Learn how to tie shoelaces using the Little Shoelace Song and the one loop method. Get step by step instructions with a simple rhyme.

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Learn how to tie shoelaces using the Little Shoelace Song and the one loop method. Get step by step instructions with a simple rhyme.
Ever wonder if there is a quick home adaptation to help your child improve how he or she holds objects [...]
Founder of Playapy, Amy Baez, shares the story of how Playapy began through an effort to increase communication with parents of children with special needs.
Occupational therapist Amy Baez provider tips for turning outdoor play into indoor play with both home and community recommendations.
The greatest gift you can give a child is to choose to engage with them in meaningful play that includes PMSing: being present, mindful, and sincere.
Find out the 5 components of Smart Play and learn how to incorporate them to enrich time spent with your child without the use of technology.
Moving blog to Playapy.com
Hello Supporters. Playapy has been posting on its main website blog. You can sign up for the RSS feed to receive notification of posts at at http://feeds.feedburner.com/PlayapyBlog. Please visit Playapy at www.playapy.com/blog.
Potty Training: A Fun and Fast Way
Since the invention of the disposable diaper in the 1940’s, parents have both struggled with and enjoyed the benefits of teaching their children how to toilet train with greater convenience. However, in 1999 the New York Times published an article stating that the age at which children are diaper-free is steadily increasing since 1957 when 92% were toilet trained by 18 months. In fact, Ambulatory Pediatrics Journal later published in 2001 that the current average age of potty training completion in the US is 35 months for girls and 39 months for boys.
The most common complaint I hear from parents about the increase in age for potty training is the cost of diapers. Additionally there is the added risk of diaper rashes, diaper-associated infections, and the struggle to find childcare services given the toilet-trained requirement many have. So how can parents move past the diaper stage sooner than later? The important thing to remember is that training can start at relatively any age, but the expectations and goals are dependent of the stage of development. For instance, a child can be taught how to urinate into a toilet as an infant, but that child cannot walk into the bathroom, pull down pants, or flush the toilet independently. Hence your definition of success will depend on your goal. If we use a more traditional definition of training based on the American Academy of Pediatrics (2006), we can expect that most children are not ready to begin training until 18-24 months. Signs for readiness can include a dry diaper after napping, the child following parent into bathroom, and the child being able to sit and stand from a potty seat independently.
As an occupational therapist that uses a multi-sensory approach to learning through play, I would suggest the same for toilet training as well. Children can learn through kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning styles, which are respectively synonymous with physical touch, hearing, and seeing. Recently I came across a great toy that fortunately incorporates all three of these simultaneously. The Potty Duck is a hands-on water toy for potty training. Children get to help the duck go potty during play or bath time. They see and hear the water flowing from the duck as they squeeze it and also use physical touch to press a button flushing a miniature plastic toilet. They then associate this activity with the duck and sit on their own potty and soon learn to go. Eager to test it, I asked Amy Palma-Ernst, a Miami makeup artist and realtor, to use Potty Duck with her two-year-old daughter Bella. Amy praised the toy stating, “She likes it a lot. I’d advise starting it a few months before potty training begins to teach the concept of the duckie going pee-pee in the potty.” Bella is still in the process of toilet training, but Amy believes the Potty Duck helps her to understand the concept in a fun and interactive way.
In general, I would suggest introducing a toy like this or others in a calm and relaxed environment when your child is cooperative and not suffering from any illnesses. If you have difficulty with toilet training after the age of three, consider speaking with your pediatrician and consulting with an occupational therapist. I hope you find this tip helpful. Have a playful day!
Amy Baez, MOT, OTR/L
Amy Baez is a pediatric occupational therapist, award-winning author, and founder of Playapy. For more information about Playapy’s PALS Handwriting Program, visit www.playapy.com or email [email protected].
SIDS Awareness Month
October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome/SIDS Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/CDC, 3500 infants die each year unexpectedly in the United States. This includes deaths from SIDS as well as unknown causes and accidental suffocation and strangulation. Since the 1994 SIDS awareness and Back-to-Sleep campaign began, the rates of death have declined by more than 50%. However, these rates have plateaued and SIDS remains the leading cause of infant mortality. These are grim statistics but much can be done to prevent it while also fostering proper developmental skills.
Although doctors and researchers have yet to determine the cause, the CDC recommends these standard practices to reduce the risk of SIDS.
· Always place the baby on his/her back to sleep.
· Use a firm surface with a fitted sheet.
· Share a room but not a bed with the baby.
· Keep soft objects out of the baby’s sleep area.
· If needed, use a pacifier that is detached.
· Don’t smoke during the pregnancy or around the baby.
Although babies spend most hours sleeping, it is important to not place them on their backs all day. In my experience as a pediatric occupational therapist, mothers often report avoiding placing their babies on their tummies due to the fear of SIDS. Some report delaying what is known as tummy time during waking hours all together not realizing the benefits. As soon as babies are brought home for the first time, mini sessions of tummy time can begin. It is needed to develop the muscles of the head, neck, and upper body. It also helps to build the coordination needed for skills like rolling, crawling, reaching, and playing. Here are some tips to encourage tummy time during waking hours.
· Start at three to five minutes at a time a few times a day.
· Gradually increase the time as the baby builds tolerance.
· Transition into it from supported sitting.
· Use music and/or toys to soothe or keep the baby entertained.
· Have a trusted person in front of the baby to encourage engagement.
· Always supervise the baby and practice on the floor.
I hope you find these tips helpful. If your baby has difficulty sleeping or maintaining tummy time, speak with your pediatrician about consulting with an occupational therapist. Have a playful day!
Amy Baez, OTR/L
Amy Baez is a pediatric occupational therapist, creator of the award-winning PALS Handwriting Program, and founder of Playapy. For more information about Playapy services and products, visit www.playapy.com or email [email protected].
Handwriting instruction is crucial for preschool students' motor skills. Pediatric OT Amy Baez founded Playapy to teach handwriting in a healthy way.
Learn more about Playapy's handwriting program through this interview of founder and occupational therapist, Amy Baez.
See what Playapy Founder, Amy Baez, has to say?
Head, Tummies, & Tails: A Smart Guide to Printing Lowercase Letters
THE BACKSTORY:
Heads, Tummies & Tails: A Smart Guide to Printing Lowercase Letters was developed to improve the handwriting of children by providing therapeutic techniques to assist in their learning. One of the most common errors that occur with children’s handwriting is the alignment of letters. This refers to how the letters are placed in relation to each other and also the lines used to assist with maintaining the letters in a straight line. Unlike uppercase letters, which are all drawn from the top and fit inside the same space, lowercase letters vary more and, as a result, are more confusing.
In this book, lowercase letters are separated into three groups to help children relate the letters to the lines on which they were writing. In addition, ten action word phrases are used to help a child memorize how to form individual letters. This provides a multisensory approach as the child feels the motion of the pencil, hears the words, and sees the strokes as they are being formed into letters. In addition, there is a helpful mascot cheering along as a child works his or her way through the book.
This workbook was created to help parents, educators, and occupational therapists. Its concept is smart and effective and should be introduced around 5 years of age when children typically begin learning lowercase letters. It is intended to be completed after its companion workbook for uppercase letters. The separation of uppercase and lowercase letters leads to greater success.
THE CONCEPT:
The 26 lowercase letters of the alphabet are separated into three alignment groups: Heads, Tummies, & Tails.
Lowercase letters that ascend or “touch the top line” are in the Heads group. These are the following 7 letters: b d f h k l t. Ask Your Child: Which letters touch the top line like the monkey’s head?
Lowercase letters that remain at the middle or “mark the middle line” are in the Tummies group. These are the following 14 letters: a c e i m n o r s u v w x z. Ask Your Child: Which letters stay in the middle like the monkey’s tummy?
Lowercase letters that descend or “break through the bottom line” are in the Tails group. These are the following 5 letters: g j p q y. Ask Your Child: Which letters break through the bottom line like the monkey’s tail?
The 26 uppercase letters of the alphabet can be formed using ten simple phrases called Action Words: Add a Dot, Break Through, Curve Around, Make an Ear, Make a Hook Down, Make a Hook Up, Slide Down, Slide Up, Zip Down, and Zoom Across.
THE SET-UP:
First introduce the Action Words pages. They are used to introduce the language used for the formation of the curved and straight lines. The Coloring Pages are then used as introductions to the different groups. The groups do not need to be completed in the order they are presented.
Next, each letter will have a page within a group. Action words printed in bold should be said aloud to guide the child. Using a character voice makes it more fun and encourages the child to say the words as well. There are also alignment circles on these pages that match the placement of the monkey’s head, tummy and tail. They help to encourage proper placement of letters.
Lastly, there are additional pages including reviews of the groups, copying words, and activity pages. The workbook also includes a visual chart and a guide with all the action words for the 26 letters on one page.
Visit www.playapy.com to purchase the award-winning Heads, Tummies, & Tails and its companion workbook Treasure C.H.E.S.T.: A Smart Guide to Printing Uppercase Letters.
Treasure C.H.E.S.T.: A Smart Guide to Printing Uppercase Letters
THE BACKSTORY:
Treasure C.H.E.S.T.: A Smart Guide to Printing Uppercase Letters was developed to improve the handwriting of children by providing specific therapeutic techniques. One of the most common errors that occur with children’s handwriting is the formation and directionality of letters. This refers to the direction the child moves the pencil to form letters. Since all uppercase letters begin on the top line, it makes sense to associate letters by groups according to the curved or straight lines used to form them.
The uppercase letters are separated into six groups to help children relate the letters to common objects. In addition, seven action word phrases are used to help a child memorize how to form individual letters. This provides a multisensory approach as the child feels the motion of the pencil, hears the words, and sees the strokes as they are being formed into letters. In addition, there is a helpful mascot cheering along as a child works his or her way through the book.
This workbook was created to help parents, educators, and occupational therapists. Its concept is smart and effective and can be introduced as early as 4 years of age when children typically begin to draw simple shapes. However, it is most effective when started around age 5 or when a child is able to neatly and easily copy strokes on command and has strong foundational skills including a functional pencil grasp. It is meant to be completed before its companion workbook for lowercase letters.
THE CONCEPT:
The 26 uppercase letters of the alphabet are separated into six formation groups that spell out the acronym CHEST: Clocks, Hats & Hooks, Ears, Slides, & Trees.
C is for Clocks. These 5 letters curve around like a circular clock: C G O Q S.
H is for Hats. These 5 letters have a line across the top like a hat: E F I T Z.
H is also for Hooks. These 2 letters curve up like a hook: J U.
E is for Ears. These 4 letters have a bump on the right side like an ear: B D P R.
S is for Slides. These 5 letters slide down to the side like a playground slide: A V W X Y.
T is for Trees. These 5 letters zip straight down and have branches like a tree: H K L M N.
The 26 uppercase letters of the alphabet can be formed using seven simple phrases called Action Words: Curve Around, Make an Ear, Make a Hook, Slide Down, Slide Up, Zip Down, and Zoom Across.
THE SET-UP:
First introduce the Action Words pages. They are used to introduce the language used for the formation of the curved and straight lines. The Coloring Pages are then used as introductions to the different groups. The groups do not need to be completed in the order they are presented.
Next, each letter will have a page within a group. Action words printed in bold should be said aloud to guide the child. Using a parrot voice makes it more fun and encourages the child to say the words as well.
Lastly, there are additional pages including reviews of the groups, copying words, and activity pages. The workbook also includes a visual chart and a guide with all the action words for the 26 letters on one page.
Visit www.playapy.com to purchase the award-winning Treasure C.H.E.S.T. and its companion workbook Heads, Tummies, & Tails: A Smart Guide to Printing Lowercase Letters.
Watch this video for an example of a child using the Action Words.
S.U.P.E.R. Hero Discipline
Disciplining young children can be a frustrating experience. Many parents feel like they are doing it wrong and seek help and suggestions. My experience as a therapist has led me to create a simple way to remember key elements to help parents have a positive and more productive experience when disciplining their children.
It is critical that discipline is presented in a way that allows both the child and the parent to be successful. Below I have listed 5 essential components required. The acronym SUPER is used to simplify this concept. It is also how I hope you will feel when you achieve the results you are seeking, like a super hero!
S is for Supported holistically. Your body, mind, and soul must support any regulation that you set. This means you must be able to follow through physically, meet any expectation in relation to time, and be in agreement with whatever you state you will implement. For example, if you say to your child that you will take away their iPad for a week, you should stick with the week timeframe you stipulated.
U is for Understood by child. The child must understand what the disciplinary action is. If the child doesn’t understand, you are setting your child up to fail. It helps to ask your child to repeat back to you what you say so that you know your child was aware of your demand and the consequence.
P is for Presented in advance. The disciplinary action should be presented in advance when possible. If you have a conversation with your child before a situation arises, the child will understand the expectation and aftermath before acting. For example, before going to a store, you can say that you expect good behavior or the privilege to go the next time will be lost.
E is for Executed consistently. The most important part of discipline is honoring what you say. Children respond well when they sense consistency. If you execute authority consistently, a child will respect that you are sincere and can expect the consequence for his or her action.
R is for Related to behavior. Discipline should be related to the behavior. If you attach penalties that have nothing to do with what the child is doing or not doing, it will not make sense to the child and will be more difficult for you to execute. For example, you should not threaten to prevent your child from attending a party if the party is not related to your request.
I hope you find these tips helpful. If you have difficulty controlling the behavior of your child and need professional help, consider consulting with a behavioral or occupational therapist. Have a playful day!
Amy Baez, OTR/L, The Smart Play Curator
Amy Baez is a pediatric occupational therapist, award-winning handwriting author, and founder of Playapy. For more information about Playapy services and products, visit www.playapy.com or email [email protected].
From Zoo to Zen
As schools put more pressure on young students to read and write at earlier ages, children are fighting a battle to maintain a lifestyle of learning through play. The preschool years are now cutting back on the playtime necessary to develop the sensory and motor skills needed prior to instructing skills like handwriting. In addition the increase in use of technology is changing culture and creating norms that are deterring adequate social skills needed for engaging human interaction and motor skills needed for fine motor and daily living tasks. This is having psychosocial consequences on children leading to a generation of children that do not enjoy learning nor have adequate attention spans to absorb what they are learning. Their brains can be compared to a zoo full of monkeys swinging from one idea to the next without the skills needed to rest the mind.
With each passing day, the practice of mindfulness is finding its way into daily conversation and advice columns. It seems like everyone from comics to corporate CEOs are finding ways to zone in on Zen practices to clear the mind, escape technology addictions, and find new ways to connect with humans. The idea of mindfulness, the state of being aware of the present moment, may sound sophisticated, but research now suggests it should make its way into classroom curriculum. In fact, actress Goldie Hawn is the founder of a mindfulness classroom curriculum called MindUPTM. Its proven benefits include increased optimism and self-concept, improved academic achievement, increased planning and organizational skills, and increased empathy and other pro-social skills.
Here are some simple mindfulness activities that I practice with children to foster these skills at an early age.
Body Awareness- Practice squeezing individual body parts upon request while lying on floor face up with eyes closed. Recall which body parts were squeezed at the end of the exercise.
Breathing Bundy- Practice breathing while lying down with a stuffed animal resting on the tummy. Watch the animal rise and fall with each inhale and exhale.
Blind Touch- Practice holding and feeling an unknown object with eye closed. Determine its qualities through the use of the sense of touch.
I hope you find these tips helpful. If you child has difficulty focusing despite practicing mindfulness activities, consider consulting with an occupational therapist for additional strategies. To learn more about MindUPTM and its research findings, check out the TheHawnFoundation.org.
Amy Baez, OTR/L, The Smart Play Curator
Amy Baez is a pediatric occupational therapist, award-winning handwriting author, and founder of Playapy. For more information about Playapy services and products, visit www.playapy.com or email [email protected].
Yoga Benefits for Youngins
In recent decades yoga has become increasingly more mainstream as a form of exercise. Most fitness centers offer a variety of classes, and more often parents are allowing their children to participate with them. It may seem strange to think a child would have the discipline to attend or enjoy an adult class, but many young children are being exposed at a early age to yoga in schools that understand and value the benefits.
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I have been incorporating elements of yoga with my young patients for years to help with skills such as concentration, coordination, flexibility, strengthening, self-control, balance, relaxation, and body awareness. Since many yoga poses have corresponding animal names, I find it easy to get children to imitate poses and engage in challenging poses for extended periods of time. The increased use of muscles not typically practiced in traditional play allow a child to benefit physically as well as the mental health boost that comes with stress relief and increased confidence.
Some common yoga postures with animal names include: cat, cow, down dog, and dolphin. These and many others are easy to search on-line and can be completed separately or in a sequence. Although it is important to practice intensive yoga with a trained instructor, parents can easily incorporate simple poses into play without much worry. For assistance in learning more, many product brands also sell flash cards that are created specifically for use with children including YogaCards by Think Fun and Yogarilla by Super Duper Publications.
I hope you find this insightful. If your youngin struggles with coordination skills, balance, strength, or flexibility that has negatively affected other skill areas, consider consulting with an occupational therapist to develop a plan for your child. Have a playful day!
Amy Baez, OTR/L, The Smart Play Curator
Amy Baez is a pediatric occupational therapist, award-winning handwriting author, and founder of Playapy. For more information about Playapy services and products, visit www.playapy.com or email [email protected].
April is Autism Awareness Month
Recent reported estimates in the news have stated as many as 1 in every 68 children in the United States has autism, a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills. The numbers and methods of obtaining these new estimates are subject to debate, but what is clear is that the increase in cases in going up and up year after year. Some of this is attributed to the increase in awareness of symptoms, which may be leading to inaccurate diagnosing from parents and doctors. However, the increase in awareness can also help to get children services needed to improve developmental skills despite having the correct diagnosis. There are screenings available that include checklists to help in this process. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up is a 2-stage parent-report screening tool to assess risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The M-CHAT-R/F is an autism screening tool designed to identify children 16 to 30 months of age who should receive a more thorough assessment for possible early signs of ASD or developmental delay. The M-CHAT-R/F is intended to be administered by a trained health care professional, so if you answer the questions at home, please discuss your results with your doctor regardless of the results. You can view and complete the checklist at no cost on www.m-chat.org.
If your child is having difficulty with language and social skills or play, learning, and self-care skills, you should consult with your doctor about having a speech therapist or occupational therapist conduct an evaluation and create a treatment plan if deemed necessary. Have a playful day!
Amy Baez, OTR/L, The Smart Play Curator
Amy Baez is a pediatric occupational therapist, award-winning handwriting author, and founder of Playapy. For more information, visit www.playapy.com or email [email protected].
Celebrating Autism Awareness Month with a reblog of this 2014 blog post.