SNOW!!! Even If It Isn't Coming Your Way

Web Version  |  Update preferences  |  Unsubscribe Like Tweet Forward Pocket Full of Therapy Snow Ice Cream Collect some clean snow! Here is a yummy recipe for snow ice cream.  Ingredients: 1 cup of milk, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, a pinch of salt, and 8 cups of snow! 1. Prepare ingredients. 2. Whisk sugar, vanilla, milk and salt together. 3. Now mix in your snow 4. Enjoy! Product Highlight: Insta Snow Feeling warm or sluggish today? Add a little water to some Insta Snow ™ powder and watch it erupt into a mound of the fluffy, cool stuff. Have fun making snowballs, snowmen, cold packs or slush. An amazing sensory wake up activity. Makes approximately 3-4 gallons, enough for a sensory bin   Now On Sale! Falling From The Sky or Not- Let's Play In the Snow Here in the Northeast the snow is coming- What to do??  For those of you in the nice warm weather, you can still play in the snow!  Here are some fun and snowy activities to do with your children! 1. Snowball Fight For Everyone: All you need is some paper or tissue paper.  Work on your fine motor strength, crumbling a piece of paper into a ball.  Make as many as you can.  Now start throwing!!!  Make obstacles or barriers to protect yourself.  Don't want to throw at each other? Try shooting snowball baskets using your trash can or laundry basket.  2. Jack Frost Game: GROUP ACTIVITY!! Materials: Draw a picture of a snow ball, snowflake and icicle shapes on paper, also need chairs or carpet squares, or tape marker for each player.  Divide your children into 3 groups (the snowballs, snowflakes, and the icicles) Tape one labeled paper shape on each child to indicate what group they are a part of.  Have your children sit on their spot.   One student is Jack Frost, have him/her stand in the center of the circle.  Remove Jack Frost's spot, so there is one less then the amount of children playing.  (No one is being eliminated!) Start by having Jack Frost call out ONE of the group names- such as snowflakes.  When they hear their group called, they have to stand up and run to another chair.  At the same time, Jack Frost tries to get into one of the empty spots.  Whoever is not sitting down is the New Jack Frost.  If Jack Frost calls "Snowstorm" everyone gets up and shuffles! Motor planning, attention, socialization, and sensory processing all in one group activity! 3. Indoor Ice Skating: Messy or Non Messy       For the non messy version; clear an area on a rug or floor, and tape wax paper to the bottoms of your children's shoes.  Let them skate around the room.  Skate in pairs or skate back ward.  Instead of wax paper you can also glide on felt squares to skate around.       Messy Version; You will need mats to cover the floors, in case anyone falls.  Spray shaving cream on the mats, after taking your children's shoes and socks off, jump in and start skating.  Either activity provides motor planning, sensory input, coordination, and Fun!!!   Compiled By Lisa Walker OTR You're receiving this because you subscribed or placed an order with Pocket Full of Therapy. We will NEVER share or sell your info. Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe Contact Us: (800) PFOT-124 (732) 462-4474 *An OT is always available to answer questions or assist in selecting the right item!

Handwriting Important? Fun ways of celebrate National Handwriting Day

Web Version  |  Update preferences  |  Unsubscribe Like Tweet Forward Pocket Full of Therapy SPECIAL WRITING PENCILS - PENS Twist-Up Pencil Again A lead pencil with a V-shape body eliminates the need for a grip and kids think they're "Cool". Wright-Right Pencil and Grip: "Squeeze the eyes, cover his tongue and hold his tail" - Now you're ready to write! Slanted Writing Boards The perfect angle for wrist, shoulder, eyes and posture. Some with a vinyl overlay for better control and smooth writing. Loops and Groups Cursive Handwriting Program This motor based program was developed by an OT (Mary Benbow) who specializes in hand development. Very successful for children, even when other programs have not been. Handwriting Important? Why teach it?  Why learn it?  Why practice it?  Is it in the curriculum?  Should it be?  Isn't typing and keyboarding the way of the times?   There is much discussion about these questions and both sides have their reasons, can site research and feel very strongly about their views. But that's an interesting topic for another time.  Instead let's have some fun with writing and showing children why writing and written communication is important in our everyday lives! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Make a Quill Pen: Cut the tip of a craft store feather at an angle and you have a Quill! Make ink by adding a few drops of food coloring to water, or thin out watercolor paints.  Practice writing their name; spelling words; a short note to Mom/Dad or a friend. Shoe Grab Bag Here's a fun group activity demonstrating how writing impacts daily life. Start by everyone taking off one shoe and placing it into a brown paper bag. A designated "writer" marks the bag by drawing a square, circle, triangle, happy face, the childs name or nothing at all, then shows the child the bag. At this point, play a game to distract for a few minutes. Maybe do the "hooky pooky" or other silly game. Then all bags are mixed up and placed on a line. Now the fun begins! In groups of 5, children must find their bag, without opening them, within 10 seconds! Can't find it quickly? Discuss the importance of writing and labeling and how it helps in daily life. Secret Messages... Shhh.... Write a sentence or word using a special code!  Attention to detail, focus and legibility will determine success with this task. Take turns writing and deciphering, both practice key elements needed for handwriting. Draw the Space/Shape to represent the letter. Each picture represents a letter. Simplier designs or shapes can be used to make it easier. You're receiving this because you subscribed or placed an order with Pocket Full of Therapy. We will NEVER share or sell your info. Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe Contact Us: (800) PFOT-124 (732) 462-4474 *An OT is always available to answer questions or assist in selecting the right item!

Let's Fidget to Focus & $5 Shipping Special

Web Version  |  Update preferences  |  Unsubscribe Like Tweet Forward Pocket Full of Therapy This Week's Special : $5 FLAT RATE SHIPPING Thanks for Shopping - We appreciate your business! Please enjoy $5 FLAT RATE ground shipping on your online order over $45, within the contiguous US. Remember to ENTER "5flat" in the coupon box when checking out. We will apply the discount when the order is processed.EXPIRES 1/22/16 NOON est on Friday! (Drop-ship items & others with * excluded) . Must be applied at time of order. Fidget of The Month Club Have a "fidget-er" in your life? Our "Fidget Of The Month Club" is PERFECT for them. Every month we'll send them a different fidget. What will it be? Can't tell you, that would ruin the surprise, for both of you! But we can tell you it will be something to keep fingers busy and most will be very quiet, so they don't disturb others nearby. We will charge your credit card $30. Then beginning next month, your 3 month enrollment will begin and a new fidget will be sent each month to the address you registered. After 3 months, we'll contact you and ask if you would like to continue your membership. (Membership will NOT automatically renew!) It's simple, fun and your "fidget-er" will thank you month after month!  ** January fidgets have been shipped! Did you receive yours? Fidgets, Fun and $5 Shipping Why Do We Fidget? Whether you are fidgeting with a pencil, your hair, the papers on your desk, or items in your desk, we fidget to help us focus, attend, and concentrate.  According to Roland Rotz and Sarah D. Wright, authors of Fidget To Focus: Outwit Your Boredom: Sensory Strategies For Living With ADHD: "If something we are engaged in is not interesting enough to sustain our focus, the additional sensory-motor input that is mildly stimulating, interesting, or entertaining allows our brains to become fully engaged and allows us to sustain focus on the primary activity in which we are participating." One 2005 study concluded that kids who are allowed to fidget during class learn more quickly than those who are not. Karen Pine with the University of Hertfordshire says that "if teachers encouraged more fidgeting in class they might find children actually learn more." What Kind of Fidgets Can We Use? There are so many different types of fidgets or items we can use as fidgets.  Some you can find in your kitchen drawer! Here are some fun fidgets you can give your children to help them focus throughout the day. Strips of Velcro under their desk Pipe cleaners, wrap around pencil top or just hold and twist in your hand Fill and tie a balloon with flour, rice, or sugar Rubberbands or hair ties Worry stone- find a stone, clean & polish it, can even paint it Theraband wrapped around the legs of chair Tangles- Several types Focus Fidget - Wrist band; Add to backpack, zipper pulls Fiddlestix Ergo Balls - Lycra Covered Newsletter compiled by Lisa Walker OT You're receiving this because you subscribed or placed an order with Pocket Full of Therapy. We will NEVER share or sell your info. Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe Contact Us: (800) PFOT-124 (732) 462-4474 *An OT is always available to answer questions or assist in selecting the right item!