Activities that address: Suck, Breathe, Swallow - Talk, Listen, Process

Suck, Breathe, Swallow.... Talk, Listen, Process too! Chances are you've seen "suck, breathe, swallow coordination" in action. Think of an infant drinking a bottle. Many times you'll notice that they stop drinking too take a deep breath. The same is seen when a child is very upset and trying to tell you something while crying. It frequently becomes frustrating for both the child and listener because they are having trouble coordinating it all at once. Remember your Mom telling you not to talk with food in your mouth? Yes, it's impolite, but it also takes requires less coordination and avoids choking or gagging on food while talking.  Let's strengthen oral-motor skills (No, not by talking more! Let's Play!) Beans 'n Straws: Use suction through a straw to lift a bean and transfer it to a container. (Make sure that beans will not fit up straw!) Increase the distance to the container to require greater breath control. Papers 'n Straws: Similar to bean's, but lightweight, so should be easier. Use different color papers or tissue paper to make a collage or picture as they go. Let's Race or try it in a Group! Any of these activities can be done in a group. Give each player a plate or paper towel and ask them to transfer beans or papers from their plate to a neighbor's. Or make teams and do a relay race. Life Savers on a Stick: This is an adaption of an old game where players transfer candy pieces from one to another via toothpick... This updated version uses wood skewers (with tips dulled by a nail file). Candy can be carried 10 steps then transferred to a partner or dropped into a container. Sticks must be kept straight out, not up, so gravity can not help. Add more rings for weight.  Remind players that they can only hold the stick in their lips. No teeth allowed! BUBBLES - ALWAYS A FAVORITE! If you need a reason to do bubbles- Breath Control is it! Table-top Bubbles: Begin by getting the table damp. Give each player a thin straw and small cup with bubble juice. (Home made with dish soap is just fine). Dip the end of the straw and blow onto the damp table. Can you do a bubble in a bubble? or a big bubble surrounded by 6 small bubbles? Remember to keep all surfaces and straws damp to keep the bubbles flowing. Bubble cups: a favorite by staff & child What's a bubble cup? Take a sturdy cup and make a hole slightly below the upper rim. (The lower on the cup wall the more "huffing & puffing" will be required). Next cut a square (double layered) from a handi-wipe it needs to be about 2" larger than the cup's rim. Secure it over the cup top with a rubber band. Place a straw in the hole you made. Now turn the cup upside down and dunk the handi-wipe top into a bowl of very soapy water.  (Avoid getting water into the straw or hole). Players blow through the straw creating long piles of bubbles on top. (Most children learn very quickly to coordinate suck vs blow with this motivating activity!) Touchable Bubbles (A therapist favorite!) YES!  TOUCH, CATCH, STACK... Finally a bubble that doesn't allows break when you touch it or when it lands on a surface. Players can REALLY VISUALLY TRACK the bubble then use coordination skills to catch it. Can you make a snowman or catch 5 on a paper? MORE INFO HERE... Pustefix Bubble Bear - The original premium bubbles with pop-up wand! This bear, with the chubby tummy, was the first bubble container with a pop-up wand. Gently squeeze his belly to make the wand appear. Unlike cheap knock-offs, this cutey has a semi-closed inner top that the wand emerges from reducing spills & mess. It also contains PREMIUM bubble juice that produces more consistent bubbles per blow. Nothing is more frustrating than huffing & puffing repeatedly only to get one lone bubble! We even offer bubble juice refills! More info HERE... This Week's Specials are: