Amazing Police Officer knows the Power of Proprioception

Cop Drops To The Ground For Push-Ups To Calm Agitated Boy With Autism! Deputy Loftis of the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office in TN was called to Bubba’s home because the young man was agitated and his mom knew “Bubba loved officers.”  “When Dep. Loftis showed up, he was able to calm ‘Bubba’ down and showed him how to channel his frustration by doing ‘PUSH-UPS!’
Mom says:  ‘Bubba was laughing before Dep. Loftis left, which at the time I thought was impossible!’”

Another example of proprioception at work!

What To Do When You Only Have a Ball! Specials, Product Highlights

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All You Need is a Ball!

Well here are some fun games to play when that is all you have!  

Maybe you don't want to run a motor group but all you have is ball, find a marker and write some letters on the ball.  Sitting in a circle, toss the ball to each other.  When each student catches it, they have to pick a letter on on the ball, the letter will correspond to a question from your paper.  

This can be a great ice breaker!

Some questions to use: "What is your favorite color?" "Where is your favorite vacation spot?" "How many siblings do you have?" "What sports do you play?" "What is your favorite video game?"

 

Or if you would like a motor game- have the letters correspond to a motor activity the srudent has to complete before tossing the ball to a friend.  

 

Kickball- easy to play and all you need is a ball and some kids! You may want to mark 4 bases also.  Split into teams- one plays the field and the other team kicks the ball.  Played just like baseball but kicking instead of hitting, kick the ball run the bases, if you are tagged- you're out!  Three outs and the teams switch.  Play keeping score or just for fun! 

    Change it up! Maybe everyone already knows how to play kickball or you just want to make the game a little bit harder.  Have your fielders only using their body to stop the ball and their feet to pass- No hands!   Or instead of running the bases, you have to march or hop.  If you need to make the game a little easier, have the kicker kick a stationary ball instead of rolled by the pitcher or just work on kicking and running, no one gets "out" 

Body Jam Relay: You can play as a team or individually.  Mark a start and finish line.  You are going to call out a body part and your student needs to race to the finish holding the ball on that body part.  "Hold the ball on your head" or "Hold the ball between your knees"

Playing as teams- now you have two students who need to hold the ball with a body part while racing to the finish.  For example, if you say "Hold the ball with your shoulder" The ball will be between one students left shoulder and the other student's rigtht shoulder.  Can they hold it with shoulders, elbows, knees, hands, just fingers, or their heads?  Teamwork really comes into play here as they have to move at the same pace and remember no cheating!

Some Other Fun Ball Games

Cooperative Ball Games:

Hit the Clip: Standing in a circle, place a paper clip chain or other lightweight object in the middle of your students.  When it is your turn, say who you are going to bounce the ball to then aim for the chain as you bounce the ball.  As a group you must total twenty five hits.  Use different sized balls, smaller ball will be a lot harder, or use a large ball to increase upper body strength.  Or for a really good workout, use a weighted ball.  

To make the game more challenging add a memory component. Each player states his/her favorite fruit/food/sport or name a US state.  Player must say their answer and those before them before throwing at the clip.  

Pass Along: How many different ways can you relay race the ball down the line?  Sitting side by side, twisting from one person to the next to get the ball from one end to another.  Or laying foot to head and you have to use your core to sit up and reach for the ball, then sit back and pass to the next student.  Or you can sit against the wall with youur legs straight up in the air, and pass the ball along the wall with only your feet.  

 

Anyone Remember playing "SPUD"?

Everyone gets a number 1 through however many students are playing.  One student throws the ball up in the air and calls a number while everyone runs.  

Once the ball is caught everyone stops.  The student with the ball is allowed four steps S-P-U-D to the closest person then bounces the ball at their legs, if they tag them with the ball that person become the ball thrower and the original thrower gets letter S.  You play until someone has the full word.  

Or forget spelling the word and practice running and catching.  There is one person throwing the ball as high as they can in the air and everyone else runs away. 

 

 

Compiled by Lisa Walker OTR 

Water Games, Specials and Product Highlights

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Water Fun For Everyone!

These last few weeks of August can be hot, hot, hot!!  Get outside and play some of these fun water games for group or during play dates! 

Water Balloon Baseball:  You need some water balloons and a pool noodle.  Cut your pool noodle in half and there is your bat.  Throw your water ballon underhand toward the batter.  Does it break on impact or is it strong enough to send to a fielder?  Instead of a water balloon use a sponge- the game will last a lot longer! 

Wet Sponge Relay: Fill up a bucket of water and grab some new sponges.  Place another bucket with a "fill line" about ten feet away.  Now relay race with the wet sponge to the empty bucket.  Squeeze the sponge into the empty bucket and run back.  Hand off the sponge to be dipped into the bucket of water and next person run to fill the other bucket.  

- Don't just run- Have your children crab walk holding the sponge on their stomach or walk balancing the sponge on their head.  

Water Balloon Parachute: You need some water balloons and a parachute or towel.  Place the water balloons in the center of the towel, now bring it up and down.   How long before the balloon pops?

Water Guns Without Squirting Anyone!!

Water Shooter Cup Race:  You will need a cup with a small hole cut in the bottom, some string and water shooter.  Place the string through the cup and tie one side to a tree or chair, then tie the other side to another chair.  Use your water shooter to squirt the cup and move it across the string!  Fine motor fun!

Water Shooter Knockdown: You need some plastic cups and a water shooter.  Stack them in a pyramid and squirt them down!!

 

Thank You Pinterest Friends!!

Let's Do a Give-away! Goldilocks Scissors - "Just right for Every Child"

Let's Do a Give-away!  Pick a number between 1-2000. Add in comments and if you would prefer a left or righted scissor. Good Luck! Winner will be announced Friday!

Goldilocks Scissor - "Just right for Every Child"

National Left Handers Day, Tips for Working With a Lefty, Specials, Products

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Happy Left Handers Day

Saturday August 13th is Left Handers Day!  Being a lefty isn't always easy- here are some tips to help them out! 

- When writing tip the left corner of the paper up to allow a natural writing position for the arm. 

- Also teach a left handed writer to place the paper on the left side of their body so they can see what they are writing.  

- Most worksheets have the sample on the left hand side, which would be covered by a left hand.  When asking them to copy try to have the model in front of or to the right so they can see what they are copying. 

- When cutting make sure they are cutting in a clockwise rotation instead of a right handed counterclockwise rotation.  What's the difference between right and left handed scissors?

The actual construction of the scissor is different. On right handed scissors, the blades are placed so the blade on the left side goes down when cutting. This allows the user to see the inside edge of the blade as it hits the cutting line and follow the blade as it closes to the tip.. Lefty scissors are constructed to allow the same viewing by having the left blade always go up. Confused? Try it. Yes. a sharp scissor will snip when used in either hand, but learning to cut with scissors is a challenge. So let's give our lefty's the same experiences we give right handers, remove obstacles and avoid bad habits from even forming by using the proper scissors.

-Some left handers may be bothered by the rings in notebooks and binders, why not flip it around?  Just draw a line down the paper to make a margin.  

Did You Know?

- Tom Cruise, Whoopi Goldberg, Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey, Justin Bieber, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt, and Angelina Jolie all have dominant left hands.

- Left handed people make up 5-10% of the population. 

- According to tradition, an itchy left hand indicates you will lose money. An itchy right                                                 hand indicates you will receive money.

 

It's Left Handers Day- Why Not Try Being A Lefty?

Playing a game? Drawing a picture? Building blocks? Having a catch?  Why not try doing it left handed in honor of Left Handers Day? 

Have a group relay race, balance a small ball on a spoon and race to hand it off to the next runner.  You have to use your left hand to hold the spoon! 

Can you complete a maze, connect the dots, or color in a picture left handed? 

Can you cut out a picture, use a hole puncher, or stapler using your left hand? 

Weekly Special

20% off any left handed product!  Order before Wednesday 8/17/16 at midnight.  Available only on orders placed within contiguous U.S. 

Use coupon code "Lefty16"