As the new school year approaches, so do new challenges for teachers, therapists and parents. With all the different models for keeping kids and staff safe, new ideas have to be put in place to make learning and motor skills successful! This includes social distancing measures when in person school is in session. This also …
In my past work as a school based physical therapist, the programming I did was for the school day. My daily plans often times followed different themes and seasons based on the time of the school year. We are now at at time where many teachers (of all types), school based physical therapists and occupational …
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Have you heard the term crossing the midline? What exactly does this mean? Imagine a line down the center of your body. Crossing midline means that you can reach across the middle of your body (the imaginary line) to perform a task with your arms or legs. This is a skills that starts to become …
Building lower body strength in kids doesn’t have to be boring! Even traditional lower body exercises for kids can be made fun by adding a little twist. Today I’m sharing with you some of my favorite lower body strengthening exercises for kids.
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 …
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 …
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!
Community helpers are a very popular theme in the preschool setting or kindergarten classroom. This theme involves discussing all of the different helpers out in the community. Adding gross motor or movement to this theme can easily be done through yoga/movement cards or setting up movement stations. Check out these different ideas for adding movement …
May is just around the corner. For many, the weather is warming up and the end of the school year is approaching. It’s also a time where there is lots of energy to be burned. Gross motor and fine motor planning for the month of May includes camping, sports, safari, and cowboy/cowgirl themes. Also, be …
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