OT for Kids, LLC

07/26/2022

Who loves free books?? This is such a fabulous program! Below is a link for Ohio residents, but this is a nationwide program. Contact me if you can’t figure out how to sign up and I’ll help you!

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library mails kids one book each month until their 5th birthday. All kids in Ohio are eligible, and this program is available at no cost to families. Only 46% of eligible kids in Summit County are registered....let's get those kids signed up! 📚

Register your child: https://ohioimaginationlibrary.org/enroll

06/23/2022

Looking for a fantastic activity to do with your children? Check out Sassy Doodles by Jodi, at The Sassy Sunflower! Jodi, an incredible artist, has created these beautiful coloring sheets. Sized at 5x7, they’re perfect for framing. My kids and I enjoy coloring together, so buying these were a no brainer! No kids to color with? No problem! With 8 pictures geared more toward adults, she has something for every age!

12/11/2021

Final day of 10 days of gift ideas!

My sensory rice bins make the perfect gift for any child ages 3 years through early elementary. These bins are great for sensory exploration, fine motor development, and imaginative play.

All bins are custom created with any rice colors and toys you choose. Pictured are just a sample of what I have available. Each lidded bin contains 9 cups of colored rice and plenty of manipulatives to keep your little one busy.

$25 each, plus tax. Pick up in Copley, Ohio. Local delivery and shipping outside of the area available for an additional fee.

*contain choking hazards; not intended for children under 3 years old

Contact me today to create a bin for the favorite child!

12/09/2021

Day 9 of 10 days of gift ideas!!

Today's gifts are two great games.

The first is Sum Swamp by Learning Resources. This is a fun game to get your little one excited about practicing addition and subtraction. The board is colorful, the pieces are cute and best of all, it doesn't take too long to play!

The second, Make and Break by Ravensburger, has been a professional favorite of mine for years. Now my children enjoy it as well! This game requires players to use blocks to build a structure that matches a pattern on a chosen card. Have a competitive child? Use the timer and work to beat the clock. If you have a child who is anxious or has a slower processing speed, you can easily adapt the game and reduce the pressure by not using the timer. This game is fabulous for visual perception and fine motor development!! The manufacturer says it's for ages 8 and up, but I think it's a perfect game for younger children as well.

Both of these gifts can be purchased at Bennett's Smartickles, located at 986 Medina Rd, Suite A, Medina, Ohio 44256. (approximately halfway between 71 and 77). Smartickles is such a wonderful place! They are so committed to providing high quality, educational items that they have even consulted with a local pediatric speech language pathologist when choosing items for their store. Add this to your list of shops to stop in at this holiday season!

(As always, item availability cannot be guaranteed.)
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12/08/2021

Day 8 of 10 days of gift ideas!!

How long does it take for your child to lose interest in a new toy? Maybe a few weeks? A month or two?

Are you trying to find gifts for a child who already has too many toys?!

Introducing my Busy Brain Boxes- a toy rental program. I've taken my favorite preschool activities and created 12 unique bins of toys. All activities are intended to encourage independent play for children ages 3-6. In addition, each bin contains guidelines on how adults can engage their children in skill building in the areas of fine motor, visual perception, language, cognitive skills, and so much more! The program allows you to use a bin for 30 days and then turn that bin in for another! All activities come in a lidded 17 quart bin- perfect for easy clean-up and storage when not in use. A one month (30 day) rental is $25, plus tax. Contact me and prepay by Friday, December 10 and get 6 months for $100, plus tax- that's two months free!! Contact me for more information- I'd love to talk with you!

*bins contain choking hazards. Not for children under 3 years or those that put small items in their mouth.

12/07/2021

I apologize for missing days 5 and 6, but I had kiddos not feel well. If you're a parent, you know how that throws life off!

For days 5, 6, and 7 of 10 days of gift ideas, I have some amazing items as well as a must-see toy store.

First is Baby Stella. These adorable cloth body dolls feature removable clothing and magnetic pacifiers- they are so much fun! I especially love that the dolls come in a variety of skin tones and in both boy and girl. They also come in two sizes- Baby Stella and a slightly smaller version, Wee Baby Stella. This doll has been a definite favorite in my house for years! For ages 12 months and up, it would even be perfect for preschool age doll fans.

Next is cooking sets by Learning Resources. The quality of these sets cannot be beat! Meant for ages 18 months and up, these sets will definitely grow with your child.

The last gift idea is Acorn Soup, another favorite in my home. This non-competitive game for ages 2 and up teaches many skills including turn taking, matching, sorting, fine motor, and creative play. The game includes wooden ingredients, recipe cards and a wooden spoon to stir up the soup! This is a perfect game for those who prefer wood products to plastic ones. Although meant for younger children, this game will also grow with your child. Love a child with developmental delays? This toy would be a great option! Message me for ideas on how to adapt play to your child's needs.

All of these products can be purchased at Toyrifix at 885 W. Main St., Smithville, Ohio. If you've never visited this store- put it on your list. Just make sure you have plenty of time to shop because there is so much to see! I have to say that I was so excited to see extra clothing sets for Baby Stella here. I've never seen clothing sets sold separate from the dolls! Also, they have Acorn Soup in stock! (Call to check availability.) Many online shops are backordered or are charging more than twice what Toyrifix is (hello, Amazon- I'm talking about you!). Once again, I'll encourage you to shop at local shops. If you're not in Ohio, visit a local toy store near you!

Have questions? Message me!

12/04/2021

Day 4 of 10 days of gift ideas!

If you have a baby in your life- you need to buy these books! The name "Indestructibles" tells it all. These books are washable, rip proof, chew proof and totally engaging for little ones! Some titles would also be appropriate for older children who have a tough time being gentle with paper pages and would benefit from shorter stories.

A variety of Indestrucibles books can be found at Once Upon A Time Toys at 19285 Detroit Rd, Rocky River, Ohio 44116.

Once Upon A Time Toys is a smaller store with a ton to offer. They have a nice selection of books, puzzles, pretend play activities and more. As an extra bonus, they offer free gift wrapping! If you're in the area, go check them out!

12/03/2021

For day 3 of 10 days of gift ideas, I couldn't choose just 1 so I'm sharing 3 of my favorites!

First is I Spy Dig In. This game involves matching 3-d objects to a picture card. While the game includes a timer, you can definitely play without when playing with younger children or with those who don't like racing the clock. The box says Ages 5+, but a younger child could play with some adaptations. Older children will enjoy the challenge of matching an object to a black and white picture- it's harder than you think! This is a great game for visual perception and fine motor development.

Next is Rush Hour and Rush Hour Jr. These are single player games that are great for developing problem solving skills, visual perception, and fine motor skills. Rush Hour has long been a professional favorite of mine and now it's a favorite in our home! With challenges ranging from beginner to very difficult, this is truly a game that can be enjoyed by all ages.

These games can all be purchased at Sir Troy's Toy Kingdom at 4959 Grande Shops Ave., Medina, Ohio 44256. They also have locations in North Canton- Sir Troy's Toy Kingdom and in Solon- Sir Troy's Toy Kingdom.

I recently visited the Medina location and WOW!!! This store is huge and has an amazing selection of toys, games, stuffed animals and more! If you've never been, I highly recommend a visit!

12/02/2021

For day 2 of 10 days of gift ideas, I'm introducing new rice bins that I created for the students of my children's school. These containers have a smaller footprint than my traditional rice bins, while still holding the same amount of rice! Each bin comes with a laminated "Find it..." card. These are ideal for providing a calming sensory break to a child who may be anxious or overstimulated. Children know their time is up when the items are all placed on the card! Rice colors and manipulatives can be customized for your child. Price per bin is $20, plus tax. Pick up in Copley, Ohio. Contact me for shipping options.

12/01/2021

As a pediatric occupational therapist, I'm passionate about toys and games that are educational, skill-building and fun! For the first 10 days of December, I'll be recommending a few of my favorite toys and games as well as highlighting some of my own products. In addition, I will be featuring NE Ohio toy stores where mentioned items can be purchased. If you aren't near a featured store, please consider checking out locally owned toy shops near you!

The first feature game is Spot it!, a family-friendly game that requires no reading. While the packaging states ages 6+, a 4 year old could easily play this game. This game is a quick play and is great for developing visual perception skills in preschool to early elementary aged children.

These versions of Spot it! can all be purchased at Sweets & Geeks, located at 342 E. Smith Rd, Medina, Ohio 44256.

The mission of Sweets & Geeks is to be valued as the neighborhood’s favorite candy & game store by bringing the nostalgic candy, soda and pop culture of yesteryear to the customers of today. Even if you aren’t interested in Spot it!, this store is a must-see!! The store is huge and they even have a board and card game rental program!

*Please note that stock may be limited and that recommendations do not guarantee availability.

10/21/2021

This is a great activity!! I’ll be doing it with my children. If you do it with yours, share their “brain pictures” here!

10/05/2021

Calling all Halloween fans! Grab these adorable rice bins before they sell out! Only $25, plus tax, per box. Pick up in Copley, Ohio or contact me for shipping information.