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How Occupational Therapy Can Treat Children with Sleep Problems
Are your patients getting enough sleep? If your child is having sleep problems, considering occupational therapy for kids might be a good idea. Children regularly sleeping the number of recommended hours by the American Academy of Pediatrics is associated with better health, including: improved attention, behavior, learning, working memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and … Continued
6 Tips to Make Diaper Changes Fun for Baby
Baby hates diaper changes? Does your baby cry, fuss, or even scream during diaper changes? You can help baby enjoy their diaper changes and make it into a sensory experience. Try these ways to help keep baby happy and having fun during diaper changes. Sing a Song and Encourage Face-to-Face Contact Favorites like “Twinkle Twinkle … Continued
Get Your Toddler Talking: 5 Ways to Add Communication to Your Daily Routine
The best thing you can do to boost your child’s language skills? Talk to them, read to them, sing to them, play with them to get your toddler talking as soon as they are ready to! The more time you spend communicating with your child, the better. Why? From the time they’re born, kids start … Continued
What is Tongue Tie?
You may have heard of a common condition called “tongue tie” in babies, which can affect baby’s feeding skills. Tongue tie, also called ankyloglossia, is when the tissue attached to the underside of the tongue and the base of the mouth is very tight, thick, or extends particularly far forward in the mouth. Because of … Continued
Feeding Difficulties in Infants with Tongue Tie and Lip Tie
Ankyloglossia, also known as tongue tie, is a congenital condition that can affect infants and children due to having a short lingual frenulum that restricts tongue movement and impacts the function of the tongue. The incidence of tongue tie affects at least 4% of infants and is most commonly diagnosed in males by a 2-3:1 … Continued
Winter Activities for Kids Who Are Bored
Baby, it’s cold outside! Not to worry. There’s plenty of fun to be had indoors during the coldest months of the year. And it’s all in the spirit of your child’s development. Check out these in-home winter activities for kids who are bored. Check out our tips for limiting kids’ screen time: Screen time with … Continued
How to Play with Your Newborn
Sometimes it’s hard to know how to play with newborn babies or what activities even count as play. Many parents and caregivers feel this way! The good news is there are lots of easy activities to do with your baby. In fact, you may have even done some already without even knowing it! Do Tummy … Continued
8 Tips to Help Your Child With Homework
We get it—no matter your child’s age, getting homework done can be a challenge. Even for children in elementary school, their homework takes time, focus, and energy to complete. So here are 8 essential tips to help a child with their homework: Minimize Distractions Make it as easy as possible for your child to focus … Continued
Book Review: Retro Toddler
Retro Toddler: More Than 100 Old-School Activities to Boost Development By Anne H. Zachry, PhD, OTR/L Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics Dr. Anne Zachry, an esteemed occupational therapist and renowned specialist in child development, has crafted an indispensable resource for parents navigating the crucial period of toddlerhood, specifically targeting children aged 12-36 months. … Continued
Pool Safety for Kids
What could be better than spending a long summer day splashing around in the pool with the kiddos?! Not much! However, safety comes first and swimming pools can be dangerous if the proper precautions are not taken. To make sure you’re having tons of fun in the sun, use these tips to help ensure pool … Continued
Sippy Cups: What You Should Know
Have you ever wondered… When should kids start using sippy cups? When should they stop? Should they even use sippy cups at all? There’s a lot of information and opinions floating around! Many professionals recommend using sippy cups in moderation, if at all, because of the way they can affect children’s teeth, swallowing patterns, and … Continued
What to Know About Toe Walking
Toe walking can be a commonly observed movement pattern that many young children display during their development, however many children will give up idiopathic toe walking (ITW) without specific intervention. Research within the scientific community suggests that ITW is sometimes a causal symptom related to other conditions. Toe walking may be a symptom of a … Continued
Develop Your Child’s Senses by Playing with Food
Who ever thought it would be good to tell your child to actually play with food? But kids are curious, and a fun way to let them explore is through play with food! But this isn’t just for fun. Playing with food can actually help your child develop their senses. Try these ideas to explore … Continued
Teething Tips For You and Your Child
You may have heard about the “Terrible Twos”, but what about Terrible Teething? Your little baby may be a little thrown off by those chompers coming in, but teething doesn’t have to be terrible. Once you know what to expect, there are a few ways you can comfort baby. Babies typically get their first tooth … Continued
How to Comfort a Crying Baby
Baby won’t stop crying? Wondering how to comfort a crying baby? During the first year of life, babies are communicating their needs through crying but it isn’t always the easiest to figure out what their different types of cries mean. Within the first month, you will begin to pick up cues from your baby’s cry. … Continued
Make a Snow Globe to Promote Fine Motor Skills
Make a Snow Globe, Make a Memory, The Perfect Winter Project to Promote Fine Motor Skills DIY Crafts for kids are a great activity to help your little one show off their creativity and help develop their senses. Snow globes are great winter decorations and bonus: they’re fun to create! Making them even helps kids … Continued
Milestone Guides Temporarily Unavailable
We’re sorry. Our Baby’s First Year Milestone Guide is temporarily unavailable. Please check back or join our email list to receive updates from Pathways.org, including when guides come back into stock. In the meantime, we’re still here to provide free, trusted resources. You can find all of our milestones here at Pathways.org. Get playing using … Continued
5 Ways to Make Going to the Dentist Fun!
We know going to the dentist is important, but even adults can be uncomfortable during their annual dental checkup. If you’re uneasy, imagine how worried your little one might feel. Luckily, caregivers can help make their little one’s first few trips to the dentist positive! Get kids excited about the dentist early, and who knows? … Continued
Play in the Snow for Gross Motor Development
Use the snow for a fun, new way to practice gross motor skills. Winter months do not mean you are always stuck inside. Get moving with these activities to improve gross motor skills this winter! Make A Hopscotch Path You and your little ones may be used to drawing your hopscotch pattern with chalk, but … Continued
Help Baby Brave the Cold with 3 Easy Tips
Brrrrr! Many people are starting to feel the winter weather creeping up on them. We all do our best to avoid the cold, but sometimes going outdoors in frigid temperatures is unavoidable. And going out into the cold, snow, and wind with a young child can add an extra layer of challenge. However, with the … Continued
Fun Winter Crafts For the Whole Family
The smell of hot chocolate is in the air, lights decorate the yards, and streets and you’re bundled up to go outside. This can only mean one thing: the holiday season is here! To get in the spirit, we’ve got some fun winter crafts ideas to help your little one get involved in the festivities … Continued
How Scaffolding Helps Build Executive Function Skills
Do you talk to parents about executive function? Many parents are not familiar with this term. Executive function skills set acts as a coordination center in the brain and depends on three main functions: working memory, mental flexibility, and inhibition control. 1These crucial skills are needed to perform daily tasks, such as prioritizing, controlling impulses, … Continued
Make Your Next Grocery Store Trip a Learning Experience
The grocery store is the perfect place to help kids develop important skills like planning, time management, communication, and completing tasks. Every aspect of grocery shopping – from making a list to cooking a meal with your purchases – touches on important skills your child needs to develop. Follow the Rules Grocery shopping teaches kids … Continued
Pumpkin Sensory Bag
Fall is here and Halloween is fast approaching, which can only mean one thing. Pumpkins are popping up everywhere! You may have even gone to a pumpkin patch to pick out that perfectly shaped pumpkin to carve. You’ll come home, set it down on some newspaper and scoop out the goop. But then what? Most … Continued
Talking to Your Child About Winning and Losing
Life with all its ups and downs and everything in-between can sometimes feel like a roller coaster. Being able to deal with the ride is a skill that takes time to learn. So how do you help young children understand that it’s okay if things don’t always go as planned? Teaching them ways to accept … Continued