The CI Scoop
Baby, It’s TOO Cold Outside!
Noses are red, fingers are blue, if you’re stuck inside, we have some activities for you!
If Only I Had Known a Parent Perspective
Parenting is not for the faint of heart. It can be one of the most demanding and challenging jobs you’ll ever have. Add to that a child with special needs and the job can become downright overwhelming. Although there is no secret playbook or magic formula that can make it right, there are a few actions you can take to help you meet the challenge and practice some self-care.
Feeding Your Toddler: Avoid the Power Struggle
The toddler years are a time of rapid growth – physically, mentally, and emotionally! Most toddlers are developing their sense of self and want to start doing things independently. When a toddler’s desire to do something doesn’t align with their ability, it often results in frustration.
Sensory Friendly Halloween Costumes
Halloween is a time to indulge in sweet treat, carve pumpkins, and dress up in fun…or spooky costumes. While dressing up can be a great way to show your creative side, it can be challenging to find a costume that meets the needs of kids with sensory, accessibility, or...
Dynamic Movement Intervention
Have you been considering seeking out additional supports for your child’s gross motor development? Sometimes families come to us with specific programs or interventions they have heard of that they are interested in learning more about or pursing for their child. Dynamic Movement Intervention is one such intervention.
Fall STEM Activities
October is a great time to introduce some fall themed STEM activities! STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. STEM related activities encourage children to develop problem solving skills, communication skills, and work together as a team.
Promoting Self-Advocacy in the Classroom
Self-advocacy is something that we use on a daily basis to speak up for ourselves and our individual needs. While this ability may come easy to some, it is a complex skill that poses a particular challenge to children with communication difficulties.
Welcoming a New Sibling
Your family is growing! How exciting! There is often lots to do to prepare your home for a new baby, but almost as important as preparing for the baby itself, is preparing the older sibling for the changes that lay ahead.
Sleepless in Summer? Tips & Tricks for Sleep for the Whole Family
After a long summer day of swimming, camping, or playing in the sun, the last thing anyone wants—or needs—is a long, sleepless night. Sleep supports growth and development in children and adolescents, and it supports optimal brain function, a healthy immune system, and participation in daily activities for individuals of all ages (AOTA, 2017, NIH 2012).
When a Dragon Moves In
We know children thrive when they are given freedom to create their own made up worlds and ideas. With imagination and creativity, anything is possible! With imagination and creativity, a cardboard box can become a car, a bedsheet can become a secret fort, and a paper plate can become a dragon! One of my favorite books, When a Dragon Moves In,
Sensational Summer Tips & Tricks
Swimming pools, parades, fireworks, and trips to the park are all sure signs of summertime. Although it’s the best time of year for many children and their families, summer events can also bring novel challenges to daily life due to increased sensory input including visual, auditory, tactile, and social stimuli.
Maintaining Speech Skills Throughout Summer
In the summer, it can be challenging to target speech and language goals! We want our children to enjoy their summers, but we can also make working on speech goals fun with activities we are already doing!
The Therapeutic Benefits of Dance
Have you considered dance to help develop fine and gross motor skills, proprioception and confidence? Whether your child loves to move or jam out, dance could be their calling! Dance can have multiple benefits for helping a child learn more about their body and their vast sensory preferences.
COVID-19 Friendly Outdoor Interactions
While COVID-19 may have changed how we are able to interact with others, one thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that social interaction is vital for the development of children. Children learn and grow by being active participants and engaging with their…
Animal Moves: A Fun Gross Motor Activity for PT, OT, and ST
When adapting to virtual therapy, finding interactive and engaging session plans was possibly one of the biggest challenges therapists and educators were met with. Animal Moves proved to be successful and popular with simple instructions and broadly understood movement patterns for motivating and accessible games for a wide range of children.
Increasing Sensory Opportunities and Movement as Many Kids Head Back to School
As many kids head back to school in these unprecedented times, we know kids are craving more movement, especially with spring right around the corner. Some of you may have heard of the sensory path trend that is sweeping across schools to incorporate movement into...