Wednesday, January 5, 2011

OT Tip - Fine Motor Activities for ages 4-6.

I decided to move my Occupational Therapy Tips to Thursdays. This gives me a little more time throughout the week to develop my post and give you the best information and ideas.

It has been about a month since I have posted an OT Tip. With the holidays last month there was just way too much to do to try and get a post together. So hopefully I can be better about it this year. We left off talked about age appropriate skills for fine motor activities from ages 0-6.

This week we will be finishing this topic with ages 4-6. Let's review by age level.

4 Years Old 
* puts a key in a lock and opens it

* can use scissors to follow and cut both straight and curved lines
* can manage buttons, zippers, and snaps completely 
* can draw and copy a cross (one vertical and one horizontal intersecting lines)
* can hold fork using his fingers
* can feed himself soup with little or no spilling
* folds paper in half, making sure the edges meet 
Remember that these skills are a ongoing learning process through age 4. By the time your child reaches age 5, these skills should be learned and mostly mastered. Each child is different. If you have valid concerns please seek advice from your pediatrician. 
So now some skills activity ideas! I love working with this age group at work. Preschool age is so much fun and amazing how many things they can begin to learn. 
The first activity I want to highlight is actually a company called Handwriting Without Tears. I went to their training course for preschool back in October. I highly recommend their preschool program . Preschool is considered age 3-5. They have a special section on the site just for parents, so check it out! I have used parts of the preschool program with a couple of my kids and have seen great results! HWT is big on teaching children how to write at age appropriate levels, so that is why I like it so much! Don't worry, they will walk you through the whole thing with their teacher's guide. Not only is this great for preschoolers, they also have programs all the way to grade 5! 
A great way to practice buttons, zippers or snaps is to have them dress their dolls or stuffed animals. You can make it very in-expensive by making the clothing yourself and adding the buttons or buying some clothes if you want. Remember to start to large size buttons and have them practice at a table. Once they master large buttons, move to medium and then small size. Once they have mastered the animals and dolls, move them to a vest or their own clothing. Here is a button vest that I use at work, from The Therapy Shoppe
Cutting and folding paper can be incorporated into a craft project quite easily. Tlsbooks has a lot of good cutting papers and craft ideas (book marks, cards, paper lanterns etc...) that incorporate lots of this. Letting your preschooler use and get use to scissors is the biggest thing you can do. While cutting make sure that your child is holding the scissors in a thumbs up position as well as holding the paper with the other hand with their thumb facing up. 

When they are practicing lines and shapes, make sure they do not use the large jumbo size crayons. The large crayons force their fingers farther apart than they should be in order to promote good grasp. Using regular size crayons and breaking them in half forces them to have less fingers on the crayon and use the correct tripod grasp. Remember that at age 4 they are still developing a good grasp pattern as well as decided which hand they are going to use (right or left). Encourage them to use the same hand that they seem to prefer throughout the entire activity. A lot of my kids like to switch when their hand starts to get tired. To ensure their hands get strong, practice practice practice! :) 
(tripod grasp) 
Age 5  
*can get dressed completely by himself, and usually tie shoelaces
*cuts square, triangle, circle, and simple pictures with scissors
*uses a knife to spread food items (jelly, peanut butter, mayo etc.), uses a dull knife to cut soft foods
*able to draw and copy a diagonal line
*uses a "tripod grasp" on writing utensils (thumb & tips of 1st two fingers) and uses fingers only (because small muscles of hand have developed) to write/draw/color 
*can build a five block "bridge"
*sufficient bilateral hand coordination to cut out complex pictures, accurately following the outline 
*able to copy a sequence of letters or numbers correctly

Age 6 

*able to complete complex puzzles

I went ahead and put age 6 in here because there is only one real area that they improve in fine motor skills which is completing complex puzzles. Kids love puzzles, and you can get kid size puzzles at Walmart or Target in the children's section near board games.
If you choose to use Handwriting Without Tears, be sure to check out their kindergarten activities and work books. Kindergarten can start by 5 years old if you child is ready. Please refer to their site and click on the pull down tabs to determine where your child is at. 
Being able to do the bridge design with blocks is harder than it seems. The key is that they are able to balance one block on top of two other blocks, without the one on top falling through. So a 5 block design, would be 3 on the bottom, with two balancing on top.
 A lot of the ideas that I gave for age 4 will still apply to this age. Another home-school program that my friend Sarah is using with her two kids is called Hands on Homeschooling. She is really liking their program which focuses on playing with purpose. They have programs and ideas for ages 2 to 5. 
For dressing and shoe typing helps, check out The Therapy Shoppe. They have the button vests, shoe tying, potty training, and feeding resources that can be very helpful! 
I hope these were some great tips for you! If you have a child specific question, feel free to e-mail me with your questions.  
Disclaimer: I am a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. The advise in these tips is not a replacement for medical advise from a physician or your pediatrician. Please consult their advice if you suspect any medical or developmental issues with your child. 
 
 My buddy helping me spell check my blog post. :) So if anything is misspelling it's his fault. ;)

Be sure to check out my current giveaway: The Pampered Chef Season's Best Recipe Collection! 24 recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less and cost an average only $2 per serving!!  

Enjoy what you read here at Golden Reflections? Please vote for daily at Picket Fence Blogs, just click the button below. 

Happy New Year!

Have you started your diet yet? Resolved to work out more? Joined a gym? Made that list of New Year’s resolutions?

Not me. I already limit carbs during the week and I’ve belonged to the same gym for at least 20 years. Between spin classes, intricately choreographed step classes and our crazy 15-mile walks, I usually manage to get in a reasonable amount of exercise every week (of course, none of this seems to make me a skinny cook, but at least I try). I do have to say though, that I HATE it when all those newbies crowd the gym in January, taking up all the equipment and parking spaces. Oh well, they’ll be gone by March. Happens every year.

But about those New Year's resolutions.....

Do you remember my post about Peg Bracken and the HOOTENHOLLER CAKE?

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2010/09/i-hate-to-cook-book.html

She wrote “The I Hate to Cook Book” back in 1960 and you can’t read the thing without falling to the floor, laughing hysterically. Well, it turns out she also wrote “The I Hate to Cook Almanack” in 1976. I know this because my mom found a copy of it at a tag sale recently and bought it for the whopping sum of $1. Thanks, Mom!


This book has a plethora of recipes with names like SHUTTEMUP COOKIES, STRAWBERRY NINCOMPOOP, RICH WITCH CAKE and GOOD PHONY DOUGHNUTS.  It also has a list of New Year's resolutions which include the following:

Not to open a new bottle of ketchup until the old one is used up

To read the newest news magazine instead of catching up with week-before-last’s first, which is like always eating rotten apples

To educate the kids out of the rollicking notion that just because something exists they have to have one of it

To organize the kitchen tool drawer and keep it organized

To refrain from removing the blender’s lid the minute you’re done blending something hot unless you are looking for an excuse to scrub the ceiling

To hit the next person who says, “What are we having for dinner?”

Now these are some achievable resolutions if you ask me.  Is there anyone out there who can’t relate to at least one of them? Peg was one “with-it” lady! Here is her list of “New Words for a New Year.”

Antipesto – Italian roach powder

Blandwich – hamburger without any onions

Caviar Emptor – it’s only some kind of fish eggs

Eatnik – health food buff who won’t touch it if it isn’t enriched with granular kelp and black-strap molasses

Piasko – what you’re involved in when the pastry comes apart

Scruffulous – how the house looks when it’s in good enough shape that you don’t feel like doing anything about it but not good enough that you’re dying to have anybody drop in

Swallup – the extra bonus of cake frosting left in the pan for somebody to lick

Stewp – any mixture thinner than stew and thicker than soup
(Aha! Caught you, Rachael Ray! You might refer to it as “stoup” but clearly you didn’t think of this concept first)

In honor of Peg Bracken, I am posting a recipe from her book. I chose the following because I loved the name, not because I thought it would be any good. I made it the other night, served it to Henry and almost fell out of my chair when I tasted it. It was really delicious and it is my new go-to, last-minute- need- to-rustle-something-up-in-a-hurry solution. You can make this even if you can’t cook. Just don’t tell anyone how easy it is.



THE EASIEST NONTHINKING DINNER THIS SIDE OF RAW (adapted from Peg Bracken's "The I Hate to Cook Almanack")

2 medium eggplants, unpeeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
A crumble or two of good feta for garnish (if desired)

Cut the eggplant into 1 1/2-inch chunks.  Do not peel.  Place into a large skillet and pour tomatoes and their juice over. Stir in rosemary.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a bare simmer and cook for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very tender and mixture becomes "stew-like."  (Haha, let's call it a stewp!)  Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (if using) and serve immediately, topped with some feta cheese if you like.

Serves 6






A couple of things:

I know it sounds weird to leave the eggplant unpeeled, but it actually gives the finished dish a better texture.  Besides, this way you don't have to go to the trouble of peeling anything.

No, I did not forget about adding oil to the pan.  The recipe doesn't call for it and guess what?  It doesn't need it.  I would not have believed that either, but trust me on this.

It's rare that I don't salt something during the cooking process, but resist the urge to to do that here, otherwise the eggplant will release too much liquid and you will have a watery dish. 

I think the feta is a really good addition so I would encourage you to include it.  Alternatively, you could add a bit of goat cheese. 

This dish is good eaten alone or as a side dish.  If you want to turn it into something heartier you could always brown up some lamb in the skillet before adding the eggplant and tomatoes.  Personally, however, I like it without the meat.

Oh, and forgive me.  It wasn't my intention to post a healthy recipe here, it's just the way it worked out.  No worries, sugar-laden treats will grace these pages again soon!

And here's to a happy and healthy New Year.  I appreciate all of you for following my blog and I hope 2011 is a good year for everyone!

Wisdom Wednesday


When you make the sacrifice in marriage, you're sacrificing not to each other but to unity in a relationship.
- Joseph Campbell


Wednesday Blog Hops 


Relax and Make Friends Blog Hop







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Enjoy what you read here at Golden Reflections? Please vote once daily over at Picket Fence Blogs, just click on the button below!

Video of the Day

I just thought this was cool ...

sy menangis tak semestinya sebab sedih, tapi sebab sy pelik.

assalamualaikum. hye selamat pagi, dah pukul 3 pagi. erm, ni bukan post emo, just nak cakap sy memang mudah menangis. call me weirdo or soft hearted or WEAK, i dont care, because this is me. and yar, soft hearted tu plg tepaat kot.

eh tapi ade yg pelik gak. this is quite fun because, ade benda yang korang memang tak tahu, i mean like, no one knows bertape sshnye sy nak menahan air mate, EGO weyh. hahahahahahha.

ini bukan nank cerita ttg menangis sedihhhh. tapi ape, kalau org terengganu kate "dok pasal2" yerlah tak sedih tak ape, dok pasal2 menangis. wuwuwuw. korang jangan gelak aaaa!



so, ape yg boleh membuatkan awk menangis?


**********


ini yang boleh membuatkan sy menangis BUKAN SEBAB SEDIH.
tapi sebab kesian, terharu, kagum, semangat, etc.


**********



yup, watching biggest loser. especially bile tgk TV sorang. selalunye, time makan nasi dpn TV.
hallmark mmg fav channel, so, sambil suap nasi, tersedu-sedu tgk die org. wuwuwuwuwu.
kagum sangat tgk semangat, and cam dpt rasekan semangat die org!



potong bawang ni adatlah der. esp bawang besar. dan kadang kalau tak tertahan sgt,
sy gi ambik sunglass. sunglass okay, biar dijamin tak kene mate.
wahahahaha.



okay. lepas tuuu, banyak lagi benda yang boleh buatkan sy menangis.


  1. yg ni time kecik je lah, tak boleh tgk ayam / lembu kene sembelih. kesian. nangis gle babeng. kene nganjing (ejek) dgn sepupu sepapat sampai skrng. kejam korang! tskkk.

  2. erm, ni pun dr kecik sampai sekolah menengah, erm, sampai sekrang kot. OKAY TLG JGN GELAK! sy rase meremang bulu roma + mata berkaca ble dgr lagu patriotik esp NEGARAKU. menggigil sy tahan kesebakan itu waktu nyanyi dlm kelas. HAHAHAHAHA. shaddap u!

  3. bile tgk seseorg tu mempunyai bakat yg sgt mengagumkan. cam hari tu adelah sy tgk video klip budak 12 tahun, masuk debate, international, she's singaporian ta silap. i was soooooo impressed till i cried watching it over & over again. yes it was just A DEBATE.

  4. OMG sy ta leh tgk OKU esp org yg buta + cacat anggota badan. mmg sy cepat kesian, cpt nak nangis, cepat rase cam, "haihh bertuahnye aku, kalau aku dkt tmpt die org belum tentu leh jd sekuat die org". mmg tahan je air mate everytime terjumpa. T____T

  5. kalau sy dapat jumpa dgn org yg sy adore & admire gile, sy akan menangis. menangis sambil cam "Oh my goddd, oh my goddd" sambil tgn tutup mulut, terlompat, and speechless. yer itulah gayenye waktu sy terjumpa LINDA NANUWIL AF2 utk pertama, & terakhir kalinye. gileee ta sangke dpt jmpe, and mintak autograph. muahahahha.

  6. tengok drama yg menunjukkan keberanian / semangat. yer sy tak nangis pun tgk cite cinta tu, and if i did, normal lah kan, sbb ramai je nangis tgk cite jiwang. tp sy nih jadi kategori pelik sbb nangis tgk cite macam --- cadet kelly, the blind side, erm, cite cite yg macam menunjukkan org yg cacat ke, blh berjaye dlm hidup. or cerita cam org yg gagal, tp keep trying until die berjaye. HAAAA. i am gonna cry tersedu-sedu bile tgk mereka berjaye sebab sebak gileee dgn semangat die org.

  7. erm, dgr azan blh membuatkan sy meremang bulu roma & menangis sebenarnye... camtu juga kalau dgr hadis, ayat Al-quran. i dont know why but i just did. sebak sgt rase..

  8. org lain yg bertunang, kahwin, sy yang nangis. yer entah kenape rase cam, aish sebaklah. cam, alahai, da jumpe dah org yg diciptakan utk dia. happy for them :')

  9. setiap tahun setiap kali result SPM keluar, sy memang nangis tiap-tiap tahun. wuwuwuwuwuw...


dah tammo cakap dah. nanti pecah semua rahsie besar. muahaha. dah okay lah nak tidur dah! and yar i know, ramai yg taw 1-2 dari senarai atas nih pun da cakap sy PELIK. haha.

and i only met 1 person yang rase pelik cam nih juga, Atika Azumi, sebab die pun menangis tgk biggest loser & cerita-cerita yang melibatkan semangat.

anyone else?

RICE

For cooking good quality of rice use few drops of oil and vinegar.

totkay-tips-kitchen tips-burning hands

Greased your hands by putting some oil to it before cutting green chilli.It will protect your hands from burning. 

totkay-tips-kitchen tips-for fresh face

Mix 1Tb spoon yougurt and few drops of white vinegar and apply it on your face and then wash it.Your face will look fresh.

totkay-tips-kitchen tips-roti




Put a small piece of ginger in a pot of roti,roti will stay fresh all day. 

When Do We Reassess The Past?

The Democratic governor of a deep blue state is confronting reality, just like Jerry Brown is in California.
Andrew Cuomo, the newly elected governor of New York, seems determined to build a career as a budget hawk. His campaign platform included admirably detailed promises on how to end the state’s budget imbalance, including a pledge to not raise taxes. Even before he was sworn in, the governor-elect was sending a blunt message to the state legislature. This is “about numbers,” Cuomo said. “There’s no Democratic or Republican philosophical dispute here. The numbers have to balance, and the numbers now don’t balance … It’s painful, but it is also undeniable.”
Now that it's become obvious that the progressive agenda of massive government spending, entitlements, benefits, regulations and wealth redistribution has failed, when do we reexamine the arguments of the past and put a stake through the heart of this particular vampire?

40 years and $14T of FAIL and that's just at the Federal level.

Whatever the goals of the Great Society and its ideological brethren were, a static poverty rate wasn't one of them. So when do we go back and review the rhetoric and logical arguments made by Ted Kennedy and Barbara Boxer and all the rest and conclude that they were wrong? Not just mistaken, but flat-out, mathematically wrong. For 40 years we've fought poverty with government spending and it's now clear that strategy was totally wrong. That needs to be stated clearly, openly and loudly.

Is anyone out there saying that? I can't think of any pundit or politician who has made that his or her central theme.

totkay-tips-kitchen tips-black potatoes

When cutting potatoes put some lemon juice on your fingers potatoes will not be black