Just 3 Ways to Teach Children to Wait, by Dr. Rebecca Lipinski, PT

“Hurry up and wait” is a fact of modern life. Parents know scenarios like these well: hurry to get out of the house on time, then wait in traffic; rush to get to preschool pickup, then wait in the car rider line; speed to a doctor’s appointment then wait in the exam room for the sound of footsteps.  We tap our toes, pace back and forth, and think of other things that we could be doing. As adults, we can be frustrated by the situation but still understand the importance of the task at hand. We also understand that the waiting will end in a reasonable amount of time. However, time is an abstract concept for children. Instead of daydreaming or making mental to-do lists, they may whine, throw things, drop to the floor, cry, scream, or beg to leave. Combine a parent’s own frustration about waiting with a child’s attempts to change the situation and you have a recipe for an emotional explosion.

What is a worn-out parent to do? We can teach them! Here are 3 strategies to try…

1.      Practice often. Find opportunities for small increments of waiting and deliberately add them into your routine with your child. If you notice that there are not many cars in the parking lot of the bank, take your child inside with you rather than using the drive-thru window. While waiting, tell them something about the bank and why it is important. Talk about some other aspect of your day. The simple one-on-one time you give your child may be enough to stave off any tantrums. If the outing was successful, recognize their efforts and thank them for keeping you company. Go one step further and let them “eavesdrop” while you tell someone on the phone later (real or imaginary call) how your child went with you to the bank and was so patient to wait with you. All of these small efforts are positive reinforcement that helps the child’s brain become wired for waiting!

2.      Teach them calming strategies in quiet times at home, when they are already calm! Too often, we try to teach a child how to regulate their emotions when they are crying and upset. It is nearly impossible to learn any new skill while emotions are high. For this reason, it is essential that you teach the skill when their brains are calm and ready to learn. One of my favorite strategies uses an imaginary cup of hot chocolate. Pretend to hold a steaming, marshmallow-covered, cup of hot cocoa. While it warms your hands, take a deep breath in through your nose so that you can smell all of the chocolatey goodness. Since it is too hot to drink, you slowly blow the top of your cup of cocoa to cool it, being careful not to splash any out of the cup. Repeat several times to get the full, relaxing effect. Then, in times of stress, such as waiting in a noisy grocery store, you can simply hold up your cupped hands and say, “hot cocoa.” Will strangers give you funny looks? Maybe! But let them watch in amazement as your child stays calm!

 3.      Use the wait time wisely! Wait time is perfect for…playing “I spy,” counting things that are red, remembering a favorite vacation, or imagining your best day ever. Waiting can be a time to slow down and observe your surroundings. Warning…one thing that can derail your efforts to teach this skill? Electronics. When a child is using a device while waiting, they miss the opportunity for interactions, observations, language development, and much more. Games and videos work against your child’s efforts to learn patience, as they move at excessive speeds and give frequent and unnatural rewards to the young brain. It is also important to show your child that you are able to wait without a device. Nothing makes a child react stronger than sitting in the cart in the checkout line while their parents are checking emails or talking on the phone! You can model the behavior you want from them by saying, “I think it’s hard to wait too. Let’s do something fun while we wait…” Have an active kid? Use movement! Practice standing on one foot, pretend to stand still on a “tightrope,” squat down to make yourself tiny, or do charades! Again, let the strangers marvel at your imaginative kid that is standing like a bear in line rather than crying!

We hope these 3 tips will help you as you guide your child! Do you have 3 more minutes to spare? Pick another article from our “Just 3” series! We pack as much information as we can into 3 strategies that you can start using today!

Just 3: Three Ways Occupational Therapy Can Help Your Child, by Dr. Heather Kustaborder, OTR

Occupational therapy helps kids learn skills needed to do everything they want or need to do during the day. For kids, their “occupations” are playing, eating, getting dressed, bathing, handwriting, going to daycare/school, and more! Depending on a child’s strengths and needs, OT can address fine motor (small movements) skills, bilateral coordination (using both hands), sensory regulation, emotional regulation, visual skills, and feeding.

Here are just 3 ways your child could benefit from OT:

1. School Readiness: Cutting with scissors, coloring, and writing your name may seem simple, but these tasks actually require many complex hand skills. To succeed in school, your child must develop hand strength, in-hand manipulation skills, fine motor dexterity, as well as establish hand dominance. OT can target each of these skills to improve ability to participate in classroom activities and enhance learning. Does your child switch between use of their right and left hand? Does your child need extra time to write a sentence or say their hand is tired after coloring?

2. Visual Perceptual Skills: Visual perceptual skills are foundational to success at school and at home. Your child must be able to recognize patterns, use their visual memory, understand spatial relationships, and more in order to solve puzzles, write their name, read a book, and sort toys or clothing. Is your child able to find a toy or game in a cluttered toy box? Is your child able to recognize their colors, shapes, and letters?

3. Picky Eating: Although it is common for kids to be “picky eaters” it is important that kids try and eat a variety of foods to meet their nutritional needs. OT can increase the variety and types of foods your child eats through play-based feeding therapy, oral motor training, and use of sensory strategies. Does your child eat at least a few foods from each food group?

Is your child struggling with any of the above areas? Contact us to discuss your child’s fine motor skills, visual skills, sensory regulation, feeding and more! We would love to give you new strategies to increase your kid’s independence in age-appropriate self-care, engagement in play, and school readiness/academic performance!

Just 3: Three Ways to Target Language and Pragmatic Skills While Playing Games - by Tiffany Melani, CCC-SLP

Playing outside is always high on our list of recommendations for working on so many developmental skills. But when weather is not cooperating, we LOVE playing games! Getting the family together to play various board games is not only fun for your kids, but it is also a great time to target their language and pragmatic (social communication) skills. Below are three ways to target language and pragmatic skills while playing board games.

1.      Practice turn-taking: Turn-taking is often hard for children due to difficulty waiting and paying attention to the game when it is not their turn. However, this is an important skill to learn through practice. Have your child ask when it's their turn and tell others when it’s their turn throughout the game.

2.      Answering wh-questions: Throughout the game, you can ask your child various questions. For example:

• “Where are you going to put your Sorry game piece?”

• “Why did you move that one instead the other game piece?”

• “Who else might like to play this game with us?”

• “When is it Dad’s turn?”

3.      Winning and Losing: This is often a hard skill for children to grasp but an important one to learn! Like all other skills, practice helps. A child who has never lost a game may not know the social rules behind losing and can react strongly when it happens. A child who always loses becomes discouraged and may refuse to try new things. As the adult, you can help balance these experiences with board games at home. (As a parent, you know there are games that you can easily affect the outcome!). Talk with your kids about the game rules and explain that there is only one winner before you begin playing the game. This can help prepare them for the possible outcome of losing and lead to fewer outbursts and tantrums. When the game ends, an adult can demonstrate how a winner can accept praise graciously. A parent can also model the art of losing with dignity! Show them how to shake hands with the winner, congratulate them, and ask for a rematch!

If your child is having difficulty with the skills mentioned, contact us to discuss these language and pragmatic communication development.

Just 3: Three ways to expand language during bath time! by Tiffany Melani, CCC-SLP

1. Build Joint Attention: Joint attention is the shared attention between communication partners and is the key to language development. Bath time allows the adult to get down on the floor, at the child’s level. At eye level, grab items and put them near your face to create shared eye gaze and identify the object. For example, “Look! A little boat!”

2. Identify Body Parts: A great time for a child to learn body parts is during bath time. While washing your child’s body, label body parts as you clean them. You can take turns pointing to your nose, child’s nose, etc.

3. Ask Questions: While playing or competing tasks during bath time, ask your child various who, what, when, where, and why questions. This expands your child’s expressive and receptive language skills. Ask questions such as “Where do we take a bath?”, “What do we need for bathtime?”, and “Why do we take a bath?”

Is your child struggling to form words to express themselves? Are they having difficulty following simple commands you give? Contact us to discuss your child’s speech skills. We would love to share more strategies to help you improve your child’s speech skills!

Just 3: Three Reasons to Use Baby SIgns by Nicolette Born, CCC-SLP

If you have an infant or young toddler chances are you have heard of baby sign language. A popular trend in parenting has been to use “baby signs” with infants 6-12 months old before they are able to verbally communicate. This has been shown to offer a variety of benefits for parents and babies. Some families may worry this will delay verbal communication; but research has shown that the opposite is true. Researchers have found that introducing infants to sign language fuels their motivation for verbal communication!

Here are Just 3 reasons to introduce your child to baby sign language:

1. Support Language Development: By introducing simple signs or “baby” sign language to your babies, you give them the ability to tell you what they want/need. By introducing the cause/effect relationship of communication early (ex: I sign “more” I get more cheerios), it encourages them to interact with their environment/caregivers to get their needs met. Parents often fear using baby signs will lead to them only signing or delaying their speech. Research has shown this is not true! Baby sign is a great tool to teach vocabulary,and provide a way to communicate while verbal speech develops. Children who use baby signs often drop the signs as their spoken language vocabulary develops. Often,young babies (8-12 months old) know what they want but due to the coordination it takes to verbally communicate are unable to express it yet. Baby sign language gives them a tool to communicate by using gross motor skills that are developing. These gross motor skills are easier to coordinate during this stage of development than the oral motor coordination needed for verbal speech. Baby sign language is another way to engage with your child and support them as their verbal speech develops!

2. Decrease Overall Frustrations: Research has shown parents who introduce baby sign language to their children often report a decrease in tantrums and overall frustration for parent and baby. By giving the child the tools to communicate they are able to tell the parent when they want more or are all done with food/activities/etc. This decreases frustration for parents who are playing the guessing game trying to determine why the infant/toddler is crying or throwing their plate off their high chair. This also has been thought to help parents and babies bond as the child learns they can rely on parents to respond to their communication attempts and get their needs met by other means than crying, screaming, kicking or hitting.

3. Easy to Use: Baby Signs are easy to use and can be readily added into your daily routine with your child. You don’t have to set aside dedicated time to explicitly teach the signs, but can instead model them throughout your day, such as at meal times, and encourage your child to imitate and then use them. Baby signs are considered a simplified version of American Sign Language (ASL) so you do not have to be fluent in ASL to introduce basic signs to your child. Baby signs can be learned easily through a variety of sources.There are free websites, books, and even some apps that can teach the basics! You can incorporate as much as you want or as few signs as you want, but still are giving your child a tool to engage and interact with you

Just 3: Three Ways to Improve Your Preschooler’s Social Skills by Dr. Rebecca Lipinski, PT

Some preschoolers are naturally outgoing, talkative, and eager to form relationships. Others are more reserved and need a little prompting to interact with others. From ages 3-5, children are learning to be independent in their thoughts, feelings, and actions. They are building a sense of what makes them unique and they begin seeking similar characteristics in others. Empathy begins to develop at this age, allowing them to understand the feelings of others. How can you help when a child is having a difficult time interacting with peers and others? Try these tips!

1. Social stories: Read, read, read! In addition to the words on the page, add comments and questions about the story. For example, to build empathy, ask your child, “How do you think the boy felt when that happened?” You can role play using a story too. For instance, “The girl in the story just moved to a new city. What could we do to welcome a new neighbor?” Need a social story to read with your child? Ask our speech therapists! They routinely work on social skills and have many to share!

2. Use technology. Is your preschooler a whiz at using an iPad but struggles with a telephone call? Combine them! Jocelyn (one of our speech-language pathologists) says, “Have your child use Facetime to call a family member or friend! They’ll feel the comfort of using technology from home but reap the benefits of face-to-face interactions.” These conversations will help them learn skills such as back and forth conversation, opening and closing greetings, and active listening.

3.  Explore your community. Local gathering places have ample social opportunities for children. Libraries, kid gyms, playgrounds, bookstores (and even home improvement stores!) often have activities for kids where they can interact with others. Look for classes that target social skill training. We have one here at Justabout Pediatric Therapy! Our class is geared toward developing critical social skills while engaging in fun, age-appropriate motor and communication activities. If you’d like to register, call or email us. Hurry! Class begins in October and registration closes soon!

Need more help with social and communication skills for your child? Call us to consult with one of our therapists or go to the “New Patient Information” tab on our website to request an appointment. We’ll call you to discuss the details. 

Just 3: Three Ways to Help Your Picky Eater Try New Foods - By Lani Zangara OTR/L

Although it is developmentally typical for many children between the ages of 2-5 years old to be “picky eaters,” children with very selective palates may have more difficulty participating in family mealtime routines. Below are three tips to help introduce new foods to your little one:

 1. Consistency is key-Even if your child initially refuses a new food, still present it again over multiple mealtimes. Research shows a food has to be tried between 10-15 times before a person knows whether they like it or not. Even if they don’t taste it, still present the food on the plate/dinner table.

2. Messy is good! Although it may involve some clean up, encourage your child to engage with a new food through play, using as many senses as possible! This could be through touch in a sensory bin, discussing how the food smells, and bring food to lips to give it a “kiss.” Try feeding the new food to a toy or stuffed animal!

3. Try not to Overwhelm-When presenting a new food, still present a preferred food on the plate as well, with a just a small amount of the new/non-preferred food. Try to limit distraction in the environment, such as turning off TV. Provide ample verbal and visual prompts prior to mealtime to build expected routine and start with small expectations.

Just 3: Three Ways to Strengthen Small Hands While Having Fun in The Sun- By Lani Zangara OTR/L

Is your little one just craving to be outside in the sunshine? Below are some quick and easy ways to build hand and finger strength while catching some rays!

1. Use water toys - Squeeze spray bottles, wring out sponges, try to pop water balloons!
2. Sand trays - Scoop with shovel, build a sand castle, draw shapes and/or letters with a stick in sand!
3. Garden - Plant seeds, pack dirt into the pot, help pull weeds, pour from watering can!

 Does your child struggle with fine motor activities, or seem to have weak hands? Contact use to discuss how we may be able to help.

Just 3 Steps for getting your child started in PT, OT, or Speech by Dr. Rebecca Lipinski

If you’re a parent, you know all about “intuition” when it comes to your child! It’s that nagging feeling that your child needs something. Do you wonder if your child has enough words for his/her age? Do you notice that he/she walks a little differently than other children? Do they have reactions to sounds, lights, and movement that seem extreme? End the back-and-forth questions with yourself and follow these steps to gain information and clarity about your child.

 1. Visit our website! In addition to this article, you will find other articles in our “Just 3” series about child development and how to best help your child. You will also learn all about our clinic and the services that we provide. Navigate to “New Patient Information” to learn about the insurances that we accept and to request an appointment for an evaluation. Visit the “Screenings” tab if you would like a drive-thru screening to check in with a therapist.

 2. Share your concerns with your pediatrician! Let him/her know that you have spoken to us or visited our website, and that you would like to schedule an evaluation for your child. Ask for a prescription for speech, physical, or occupational therapy.

 3. Call us to schedule an evaluation or use our online appointment request form. A thorough evaluation with our therapists will provide valuable information regarding your child’s skills. It includes standardized testing so that you can see how your child’s skills compare to norms for his/her age. Our therapists have completed either a masters or doctorate degree in their field and have countless experiences and resources to help you and your child. Call us at 724-941-4414.

That’s it! Now you are “Just 3” steps away from getting the answers you need to help your child! Need more information? Email becky@justaboutpediatrictherapy with your questions!

Just 3: Ways to Develop Speech While Playing Outdoors - by Jocelyn Hrapla

Summer is winding down but there is still some time to work on a variety of skils outdoors! Do you have a little one who is just starting to talk? Here are some fun outdoor activities to help increase language in your early communicator! (Don’t forget the sunscreen!)

1. Bubbles- Bubbles are a great, fun way to increase language! You can model the action words “pop, up, and blow”. You can also target verbal requesting, focusing on the words “bubbles” and “more.”
2. Ball- Playing with a ball is not only a great way to increase language but also great to target gross motor skills! You can model various action words “throw, up, down, hit, catch, etc.” during ball play.
3. Cozy Coupe Car - This is a great toy to target the action word “go”! Initially, when your child is in the car, you can model the phrase “ready, set, go”. As your child becomes more familiar with the phrase, you can begin to fade the final word (go) while encouraging your child to verbalize it (ex: READY, SET, _______”).


Is your child struggling to form words to express themselves? Are they having difficulty following simple commands you give? Contact us to discuss your child’s speech skills.

Just 3: Three Ways to Improve Speech While Taking a Walk! by Jocelyn Fenyar

Due to the current situation, you may find yourself going on walks as a family more frequently! Here are some tips to increase language skills while going on a walk…

1. Singing! Make up a silly song and sing it the same way before you leave for your walks every time! This will help your child understand the concept of family routine.
2. Identifying! Pointing to a variety of things you see along your walk (trees, flowers, bugs, ponds, etc.) while labeling, discussing each item. Pointing will help direct your child’s attention to the item you are labeling.
3. Interacting! Have your child see, touch, listen to the different things you encounter on your walk. Using our different senses helps your child to engage and learn more!

Just 3: Strategies to Help Your Child During Teletherapy Sessions by Jocelyn Fenyar

At Justabout Pediatric Therapy, we will not let a stay at home order keep us from helping kids to reach their goals! We believe in the abilities of our therapists to create meaningful sessions remotely. We also believe in the children that work with us to develop critical speech and motor skills.  In just a few weeks, we’ve seen the power in teletherapy to reach kids in a new and different way. Here are “Just 3” ways to set up a successful virtual session with us… 

1.       Create a “therapy” space: Have an area in your house that you designate as your child’s therapy space! This will enable your child to feel as if he/she has his/her own special therapy corner! Once you and your child have designated a therapy area, it is important to keep this “learning” area the same from week to week. Your child thrives off of routine and consistency.  

2.       Limiting distractions: It is important to limit distractions in the room/area in which your child is completing therapy sessions. This includes removing items that may be distracting for your child and turning the TV off during therapy session. It is also important to select seating that works for your child! Some children respond better to stationary chairs, whereas other children enjoy the movement of a chair/stool on wheels. 

3.       Engaging your child: We encourage (and love) when your child shares special toys and activities with us! This not only helps keep your child engaged but also provides us with a variety of new target words for your child to practice. Use of “when-then” statements are also a great way to get your child involved in tasks during our tele-therapy sessions (WHEN you practice 5 words THEN you get to play Mr. Potato Head). This provides your child with an expectation that you have for him/her as opposed to a demand. 

 We look forward to the day we can reopen our doors and return to “business as usual.” When we do, you can visit us to meet our therapists and see the warm, loving atmosphere we strive to create. Looking for a clinic that feels like home? Please submit and appointment request online or call the office to schedule

Just 3: Carryover of Articulation Skills by Meghan Roney

Your child has been working incredibly hard during speech therapy sessions to learn how to correctly produce new sounds. His efforts have paid off and he is pronouncing new sounds inside the speech therapy room. Yay! We know you’re just as thrilled as we are. The hard part is over, right? Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Many times, when children learn how to correctly produce certain sounds through speech therapy, they have trouble generalizing this skill outside of the speech therapy room and into everyday life.

We often hear parents say that they struggle thinking of ways to practice speech sounds in conversation without feeling like they are nagging their child. Our ultimate goal is for you and your child to feel comfortable and successful. Below are three simple tips for practicing carry over of speech sounds during your everyday routines. Investing five minutes a day to work on speech sounds in daily conversation can make a tremendous impact.

1. In the car: The car is one of the best places to practice speech sounds. In the car, your child is stationary. He is not distracted by the fact that he’d much rather be playing outside than practicing his speech and talking is an excellent way to help the time pass during a car ride. Encourage your child to talk about his day, discuss things that are happening outside, or play I Spy — all while ensuring he is using good speech sounds

2. During bedtime and mealtime: Bedtime and mealtime routines can be a terrific time to practice speech sounds in conversation. Have your child talk to you about his day during breakfast or dinner. Discuss the different foods you are eating, and which ones you like and don’t like. During bedtime routines, talk about what you are both doing while preparing for bed. Chatting about things in your bathroom can be a great way to practice the /th/ sound, as your bathroom is full of /th/ words (i.e., baTHroom, tooTHbrush, tooTHpaste, baTH, etc.). If your child knows how to read, have him read the bedtime story to you while using good speech sounds. If he is not yet reading, have him describe the pictures to you, talk about what is happening in the story, and what he thinks will happen next.

3. Playtime: Playtime is my favorite time to practice speech sounds, because you can make it fun. Sing songs and nursery rhymes while using good speech sounds. Count blocks or Legos while building. Play structured conversation games where your child must use their good speech sounds, such as seeing who can name the most objects in a category (like food or toys) in one minute or play a guessing game (such as Headbands), where your child gives you clues using his good sound. Don’t forget to use your good speech sounds while playing a board game by talking about the different things on the board.

Practicing good speech skills doesn’t have to be daunting or stressful. We hope the tips above help you and your little one practice without feeling like it’s an extra chore.

Just 3: Attention Please! by Becky Lipinski, DPT

We have thousands of things we love about our kids, but when asked, what is one of a parent’s biggest struggle? Attention! Why can’t I get his attention? Why won’t he listen? Believe me, parents, it’s not just you. As therapists, it’s essential that we gain your child’s attention. We have such a short amount of time with your kids, and we want every moment to count. You know what I’ve learned in 17 years of working with kids of all abilities? Doing the OPPOSITE of what I’ve done as a parent is what works! I hate to admit it, but I’ve done everything wrong when trying to get my own child’s attention. I have to consciously remind myself to put on my therapist hat when talking to my own kids, because it works far better than the knee-jerk attempts that I’ve used in the past. My three tips are common sense, but not automatic. Do they sound too easy? Great! Try them on for a day, week, month and see how it goes. So, without further ado, here are my top 3 ways to get a child’s attention.

1. Go into the space your child is occupying. As a parent, I frequently yell from another room, “Go put your shoes on! We’re leaving!” Yet one of my top 5 pet peeves is when my children ask me questions from another room. So why do I do the same? It’s worth the extra steps to find your child before giving directions. Bonus: you’re modeling the behavior you want from them!

2. Get on your child’s eye level. It is nearly impossible for your child to continue to engage in another activity with a parent’s face within 12 inches of their own. Someday soon, I’ll stand on a chair for my child’s eye level, but we all have our challenges

3. Whisper. That’s right, the opposite of yelling. Ever notice how our children ignore our yells but are “all ears” once we start a private conversation on the phone? That’s because yelling becomes white noise to them. We really do not want yelling to become white noise. We need it in our lives for when it counts, like in an emergency. Do you want your child to continue playing Crossy Road while you’re yelling, “Fire?!” For most matters, quiet instruction is what counts.

The secret is putting all three of these elements together, every time. Watch how your child reacts when you go into the room, get down to eye level, and clearly whisper, “Go put your shoes on now.” We’re in the business of helping families. I want your day to go smoothly, without frustration. Under your calm care, your child will blossom. If I can do this, you can too!

Just 3: Tips to be a good speech model for your child - by Jocelyn Fenyar

1. Face to face: Always try your best to face your child whenever you are speaking to him/her. You are the model for your child’s speech! When facing your child, this not only allows your child to hear your speech more effectively, but you are also providing them with a visual of how sounds/words are formed. When speaking to your child, make sure that you are speaking slowly, clearly, and simply. It is important to use simple phrases/sentences when speaking to your child!

2. Expand words/phrases: Learn to expand your child’s utterances. When your child is labeling or requesting items/actions using one word, expand that utterance to two words (ex: child- car, adult- car please). When your child is using two words to label/request items/actions, expand that utterance to three words (ex: child- want car, adult- I want car) and so forth. It is okay if your child does not imitate your expanded utterances right away! Just continue modeling phrases over and over to encourage imitation to occur!

3. Provide two options: During routines/activities throughout your day, you can provide two choices while encouraging your child to verbalize his/her desired choice! You can ask your child “Do you want _____ or _____?” If your child is not verbalizing many words just yet, you can encourage him/her to point to their desired choice. As your child’s communication skills improve, encourage verbalization of his/her desired choice! Giving your child the independence to choose an activity, food, toy, clothing item, etc. (by either verbally stating or pointing) will encourage him/her to want to express more of their wants and needs!

Just 3: Tips to help with letter formations by Karen Malizia

1. Forget the words! Although the words in a story are important, sometimes it is equally important to step out of the box and discover new ways to read the story. Use the pictures to guide you to make up new parts of the story and encourage your child to do the same. Using the pictures alone is a great way to work on describing skills, inferencing, and sentence formulation.

 2. Ask questions: At times we can be so focused on getting children to read, that we forget about the comprehension side of reading. Asking questions is a great way to work on comprehension and can be done in a fun and engaging way. After each page, ask 1 or 2 questions about what was happening on the page (and in the pictures!) Use a variety of questions about what has happened, why it happened, and what they think will happen next. It is never to early to start introducing this skill to even the youngest of readers. Model the correct answers until they can do it themselves!

 3. Repetition: Don’t be afraid to read the same story over… and over… and over. Although they can get old for us adults, kids thrive on repetition. When they have heard a story and know what to expect, it allows them to feel confident so that they can work on some of the other skills previously described. This can also be a great tool for children who are just learning to talk. They will learn what comes next. Leave out repetitive words or phrases and encourage them to fill in the blanks. Encourage your older children to retell the story or “read” it themselves, even if they are not truly a reader yet. Instilling confidence in reading and a love for books is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child, as it sets a strong foundation for academic success.

 “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss

Just 3 - Tips to improve scissor skills by Carolyn Dudek

1. Thumbs up - Encourage “thumbs up” positioning when practicing cutting skills.  The dominant hand which is operating scissors should be in a thumbs up position and the opposite hand which is holding the paper should also be in the same position.

 2. Line Thickness - Start with thicker lines (½ - 1 inch) and gradually fade to smaller ones (¼ - ⅛ inch).  Give your child ample room to stay on the line initially. Once they are able to stay on larger lines, make them half the size to promote greater motor control.

 3. Use various media.  Practice cutting with Play-doh, card stock, bubble wrap, etc. Make it fun and the different textures will make the task more or less challenging.

Just 3 - Forming Letters by Carolyn Dudek

1. Stroke Progression: Teach letters in order of normal stroke progression instead of traditional alphabetical order. A child should acquire prewriting strokes in the following order: vertical, horizontal, circular, then diagonal.  Straight line letters are the easiest and are a great starting place.  Next, introduce curved letters. Diagonal lines are the last to acquire developmentally so leave those letters until the end. 

2. Make it fun! The more senses you can incorporate the better. Draw letters in the air, sand or putty.  Trace them with multiple colors. Write them in sidewalk chalk. The possibilities are endless. The more media you use the more interested your child will be and willing to “work”.

3. Perfect practice makes perfect! Always encourage correct letter formations.  Achieving proper form initially is crucial.  You want to encourage top-down and left to right letter formations.  It is very difficult to break a habit of incorrect formation once it is started.

Just 3 - Stair Walking by Becky Lipinski, DPT

Your walking child has mastered crawling up and down the stairs. You’re nervous, but he/she is ready for the next step (pun intended!). It’s time to walk like a big kid! Here are 3 quick tips to help your child on the stairs…

1. Practice, practice, practice! A child who is given ample opportunities to practice on the stairs will learn to do them more quickly.  Find multiple reasons each day to encourage your child to climb the stairs. Example: Take laundry up/down without using a basket. Have your child carry a rolled pair of socks or a few washcloths in his/her left hand, while holding the railing with his/her right hand. Walk behind your child when going up the stairs, and in front of your child when going down the stairs.

 2. No Bears on the Stairs! When children learn to ascend stairs, they will move between tall standing and placing two hands on the stairs in a Bear Walk position.  Encourage your child to stand tall and hold the rail.

 3. Start with the “Wedding March,” then move to the “Kindergartener.” Children naturally learn to place two feet on each step when they begin walking on stairs (“Wedding March”). As they become more adept, they place one foot per step in an alternating pattern. I call this the “Kindergartener,” because most school-aged children walk this way on the stairs. It is easier to alternate feet to ascend stairs, so children often do this first.  If you think he/she is ready, tell your child to “climb the mountain,” to ascend stairs in a mature way. To descend stairs with one foot per step, tell your child to “Kick step” as you demonstrate.

Safety precautions: According to the CDC, injuries due to falls were the leading cause of nonfatal injury last year. Each year, approximately 2.8 million children have an initial emergency department visit for injuries from a fall. For children less than 1 year of age, falls account for over 50% of nonfatal injuries. Not only do young children need you to watch them on the stairs, they need an adult to be within arm’s length, should they lose their balance.  If you are not on the stairs with your child, the stairs should not be accessible to them. This means using appropriate child safety gates. If you are unsure how to properly child-proof your stairs, please ask a professional.

Do you believe your child is delayed in walking, stairclimbing, or any other mobility skills? A physical therapist can help! Call our office to schedule an evaluation and learn ways to help your child develop the skills he/she needs to move, learn, and grow!

Just 3 - Jumping!!! - by Becky Lipinski

Children typically learn to jump at 18-24 months. True jumping involves take off and landing with two feet, and maintaining balance upon landing.  In most cases, kids jump just for the fun of it.  When skills are fun, kids will practice them over and over again. With each jump, a child further develops trunk and leg strength, balance, coordination, and motor control. For kids with deficits in any of these areas, jumping becomes a difficult skill to attain.  Is it important to learn to jump? As adults, we don’t jump often. But we should still possess the strength to do so. Children jump as a part of gross motor play with peers and with many athletic activities.  Below are 3 tips to get your non-jumper jumping!

1. Splash vs Splish-Splash: Take off and landing with two feet is challenging.  To illustrate correct jumping form, tell your child to imagine a puddle. Show him/her how to make a big splash by jumping into the “puddle.” If they take off and land with one foot leading instead of two, tell them, “Nope! Didn’t get me wet! That was a splish-splash.  Try again to make a big splash!”

2. Use sidewalk chalk. Draw lines and hopscotch squares for jumping onto and over. Did he/she understand the “puddle?” Make a big blue puddle out of chalk.  Make several puddles to encourage your child to jump from one to another (this is a more difficult skill!).

3. Repetition! Motor learning theory tells us that, to learn a new skill, a child must have significant opportunities to practice.  Find ways to add jumping to everyday tasks.  For example, always prompt your child to jump from the last step when descending a flight of stairs.  Find the lines on a sidewalk and jump over every one, every time. Always insist that your child bunny hops to bed each night. Modeling is important, so jump along with them.  Go ahead…it’s fun!

Have you tried the above strategies, but your child still is not learning the skill? Call our office to talk to a physical therapist. We can find ways to improve a child’s strength, balance, and coordination for jumping.