With Groundhog’s Day quickly approaching I can’t wait to share with you a fun Groundhog’s Day gross motor activity. What I really like about this game is that it works perfect for Groundhog’s Day, but is also a game that can be used all year long. Since the Punxsutawney Phil is out looking for his …
If you walk into a school, preschool, or daycare, it isn’t surprising to come across a sensory path! These paths have gained quite the buzz, and for good reason. They allow kids an opportunity to move and work on skills such as eye-hand coordination and spatial awareness, both of which are crucial for learning and …
Let’s face it: working in healthcare can be a grind. From productivity requirements to unsafe patient-provider ratios, and from unethical business owners to frustrating and demanding family members…it can all become just too intense. Many of us find ourselves dreaming of passive income. Who wouldn’t want to make money while at the playground with their …
Winter is here! That means winter themes are fun to incorporate into fine motor skills work. I love the idea of working on fine motor through manipulatives and play as much as possible. Check out some of the fun winter fine motor activities below!
Building upper body strength in kids can be made fun with several different exercises! Today I’m sharing with you some of my favorite exercises that work on upper body strength and weight bearing for kids!
As a mom with a background in pediatric physical therapy I’ve found a simple ball is one of the most flexible pieces I can have on hand in both therapy and play. There are so many different ball activities for kids that you can come up with for a variety of skill levels and goals. …
It’s been a while since I posted! I’ve been moving. The last time I moved, I could fit everything I owned in a car. It’s a lot different moving a family of 5 this time. That being said, I really wanted to get out this ideas on using color dots for fun exercises for kids! …
With November nearly here, it’s time to start thinking about November gross motor and fine motor activities planning! In true Pink Oatmeal fashion, the November motor planning ideas are all about themes. The themes for the month include Thanksgiving, Football, Dinosaur and Transportation. If you want even more theme ideas be sure to check out …
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Whether you are working with children in the home, clinic, or school, action songs for kids are an effective way to promote a variety of skills. Regardless of the setting, action songs can be used during transition times, as an intervention to promote specific skills, as a fun, playful way to get kids moving, or …
Making gross motor, fine motor, and physical activity fun is what Pink Oatmeal is all about. This week it is all about monster activities for kids! There are several great ways that a monster theme can be incorporated into gross motor, fine motor and physical activity. This is a fun theme to do anytime of …
Movement breaks in the classroom can provide numerous benefits to children, including improved attention, improved ability to regulate emotions, and an increase in cognitive skills. When we consider the demands a child must meet in order to be successful in the classroom, there are several and oftentimes, they are required to utilize various skills simultaneously. …
Can you smell and taste the pumpkin in the air? Nothing says October more than pumpkin patch visits and Halloween. The October gross motor and fine motor planning ideas take a look at the themes pumpkin, fire safety, space and Halloween! Read all about fun ways to add gross motor and fine motor with a …
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Many teachers, therapists and parents love to use themes when working with their kids. A space theme is just one of several great motor planning theme ideas. I’m excited to share with you several different ideas for space themed gross motor and fine motor activities in today’s blog post.
Fire safety is an important topic that our children learn about from an early age. Fire safety week falls in the month of October, but fire fighter and fire safety themes happen all year long. Adding gross motor and fine motor skills right into the fire safety theme is an excellent way to promote movement …
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It is generally well-known that the benefits of physical activity and exercise for children are wide-ranging. Physical activity can help children maintain attention, sleep more effectively, maintain a healthy body weight, improve mental and emotional health, and perform better overall in educational activities. However, children with special needs may face unique barriers when it comes …
Nothing is better than adding themes and stories to movement. If you have ever tried a movement based story, you may find out the kids are great at listening. They keep waiting to hear what their next move will be! Creating movement stories that are associated with different themes makes it easy to incorporate movement …
If crossing midline was a product or company, I would be their brand ambassador. I mean, I really, really have this nerdy obsession with crossing midline. I love talking about it, educating about its importance, and seeing how many times in a day I can set up environments to encourage it!
Have you ever wanted to add a little extra to your community helpers theme? How about something beneficial like movement? Combining movement and learning is always a win. When you add it to your theme it’s even better. Community helpers yoga is one way of easily making this work with your theme. Check out all …
The farm theme is one of the best themes for both gross motor and fine motor planning activities. With all the animals and fun things happening at the farm it’s easy to incorporate farm themed fine motor and gross motor activities. Today I’m going to share with you some fun ideas to help you get …
Hello September! It’s this time of year that almost everyone is back in school or heading back to school. It’s also a great time for apples and the beginning of fall. I love September motor planning as it feels like a fresh start with the new school year in full swing. Check out the ideas …