I’m often asked how to encourage upper extremity weight bearing with a toddler/preschool aged child. It’s not always easy in this age group as they are on the move and busy! We know that weight bearing through the upper extremity helps build strength through the hands/arms/shoulder complex/core. One of my favorite ways to get weight […]
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Having a new baby at home has put me back in tummy time mode. I’ve been doing some tummy time using our exercise ball as of late. I’m not using it, so I guess it’s a good thing that it’s getting some kind of use! I personally start with tummy time with baby on the
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I don’t know about you, but as cliche as it sounds I always find myself at the start of a new year with a resolution. This year my resolution is to start exercising again. With the new baby and a toddler I’ve found that my exercising just isn’t happening. One of my favorite ways to
Kids Yoga Resources – For the Classroom and Home Read More »
This post brought to you by SnowCast. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Pink Oatmeal. It’s that time of the year for snow. During the winter my toddler loves to go outside and play. With a baby and toddler in tow I have to be organized even when we go outside to play
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It’s that time of the year again when we have to get all bundled up to go outside. Honestly, it’s been a really nice fall/early winter around here. We don’t even have snow on the ground! This is rare for Minnesota. I’ll be honest, I don’t care if we have a white Christmas. I’m one
Arctic Animal Yoga Read More »
Little man was one month old on Monday! That month went by so fast, and at the same time seemed so long. Those first few weeks with a newborn is always an adjustment. I plan on still trying to do the monthly pictures and update. With Big guy, I used a chalkboard and wrote updates on
Baby Monthly Pictures Read More »
This weekend I got my Christmas cards done, had Santa pictures, and finished our baby announcement. So many pictures and today is my attempt at one month pictures! With everything going on this time of year I debated on doing a baby announcement since we were sending out Christmas cards anyway. In the end, I opted to
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This year is the first year that my toddler is really excited about Christmas. In the past we haven’t really bought him a gift. We’ve just bought him what he has needed. This year is the first year that he is going to get a real Christmas gift from us. I like the gift to
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I recently got my hands on the book, Begin With A Blanket (affiliate). The book is awesome and packed with ideas for baby play. I personally think the newborn stage is hard when it comes to “playing” with your baby. I recently shared one of my ways to fit tummy time in during the first
Newborn Tummy Time Read More »
Black Friday is upon us. That day of crazy shopping around for deals…or has that become Thanksgiving now? Having a newborn I’m opting out of the store rush this year. I’ll admit I kind of like to go and people watch more than anything. I’m usually not one who has a mad list. I’m sure I’ll
Holiday Gift Guide – From PT’s and OT’s Read More »
As moms we have all heard about it. Tummy time is important for our babies. Let’s be honest though, when we come home from the hospital with a brand new baby it can be pretty over whelming. There is A LOT of things to do and learn especially when it’s your first baby. Plus, the
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We know that movement is essential to learning. We know that kids that are physically active perform better at school. Making brain breaks fun and available are important. Adding a theme to brain breaks can make them go with any unit you teach or student’s enjoy! Stepping away from the screen and doing a brain
Over 20 Themed Brain Break Ideas Read More »
Well, there is no denying it if you walk into any store, the Holiday season is upon us. Christmas usually reminds me of shopping, cooking, and parties. The good news is that movement can easily be incorporated into a holiday or Christmas theme. During the very busy holiday season it is important to keep
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One of the things that I wanted to accomplish with baby number two was a tummy time station. I’ve decided to set this station up in our playroom. I know we are going to spend plenty of time in the playroom during the winter months with my toddler so it would be the perfect time
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The focus around Thanksgiving is of course giving thanks, but also food. As much as I love food I always try to participate in some sort of physical activity to go with it. Most often, we participate in a local Walk For Hunger. Combining Thanksgiving with physical movement can be achieved for the kids too!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. As a physical therapist, one of the big questions that often times comes up is wheelchair selection. There are several factors that we discuss and take into consideration when selecting a wheelchair
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The research is out there. We all know how important it is to incorporate physical activity and learning. Just think of these stats. Active kids are 20% more likely to earn an A in math or English. In active kids standardized test scores increased 6% over 3 years. Just One Physically Active Lesson Creates a 13% increase in a child’s physical activity for
Incorporating Movement Into Morning Meeting Read More »
When I started as a physical therapist in the school system I wish I had known about all the different resources for standers. Coming from a clinical based practice it was a whole new world for me. I was learning about IEP’s, special education, and all sorts of different equipment. One thing that I really
I planned to do a few projects in preparation for baby number two. Honestly, I only got one project done. However, I accomplished project number two, tummy time contrast cards, the other evening while watching some HGTV. I intended to make them with baby number one, but didn’t get to it. The first time mom overwhelmed thing
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Football season is upon us. It’s in full force at our house. Vikings, Gophers, and the local high school teams are the weekend excitement around here. In the spirit of football season I’ve created a matching game with a football theme. Of course, the football matching game also has a movement component. It’s a fun
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