Want to boost your child's skills while keeping playtime fun? 🎉 Try mixing sensory activities they already love with skills they're still developing! For example, my kids love their sensory swing pod, so we incorporate: ✨ Hand-eye coordination – tossing and catching while swinging ✨ Core strength & balance – reaching, stretching, and adjusting positions ✨ Fine motor skills – stacking, gripping, and manipulating small objects When kids are comfortable and engaged, they’re more likely to practice new skills without even realizing it! What’s a favorite activity in your house that could double as a learning opportunity? 💡 #SensoryPlay #OTTips #LearningThroughPlay #BalanceAndCoordination #HandEyeCoordination #SwingTherapy #ChildDevelopment #ottip #sensorydiet #occupationaltherapist #creativebeginningsot

Spring sports season is coming! ⚾🌸 Getting your athlete ready isn’t just about batting and catching—it’s about coordination, emotional regulation, resilience, and sensory processing too. If your child struggles with these in the classroom, chances are they might face similar challenges on the field. Skills needed for baseball (beyond ball-to-bat and ball-to-glove contact): 🏃‍♂️ Body awareness & balance for running bases 👀 Visual tracking to follow the ball 👏 Hand-eye coordination for throwing & catching 🧠 Focus & attention to react quickly 🤝 Teamwork & emotional regulation for working with others If your child is struggling in sports or in school, we can help! OT support builds these foundational skills so they can feel more confident in all areas of life. 💪 Learn more and get on our schedule today at CreativeBeginnings.net. #springsports #sportsprep #ottip #ottips #occupationaltherapy #occupationaltherapist #pediatricot #seattleot #seattlepediatricot #seattleoccupationaltherapist #creativebeginningsot

Balance is all about how your brain processes movement! 🧠⚖️ Your visual system plays a huge role in balance. It detects motion, tracks moving objects, and adjusts your body to stay steady. One key player? The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), which keeps your gaze stable while your head moves—essential for everything from walking to playing sports! 👀⚡ Balance activities help strengthen these reflexes, improving coordination, stability, and confidence. Try incorporating movement challenges into play to boost your child’s visual and vestibular systems! 💪✨ #balance #balancegame #otgame #occupationaltherapist #sensorydiet #occupationaltherapy #seattleot #seattlepediatricot #seattleoccupationaltherapy #creativebeginningsot

Building strong hands isn’t just about handwriting—it helps kids confidently carry groceries, clean up toys, use math manipulatives in class, and more! 🏡📚 Simple, everyday activities can make a big difference: 🧽 Squeezing rags in the bathtub 📦 Clipping clothespins on/off clothes 🌱 Digging in the dirt outside 💦 Spritzing a spray bottle 🔩 Twisting jar lids on and off 📜 Stretching rubber bands over a TP tube Fine motor strength = more independence and confidence in daily tasks! What’s your kid’s favorite way to work those hand muscles? 👏 #FineMotorSkills #HandStrength #OccupationalTherapy #HandwritingHelp #ottip #occupationaltherapist #seattleot #creativebeginningsot

Looking for a simple, inexpensive sensory game that can grow in complexity as your child builds skills? Try this letter-matching clothespin game! ✏️🔠 Here’s how it works: ✔️ Draw lines on a paper plate to create 26 segments. ✔️ Write letters around the edge & on clothespins. ✔️ Clip each clothespin onto the matching letter. Ways to mix it up: 🔹 Match uppercase to lowercase 🔹 Match print to cursive 🔹 Let kids help set up for extra engagement This activity builds fine motor skills, letter recognition, and visual processing—all while keeping little hands busy! 🙌 Would your child enjoy this? Let me know! ⬇️

Remember those fun family games that went viral over the holidays? They’re great any time of year! 🎉 Games like this cup stacking challenge build resilience, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, and motor planning—all while keeping kids (and adults!) engaged and having fun. Try it out, mix up the rules, and see who can master the challenge! Who’s playing? 👏 #familygamenight #motorskills #cupstacking #resilience #sensoryplay #ottips #occupationaltherapy #occuoationaltherapist #seattleot #seattleoccupationaltherapist #creativebeginningsot

Fine motor fun! These activities help strengthen the “skill side” of the hand (thumb, index, and middle fingers) for precise movements like writing, buttoning, and using utensils. From stringing necklaces to crafting with macaroni and using tweezers, these playful tasks build coordination, dexterity, and hand strength—all through hands-on fun! #handstrength #motorcoordination #finemotorskills #finemotor #ottips #ottip #occupationaltherapy #occupationaltherapist #seattleoccupationaltherapy #seattleoccupationaltherapist #seattleot #creativebeginningsot

"What if I try it... upside down?" 🤸💡 Child-led play at its finest! My daughter put a new spin on this activity—literally—by laying upside down in the sensory swing to stack cups. And guess what? It worked! ☑️ This fun twist engaged so many developmental skills: 🔹 Vestibular balance 🔹 Bilateral awareness 🔹 Gross & fine motor coordination 🔹 Hand-eye coordination 🔹 Tactile awareness Sometimes the best way to build skills is to let kids take the lead and explore movement in new ways! Sensory Swing by @harkla_family #sensoryplay #handeyecoordination #sensorygame #ottips #occupationaltherapist #occupationaltherapy #seattleot #seattleoccupationaltherapist #seattleoccupationaltherapy #creativebeginningsot

👀💘 Hand-Eye Coordination Game with My Little Valentine💘👀 Toss, flip, and catch! This simple game my daughter is playing is more than just fun—it helps strengthen visual processing skills like tracking, teaming, and focusing. OTs assess and work on these skills as part of our care. Many kids with vision challenges don’t even realize they’re struggling. Even if they’ve passed a vision screening, they might have underlying visual processing difficulties that affect reading, learning, and attention. Hand-eye coordination activities like this one are a playful way to build these skills while keeping kids engaged and moving. #happyvalentinesday #valentinesday #sensoryplay #handeyecoordination #sensorygame #ottips #occupationaltherapist #occupationaltherapy #seattleot #seattleoccupationaltherapist #seattleoccupationaltherapy #creativebeginningsot