The return of the school year can be a time of excitement and anxiousness. Thankfully we have occupational therapists Celia and Chelsey here with a few tips on how to help your kiddo's (and maybe even their parents) prepare for the return of the school year. Adjusting sleep schedules now, revising your morning routines and attaching fidgets to backpacks are just a few examples of some actions that you can take to help the child in your life ease back into their school!

TOPS Tips video on how to prepare your kids for returning to school

In this video speech therapist Rachel demonstrates how using books to read with a young child can be used to help develop language skills. Mimicking a child and then adding on to what they say so that they mimic you is a great way to teach new words and expand vocabulary. As shown, Rachel is describing what's on the page of the book and they her daughter is repeating what she says. It's another little twist that can help with learning and can even make bed time a bit easier by changing up the routine!

TOPS Tips video on how to use books to develop language

In this video, occupational therapists Chelsey and Michaela give us a lot of tips to help our kids go to sleep. While there is no magic formula for it, there are many different things we can do to help them fall into dreamland (spoiler alert, one of them is no screens before bed). So, please take 2 minutes and check this video out, it may just make sleep better for you and your kiddos!

TOPS Tips video on how to help your children sleep!

Would you consider your child a risk taker or someone who does not seem aware of risks? They might fall more frequently or fall on purpose, seem lost in space, and/or never stop moving or crashing. Children like this struggle with safety awareness and can make fun outings like the playground and pool stressful for parents and caregivers.

In this TOPS Tips video, physical therapist Lindsey talks about the importance of crawling. Crawling is an important pre-cursor to walking because it builds body strength, arch strength, helps visual development and coordination of both sides of the body. Generally speaking, infants should be crawling around the 9-10 month mark. Please check it out for more information about crawling and find out if you will be able to determine if your child will be a world-class athlete by when they start crawling (spoiler - you can't).

TOPS Tips video on the importance of crawling

In this video, speech therapists Eva and Heidi talk about word loop lists, how they are used in therapy and how they can be used at home. Have you been assigned some speech homework by a TOPS Therapist? Here's an example of how you can easily integrate the homework into everyday tasks and get a passing grade from your child's therapist!

TOPS Tips video on how to use a word loop list at home

Finding yourself stuck inside with the kids due to the weather, a quarantine or even because of a scary squirrel that has camped out near your door and you are scared to go near him (who isn't no one knows hat squirrels are thinking)? Well, Occupational Therapist Mallory and Christine have you covered. This video is almost 5 minutes but it gives some really good ideas for getting kids moving indoors, getting them the sensory input they need and keeping the caregiver sane. How to make a crash pad, why chewy foods are best and what in the world is a hotdog roll activity? Check out the video and find out about these and so many more ideas for you!

TOPS Tips video on sensory activities for children

Did you know that it's typical for children to fall dozens of times a day when they are young. But how much is too much falling and when will it stop!?!?! In this video, physical therapists Sam and Lindsey talk about when falling is appropriate and what signs you may need to keep your eye on.

TOPS Tips video on how often my young child should be falling

In this video, physical therapist Sam talks about balance development in children including the two main variables of balance - base of support and heights off of the ground. Sam gives great visuals on both variables and some tips for working on balance development. Enjoy and learn!

TOPS Tip video on balance development in children

Teaching social communication to kids can be complicated. There are a number of components that need to be addressed. Thankfully, speech therapists Eva and Rachel are here to help. In this video they cover the topic of perspective-taking. Come for the information, stay for the amazing faces that Rachel brings to the table!

TOPS Tips video on perspective-taking

We get A LOT of questions about handwriting. What age should my child be able to write, what signs should I look for if they are struggling to write and how can I help them write correctly, just to identify a few. In this video, Occupational Therapists Jenna and Chelsey answer those questions plus offer a number of pro tips on how to take your support to the next level. Just not, this video is 5+ minutes long because of how much material is covered. Enjoy!

TOPS Tips video on handwriting tips and skills

A question that we at Therapy OPS are commonly asked is when should kids wear shoes? In this video, physical therapist Lindsey talks about why NOT wearing shoes is so important for learning to walk. She also talks about walking milestones and what types of shoes kids should be wearing. Balance reactions, awareness in space? Wow, kids feet are more exciting than an episode of Paw Patrol!

TOPS Tips video on when kids should wear shoes

In this video, speech therapists Meg and Heidi discuss how to help your kiddo's with basic conversation skills and what parents can do to help model these skills for their kids.

TOPS Tips video on conversation skills with kids

In this week’s TOPS Tips video, OT’s Lola and Christine talk about the grasping techniques that kids use at different age milestones, fun activities you can do with your child to increase finger and grasp strength and the different shapes that your child should make before writing. While many kids will start to show a preference for a dominant hand as they grow, they generally don’t declare their dominant hand until around age 6. Enjoy!

TOPS Tips video on pre-writing skills in kids under the age of 5

Ever wonder why kids are so wobbly? Ever wonder why the little ones are constantly falling down? PT's Sam and Lindsey talk about how growing affects your balance and some strategies for helping those younger kiddo's succeed in fighting off that pesky gravity from constantly knocking them off-balance!

TOPS Tips video on strategies for improving balance in developing kiddos

Occupational Therapist Christine explains how iLs helped an 8-year old girl who presented challenges with attention/concentration skills, constant seeking movement and tactile input throughout the day, easily overwhelmed and distracted in busy crowded settings, weak core/postural support and becoming frustrated easily.

Do you ever give a 2 or a 3 year old instructions and cannot believe they are not being followed correctly? The directions were so easy and logical, how are they not getting it?? Speech Therapists Heidi and Meg give some advice on how to grab those fleeting attention spans, how many steps directions should be and how to feed a caterpillar cake.

TOPS Tips video that discusses giving directions for 2-3 year old’s

Big and small transitions can be challenging for kiddos. In this video, OT's Mallory and Michaela explain why transitions can be challenging as well as provide some tips to help caregivers make transitions easier for everyone involved in them!

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Occupational Therapist Lola explains how Interactive Metronome (IM) helped one of her clients with ADHD to improve their reading grade level, demonstrate impulse control, attention, and direction following similar to same age peers, as well as decrease the level of adult support provided during school due to progress with skills.

This week, speech therapist Rachel talks about how intelligible your child should be at 4 years of age. What is intelligibility? What sounds are they working on at this age and what is articulation therapy? Please click on the link to watch a 2-minute video that answers those questions!

TOPS Tips video that discusses how intelligible your child should be at age 4