Dedication

The Therapy Toolbox

Pretend Play Toys.

Ignite your child’s imagination with pretend play. Pretend play allows your child to work on practical skills they will need in their future. Toy kitchens lead to participation in your kitchen at home. Toy grocery stores teach kids the skills they need to be a part your grocery shopping. When kids know what is expected it boosts their self-esteem and it supports appropriate behaviors in those settings. Want your kiddo to stop screaming in the snack isle? Engage them in pretend play.

Sometimes Putty is Better Than Play-Doh

Putty provides more resistance than play dough, therefore it helps provide more input to the hands. Why is that important you ask? It is the foundation for fine motor skills and writing. Kids need to know where their hands are in space and they need strong hands to do things like hold their pencil, position their fingers in scissors, and manipulate various tabletop materials. Deficits in these areas often lead to frustration and task avoidance.

Interlocking Manipulatives.

Any toy that involves fitting one piece into another works on a ton of foundational skills. It gives kids the opportunity to work on various types of coordination so their hands are working together effectively. It also works on things like visual motor skills and constructional praxis. Tinker toys are another example.

Is Your Child Biting or Mouthing Everything?

This is a corn toy that vibrates when you bite down on it. It is a great tool to use for kids who are biting on their shirt or on your furniture. This is just one item to use, others include chew necklaces, chews on the tops of pencils as well as even incorporating specific foods into your child’s diet to consistently give them the input they need.