The COTA Life with Tywanna

The COTA Life with Tywanna Sharing everyday OT tips to support caregivers, students, and the community.

As an Occupational Therapy Assistant, I love giving parents tools they can use outside of therapy sessions.This guide he...
03/09/2026

As an Occupational Therapy Assistant, I love giving parents tools they can use outside of therapy sessions.

This guide helps caregivers support bottle holding, positioning, and feeding coordination for babies with Down Syndrome.

Small practice. Big progress.


01/26/2026

COTA Life with Ty 💛
✨ Sharing as I learn and grow along the way!
Whether you’re an upcoming COTA, a new grad, or already in the field—my goal is to share real-life tips that can help you navigate this career with more confidence.

Just a general reminder: when you’re working in healthcare, it’s normal to notice that every therapy company/setting runs a little differently. Here are a few general pros & cons to keep in mind when exploring different work environments:

✅ PROS
• Opportunity to learn new skills and grow professionally
• Exposure to different populations, routines, and treatment styles
• Potential for better scheduling, support, or flexibility
• A chance to find a team culture that fits your personality
• New experiences that can strengthen your clinical confidence

⚠️ CONS
• Adjustment periods are real (new routines take time)
• Documentation and expectations can vary across settings
• Caseload flow may look different depending on the clinic
• Building rapport with new families/teams doesn’t happen overnight
• Change is exciting, and adjustment is part of the process

⸻

💬 Ty’s reminder:
The more you understand how different work environments operate, the easier it becomes to know what works best for you. And when you’re clear on who you are and what you bring to the team, you’ll move with confidence wherever you go. 💛

01/07/2026

Day in the life of a COTA 🤍

Same credentials.
Different settings.
Different energy.
Same purpose.

From pediatrics to skilled nursing, my days look different—but the goal is always the same: supporting function, independence, and quality of life across the lifespan.

This role requires flexibility, humility, patience, and a willingness to keep learning. No two sessions look the same, and that’s part of the beauty of occupational therapy.

For students and new grads: it’s okay if you’re still finding your rhythm. Growth comes with time, consistency, and showing up.







01/06/2026

Education is a skilled OT service when it is intentional, functional, and supported by clinical reasoning.

Whether working in pediatrics or skilled nursing, patient, caregiver, and parent education should clearly reflect why strategies are taught, how they support safety and independence, and where carryover is expected.

This reel breaks down documentation-ready examples that support skilled need across settings.

Save this for reference and share with a student or fellow COTA who may need it.

✨ DIY Tactile Writing Strips for Little Hands ✨In pediatrics, the simplest tools can make the biggest impact! Today I cr...
12/11/2025

✨ DIY Tactile Writing Strips for Little Hands ✨

In pediatrics, the simplest tools can make the biggest impact! Today I created raised tactile writing lines using a hot glue gun. These textured lines give kiddos extra sensory feedback to support:
✏️ Line awareness
✏️ Letter placement
✏️ Visual–motor control
✏️ Handwriting confidence

The raised texture acts as a gentle boundary, helping early writers — and children with sensory processing needs — feel where their letters should go. It’s affordable, quick to make, and highly effective for multi-sensory learning.

Sometimes all it takes is a little creativity to support developmental success. 💙
Would you try this with your child or students? 👇✨

Let’s be mindful this Halloween! 🎃
10/06/2025

Let’s be mindful this Halloween! 🎃

09/12/2025

🩺 Tips for OT & OTA Students to Succeed in Fieldwork and Class 🩺

Being an OT student is exciting—but it can also feel overwhelming at times. Here are some practical strategies to help you thrive:

1️⃣ Organize Your Notes & Resources – Keep separate folders for anatomy, interventions, and assessments. Review them weekly so information sticks.

2️⃣ Practice Documentation Early – Start writing SOAP/narrative notes during school. Fieldwork will be easier if documentation becomes second nature.

3️⃣ Ask Questions During Fieldwork – Don’t wait to be called on. Observing is important, but active participation and curiosity set you apart.

4️⃣ Develop Your Clinical Reasoning – Reflect after sessions: What went well? What could you adjust next time? This builds problem-solving skills OT relies on.

5️⃣ Balance Self-Care – It’s easy to burn out. Schedule breaks, healthy meals, and downtime to maintain focus and energy.

6️⃣ Use Your Resources – Connect with peers, instructors, and online OT communities. Sharing experiences makes learning more manageable and enjoyable.

💬 OT Students: What strategies help you stay organized and confident during school or fieldwork? Share below!

08/28/2025

✨ Occupational Therapy Task Boxes ✨

I developed structured activity boxes designed to support early learning and foundational skill development through hands-on, play-based tasks. Each box is carefully created to address key areas often targeted in OT sessions, including:

🧩 Visual-perceptual and problem-solving skills through puzzles
🔢 Number recognition and matching for cognitive and academic readiness
🔠 Upper- and lower-case letter matching to reinforce pre-literacy skills
✏️ Fine motor control and visual-motor integration with simple maze tracing

These activities promote attention, hand-eye coordination, and task persistence while keeping children engaged in meaningful learning experiences.

🎥 View the video to see the task boxes in use!

📚 Additional printable resources and materials for educators and therapists are also available through Teachers Pay Teachers.

🔹 Handmade OT Activities for Skill Development 🔹As pediatric OT practitioners, we know that simple, low-cost materials c...
08/21/2025

🔹 Handmade OT Activities for Skill Development 🔹

As pediatric OT practitioners, we know that simple, low-cost materials can be powerful tools for building foundational skills. Here are a few activities I recently created and laminated for repeated use in therapy sessions:

✏️ Alphabet Tracing Sheets
• Designed for use with dry erase markers
• Targets handwriting readiness, letter formation, visual-motor integration, and fine motor precision

🟦 Color Matching with Blocks
• Children match colored blocks to a laminated model
• Can be graded up by incorporating scissor tongs for block placement
• Addresses bilateral coordination, grasp strength, fine motor endurance, and visual discrimination

🧩 Velcro Puzzle Board
• Removable laminated puzzle pieces with Velcro backing
• Supports problem solving, spatial awareness, visual-perceptual skills, and sustained attention

➰ Prewriting Stroke Sheets
• Laminated for repetitive dry erase marker practice
• Reinforces early prewriting shapes necessary for letter/number formation
• Promotes motor planning, sequencing, and pencil control

These resources are intentionally designed to be reusable, engaging, and adaptable across developmental levels. They allow children to practice essential pre-academic and functional skills within a structured yet playful context.

Resources used: My ultimate go to 👉🏾 Teachers Pay Teachers 👩‍🏫

08/19/2025

Caregivers:

👩‍👧👵 Caring for children or elderly loved ones is a beautiful act of love, but it can also be overwhelming at times. Here’s your reminder:

✨ Small wins count.
✨ Breaks are necessary.
✨ Your well-being matters too.

Occupational therapy is here to support both your loved one’s independence and your caregiving journey. 💙

08/13/2025

🎯 OT Tip Tuesday
Fine motor skills are the “small but mighty” movements that help us button shirts, tie shoes, open jars, and write our names.

💡 Try this at home:
Fill a bowl with clothespins and have your child clip them around the edge of a paper plate. This simple game builds finger strength, coordination, and endurance—skills they’ll use every single day!

✨ Pro tip: Make it fun by adding a theme—like “feeding” the clothespins to a pretend animal face on the plate.

📸 If you try it, snap a picture and share it in the comments—we’d love to see your creations!

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Abbeville, SC
29620

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