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Kids Play Smarter

Maximizing your child's play with purposeful activities

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You are here: Home / Archives for Amy Smith

Fill Up Your Word Cup

May 5, 2016 by Amy Smith

Improve your child's reading and letter recognition and fine motor skills with this eye dropper game

Kids adore playing with water, especially colored water.  So, why not incorporate learning into something fun so that the kids will be motivated to play longer (translation to parents= … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities, Handwriting Help Tagged With: fine motor activities, pincer grasp, preschool, water activities

3 Games for Calmer Breathing

April 28, 2016 by Amy Smith

Sensory based calming breathing activity that helps relax kids while holding their attention with 3 fun games using straws

Breathing is one of the effective yet most often forgotten strategies to help regulate your sensory system. Most kids overlook breathing because, to be quite honest, breathing can be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sensory Regulation, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: breathing games, Calming activity, child's behavior

Smart Sensory Squirrel

April 26, 2016 by Amy Smith

Improve your child's sensory experience along with academic learning concepts such as shapes, letters, or numbers with this smart sensory squirrel game. Your kids will love it!

Try making this adorable smart sensory squirrel with your child and let the learning experiences begin!   This activity is perfect for the busy mom, teacher, or therapist … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities, Sensory Regulation Tagged With: fine motor activities, learning games, preschool, sensory activities, tactile activities

What did the Piggy Eat?

April 24, 2016 by Amy Smith

Develop social skills, sensory skills, and tactile discrimination skills with this fun piggy game for kids!

This sensory based game called "What did the piggy eat" is sure to be a hit in any home or classroom! Children love games built upon silly concepts and this game is sure to make your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities, Sensory Regulation Tagged With: fine motor activities, preschool, sensory activities, tactile activities

Kid’s Trick for Putting Shoes on the Right Feet!

April 22, 2016 by Amy Smith

Kid's trick for getting your child to put their shoes on the right feet each time independently! Try it out, it's so simple!

Anyone with young children knows the struggle with kids who want to do 'everything' themselves, including putting their shoes on .... (and oftentimes, the wrong feet).  Yes, it is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Therapist's Tips Tagged With: dressing, preschool, self-care skills, shoes, toddlers

Rainbow Running

April 16, 2016 by Amy Smith

Add paint, exercise, and sensory experiences to get this amazing kids activity called rainbow running! Sneak some academics in with the colors for lots of fun!

Try out this activity that combines the best of gross motor and sensory play into one colorful, energetic game! By playing this game, your child will reap the benefits of exercise, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gross Motor Activities, Sensory Regulation Tagged With: exercise, gross motor activities, learning games, sensory activities

Joint Compressions for Calming

April 15, 2016 by Amy Smith

Calming sensory activity to help your child calm down whenever they feel anxious or nervous. Works great before bedtime, school, and unfamiliar situations.

Are you looking for a quick, free, and effective way to help your child feel more organized, calm, and better suited to handle life's stressors? Try using joint compressions! What … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sensory Regulation, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: Calming activity, child's behavior, proprioception, sensory regulation activities

X-Ray Man for Excellent Writing

April 11, 2016 by Amy Smith

DIY craft that teaches kids handwriting, letters, shapes, colors, and numbers by using a baby wipes box as an X-Ray Man.

Want to sneak in some handwriting practice in a fun, child-friendly way? Play this X-Ray Man for excellent writing game! This game is simple to make and can be easily adapted to fit any … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities, Handwriting Help Tagged With: handwriting, learning activities, preschool

Watch TV Smarter

April 10, 2016 by Amy Smith

Unfortunately, kids are watching too much TV, so learn to watch it smarter with these tips and techniques!

Watch TV Smarter? What?? Please don't confuse the title with the idea that TV may really make your child smarter. Yes, there are some educational shows that do contain some learning … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gross Motor Activities, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: seated positioning, video games, Watching TV

Jump and Learn

April 7, 2016 by Amy Smith

Want to learn a great way to spice up learning, especially with how to read and spelling practice? Try this jump and learn game! It's simple to set up and it's actually a much more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gross Motor Activities, Sensory Regulation Tagged With: academic activities, gross motor activities, learning games, preschool

Why You Should Break Crayons (On Purpose)

April 5, 2016 by Amy Smith

Learn how to improve kid's pencil grasp through this simple tip about broken crayons. Try out this easy idea.

Have you ever heard your child say, "I'm not using that crayon, its broken!"? Maybe you agreed with the child and thought to yourself that it would be best to de-clutter the crayon box … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Handwriting Help, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: fine motor activities, handwriting, pencil grasp, pincer grasp

Calming “Cookie Dough”

April 4, 2016 by Amy Smith

This sensory activity calms kids and adults down when feeling anxious or hyperactive. It is perfect for those with sensory issues, autism, SPD, anxiety disorders,ADHD, and ADD.

You probably don't associate the word "calming" with cookie dough, but after you try this activity, you will see why this "cookie dough" is very calming indeed.  This activity works … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sensory Regulation, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: Calming activity, deep pressure, proprioception, sensory activities

Smarter Fishing Game

April 2, 2016 by Amy Smith

This smarter fishing game that teaches academics like letters, numbers, shapes, or colors, and, gross motor & fine motor skills,, and social skills in a fun game for kids!

Want to try a new spin on this old classic? This version of the fishing game adds extra elements to foster academic learning, and motor skill development, with the same excitement that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities, Gross Motor Activities Tagged With: fine motor activities, gross motor activities, kids games

Super Easy Binder Slantboards

April 2, 2016 by Amy Smith

Slantboards are excellent tools that teachers or occupational therapists often use in schools to help children's hands and wrists to get into a better position for writing which helps … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Handwriting Help, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: handwriting help, school, weak hands, wrist positioning, writing tools

Smarter Pizza Game

March 30, 2016 by Amy Smith

This smarter pizza game develops fine motor and math skills as the child becomes a pizza baker and places various toppings on a felt pizza

This fun pizza game will keep your child's interest and attention while developing math and fine motor skills! The game is simple and inexpensive to prepare, yet durable enough to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities Tagged With: fine motor activities, hand strengthening, learning

Improve Word Spacing Issues

March 21, 2016 by Amy Smith

Do you ever see your child's paper come home from school with all of the letters smashed together like one gigantic, run on word? Or are the letters and words stretched out really far … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Handwriting Help, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: fine motor activities, handwriting, visual motor skills, Visual perceptual skills

Sensory Tactile Boards

March 17, 2016 by Amy Smith

Learn how to make a sensory tactile board with various textures to help your child calm or soothe themselves

Sensory tactile boards provide a sensory experience for your child that may help to calm or soothe them when feeling anxious, or could arouse them when feeling sluggish through the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities, Sensory Regulation, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: fine motor activities, sensory regulation activities

DIY Easy To Open Clothespins

March 9, 2016 by Amy Smith

Children and adults with weak hands or fine motor skills will benefit from using these easy to open, modified clothespins for things like crafts to laundry. Find out how to make them here!

Clothespins are great for so many more reasons than just hanging up clothes! They can be turned into fun tools that help children develop hand strength, especially in developing their … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities, Handwriting Help, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: fine motor skills, pincer grasp, special needs modifications, weak hands

How to Keep Writing on the Lines

March 7, 2016 by Amy Smith

Learn how to write in the lines without practicing more pencil-paper writing with these fun, hands-on methods designed to keep kids' attention and interest.

If you have noticed that your child's handwriting doesn't stay in the lines, then this article is a must read for you.  As an occupational therapist, I am frequently asked to evaluate … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities, Handwriting Help, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: fine motor skills, handwriting skills, keeping letters on the lines

Identify Your Sensory Speed With a Self-Odometer

March 5, 2016 by Amy Smith

Identify your sensory speed with a self-odometer which communicates how your child is feeling without needing to talk or verbally communicate.

For a lot of kids, communicating how they are feeling, especially when they feel out of control is very difficult. Frustration on both the part of the child and parent/teacher only … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sensory Regulation, Therapist's Tips Tagged With: activities to help regulate sensory behaviors, sensory activities, sensory regulation

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Welcome to Kids Play Smarter

Amy Smith I am an occupational therapist with over 10 years of experience working with children. I created this website to offer parents, teachers, and therapists FREE ideas, strategies, and activities that they can do with their children to improve their fine and gross motor skills, handwriting, academic learning, and regulate their sensory system all while "playing" (just playing smarter)! Read More…

Top Posts

Joint Compressions for Calming
Calming "Cookie Dough"
Easiest Way to Tie Shoes
How to Keep Writing on the Lines

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