Lummi Sticks are a great way to promote all kinds of developmental skills for kids! Check out our favorite ways to play! *This post contains affiliate links. Read more. Have you heard of Lummi Sticks? These 7”-10” long wooden cylinders resemble drumsticks and can be used in a variety of ways to promote developmental skills in children — both physical and cognitive. They are easy to transport and are a very economical tool for strapped therapy budgets! Lummi Sticks can [Continue Reading]
10 Fun Ways to Play & Learn With Dot Markers
Dot markers are one of our all-time favorite therapy supplies! There are so many fun ways to use them to promote fine motor and visual motor skills! *This post contains affiliate links. Read more. If you’re a teacher or therapist, you probably have a set of dot markers somewhere in your stash of supplies. If you don’t, you definitely want to pick up a pack of them ASAP. And if you do have them but haven’t used them in awhile [Continue Reading]
What’s the Difference Between a School Therapist and a Clinical Therapist?
Learn more about the differences between a school therapist and a clinic based therapist. One of the most challenging parts of being a school therapist is defending the decision not to recommend therapy services in the educational setting. I have sat through numerous IEPs and MFEs during which this has been a huge point of contention. And, I, as a non-confrontational person who hates to have people mad at me, stutter and stammer my way through the explanation every single [Continue Reading]
Felt Flower Craft for Kids
If you’re looking for a simple and fun flower craft for kids, this is the project for you! *This post contains affiliate links. Read more. We love this cute and easy flower craft for working on bilateral coordination and clothing fasteners (buttoning)! For kids who are just learning how to button (or who are struggling with getting the hang of clothing fasteners), this is a great way to practice and ease the challenge a little bit by using a [Continue Reading]
Group Facilitation Tips for School Therapists
These tips and strategies for group facilitation will come in handy for any pediatric therapist who is working with groups of kids during treatment sessions. As a new school-based therapist, I had plenty of questions for my boss, other therapists, and the teachers I worked with. But I spent most of my time questioning myself. Was I writing good goals? Were my evals okay? Were my treatments effective? Would I ever feel confident and comfortable in this job? I felt [Continue Reading]
Calm Kids On the Go! Sensory Ideas for Outings
Running from soccer practice to dance to dinner and more? You can still have a car full of calm kids with these awesome sensory ideas for when you’re on the go! *This post contains affiliate links. Read more. Therapists often make recommendations to families so therapeutic interventions can be carried out at home. The limited time that we are able to see a child one on one requires that, for optimal improvement, skills be practiced outside of our sessions. [Continue Reading]
DIY Calm Down Kit
These are our favorite ideas to add into a calm down kit for kids – what else would you add? This post contains affiliate links. Read more. Recently at The Treehouse, we’ve worked with several kiddos who often become overstimulated and overwhelmed during our play groups. During our groups, kids move through all different kinds of play-based activities – some quieter seated activities and some more active movement activities. For many of our kids who have behavior challenges, who struggle [Continue Reading]
Creative Tic Tac Toe Games for Kids
Try these creative tic tac toe games for kids and boost developmental skills while you play! What is the one game that your family can take anywhere and everyone will know how to play? Tic Tac Toe! Our family will whip up a quick game on a restaurant placemat, on a random scrap of paper or on a paper plate after a slice of pizza. All you need is a place to write and a pencil! As I was browsing [Continue Reading]
Fine Motor Patterning Holiday Game for Kids
Looking for fun holiday games for kids? We’ve got you covered with these free printable block pattern cards! It’s that time of year! Santa’s elves are working tirelessly to finish making, wrapping and shuffling all of this year’s gifts into his sleigh. Last week, we inspired some gross motor movement with our present stacking Christmas game. It was perfect for promoting core strength, balance, and social skills. We thought we would just continue on the present theme so you [Continue Reading]