Pediatric Physical, Speech, and Occupational Therapists Inspiring Play

Tag: Gross motor skills

The Benefits of Movement | Therapist Recommended “Power” Moves for Preschoolers

The Benefits of Movement | Therapist Recommended “Power” Moves for Preschoolers

Movement is super powerful! It is an inner and innate drive, and a foundational component of how we explore our environment and orient ourselves in space. The benefits of movement are infinite. Movement helps to build postural control and develop body awareness and motor control.…

Plastic Egg Activities for Preschoolers

Plastic Egg Activities for Preschoolers

April’s All Star toy is plastic eggs! These are a fave for therapists to build purposeful play because there are so many ways to adapt the fun. So don’t pack away the holiday decorations just yet and stay tuned all month for some engaging, easy…

St. Patrick’s Day Purposeful Play | Activities for Preschoolers

St. Patrick’s Day Purposeful Play | Activities for Preschoolers

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! We have put together some of our favorite St. Patrick’s Day play activities with all things green, rainbows, and of course gold coins! Lucky Charms Oobleck Coco loves messy play, so oobleck is a perfect fit for her…

Cotton Balls: Fun Indoor Activities

Cotton Balls: Fun Indoor Activities

Looking for some fun indoor activities to do with your kiddo? Break out the cotton balls! Cotton balls are an easy, budget friendly way to recreate pretend snow in the comfort of your home! Check out some of these activities our All-Stars did that kept…

Hopscotch Nature Sort Activity

Hopscotch Nature Sort Activity

We are continuing the Nature unit in the at-home preschool curriculum by KidsPlayTricks and want to highlight this All-Star activity. This hopscotch nature sort activity is fun, engaging, and provides opportunities to practice gross motor, sorting, and language skills. Materials This activity is so simple!…

Toys We Love: Little People Big Yellow Bus

Toys We Love: Little People Big Yellow Bus

Even though “back to school” has looked different this year for most of us, your kiddo will still love school pretend play with this Little People Big Yellow Bus by Fisher Price. This bus comes with a long blue handle that kids can pull to…

Alphabet Bean Bag Hopscotch: Pre-Literacy and Movement!

Alphabet Bean Bag Hopscotch: Pre-Literacy and Movement!

Is your child starting to show interest in the alphabet? A great way to keep letter learning fun is by incorporating a movement activity! Here, Coco is playing hopscotch while matching Alphabet Bean Bags, by Educational Insights, to written chalk letters. Walk Tip: When starting…

Books That Encourage Movement | From Head to Toe

Books That Encourage Movement | From Head to Toe

One of our favorite books that encourages movement is From Head to Toe by Eric Carle. It’s filled with animal actions for kiddos to imitate, making it a fun and engaging way to: strengthen big muscles, learn new vocabulary, work on coordination, balance, and following…

Balance Activity for Kids

Balance Activity for Kids

If you are looking for an easy balance activity for kids, just try narrowing their base of support with a balance bridge! As our walking and gross motor skills develop, our base of support when walking naturally becomes more narrow. A balance bridge, or heel…