Check out these fun indoor games for kids – all using a pumpkin! So many fun and easy ways to play! Pumpkins are pretty much the perfect playthings. They’re round (perfect for rolling and tossing), they’re heavy (awesome for bowling and just knocking things down in general), and they have all kinds of gooey, slimy stuff inside. What more could a kid ask for? Today, we’ll use this classic symbol of fall for some relay race fun that targets gross [Continue Reading]
Halloween Activities for Kids: 3 Fun Ways to Spin a Web
Just in time for Halloween, we’ve teamed up to create 3 fun Halloween activities for kids that will challenge fine and gross motor skills while keeping little ones occupied for hours! Fine Motor Challenge What you’ll need -chairs -yarn -fake spiders or other Halloween trinkets What to do Position two chairs a few feet apart with backs facing each other. Tie the end of a ball of yarn to one of the rungs of the chair and start weaving and wrapping [Continue Reading]
14 Great Sensory Activities for Toddlers
These sensory activities for toddlers are great for helping kids explore the world using all of their senses! *This post contains affiliate links. Read more. Exploration is the name of the game for children ages 1 and 2! As they become mobile, babies have a tendency to get into everything, from unraveling an entire roll of toilet paper to digging through the dog’s bowl of food. Try one of these sensory activities for toddlers that allow them to touch, taste, [Continue Reading]
10 Gross Motor Activities for Toddlers
These gross motor activities for toddlers are the perfect way to get your little one up and moving! There are tons of fun and simple ways to promote gross motor skills in your child between ages 1 and 2. And the best part of kids at this age is that they’re curious about everything, which makes it easy to get their attention and engage in exploration, climbing, and learning about how their bodies move in space. Here are some of our favorite ways to [Continue Reading]
How to Keep Your Baby Smiling During Tummy Time
Learn more about tummy time and how to make this important developmental experience more fun and comfortable for your little one! This post contains affiliate links. Read more. Tummy Time These days babies spend a lot of their time in carriers, car seats, and strollers. Add to this the increased awareness of the “Back to Sleep” campaign that promotes sleeping babies on their backs to decrease the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), and what’s the result? Babies are spending too [Continue Reading]
Sensory Motor Scavenger Hunt for Kids
The Inspired Treehouse – This outdoor sensory motor scavenger hunt for kids is the perfect way to explore the sense and the outdoors! One of my favorite memories from childhood is going out on walks with my mom, collecting leaves, sticks, and other bits of nature along the way and then assembling it all into a “nature collage” when we got home. As a pediatric therapists, we like to put a different spin on activities for kids like this one, [Continue Reading]
Picnic Ideas: 10 Fun Picnic Blanket Games
Looking for fun picnic ideas for kids? These 10 Picnic Blanket Games are perfect for keeping kids entertained and active! How many times do you pull out your picnic blanket each summer? At my house, that same blanket comes out for ball games, fireworks, playdates at the park, sleepovers under the stars… and for picnics, of course! Here are some fun and easy picnic ideas for kids that will turn that well-loved blanket into more than just something to sit on – and they’re [Continue Reading]
CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS: CHOPPING DOWN THE TREE!
‘Tis the season for pediatric PTs to come up with fun and creative Christmas activities for kids! Here’s a great way to get the whole class or family moving on a chilly winter day! Every child I know gets a little fidgety in the winter months. The opportunity to be outside is difficult to come by with the frigid temperatures and early sunsets here in Northeast Ohio. It is so important to find opportunities for fun gross motor play [Continue Reading]
CHORES FOR KIDS: PROMOTING DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS
Chores for kids…they’re great for fostering independence, promoting a sense of responsibility, and making kids feel like capable members of a household. But what if we told you that chores for kids are also amazing for promoting all kinds of developmental skills? Yep, now you have more reason than ever to put those kiddos to work! Read on to learn how common everyday chores can help boost strength, proprioception, bilateral coordination, midline crossing, fine motor skills, visual skills, and cognitive [Continue Reading]