Lancaster Children's Occupational Therapy

20/01/2026

20/01/2026

Teaching your child to tie shoes? Try the Two Bunny Ears technique 🐰🐰
It’s one of our OT favorites because it: ✨ Uses both hands equally
✨ Is easier for visual learners 👀
✨ Reduces frustration 💛
🧠 OT Tips for Success:
👟 Practice with the shoe on the table, not on the foot
🎨 Use two different-colored laces
🗣️ Say the steps out loud every time
🐰 Step-by-Step:
1️⃣ Cross the laces ❌
2️⃣ Make two bunny ears 🐰🐰
3️⃣ Cross the ears 🤗
4️⃣ Push one ear through the hole 🕳️
5️⃣ Pull tight 🙌
Remember: shoelace tying is a big motor skill 💪
Struggling doesn’t mean your child isn’t trying—it means they’re still learning 🌱
Velcro today ➡️ bows tomorrow 🎀💛

14/01/2026

Stay & Play is open to every child under 5 with a disability, their siblings and parents/carers.

The team from Longlands Child Development Centre will be joining us at Wednesday's session, hope you can make it!

Find out more info about us - https://uniquekidzandco.org.uk/support/stay-and-play/

05/01/2026

❄️🧊 Wheelchair safety in winter: Navigating Snow & Ice ♿️💙
Winter weather doesn’t have to stop the fun! Here are some everyday winter tips to help young wheelchair users and their families stay safe, warm, and confident ❄️✨
✅ Prepare your wheelchair before heading out
🗺️ Plan your route in advance
🧣 Wrap up warm (even for short trips!)
🧤 Protect hands from the cold
👀 Stay visible in low light
🐢 Take it slow on slippery surfaces
📱 Keep electronics dry
🎒 Pack a simple winter grab bag
💪 Whizz Kidz wheelchair skills training also helps young people build confidence and practical skills to handle real-life situations — including tricky winter conditions!
👉 Find out more here:
https://www.whizz-kidz.org.uk/news/navigating-snow-and-ice-everyday-winter-tips-for-young-wheelchair-users-and-their-families/
Stay safe this winter! ❄️♿️💙

Whizz Kids News

29/12/2025

✨ New Year’s Resolutions—The OT Way! ✨

New year = new chances to build routines!

In OT, we love goals that are small, fun, and doable—because little steps lead to BIG

Top Tips for Setting Goals :
⭐ Keep it simple — focus on 1–2 goals at a time
⭐ Encourage your child to do a little more independently on each practice
⭐ Build skills and confidence through play
⭐ Celebrate effort — high-fives, smiles, and praise count!
⭐ Let your child choose their goal! It makes the goal meaningful and boosts motivation and engagement.
⭐️ Use sticker charts, visual goals and small rewards to keep motivation high and make practice feel like play- not work!

Examples of goals:
🪥 Brushing my teeth with less help
👕 Putting my t-shirt on the right way around
🍽️ Sitting at the table for meals and using cutlery
🛏️ Creating and following a structured bedtime routine
🧺 Helping with simple chores

Remember—progress doesn’t have to be fast to be amazing. Every little win matters 🌈

Here’s to a year full of play, progress, and proud moments—Happy New Year from Our OT team! ✨

💬 What’s one fun goal your child is working on this year?

22/12/2025

🎄 Paper Chains: Hands-On Christmas Fun! ✂️
Step-by-step:
1️⃣ Cut paper into strips (red, green, blue) ✂️
2️⃣ Loop a strip and tape or glue the ends 🧴
3️⃣ Thread the next strip through the loop 🔗
4️⃣ Repeat to make a long chain for the tree, mantel, or room 🌟
Skills your child is building:
✂️ Scissor skills
👐 Bilateral coordination
🤏 Pincer grasp
✋ Hand strength
👀 Hand-eye coordination
🧠 Motor planning & sequencing
🧘 Focus & regulation
Build little hands, big skills — and a festive chain! 🎁💪

17/12/2025

Car seats are designed to keep babies safe while travelling, but they’re not designed to be a main sleeping place. They’re not suitable for sleeping in for long periods so use them for transport only, not to replace cots, moses baskets or cribs.

It’s okay for your baby to fall asleep in a car seat when travelling but take them out as soon as you get to your destination and place them onto a firm, flat surface to sleep.

Learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/3R5I2fB

15/12/2025

🎄✨ PLAY & CHRISTMAS FUN ✨🎄

Play is a fundamental occupation for children and young people 💛
It supports cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development, helping children to:
🧠 build problem-solving skills & creativity
🤸 develop motor skills
🤝 learn cooperation & communication
💪 grow resilience & confidence

Through play, children explore the world around them and build strong foundations for future learning, work, and relationships 🌱

🎅 This Christmas holiday, take time to step away from screens and enjoy creative play together. This can include free play indoors or outdoors, or more structured activities such as:

🎁 Christmas scavenger hunt – indoors or in the garden, with festive clues and seasonal items like candy canes 🍬
🎄 Decorate the Christmas tree – paint mini canvases using acrylic paint or paint pens, add a ribbon, and hang them proudly
🏠 Decorate gingerbread houses
🍪 Get baking together – let the kids decide how to decorate their creations!

💫 Making time for play creates memories, strengthens connections, and supports healthy development.

🔗 For more ideas and information:
👉 https://literacytrust.org.uk/resources/10-reasons-why-play-important/
👉 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g34112389/christmas-crafts-for-kids/
👉 https://www.songacademy.co.uk/christmas-activities-for-kids/

🎄✨ Let’s make this Christmas playful, creative, and full of joy! ✨🎄

08/12/2025

🌟 Drawing Lines – Building Pre-Writing Skills! ✏️
Before children learn to write, they first need strong pre-writing skills. These skills help them learn how to hold a pencil and create the shapes used in letters, numbers, and early drawings.
Mastering these shapes makes writing soooo much easier! 😊

👇 Try these fun activity ideas at home:

🧱 1. Trace the Shapes
Use building blocks, beads, play dough, string, pipe cleaners, or stickers to trace simple shapes on large paper.

🌾 2. Sensory Tracing
Have your child draw shapes with their pointer finger in:
✨ wet or dry sand
✨ rice or lentils
✨ shaving foam or foam soap on tiles or a tray

🎨 3. Paint the Shapes
Let your little one paint with their finger or a paintbrush—messy play = better learning!

🖍️ 4. Use Different Drawing Tools
Try chalk on the pavement, crayons at an easel, felt-tip pens, or anything fun that encourages drawing!

🚗 5. Make Lines With Toys
Place two small toys on either side of a large paper and have your child draw a horizontal line between them.
Move the toys to the top and bottom to practice a vertical line.
Use a plate or cup to help them draw circles by tracing around it! ⭕️

🧩 6. Try Dot-to-Dot, Mazes & Trails
Great for hand-eye coordination and shape formation.

💛 Building these skills through play helps set your child up for writing success!

01/12/2025

🌟 Independence on Public Transport 🌟
Helping young adults gain independence on public transport can boost their confidence, social skills, and awareness of the world around them. It opens the door to new people, new situations, and new experiences! 🚍💙

For young people with disabilities, public transport can come with a few extra challenges, such as:
🔊 Loud noises
⏳ Waiting times
🗺️ Reading & understanding timetables
🔄 Route changes – “Where do I get off?”
🗣️ Communicating needs
🚌 Getting on and off safely

✨ Helpful Tools & Tips ✨
🎧 Use headphones/earbuds to reduce noise
🧭 Practise the journey together
📖 Learn how to read the timetable
🔁 Plan for potential route changes
👋 Encourage speaking to the driver or conductor (they can help with reminders!)
🪑 Ask the driver to wait while finding a seat
🤝 Encourage asking for help when needed

💡 Stagecoach Assistance
Stagecoach offers Journey Assistance Cards for individuals with additional needs. These discreet cards let the driver know if someone needs extra time, help with stops, or support with visual or hearing impairments.
👉 Check them out here: www.stagecoachbus.com

Empowering independence starts with small steps — and a little support goes a long way! 💛🚏✨

---

26/11/2025

The team are getting ready for Kidz to Adultz North!

We’re excited for the experiences, the connections, and the memories that are made at these events. They offer the perfect space to learn, explore new possibilities, and meet incredible people. We can’t wait to be part of it! 💙

📅 Wednesday 3rd December, 9.30am - 4pm.
📍Exhibition Centre Liverpool
Register now: https://bit.ly/KtoANorth2025

24/11/2025

We couldn't do our jobs without our fantastic therapy assistants 💚

It’s ! 🎉

We want to recognise the incredible contribution of our occupational therapy support workforce. Your dedication, compassion and skill make a real difference every day. Thank you for everything you do to help people live well. 💚