The Benefits of Writing and Working on a Vertical Surface!

Do you know why preschools use easels? There is an absolute functional purpose to them and they are a goldmine for developing critical skills! You see, when kiddos work on a vertical surface they are gaining so many developmental benefits!

A recent study published by the American Journal of Occupational Therapy compared a small group of students working on a vertical surface (wall) and a horizontal surface (desk). While accuracy was not improved, speed and fluidity of movements improved when working in a vertical plane. The upper trapezius muscles were also activated while writing on the vertical surface.

So what does this mean?

When writing or working in a vertical plane, the muscles of the shoulder girdle and core are turned on. This can lead to increased muscle control as well as improve visual tracking and eye convergence skills.

Standing up can help fidgety children sustain their attention and engage in learning moreso than when they are seated!

A vertical surface improves bilateral coordination! Have you tried doing anything on the wall with just one hand? It is so hard- a stencil, reaching up to change a light bulb, washing a window or mirror… all of these tasks are better performed with one hand stabilizing and one hand doing.

The wrist is placed in extension and encourages better control of the fingers.

Working against gravity provides a great strengthening activity!

Working on a vertical surface assists with directionality and spatial awareness.

While doing big movements in various directions, your kiddo is working on crossing their midline which helps with handedness, and gets both sides of the brain working together!

So what are some other ideas of things you can do in a vertical plane?

I love taping a cardboard paper towel roll or toilet paper roll to the wall and having kids make a ball run or ball drop with pom poms or other small balls- added bonus if done in a tall kneel position to build core strength.

Try a spray bottle!

Bath crayons make writing so fun- so do window crayons!

Use shaving cream on a wall or easel.

Try Squiz on a wall or window- even in the bath too!

Window clings or reusable stickers are loads of fun!

Contact paper is fantastic for little ones with the sticky side out for sticking various materials to it!

And of course, one of my favorites is painting a wall with water!

Fat Brain Toys Squigz Starter Set, 24 Piece

Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pads Set: Fairies, Princess Castle, Play House, Dress-Up - 680+ Stickers

Toru Window Glass Color Crayon Marker Washable Paper Aqua Non-Toxic 12 Colors

Crayola Bathtub Markers with 1 Bonus Extra Markers AND Crayola Bathtub Crayons with 1 Bonus Extra Crayons

JesPlay Cars & Trucks Foam Window Clings for Kids (by Incredible Gel and Window Clings)- Reusable and Removable Puffy Stickers -Police and Race Cars, Monster, Tow and Fire Trucks, and More

This post contains affiliate links

---

References

Portnoy, S., Mimouni-Bloch, A., Rosenberg, L., Offek, H., Berman, T., Kochavi, M., & Friedman, J. (2018). Graphical Product Quality and Muscle Activity in Children With Mild Disabilities Drawing on a Horizontally or Vertically Oriented Tablet. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72(6), 7206205040p1-7206205040p7.

Korbey, H. (2014, October 21). How Standing Desks can Help Students in the Classroom. KQED Mindshift.

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/38120/how-standing-desks-can-help-students-focus-in-the-classroom

Sunday Snippets

I hope you are hanging in there. There are some really wonderful light moments and some very dense hard ones, huh? My heart sank a little as my daughter asked, “will I get to go back to first grade to see my friends?” While we all have different hard questions to answer, we all have this paradox of hard moments co-existing with wonderful delights. I love not rushing off to the next event, everyone is home for dinner, and I can savor the moment with more presence. But some days are filled with such big emotions from all of us, knowing that we need to strategize for the next grocery store run, and the social isolation can feel dense. In these paradoxical moments, I find comfort in knowing that the whole world shares this common experience. Sitting with that fact sort of blows my mind. At the end of the day we all share this common bond despite shelter-in-place looking so different for each of us. We all have long exhausting days filled with uncertainty and hard questions to answer but the same sun rises and sets over each of us as we all put one foot in front of the other to get to the other side.

I love this idea for Earth Day on Wednesday! I’d love to write words on one side that promote healing for the Earth.

I’m loving these to promote the appropriate grasp for little toddlers!

We will definitely be doing this in my telehealth OT sessions this week! But we will add a twist and walk the ball up the wall with our feet! Great for kiddos and parents!

Try building a tower with pieces of cardboard! Cut slits to fit the pieces together - it is a great way to build bilateral coordination skills, problem solving, and finger strength!

My friend over at Children’s Lit Love recommends fabulous books and shared a fun activity that worked on building hand strength while making pancakes! After reading Pancakes for Breakfast they got busy maing pancakes! What a fun activity for pandemic life!

Pancakes for Breakfast

NPYPQ Stainless Steel Flour Sifter Large Baking Sieve Cup for Powdered Sugar

Have a great week! Tag me if you try any of these activities!

Sunday Snippets

How was this week for you? Hopefully you found some spring in your step with new buds on trees, eggs to dye, or a Passover meal to celebrate. Most importantly, I hope you connected with someone meaningful to you.

Try bubble prints this week… who doesn’t love blowing bubbles? This is great for oral motor practice and a fun cause and effect activity for kids of all ages. Mix some food color or liquid water color into bubble solution and blow bubbles on paper! Use it to send some happy mail to someone!

Grab a bag of cracked corn from the hardware store and use it to make a sensory bin to keep your little ones busy and engaged in imaginative play!

A great article about mud kitchens to inspire you

And here’s an affordable mud kitchen on Amazon!

TP Toys Muddy Cook Wooden Mud Kitchen Outdoor Play

And this caught my eye- what an affordable double sided- clear easel!

Double Sided Indoor/Outdoor Plexiglass Art Easel (21 x 36 x 51 in) - Easy to Clean, Kids Can Draw or Paint On Both Sides

Svan

This is just too funny!

Have a great week and send this to a friend! Tag me on Instagram if you try any of these activities!

Treasure Soaps!

Well I thought I’d just buy them but then I realized truly how easy it is to make Treasure Soaps! You could include your kiddos in this or surprise them!

I was inspired by Happi Crafts when I saw their incredibly cute Reward Soaps! They are at a very affordable price point. In these Covid-19 times, I have some extra time on my hands so I ordered some glycerin for soap making and tackled this easy-to-do project! So here it is…

First grab some of this…

Clear Glycerin Soap Base- 2lb

5 LB - ULTRA CLEAR GLYCERIN Soap Base by Velona | Melt and Pour | Transparent Natural Bar For The Best Result for Soap Making

I bought the 2 lb but might opt for the 5 lb so that I could make these to have on hand for fun gifts!

Next, raid your kiddos’ rooms for small trinkets and treasures or add these to your cart…

Food Erasers OHill Pack of 46 Pencil Erasers for Kids Pull Apart 3D Mini Erasers Assorted Food Cake Dessert Puzzle Erasers for Birthday Party Supplies Favors, School Classroom Rewards and Novelty Toys

Edison Novelty Bunch of Baby Unicorns Assorted Pastel Colors (24)

Terra by Battat – Dinosaurs – Assorted Miniature Dinosaur Toy Figures & Cake Toppers For Kids 3+ (60 Pc)

HAPTIME 100 Pcs Various Pose Toy Soldiers Figures, Army Men Green Soldiers, Toy Soldiers Action Figures for Kids Children

30,50,100pcs Random PVC Different Shoe Charms For Shoe Decoration Wristband Bracelet Party Gifts

You also need some silicon trays- I had some from my days of infant food making that work or you can use these and definitely fit more treasures in it….

2 Pcs SJ Silicone Soap Molds, Rectangle & Oval, 6-Cavity Silicone Molds for Pudding, Muffin, Loaf, Brownie, Cornbread, and Cheesecake, Loaf Soap Molds, Nonstick & BPA free (Pink)

And here is the easy part… cut up the glycerin into chunks and place in a microwave-safe bowl or Pyrex measuring cup. Melt and stir about 30-45 seconds at each go until it is completely melted. You can add in some essential oils. Meanwhile, place the treasures in the mold and then pour the melted glycerin over and let set and harden overnight! Boom! You’re done! It is so fun and will certainly lead to a fun bath time!!!

Tag me if you try this fun activity!

Sunday Snippets

I can’t keep track of what day it is. How about you? We are probably all seeing the same memes out there but truly, each day does feel like Groundhog day or a Monday. Fridays have lost their pizazz. Here are some funny things I’m seeing, some links with activities, and some of the things we are doing to stay busy and sane…

These pretty much sum it up….

We are having some great times just kidding- some long days is more like it- during our shelter-in-place. But we are attempting to keep the kids busy choosing some recipes they can help make! I had the cookbook in the middle when I was a kid and just loved it!!!

This article captures what working from home is like

I really want to try and make these with the kids!

Or let’s be honest, I might just buy these

Get out those Easter eggs and make some egg circle paintings! I first did this when my daughter was 18 months old…

How fun would this be?!:

Insect Lore Butterfly Garden: Original Habitat and Live Cup of Caterpillars – Life Science & STEM Education

We are trying to get outside as much as possible, especially before the rain comes this next week

This is a fun activity- take a plastic bag and draw a person on it. Add some pom poms, beads, really it could be anything round, and add a little water. Practice those fine motor skills to push the pom pom into the person’s mouth!

Distance learning and screen time feels like a lot. We are handing over computers, tablets, and phones to young kids like it’s candy. I try to come up with activities that achieve the objective the teacher desires but without the screen. Sometimes I don’t and I hand over the screen because this tenuous time feels all about survival at moments. But while my daughter is working on a time unit and doing time worksheets, I’m trying to make it come alive and found this nature sundial that really show what time is. What a dichotomy huh? Because right now time feels like a blur. We never know what time it is…

Sharing is caring! Please pass this on to a friend- post on social media- your support helps my small business thrive! Thank you!

Sunday Snippets

Or put out some play dough, slime, and let your kiddos learn with sensory play!

I’m loving this beautiful feed and this activity

If you are looking for a fun lesson plan with an amazing book, STEM project and more… check this out!

Bubble bath dough looks incredibly fun! We spend lots of time doing shaving cream baths but now I’m ready for this!

Try making these crayons with your broken crayon pieces, a silicon muffin tin, and place in a low heat oven (about 200 degrees for 10 minutes!)

A simple activity to do outside or in!

April is almost here and this activity is one of my favorites!

This playdough activity is the most simple way to invite your children to create and play peacefully

I can’t get enough of these free charts to help as you teach your kiddos at home!

Try a “ninja course” at home- it is so fun for motor planning and body awareness! Or try making the family picture hanging above my kids’ beds- people cut-outs, some fabric scraps, and write the names of the family members below!

I’m offering online OT Telehealth sessions- does your child need some OT, a home program, do you need some consultation on writing, sensory processing, copying letters? Send me an email!

Have a great week- you can do hard things! Take time to reflect on what you are grateful for, acknowledge what is hard, take time to breathe, and focus on being present with your family members.

Sunday Snippets

How are you holding up? Between worry about how long this will go on and what this means for the global economy and our future, I also find myself loving the slower pace. No expectations to be somewhere, intentional time at home spent playing games, building forts, and walking outside. But the new routine and pace is also overwhelming at times. I feel overwhelmed by the onslaught of lesson plans and managing keeping a 4 year old busy while tacking online learning at home with a first grader. What helps me is realizing that we can only continue to show up, be present for our kids, smile with them and reassure them of our love during these uncertain times.

So here are a few of my favorite things around the web and simple activities to do at home with your kiddos…

Pre-cut tape and place it on a block for easy tearing and a fun invitation-to-create for your kiddos of all ages!

Fun printables to keep your kids busy for awhile…

Typing programs for kids! This is a favorite and I’m looking forward to trying this one.…

Need a simple sensory bin? This one is an easy clean up and you might be accruing a lot of corks these days

Send some artist trading cards to a friend to start a fun collection!

My kids are having a blast with these around the house and outside!

Obuby Walkie Talkies for Kids, 22 Channels 2 Way Radio Kid Toy Gift 3 KMs Long Range with Backlit LCD Flashlight Best Gifts Toys for Boys and Girls to Outside Adventure (Blue & Green)

Play dough, scissors, and some letter beads are the perfect activity to build hand strength, scissor skills, tactile processing, and spell your name or sight words!

I am comforted by the way people are coming together, Zoom play dates are happening, I’m connecting with more people than I ever had in a week!

We got this!

After School Grumps

Here we are, in February, and you may be thinking, “why is my child so crabby after school?” I’m hoping to shed some light on this for you and give you some ideas to help those after school, evening hours.

Your child has been “on” all day at school. They must follow the group plan, exhibit immense self regulation, navigate social situations, follow multi-step instructions requiring intense executive functioning, and possibly even cope with feelings that creep into their heads that they are not good at something, someone does not like them, friends leaving them out… there is a whole host of events that happen in their school day that they must deal with. It is really no wonder that at the end of the day your child may take it all out on you. Finally, someone they love and feel safe with and they can unload that weight they carried through the day.

There are days when we, as adults, come home and just want to sit on the couch or read a magazine, have a snack and have everyone leave us alone. *Usually* adults are able to express this in a pleasant way, but children need to develop that skill and depending on their age or how their day went, they may not have the language to express this without being just plain, old grumpy. What we can do as adults, is give them the strategies to do so as well as help them check in with themselves to advocate for what they need.

From an occupational therapist lens, this means helping them (and us) recognize the sensations in our body. Are they hungry? Sometimes, your child may not even be able to tell you they are hungry because they are so beyond the point of tired, drained, mentally fatigued, AND hungry so having a snack ready for them is key. Be sure you have a variety of food groups covered as well as textures that way you are filling their sensory needs as well- crunchy/ chewy/ maybe cold or hot too. Smoothies are a great way to get some quality nutrients as well as some deep proprioceptive input as they suck it through a straw.

Think of crunchy snacks like carrot sticks, veggie straws, popcorn, apple slices with various dipping options. Chewy snacks like turkey or beef jerky, salami, mini bagels with cream cheese and fruit leather also provide a lot of sensory feedback!

Aside from snacks providing sensory input, if your child loves to dig consider sitting outside with them and their snack and bringing out a sand bucket and shovel. Provide a sensory bin that they can scoop and pour. Sometimes, just sitting with them in silence while they find the FLOW of the activity allows them to decompress and the words to tell you about their day may also begin to flow out.

Depending on your tolerance for sensory bins here are some of my favorites! Remember, there are great non-edible options like corks or shredded paper, ice, or cracked corn and bird seed that can then be repurposed as bird feeders!

If your child has homework, a great way to get them ready for sitting down yet again is to give them an opportunity to move around or build with Legos and infuse that into the homework with breaks. I also love using play dough for the younger school-age child (even up to 3rd grade) for math and cursive because not only is it fun to write in play dough, but the tactile and kinesthetic feedback will help the brain remember the math fact/ spelling word/ or motion of cursive! Give it a try! Use manipulatives in the dough for math skills!

hand2mind Plastic Tangrams, Manipulative Set for Math Puzzles (Pack of 32)

Alytimes Counting Stick Calculation Math Educational Toy, Wooden Number Cards and Counting Rods Box

Some of our other favorite after-school activities aside from just open-ended play time at home, is watercolor painting, having this Buddha Board out for some calming water painting, placing a bucket of water and some brushes outside to paint the walls with water, swinging, and playing on the wobbel board!

The Original BUDDHA BOARD:Relaxing Water Painting with Bamboo Brush & Stand, Mindfulness & Meditation Practice, Environmentally Friendly.Zen Concept Live in The Moment. Master The Art of letting go.

little dove Wood Balance Board Wobbel Balance Board Kid Yoga Board Curvy Board - Wooden Rocker Board Kid Size Wood

So tell me, what do you do to help your child after school? What do YOU as an adult like to do to decompress at the end of the day? It is so individualized and recognizing that in our child while we help them understand what their body needs will pay dividends as they grow!

Winter Snowy Day Activities

Whether you live in a snowy climate in the winter or you have some rainy days that pass through, you need some indoor activities for your kiddos. A few years back I did a Winter Challenge and posted winter-themed activities for each week throughout the months of January and February. I have had so much fun pulling out some of those same recipes and activities on rainy days, while I’m cooking dinner, or as an invitation to create and explore when my kids come home from school.

Here are some of my favorite winter-themed activities all in one place for you to try at home!

Baking soda is a key ingredient to make snow. There are so many recipes out there for fake snow and baking soda really does pack into snow balls. You can just add some water and extend play with vinegar ( I love using a spray bottle or pipettes to watch it fizz up!). Try mixing baking soda and hair conditioner until you get a consistency that packs together. I have also tried baking soda and lotion. You can experiment with the combinations and see which your child prefers.

My all-time favorite snow though, is that fake snow that grows with water and is like the inside of diapers that absorbs the water… it’s just so fun for us Californians far from snow!

Be Amazing! Toys Amazing Grow Snow Jar, Makes 2 gallon

Cloud dough is also a fun sensory experience! Take a 5 lb bag of white flour and some baby oil and mix together until the 2 clump together to make snowballs. Or for a smaller batch, 2 cups of flour with 1/4 c. of baby oil. This is very fun with winter figurines!

Wild Republic Polar Nature Tube, Arctic Animals, Kids Gifts, Educational Toys, Party Favors, 13-Piece

600 Pieces Set Includes 60 Mini Black Top Hats, Plastic Magician Hats, 360 Tiny Black Buttons, 60 Carrot Noses Buttons and 120 Snowman Hands for Christmas Crafting and Sewing, Party Supplies

For a fun activity to develop the muscles in our fingers for a mature grasp takes just a few items- q-tips, white paint, and blue paper! Using a small item to paint with, like a q-tip helps kiddos use what’s called a tripod grasp rather than all of their fingers.

Snow paint is another favorite activity! It is incredibly fun to paint with AND it dries fluffy! It leaves a 3D effect to your kiddo’s snowy art! I don’t measure this, just squirt a mound of shaving cream and add in some white school glue! An added fun flair is some glitter… if that’s your jam! Use a paint brush, a men’s shaving brush, popsicle stick, spoon, a variety of painting tools helps kids to develop their motor skills and proprioception as they feel the different weights of materials in their muscles and joints!

Shaving cream can be your best friend for winter activities! Drive trucks through it, play with snowmen and arctic figurines, drop food coloring and swirl it, place paper over the swirls for marbled paper, and our personal favorite… bring it into the bathtub!

A non-mess sensory bin that is tons of fun and a great opportunity to work on fine motor skills is a cotton ball sensory bin! Add in some scoops, tongs, and bowls and you are set!

A big hit in all of my groups and with my own kids- even my 6.5 year old, is freezing figures in water and melting the frozen ice with salt and warm water. Scoop, squeeze pipettes or a turkey baster, pound with a mallet or kids hammer… I like to have white play dough ready for the freed animals to play in! One of my clients loves his legos so we built some lego men and froze them! The options are endless of what you can freeze and free!

You can also freeze items from nature- pine sprigs, berries, leaves- really anything! If you live where it gets below freezing at night, simply leave it out overnight and it is an excellent invitation to get outside the next day to check on your frozen items! A pro tip is to freeze a piece of twine in the water and you can hang it up and watch the sunlight stream through!

Indoor ice skating is great fun on a rainy or snowy day! All you need is paper plates, maybe some mittens to practice with self-dressing skills, and a balloon to add in some visual motor skill building!

Vacation is over, school is back in session....

Our winter break was lovely and full of lazy days at home and movie watching. Now we are ready for some structure and embracing a routine. One of the ways I like to create some structure is to have an activity for the morning before school for my 4 year old or after school for my 6 year old. This seems to help ease the transition back home. I put some music on, we may or may not chat, a snack is served and the kids can go at an activity that is set out for them. Sensory activities can be a great way to help kids decompress, they may invite some more chatter because kids become engrossed in the feeling and relax, or they may just focus on the sensations and find their zen. So if you are looking for a little activity that can also be a nice transition to bath time afterwards, this one is for you….

I have for you Snow Paint! It feels marvelous and is an open-ended way to explore writing, drawing shapes, or add in some figurines who are “playing in the snow” and you have some imaginative play. Have a towel ready for hand washing or transition straight to the bath afterwards. Heck, you could even do this in the bathtub if your drain can handle washing down the snow…

Snow Paint Recipe

1 cup white flour

1 cup salt

1 cup water

Mix everything together and place on a tray!

I love these trays:

PRO ART 13-Inch by 17-Inch Butcher Tray (6959-05)

Avant 15" x 10" Plastic Serving Tray | set of 3 White

Encourage using their pointer finger to trace letters or shapes, talk to them about the feel of the snow paint, add in some sparkly glitter for a snowy effect and some figurines for some open-ended play! Join in the fun and watch what happens as you spend this time transitioning home from school. Maybe just sit together without asking any questions. My hope is that it is relaxing for both of you!

Hemway Ultra FINE Premium Multi Purpose Glitter 1/128" .008" 0.2mm 200 microns Dust/Powder 100g / 3.5oz for Crafts Cosmetic Wine Glass Face Art Nail Skin Beards Festival (Mother of Pearl)

Wild Republic Polar Nature Tube, Arctic Animals, Kids Gifts, Educational Toys, Party Favors, 13-Piece

Lemax Village Collection Winter Fun Set of 5 Skiing #92357

• Please note these are affiliate links. The small percentage of income I receive from affiliate links allows me to explore new products! Thank you for your support!