The more children play with modeling materials, the more likely they are to want to help prepare, store, and even clean up — and soon your messy activities won’t seem so messy after all!  Playing with clay and other modeling materials is a tactile experience that benefits children in many ways, but it […]
pine cones acorn caps other natural materials (acorns, leaves, moss, twigs, bark) pom poms glue shoe box construction paper art supplies • supports fine-motor development • encourages creative play With your child, collect pinecones (or you can purchase them at a nursery), along with leaves, twigs, and other “natural” materials.  To make a pine cone creature, your […]
 All you need is a pipe cleaner, paper plate, glue, and some ears to color and cut out. These were some enlarged clip art ears. Color and cut out your ears. Cut the plate in half. Attach an ear to each half of the plate and attach the plates with the pipe cleaners using […]
 Yellow foam sheet or construction paper (if you use a foam sheet and a marker, the smudge factor will be involved. Fingertips will be black and marker color will spread like wildfire.) Black sharpie or marker Wax paper Googly eye Black pipe cleaner Glue  Cut an uppercase ‘B’ out of the foam sheet […]
What is oral motor development? Â Oral motor development refers to the use and function of the lips, tongue, jaw, teeth, and the hard and soft palates. The movement and coordination of these structures is very important in speech production, safe swallowing, and consuming various food textures. Normal oral motor development begins prior to birth […]
 What is sensory integration?  The senses work together. Each sense works with the others to form a composite picture of who we are physically, where we are, and what is going on around us. Sensory integration is the critical function of the brain that is responsible for producing this composite picture. It is […]
From the start, babies want to explore their world. They are eager to move their eyes, their mouths, and their bodies toward the people and objects that comfort and interest them. They practice skills that let them not only move closer to desired objects, but also move desired objects closer to themselves. As they grow, […]
 Social and emotional milestones are often harder to pinpoint than signs of physical development. This area emphasizes many skills that increase self-awareness and self-regulation. Research shows that social skills and emotional development (reflected in the ability to pay attention, make transitions from one activity to another, and cooperate with others) are a very important […]
