At School
Declarative Connection
The kid I’m working with is a hardcore gestalt language processor*. I notice that they’re singing a song while the two of us work side by side on an art project. I can tell some […]
child-led play
Activities
The Allure of a Clipboard
Child’s favorite activity: searching for something hidden somewhere in the room My goal for child: that they would not feel completely threatened by the concept of writing/drawing/touching a pencil, but begin to see ways in […]
Activities
Simple Mazes
I offer a fine motor area as one of the stations in my therapy gym, in the form of a whiteboard with something casually drawn on it that the kids can interact with or not. […]
Activities
Ultra-Washable Paint
Ultra-washable paint: 50% washable tempera paint 50% dish soap or bubble bath or old shampoo that you have left over after switching brands That’s it. Mix those two together. It will create an extremely washable […]
Activities
Painting with Brushes
When I introduced watercolors to my children for the first time (back when they were 3 and 2), I thought that the concept of dipping the paintbrush in the paint, wetting the paint, cleaning the […]
Activities
Time Travel
I have this one kid I work with who is an utter delight to witness inventing things. It’s a talent, seriously. Whereas I often work with kids who don’t necessarily know how to direct play […]
Activities
Low Table Prompts
[Image description: A picture of a table that is low to the ground, only about 1 foot high. On top of it are Plus Plus blocks, separated into piles according to color. Taped to the […]
At School
Occupationally Meaningful
When I get a kid on my caseload who has been forced, from too early, to trace and write — for whom it is HARD to trace and write, who quickly learns to HATE tracing […]
At Home
Teaching Play
Once you’ve “taught” them how to use something (even accidentally), I notice these things happen: -they start to believe there is a “right” way to play with the toy -they fall into a pattern of […]
At Home
At, Above, Below
Kids need room to play, unimpeded and unhelped, on materials that are at their level and above their level and below their level of ability to climb and interact with. They interact with things at […]