Lancaster Children's Occupational Therapy

06/08/2025

🧘‍♀️ Why is BALANCE important for kids? 🤸‍♂️

Learning to balance helps children in SO many ways! 💡✨
✅ Boosts coordination & motor skills
✅ Helps prevent injuries
✅ Improves posture
✅ Supports focus & brain development 🧠
✅ Builds the foundation for fine motor skills like writing ✍️ and dressing 👕

When kids develop strong gross motor skills (big body movements), they’re better able to control their hands and fingers for daily tasks. Balance is the first step toward independence! 🙌

⚽🏃‍♀️ Plus, good balance helps them safely enjoy sports, navigate new environments, and try exciting new things with confidence!

🎯 Fun balance-building activities to try:
🪵 Stepping stones
⭕ Hoops
🧍 Planks
🌿 Uneven surfaces
🚲 Balance bikes
🧘 Yoga
🎯 Hopscotch

Let’s help our little ones grow strong, steady, and confident! 💪💛

02/08/2025

Looking for a fun activity to try? Use our ideas generator to find the perfect family entertainment when boredom strikes this half term!

28/07/2025

28/07/2025

🎒✏️ Starting Primary School

To all the amazing parents preparing your child for big school — this is such a special time! While it’s normal to feel nervous, remember: kids don’t need to be perfect before they start. They just need a little support, encouragement, and time to grow. 🌱

Here are some OT-based skills your child can practice to help them feel more confident and independent at school:

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✅ Self-Care & Independence Skills:
🧺 Let them pack and unpack their school bag each day
🥪 Practice opening lunchboxes, snack packets, drink bottles
🧻 Work on toileting independence – wiping, flushing, and washing hands
👕 Practice putting on/taking off jumpers, socks, and shoes
🎽 Choose easy-to-manage uniforms – elastic waists are your friend!

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✋ Fine Motor Readiness:
✏️ Strengthen little hands with fun activities like:

Pe***ng clothes to a line

Playing with playdough

Threading beads or pasta

Using tongs or tweezers for games

Drawing, colouring, and cutting with child-safe scissors

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🧠 School-Ready Habits:
📅 Set a simple morning routine with consistent wake-up and breakfast times
🧘‍♀️ Encourage calm-down time with quiet play, stories, or deep breathing
🗣️ Practice listening to instructions with 2–3 step directions
🎲 Play turn-taking games to build social and attention skills

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💛 And most importantly...
Give your child time, patience, and praise. Every child adjusts at their own pace, and small wins are worth celebrating! 🎉

23/07/2025

☀️🏖 Wheelchair Accessible Beaches in the North West – Summer Fun for Everyone! ♿🌊

Planning a beach trip with your family this summer? If you're in the North West and need wheelchair access, you're in luck – there are some fantastic beaches that go the extra mile so everyone can enjoy the sun, sand, and sea. 💙

Many beaches claim to be accessible, but that often just means a ramp or paved path – not true access to the sand or water. Here’s where the North West stands out with real solutions like:

✅ All-terrain beach wheelchairs (with big balloon tyres!)
✅ Concrete or rubber access mats
✅ Accessible toilets & hoists
✅ Helpful staff and equipment loan schemes

🌟 Top Accessible Beaches in the North West:

1️⃣ St Annes Beach (near Blackpool)
♿ Offers beach wheelchair hire (book in advance!)
🚻 Changing Places toilet nearby
🌅 Long, wide beach with gentle slope – great views too!

2️⃣ Formby Beach (National Trust – Sefton Coast)
🛣 Wooden boardwalks down to the dunes
🦌 Great nature trails and red squirrels nearby!
📢 Check access with the rangers for best experience

3️⃣ Southport Beach
✅ Flat promenade and accessible toilets
🌊 Great day out with nearby cafes and family attractions
🚗 Easy parking – perfect for a day trip

4️⃣ West Kirby (Wirral)
🌅 Smooth paths and a tidal marine lake
♿ Flat walking routes with sea views
🚻 Accessible facilities near the promenade

💻 Need more info? Check out these great guides:
👉 Motability’s accessible beach picks
👉 Passenger Assistance’s North West highlights
👉 Disability Horizons top list
👉 Newlife Charity’s accessibility tips

📸 And yes – you can even borrow specialist wheelchairs like this:

Let’s make the beach welcoming and fun for everybody this summer – because inclusion matters. 🌈💙

23/07/2025

50 easy craft ideas you can do at home with your kids for every day of the school summer holidays. Print out the handy checklist to keep track of which craft activities you have done. You don't need to do them in order, just have fun doing them together.

14/07/2025

📝 DECREASING PENCIL PRESSURE IN KIDS ✏️💪

Is your child pressing really hard when writing? 😣
Too much pressure can lead to:
❌ Hand fatigue and pain
❌ Broken pencil tips
❌ Ripped paper when erasing
❌ Slower writing and messy handwriting

Here’s how you can help ⬇️

✨ 1. Pencil Grips
Ergonomic pencil grips make holding the pencil easier ✨
They reduce strain, improve control, and promote a lighter, steadier grip. 🙌

📐 2. Writing Slopes
Using a slanted surface helps improve wrist position and posture.
The forearm supports movement instead of just the fingers – making writing feel easier and more natural! 🖋️💡

🪑 3. Good Posture
Make sure your child:
✔️ Sits with feet flat on the floor (or on a block/book if needed)
✔️ Has their bottom back in the seat
✔️ Has the table at elbow height

Proper posture supports better writing endurance and comfort! 😊

✍️ Let’s make handwriting less of a struggle and more of a success!

07/07/2025

With the summer holidays coming up, you may be heading on long road trips—which means your child might be seated in the car for some time.
Why not try some of these activities to help keep them occupied and regulated during the ride? 🚗

👐 Fidget Toys – Great for keeping hands busy and providing calming sensory input. Try putty, pop-its, or stretchy bands.
🎨 Wipe-Clean Tracing or Drawing Boards – Ideal for practicing fine motor skills with little mess.
🧠 "I Spy" with a Twist – Add a sensory or motor element: “I spy something soft,” or “I spy something you can squeeze.”
🎧 Mindfulness & Movement Audio Tracks – Calming guided imagery or short movement breaks they can do in their seat.
📦 Sensory Travel Kit – Include a small container with textures (like fabric squares or squishy balls), scents (cotton balls with essential oils), or chewable jewelry.
📚 Interactive Books or Sequencing Cards – Choose ones that involve matching, predicting outcomes, or telling a story.
✋ Sticker Activities or Velcro Boards – Promote finger strength and coordination with reusable materials.

These activities aren’t just fun—they also help support regulation, attention, and skill-building while you're on the go.
Safe travels and happy exploring! 🌞

30/06/2025

🌟 Building Independence on Public Transport! 🚌💪

Encouraging young adults to travel on public transport independently has amazing benefits — it boosts 💬 confidence, 🤝 social skills, and 🌍 awareness of their environment. Plus, it’s a great way to experience the world and meet new people! 🙌

🚨 But for those with disabilities, there can be a few extra challenges:

🔊 Loud noises
⏳ Waiting for the bus/train
📅 Reading timetables & knowing where to get off
🔁 Route changes
🗣️ Communicating needs
🚶‍♂️ Getting on and off safely

🛠️ Helpful Tools & Tips:

🎧 Wear headphones to block out noise
🧭 Practice the journey ahead of time
🕒 Learn to read the timetable
📍 Plan for route or stop changes
🚌 Ask the driver to prompt for your stop or stay still while finding a seat
🆘 Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

🧡 Support is available!

Stagecoach offers Journey Assistance Cards for people with additional needs. These discreet cards let drivers know if you need extra time, help with stops, or support with vision or hearing. 👓👂

Find out more at 👉 www.stagecoachbus.com

Let’s help young adults gain confidence and independence one journey at a time! ✨💼🌟

24/06/2025

Some more great activities from the lake District park ⛰️

23/06/2025

You can't pour from an empty cup. Try out three well-being activities for parents from Dr Emma Hepburn.