Looking for ideas for telehealth physical therapy and occupational therapy? We're all in this together! Check out our favorite activity ideas! It’s crazy how quickly things can change. One week, it's business as usual: -last minute notifications about the IEP meeting (tomorrow) -that one kid who had to go to the bathroom 3 X during our 30 minute treatment session -oodles of paperwork that will seemingly never get done You know the drill. A week later and BOOM. We are practicing social distancing from everyone but our own kids who are now at home 24/7 for an indefinite ... Read More about A New Approach: Telehealth Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
Occupational and Physical Therapy Home Program Activities
Looking for home program activities for occupational and physical therapy? We've got you covered! *This post contains affiliate links. Read more. We've all seen what happens when kids have extended breaks from school or therapy. Without regular practice with academics and other developmental skills, kids tend to regress and it can take days, weeks, or even months to regain the skills they've lost. Right now, as so many of us are facing an unexpected and possibly extended time away from schools and clinics, we know that many therapists, teachers, and parents are looking for home ... Read More about Occupational and Physical Therapy Home Program Activities
How to Survive IEP Season as a School-Based Therapist
Looking for tips and strategies to avoid burnout this IEP season? We've got you covered! We made it! The first half of the school year is complete and we are well on our way into the race to June. For most of us school-based therapists, that means that we are focused on the countdown to spring break which marks the last breath before the impending IEP season! Do you have a spring “IEP season” in your school district? Or are they spread out throughout the school year? Recently, I’ve noticed our IEPs becoming more split with some at the beginning of the year and some at the end of ... Read More about How to Survive IEP Season as a School-Based Therapist
How to Use a Balance Board for Kids
Looking for an awesome balance board for kids? We've got you covered with some of our favorites, along with some great ideas for how to use one! Ask any physical therapist in the pediatric or sports realm what their favorite piece of equipment is and you might get this answer: A Balance Board! This versatile piece of equipment is usually made of wood or heavy duty plastic and can come in shapes ranging from rectangle to round. Some have interchangeable pieces on the bottom that can increase or decrease the challenge. Balance boards are awesome tools for challenging the ... Read More about How to Use a Balance Board for Kids
The Best Games for Kids in Wheelchairs
These are some of our favorite games for kids in wheelchairs! Perfect for promoting activity and engagement! *This post contains affiliate links. Read more. One of the most important goals for any child progressing through the stages of development is mastery of mobility skills. Functional movement, at any age, allows for independence. A baby learns to roll to his favorite toy. A child learns to walk to get her favorite snack. A young athlete learns to run to avoid being tagged. For a child in a wheelchair, this goal of functional independence is the same but the path to achieve it ... Read More about The Best Games for Kids in Wheelchairs
Games to Strengthen Core Muscles
These are the perfect games to use in therapy sessions or in the classroom to strengthen core muscles in kids! *This post contains affiliate links. Read more. I am willing to bet that at least half of you reading this post have a goal to improve your core strength? So, let me ask you this…would you rather do 100 reps of the dreaded bicycle crunch or play a game of UNO? I am pretty sure I know the answer. Kids think exactly the same way. They don’t want you to make them hold a plank for 10 seconds or complete 5 bridges (although we have some pretty fun ways to make those bridges ... Read More about Games to Strengthen Core Muscles
Snowy Day Movement Story for Kids
This Snowy Day Movement Story is great for working on motor planning, balance, coordination, problem solving, concentration, self-regulation, core strength and body awareness while having tons of fun! Creative movement ideas have become a specialty of ours not only at The Inspired Treehouse but also at our non-profit location, The Treehouse. As a team, we can turn just about any theme into a movement-packed, developmental skill building activity! Last winter, we came up with this cute Snowy Day Movement Story for our Movement Adventures Webinar to engage our preschoolers and ... Read More about Snowy Day Movement Story for Kids
Printable Cards: Positive Affirmations for Kids
These positive affirmations for kids are a great way to let kids know that you appreciate them and that you're cheering them on, no matter what challenges they face. If you live or work with kids, you know the importance of attention - kids thrive on it. As adults and caregivers, when we focus on kids' positive characteristics, behaviors, and achievements and when we support and reassure them through challenges and frustrations, we become one of the most important keys to self-regulation and healthy development. Caregivers play a crucial role in supporting the development of ... Read More about Printable Cards: Positive Affirmations for Kids