While February may seem like a long way off from summer, it’s the perfect time to take stock of your children’s skill set especially if they will be headed off to camp in June. If your child is headed to sleep away camp, managing the self-care routine is especially imperative. Mastering these skills now will help them transition to camp with confidence, especially if it's their first summer at sleep-away camp. Making their own bed Camp might be the first time in their lives w

Touch is Calming and Alerting: One of the first ways we relate to our babies is through touch. Certain types of touch calm our babies and other types of touch are alerting. Both calm states and alert states are important for babies at different points of the day. Deep and even pressure, such as a massage is calming, while light tickling is alerting. Providing your baby with a variety of touch experiences will enhance his/her ability to process touch sensation and respond appr

Awhile back, I took an infant massage course with certified infant massage (IM) instructor and physical therapist Esther Perl. Now infant massage is my favorite activity to do with both my kids! Aside from the obvious fact that baby skin is simply delicious, here’s why I love it: For Baby (& Mommy) Communication: Massage gives us a few minutes to strengthen our back and forth communication. Babies are always “talking” to us, and not only by crying. We just need to tune in. Wh

12 STRATEGIES TO GET YOUR HYPER-SENSITIVE CHILD DRESSED IN THE MORNING Morning routines are rushed and stressful in many homes, but if your child is overly sensitive to the feel of clothing, getting dressed can be a torturous process for both of you. Children with sensory defensiveness can be derailed by fabrics, textures, seams, tightness, looseness, collars and changes in clothing necessary because of the weather. Clothing may range from uncomfortable to painful, distract y

This adorable craft project caught my eye while I searched for holiday projects to make with the children at Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services (POTS). Instructions were adapted from www.busybeekidscrafts.com, photos by Busy Bee Kids Crafts. I was drawn to the multi-sensory components of this project, including the olfactory (smell) sense and touch. Is your child hesitant to get messy or dirty? Adjusting to the sensation of feeling messy and gluey is particularly import