What exactly is “oral motor development” and why is it important? Usually the term refers to the use and function of the lips, jaw, teeth, tongue, soft palate and hard palate. Each part has to work together properly to perform tasks successfully (think eating, drinking). When those tasks are not
We have been practicing yoga at SHS for almost five years!* Can you believe it’s been that long?!?!?! Students take my class for a number of reasons. Some have physical issues that yoga can help improve or soothe. Some students have little flexibility while others are in my class because
Juice and sports drinks are often used by parents to quench children’s thirst during the hot months of summer. While thinking they are doing what’s best for their kids, research suggests that parents may be offering their children too much of a good thing. Several studies have linked increased juice
If you’re looking for a pose that is challenging, helps improve balance and focus, eagle pose is for you. Eagle pose, also known as Garudasana, is a powerful yoga posture with many benefits. It is an excellent way to build strength in the legs and arms and to increase flexibility.
Yoga for two people may not be the first thing you think of when you think about yoga, but partner yoga poses are so much fun! Everything is better with a friend, right? Our class last week focused on partner poses. We tried several different yoga poses paired up with
Looking for the perfect recipe for salt dough ornaments? Look no further! This spring my art therapy students are working on a new project, which so far, is SO MUCH FUN! We’re making jumbo buttons from salt dough (the same salt dough we used to make our holiday ornaments) and
Dyspraxia and apraxia both deal with the concept of motor planning. Apraxia is the ability to plan and execute an unfamiliar motor task, movement, or sequence. To effectively motor plan, the person must first have an idea (think mental picture) of what needs to happen to complete the movement or movements.
Many of the students I have previously worked with have hypotonia (a state of low muscle tone) which means the muscles may seem loose or floppy. When relaxed, those with hypotonia can easily move their limbs and are very flexible. While it does seem like an advantage to be more
Have some pool noodles you are looking to repurpose or recycle? I did too, and I decided painting with pool noodles would be a fun project for the kiddos. Once we finished with this project, I rinsed off the stamps and used them as filler for my flower pots. Makes
Using shaving cream as a sensory activity is great for a number of reasons. First of all it’s very inexpensive and can be found almost anywhere. Second, it’s a sensory activity that’s easy to set up and easy to clean up, which many of us need to take into consideration