.  I find it's a great game not only for improving visual skills, but to encourage language skills and social skills.  It's a great game for kids to play together to learn how to take turns, compromise on what games to play and to talk about the game.

For Bigger Kids (5 and older): so many of the bigger kids I work with are walking a fine line of being too big for "baby" games but too young for the older kid games.  I try and stay away from things like Candy Crush, Minecraft or other games that I know that they can play at home.  It's been fun to discover some of the games below and see how engaged and excited the kids get.  Little do they know that while they are having fun, they are developing critical skills that will help them become better students.  Here are a few of my favorites for the bigger kids.  

Thinkrolls/Thinkrolls 2-these games have been a big hit with many of the older kids on my caseload.  There are two versions of this game and each of them are totally worth spending the money on because they will keep your kids occupied and thinking for a very long time.  There are several puzzles to play that works on improving problem solving, memory and spatial organizational skills. Kids can learn about all about science and physics while exploring the different levels of both Thinkrolls and Thinkrolls 2. 

Toca Blocks-in this app by Toca Blocks, children are able to create and explore worlds that they build.  Using different kinds of blocks, children build an explorable environment filled with different characters and adventures.  Great for working on improving focus and attention, improves creativity and problem solving and can be used in a small group of kids to encourage social skills, teamwork, cooperative play and stimulate conversation.
Fruit Ninja-some of my older kids shy away from any apps that look as though they are made for "babies" so I have tried to put a few games on my iPad that are more mainstream but at the same time will work on important therapeutic skills.  Fruit Ninja is simple:  slice as many fruits as you can in a given amount of time or before you hit a bomb/drop too many pieces of fruits.  This game is great for working on improving visual attention, focus and attention, eye-hand coordination and a ton of other visual skills.  For my kids who are working on grasping, I have them use a stylus while they play.  I also like to throw in my own challenges to work on following directions.  For example, I will tell them to only slice red fruits or ones that you have to peel before eating.  Makes them not get too sucked into the game (although it is a truly addicting and fun game).
Whac A Mole-I've been a fan of the board game Whac A Mole for years.  This is definitely an app for older and more patient kids and a wonderful way to build up their frustration tolerance.  It's not an easy app and while I wish there was a way to slow it down at times, I like the challenge of it.  With over 60 levels to play, your kids will have fun while also working on improving focus/attention, eye-hand coordination, visual scanning and several other skills.

Apps are only as good as the design companies who make them.  If you look through my iPad, you will notice that I have several games from the same companies.  I am constantly looking at the following websites to see what amazingness they have in store for us app-addicted people:
Toca Boca
Toonia
Avokiddo
Sago Sago
PepiPlay
Originator Kids
Lumia Kids
Tiggly
Osmo
Duckie Deck

Here are a few suggestions to make using an iPad even more therapeutic for your kids at home.  

*whenever possible, use a stylus instead of their fingers.  This is a great way to work on improving your child's grip on a writing instrument and improve eye-hand coordination.  There are a lot of different stylus' to choose from but my favorite are the iCreate Crayon, the Kikkerland Mini Stylus Pen or the Cosmonaut stylus.  They are all a bit smaller than a lot of the other stylus' you might see out there encouraging a more appropriate grasp when holding it.  Additionally, both the crayon and Cosmonaut stylus are a bit thicker and have a rubbery grip making it a bit easier to hold onto for those little hands.  

*work on a raised surface when possible.  In order to do this, you can place the iPad on an easel or get some kind of stand to put it on when they are playing with it and have them sit on a chair or a therapy ball.  Make sure that the iPad is at eye level.  First of all, this is great for working on improving shoulder stability and strength.  Without proper stability and strength, developing age-appropriate fine motor skills becomes much more difficult.  Secondly, working on a raised surface works on building wrist control and strength which often times leads to a more proper grasp when holding onto writing instruments.
*when at the gym, I have kids work on the iPad while lying over a bolster or when on the net swing.  This allows us to work on building their upper body strength, shoulder stability, wrist control and head/neck control at the same time.  I have found that when kids are having fun playing an app, they are distracted about how hard they are working on this swing and last for much longer periods of time 

*when possible, have your child or children work with a sibling or a peer on the iPad.  This encourages socialization and conversation which is often the main complaint I get about children using iPads and other forms of technology.  If used the correct way and if playing the right apps, it can actually be used to facilitate conversation amongst children, work on turn taking, compromise and collaborative play.

While many of us make New Year's resolutions to spend less time looking at the screen, it's important to keep in mind how beneficial and motivating it can be for kids who have a hard time with learning.  Whether it be because they have a hard time learning or interacting with his/her peers, when used correctly and in moderation, the iPad can end up helping children become more confident and willing to take risks.  Making sure that I have a hands on activity after playing the iPad is a huge thing for me.  For example, if you have a child who is totally resistant to drawing or writing letters, start with something like LetterSchool and then have a Boogie Board writing tablet close by so they can immediately practice their letters.  Keep learning fun, motivating and offer many opportunities for success.

I'd love to hear from you guys about your favorite apps.  Do you have any winners that I should be using in this new year?  I love to start the year off fresh and exciting for not only the kids, but for me.  I find an updated selection of apps is good for everyone and keeps us focused and keeps therapy fun.  Be sure to send me an email with your suggestions.  I'm always a click away and love hearing from you all!

Wishing you all a very "appy" 2016!  

Thinking Inside and Outside The Lines

This may be my favorite section of my whole guide because one of my favorite things to do is color.

 I can spend hours coloring and my daughter has found a love of this as well.  We will sit side by side sharing our pens, markers and crayons talking about what we are coloring and helping each other out every once in a while.

Did you know that coloring is not only great for kids but has been found to have many benefits for adults as well?  This article from Huffington Post last year talks about how coloring can decrease stress in adults which makes it a great thing for parents and kids to do together. Not only is it fun, it's a great way to bond and talk about things.  Coloring is a fabulous way to work on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills in a non-stressful way.  When you are coloring with your child, you shouldn't tell them what to do (for example, what colors to use) or make them stay in the lines.  When there are specific instructions, have them read them to you and make sure they understand what is being asked of them.  Encourage independence, success, creativity and imagination as much as you can.

There are SO many great coloring and activity books out there right now.  So many that it can make it really difficult to choose sometimes.  There are also tons of different tools out there for coloring.  Some people like to color/draw with crayons and pencils, while others would much rather color with markers.  There is no right or wrong....it's whatever works best for you.  I have shared some of my picks below.  Ones that have been kid tested and therapist approved!

Usborne The Big Book of Things to Find and Colour- another great activity book by Usborne. This one is packed with tons of fun pictures.  Each page has directions for things to find and color in. For example, there is a page filled with fairies and you have to find all the ones holding wands and color them in a certain color, find the one with wings and color them in, etc. This highly motivating activity book works on improving visual motor and visual scanning skills, focus and attention, grasping skills and planning and organizational skills.

The Super Book For Superheroes-this activity book is the perfect gift for your superhero loving artist.  It is filled with ideas, drawing, coloring and activities that encourage kids to be creative and use their imagination.  Kids will learn how to draw villains, create superheroes, secret hideouts, costumes and gadgets they will need to save the world!  For older children, you can have them write out their thoughts and write stories so you can work on improving handwriting skills at the same time.  Kids will have fun working on improving graphomotor, visual motor and perceptual skills, storytelling, focus, attention and organizational skills.

Happy Snacks Color-In'Book-my daughter is really into Shopkins right now so when I saw this adorable coloring book, I had to get it.  The pictures are so cute and engaging.  I love how while we are coloring, we are talking about what we see and whether we like that food or not.  My little girl is a bit of a "by the books" kinda kid, so I've used this book as a way to encourage her to think outside of the box and be more creative.  There is no reason the mushrooms on the pizza can't be purple or the marshmallows in the hot chocolate can't be green.  At the same time, we are working on improving visual motor/perceptual skills, eye-hand coordination, focus and attention and improving her grasping skills.  Once your picture is complete, they are easy to tear out and display for others to see!
The Usbourne Book of Drawing, Doodling and Colouring-I am a huge fan of almost every single Usbourne book I have every purchased.  They are colorful, engaging and educational.  This particular book is a favorite of mine because it combines the best part of many of their books into one big collection.  This book allows a child to color and create things.  It allows them to work on improving their drawing skills.  It gives them step by step instructions in a very easy to follow visual friendly manner that allows kids who feel like they aren't artists be really good artists!  There are pictures to fill in and make your own and give you instructions to follow in order to complete pictures.  Great for working on improving fine motor skills, such as improving grasping patterns, improving visual motor/perceptual skills, eye-hand coordination and executive functioning skills.

The Dollhouse Book-I am madly in love with this activity book by Rock and Pebble that I just found when at my local toy store, Norman and Jules.  The Dollhouse Book is a drawing book shaped like a half of a house.  When you open it, you will find 30 blank pages that can be turned into your child's dream dollhouse. Through drawing, coloring, painting or using stickers, kids can make 15 different rooms.  This is great for working on improving imagination and creativity skills as kids are encouraged to make each room different.  For kids who have a hard time with coming up with ideas, you can spend some time looking at pictures of different rooms of houses and have them talk about what they will draw.  This book is great for working on improving fine motor and grasping skills, improving visual motor and perceptual skills and executive functioning skills, such as focus, attention and organization.
Once Upon A Doodle-in this activity book, kids get to create and complete fairy tale pictures. What I

like most about this book is that while there is a lot of room to be as creative and imaginative as you want, there are certain rules that need to be followed to complete the pictures.  For example, there is a page with a bunch of horses in a field.  Your child's job is to turn all those horses into magical unicorns.  Whether it be turning those horses into unicorns or drawing a long, stringy beard on Rumplestiltskin, kids will have fun coloring and drawing while working on improving fine motor, visual motor and perceptual skills, focus/attention and organizational skills.  It's fun to introduce kids to new fairy tales and work on building storytelling skills by having them tell you what's happening in the pictures they have completed.
Usbourne Sticker Books-my daughter is obsessed with these sticker books and can be entertained by them for hours on end.  There are several to choose from and you can often find them in most book stores.  I love them because they are great for working on developing fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, eye-hand coordination and visual motor and perceptual skills.  Also great for working on expanding language skills.  There are a lot of different sticker books (sports, princesses, castles and doll houses to name a few) to choose from so you will be sure to find one that is just right for your child.

Doodle Lit:  Coloring on the Classics-from the creators of the amazing BabyLit board books comes this fabulous and beautiful activity book.  Doodle Lit introduces kids to classic literature such as Pride & Prejudice, Romeo & Juliet, Alice in Wonderland and many, many more.  The book is chock-full of activities, including decorating the teapot for Alice's tea party and Jane Austen paper dolls.  There's so much more than just coloring in this book and can be a great book for your older children.  While learning about classic characters in literature, children are working on improving imagination and creativity skills, eye-hand coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and improving fine-motor and grasping skills.
Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book-this beautiful and interactive coloring book, illustrated by Johanna Basford, is something that you will want to do with your children.  I have spent countless hours working on this book (and others from Johanna Basford) with my daughter by my side.  It's more than just a coloring book...adorable garden creatures are hidden throughout the pages, making it great for working on improving visual perceptual skills.  Additionally, it's great for working on building speech and language skills as you and your child talk about what you see on each page.
Scented Gel Pens-I am a total sucker for good coloring tools and these happen to be my favorite right now.  More importantly, my little girl (who ironically has a terrible pencil grip) loves them!  This particular set is great because the pens are smaller and encourage a more appropriate grip.  Even if you have decreased grasp strength, you can use these and be successful because they are smooth and easy to use.  An added bonus is that they smell really good so kids get excited to use them.

Chalkola Markers-I was lucky enough for this product to have found me before I published this years gift guide.  I've been searching for something like these for a while and they happened to drop in my lap.  For many of the kids I work with, I suggest that parents find a wall in their house that they can put up some chalkboard or white erase paper on a free wall to work on graphomotor skills.  However, finding the write writing instruments to use on these surfaces has been tricky.  Dry erase markers are great but for so many of the kids I work with, they drag their hand along their work and erase their work before finishing.  These chalk markers are great because they go on as smoothly as they come off.  When I took them out at my gym recently and had the kids write on our mirror, they were so excited.  I had one little boy (who has always been resistant to handwriting activities) ask to write his name four different time in as many colors.  The nice thing about these chalk markers is that once they are started, they are easy to use so if you have a kid with decreased grasp strength, they can still be successful.  I happened to work on a large wall mirror with my friends which is great for building up upper extremity strength and shoulder stability.  When working in this upright position, kids are also more likely to prop their wrists up correctly which puts them in a more appropriate grasping pattern.  Besides practicing shapes, letters and numbers, you can play games like Tic-Tac-Toe, Hangman or the dot game.
Crayola Pip Squeaks-all of the Pip Squeak line is pretty awesome but the markers are a staple in my gym and I recommend them to all parents.  There are two different kids of Pipsqueak markers....regular and skinnies.  I love them both and tell parents to try both to see what their child
does better with.  One of the things I work on the most with the kids I work with is getting them to hold a writing instrument in a correct way.  One thing I have learned is that the smaller the writing instrument, the more likely a child is to hold it correctly.  Some people ask why I recommend markers over crayons or colored pencils and the answer is simple:  if you have a child with decreased grasp strength, they will fine more success when using markers over any other writing instrument because the amount of pressure they need to use on markers is not as much as crayons or pencils.
Crayons and Pencils-it's hard to know which crayons and colored pencils are the best.  It's really a personal preference and you may choose different coloring tools for different activities.

As an occupational therapist, I tend to use ones that are in the shape of a triangle because they help to Crayola's My First Crayons are a great and affordable option for your little artists and can be found in most drug stores, local toy stores and big box stores like Target.  A little tip...the smaller the crayon is, the more likely a child is to hold it in a more appropriate grasp.  For older children, P'Kolino carries amazing products.  My personal favorite is the Hexagon Shaped Colored Pencils.  Unlike most colored pencils, these are 100% color so you can use the whole pencil and there is no pencil sharpener required (honestly, where is a pencil sharpener when you really need it??).  Another nice thing about these colored pencils is that they are pretty durable and don't break easily, which is a nice feature for those kids who tend to use too much pressure when engaged in graphomotor tasks.
promote a tripod like grasp.

I could go on and give you all dozens of more options, but if you are anything like me, the more choices I find myself presented with, the more confused I get.  Do any of you have a fabulous coloring or activity book that you love?  I would love to tell Santa about them for my daughter if you have any we shouldn't love without!  I am always a click away and I love hearing from you with your ideas and suggestions.

The Small (But Fun) Stuff!

Goody Bag Bar at Hiho Batik

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, finding small presents is a necessity during the holiday season.  For me, filling an advent calendar and stockings are so much fun.  I love finding little treasures because I know how much my daughter loves them.  I was actually in Hiho Batik, a local clothing and gift store in Park Slope, recently and saw they have a Goody Bag Bar but all of the little gifts would make wonderful stocking stuffers as well.  They have a fantastic selection of little gifts (think lip gloss, bouncy balls, modeling clay, etc.) you can stock up on.  If you are local, I highly recommend checking it out.  I know that I am going to be hitting them up to find some special treasures for a lot of the special little kids in my life.

Finding little gifts that aren't junk can be a real challenge.  If you are like me, you don't want to just buy stuff for the sake of buying it.  The good news is that there are actually a lot of quality small and inexpensive gifts out there.  I have tried to include items that are good for kids of all ages and don't take up a lot of room (being a New Yorker, I appreciate the importance of real estate and not having your space taken over by your kid's toys!).  Each of the items I have featured below are guaranteed to be lots of fun but, at the same time, offer some kind of educational and therapeutic value.  Lastly, I have tried to suggest things that are priced under $10 (most but not all fit into this last category).

Here are some of my favorite little gifts for this year:
Rainbow Loom Finger Loom-even though it seems like more of a summer thing, I love therapeutic value of the Rainbow Loom.  When I found the Finger Loom this summer, I was super excited.  This little bracelet maker is perfect for throwing in a baggie with a bunch of your child's favorite colored bands.  Perfect for working in fine motor development, eye-hand coordination, focus, attention and organizational skills.
Discovery Putty-I can't love this putty more by Fun and Function.  More importantly, the kids I work with couldn't love it more and it does so many great things for them.  There are now 4 different putties to choose from (school supplies, transportation, treats and animal rescue).  There are about a dozen or so small pieces hidden in the putty and the kids have to search through find them.  Once they find them all, you can have them hide the pieces again for the next person.  This is great for working on strengthening and fine motor control.  Also great for working on speech and language development.
Moulin Roty Transfers-I remember the sticker transfers when I was a kid and was so excited to see my friends at Norman and Jules had a couple of sets....a city setting and a farm setting.  Great for working on improving fine motor skills such as grasping and strength, bilateral coordination and executive functioning skills like organization, planning, focus and attention.  I have been experimenting with different tools to use and have found that a good pencil seems to work the best.

Kikkerland Rainbow Twirler Top-this is one of those little things I stumbled upon and didn't think much of it.  It didn't cost much and we saw some kids playing with it in the store and my daughter really wanted to try it.  This little toy is super fun and my love playing with it.  I have used it to work on improving bilateral coordination but mostly to get kids to calm down and regroup if they are getting anxious about something.  The spinning is fun to watch but what I really like is that if you go too fast it gets all tangled up.  It causes a child to really concentrate on slowing down.
Animal Poppers-I've always loved these little toys and they bring kids such joy.  My daughter and husband will play with these things for so long and end up in tears...the happy kind that come from laughing so hard!  I've used them in therapy before because they are great for improving fine motor skills, bilateral coordination and eye-hand coordination.  I have set up targets for kids to have to aim and launch the balls out which helps with improving visual attention and tracking skills.They  require a tremendous amount of focus, concentration and planning and finding fun ways to work on that with kids can be difficult.
LED Light Up Spinning Flyers-I remember this toy from growing up and have always snatched one up one I have seen one in any store.  I actually remember  making my own at some point using a large button and yarn!  It's a super simple and inexpensive gift but there are so many benefits to this toy from an OT point of view.  This particular set from Hearthsong comes with two spinners in different shapes.  It requires using bilateral coordination, focus/attention, patience and motor planning in order to get the spinner moving.  If you get it going just right, you can keep it spinning and making fun sounds for a long time.
Travel Spirograph-I love that so many of the toys that I used growing up are still around and/or
coming back after years of being shelved.  Spirograph is one of those great timeless toys that kids love today as much as we loved it years ago.  The travel set is perfect for airplane rides, long car rides or keeping your kids entertained while out to dinner.  Each set comes with 6 different wheels, two pens, a pad of paper and case that has a built in ring to put your wheels into.  Everything fits inside easily so it's easy to keep things in order and organized.  Great for working on bilateral coordination, fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination and visual motor and perceptual skills.
Rapper Snappers-also known as pop-tubes, these are a staple in almost every sensory gym I've ever worked in or visited.  A really simple toy but for some reason the kids love it.  Maybe it is the fun sound it makes when you pull it apart and push it together or the way it feels as you play with it.  Whatever it is, kids don't tire of them and they work on so many things.  Great for working on improving bilateral coordination, grasping skills, upper extremity strength and eye-hand coordination.  I will make shapes out of them and have kids copy what I did with them before we might practice drawing the shape.  Adding a hands-on, tactile experience helps kids learn things at a faster rate.
ZooSticks-I love my zoo sticks and try and use them whenever possible when working with my kids. Chopsticks are hard to use but since these are connected at the top, they are easier to use.  I will recommend parents get these for meal times when their kids are struggling with fine motor skills because they work on improving fine motor and grasping skills.  I use them all the time at the gym with the kids...whether it be picking up squishy animals or cleaning up game pieces, the ZooSticks are great for working on improving a ton of skills.  And if you find your child's favorite animal, they are so excited to use them, they don't even realize that they are doing work!

WikkiStix-this is another one of those toys that I have been using since becoming a therapist a million years ago.  Simply put, WikkiStix are wax covered pieces of yarn that can adhere to almost any smooth surface.  You can bend them into a variety of shapes and squeeze them together to make longer to make different shapes and objects.  I have used them to work on teaching children how to make shapes, letters and numbers.  They are great because they are light-weight and don't take up much room making them perfect to throw into a bag for using in restaurants, waiting before appointments, etc..  Check out these Super Wikki Stix...each strand is 3 feet in length making creating much  more exciting and fun!
Super Snow-it's winter and even though some of us get lots of natural snow, there are a lot of people who don't and want to get that wintery feeling.  Super Snow is a perfect solution for that problem and at the same time is a great sensory experience.  Simply combine water with the snow powder, stir and your snow appears.  The more you stir it, the more it shines and sparkles.  Best part is that it can be reused by spraying water on it again.  As mentioned, a great sensory experience but also great for working on bilateral coordination, strengthening (hide things in the snow and have them dig through and find it) and can improve speech and language.
Melting Snowman-I have used this at work and the kids love it!  You get a little box of white putty with all the necessary parts to build a snowman.  Once it is all together, he will melt and you have to put him back together.  Everyone thinks it is hilarious to watch him melt!  Great for working on improving fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, building grasp strength and manipulation skills, body awareness and focus and attention.  I've actually seen these sets at several of my local toy stores (Little Things in Park Slope, Stationary and Toy on the UWS of Manhattan and Mary Arnold Toys on the UES to name a few).

Jiggly Jewels-I love finding hands on activities that kids can really   interact with.  So many of the kids I work with have difficulty with feeling different kinds of textures which can cause them to have trouble in other areas (most common, using glue or paint for school activities).  Through play and exploring different sensory materials, children can actually overcome these defensive behaviors.  The important thing is to find materials that are inviting for the kids...ones that they will want to play with.  Jiggly Jewels is sensory exploration and science combined into one fun activity.  Each set comes with the supplies needed to make colored crystal cubes, fish eggs and garbled marbles.  They start off as small little beads and by adding water, they turn into the different things mentioned before.  Kids can watch them grown and then play with them (they are wet and slimy (good kinda slime feeling)).  One of the best things about this is that the whole set costs under $8!

Wacky Wally-another one of those kids toys that will bring you back in time.  This inexpensive toy is guaranteed to bring hours of fun to your little ones.  What I really love about it is that you can make this a therapeutic toy without the kids knowing they are working on occupational therapy goals.  In our gym, we have this mirror that takes up the whole entire wall and I have the kids throw these sticky creatures at different targets.  Great for working on improving visual motor and perceptual skills, eye-hand coordination, motor planning and organization and upper extremity strength. With a price tag of about $5 or $6, you won't feel bad or poor buying a couple!

I could go on and on with little toys to buy but I have to spend some time on the rest of my gift guide!  If you have any wonderful small toys or gifts that you have given in the past that have been a huge success, please share your ideas with me and my readers.  I love hearing about new toys and gifts and I know that many of my readers would probably be thrilled to have more ideas for the holiday season.  I am always a click away and appreciate and look forward to hearing from any of you with additional  toy suggestions!