Penmanship. Using scissors. Tying shoes. Skipping. Tossing a ball. These are just a few of the developmental milestones so many families take for granted. They seem so simple despite the initial struggles our kiddos may exhibit. I remember being kept from recess until I could make a proper cursive lowercase letter f. My teacher must have eventually given up on my success because to this day, my cursive f's are funky! If I'm being honest, I still struggle with some basic OT related skills. Most all of my script and printing is a bit on the funky side. I still can't cut a straight line or wrap a present pretty. I can however, skip with only an occasional trip and I hardly coach myself when I'm tying my shoes. I can even toss a ball far, well, so long as I'm throwing it down a hill. I've made some improvements, that's for sure, but I'm here to tell you that most things which look simple and not much more than a mark on a developmental chart, are in fact, quite difficult for someone with challenges from fine motor coordination, to bilateral coordination, or eye tracking or any number of other physiological challenges. Thank goodness for the OTs in our lives who work with teachers and parents to help these challenges take over less of our lives. 
And now, a gracious look at the challenge behind the 'simple' written by my peers from the OT department at BRAINS.

Not Just a Snowflake
Many of you have probably noticed the many brightly colored snowflakes that the OT department has put around the building, and have been making with our kids over the last few weeks. I thought it would be a good time to let everyone know that it is not just a pretty snowflake (although I think they look really cool). We started making the snowflakes with our therapy kids because it works on so many different skills that they need!

• To make the snowflake, it involves folding, cutting, folding, cutting, and taping/stapling.
• Since there are 6 points, the kids get to practice these skills over, and over, and over. Repetitive motor learning increases their opportunity for task mastery.
• This task is very simple, but also takes a lot of time (30-40 minutes per snowflake.) This helps the kids with attention difficulties focus on something that is also repetitive to increase focus.
• The task can be easily graded (made easier or harder) depending on the skill level of the child. Therefore, we can provide the “just right” challenge for a kid and help them succeed in making a beautiful piece of art.
• It can be completed as a group, which helps the kids with social difficulties work together to come up with the final product, and we can also limit the supplies and tools available to promote sharing.
• Since the task is actually pretty simple, but looks amazing, it gave a lot of our kids a great sense of accomplishment to get it done to show their parents and take home!
• The scraps from cutting the rectangle into a square was used to make the paper chains around the building. This task is also repetitive, but easier to achieve for some of our kids that the snowflake was too daunting of a task.

So although we do fun crafts with our kids, it’s not just for fun! Hope you learned something reading this, and everyone have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy the snowflakes!
 
~the OT department at BRAINS

Sensory Tips for a Happy Holiday
The holiday season can be a joyous one, but it can also be very overwhelming. For all of us. As adults, there are so many things for us to plan and get done, but we also sometimes have good strategies to help us from getting overwhelmed so we can get everything done when we need to. As a child with sensory struggles, these strategies may be non-existent. The noise of all of the kids getting together once a year, the changes in routine, and the unexpected may be too much for a child with these difficulties. Here are some quick tips and tricks to help everyone get through the holiday season with a smile.


Get involved in the preparationsThe more that you are a part of the process, the easier it is to participate in the final product. Get your child involved with planning for what is going to happen, and have them help prepare! This could be crafts to celebrate the holidays or small more controlled events prior to the big family gatherings.


Meal preparation and cookingFood preparation, cooking, and mealtime are sensory rich activities. Involve your child as much as possible during the holidays for some sneaky “heavy work”, messy play, and becoming familiar with holiday foods. Ask for help with pouring, mixing, measuring, and decorating. Having your child gather ingredients, write a grocery list, and locate familiar items in the store are also great ways to involve your child. Even if going to someone else’s house for the holiday, encourage your child to bring a small dish that they helped to make.


Reduce the element of surprisePlanning helps everyone keep calm and collected. Go over plans with your child, and work together to come up with ways that they and/or you can help during the large events. If you can work out a signal for each other that means your child is stressed, or if she/he knows a place that they can go to “regroup” prior to the event, it will help everyone enjoy the events.


The calm before the stormEngage your child in their preferred, calming sensory diet activities BEFORE leaving to go to holiday parties or before the party comes to you. Jumping on a mini-trampoline, wall push-ups, animal walks, swinging, deep breathing, tactile bin play, etc. Preparing your child’s brain and body ahead of time will be beneficial for everyone, giving them their best potential for the hectic day. Movement breaks and calming strategies should also be sprinkled through the day to maintain optimal regulation.


Keep your child happyYou know your child better than anyone! You know what they need and how to help them out. This may be a great time to do some education to family and friends about your child and their special needs. If your child needs to do 10 wall push-ups prior to dinner so they can attend better, or they need to stand instead of sit so they are less disruptive, go for it!


ShoppingWhen shopping during the holidays, it may be best to shop when stores are less crowded or shop online. If a child must go with you to the store, planning ahead and bringing along sensory “tools” like earplugs, gum, fidgets, or a hat/hoodie will help ease the over-stimulation. Going with a plan in mind or a short list that the child can help cross off may also help. This season is busy and overwhelming for anyone, so knowing the goal and having an end in sight may ease the stress for everyone.


Stay on scheduleDuring any holiday break, it is easy to get off schedule and have more flexible routines. However, try to stick to the typical schedule, especially bedtime and wake-up routines. Not only can a child’s sleep-wake cycle become disrupted, but this also affects self-regulation. A child is more able to self-manage and regulate their state of arousal when routines, schedules, and sleep/rest are consistent.


Remember what’s importantAt the end of the day, remember that you and your child are more important than any holiday “tradition” or ritual that only happens one time a year. Take a deep breath, remember what matters most, and enjoy the season!
Adapted from: http://sensorysmarts.com/tips_for_the_holidays.htm
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