What are the opening hours?

Monday 08:00 - 17:00 Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00 Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00 Thursday 08:00 - 17:00 Friday 08:00 - 17:00

Gabbi Katzenellenbogen OT

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Gabbi Katzenellenbogen OT

Paediatric occupational therapy private practice in Sandton
- Sensory integration
- DIR Floortime
- SOS feeding

14/10/2025

Adding tactile (touch-based) opportunities in the classroom can make a huge difference for children’s focus, regulation, and fine motor skills.

Here are some easy ways to include more tactile play in your day:
✨ Texture trays – rice, kinetic sand, or fabric scraps
✨ Sensory writing – use sand or shaving cream to trace letters
✨ Craft time – mix up textures like foil, felt, and tissue paper
✨ “Touch & Guess” – hide items in a bag and let kids describe what they feel!

Tactile input isn’t just fun — it supports learning, attention, and sensory regulation throughout the day. 🌈

10/10/2025

We love this game to work on midline crossing.
Sitting backwards on a chair and throwing and catching a ball to either side works on trunk rotation which is the foundation for midline crossing.

07/10/2025

🎨 Colourful Rice Play! 🌈
Sensory play doesn’t have to be complicated — sometimes all you need is a handful of rice and a splash of colour!

This easy recipe is perfect for a fun, tactile activity with your child

✨ How to make it:
Mix uncooked rice, vinegar, food colouring, and a few drops of essential oil.
Shake it all up and lay it out to dry — voilà, sensory rice ready to play!

💡 Play ideas once it’s dry:
🔹 Hide small toys and go on a “treasure hunt”
🔹 Use pegs or tongs to pick up items
🔹 Write letters, numbers, or shapes in the rice

This activity encourages fine motor skills, creativity, and sensory exploration — all while having fun! 🙌

16/09/2025

✨ ✨
Some children don’t respond to touch the way we’d expect. This is called tactile under-reactivity.

👕 They might not notice clothing that’s twisted or uncomfortable.
🎨 They may not feel when their hands or face are messy.
🩹 They may even struggle to register pain.

Because their sensory system doesn’t always “pick up” on these sensations, it can affect how they interact with their world and their body awareness.

💡 The good news? With the right support, we can help children become more aware of sensory input—boosting their development, confidence, and everyday participation!

09/09/2025

🌟 🌟
Ever noticed a child who avoids hugs, refuses certain clothes, or hates messy play? 👕🧦🎨

This could be tactile over-reactivity – when the sense of touch is extra sensitive. Everyday sensations, like clothing tags or brushing past someone in a crowd, can feel overwhelming or even painful.

It’s not about being “fussy” — their nervous system is simply on high alert. ⚡

✨ The good news? With the right sensory support and strategies, these children can feel more comfortable, confident, and ready to explore their world! 🌍💪

02/09/2025

Did you know our tactile system is our sense of touch? 🖐️ It’s the largest sensory system in our body, helping us understand textures, temperature, pressure, and even pain.

For children, this system is HUGE in shaping how they explore, learn, and feel safe in their world. 🌍
👉 When it’s out of sync, kids may avoid certain sensations (like messy play) or constantly seek out touch.

💡 Supporting the tactile system can improve focus, emotional regulation, and confidence!

🔎 Stay tuned every for more insights into sensory systems and child development.

26/08/2025

We will be covering Sensory integration with some exciting activities. Stay tuned

19/08/2025

Rolling a ball up the wall is an excellent way to work on both arms working together (Bilateral coordination) as well as strengthening the shoulders. 💪

12/08/2025

💪 SHOULDER STRENGTHENING ACTIVITY 💪
"Make the Room Bigger" is a simple and fun way to get kids working those shoulder muscles — perfect for the classroom, therapy room, or even at home! 🧱💥

👉 How to play:
1️⃣ Hands on the wall
2️⃣ Arms straight
3️⃣ Pretend the room is too small...
4️⃣ Push the wall to make it BIGGER!
5️⃣ Hold for 10 seconds

This is a great way to build postural strength for fine motor skills like writing, cutting, and drawing 🖍️✂️📝

🧠 Proprioceptive input + 💪 Muscle activation = ✅ Engaged & focused kids!

07/08/2025

🏢 THE ELEVATOR GAME – Fun with a purpose! 💪🧠

This simple resistance game is a favourite in OT sessions — it builds shoulder strength and provides calming proprioceptive input.

🔹 Child lies on their back with arms bent like robot arms
🔹 Adult stands over and presses gently into the child’s hands
🔹 The child “pushes the elevator up” by straightening their arms against resistance

Each “floor” takes strength and control! 🚀
Great for improving upper body strength and giving proprioceptive input.

05/08/2025

💪 Wall Push Ups for Shoulder Strength! 🧱✨

Need a quick shoulder warm-up before handwriting, cutting or drawing?
Wall push ups are a simple yet powerful activity to activate those upper body muscles and get kids ready for focused fine motor work! 🎯✍️

✅ Easy to do anywhere
✅ Builds postural stability
✅ Great as a classroom or home warm-up

Try doing a set of 10 together and watch those little arms get stronger week by week! 💥

29/07/2025

🤸‍♂️ OT Handstands for Strong Shoulders! 💪

Looking for a quick and effective way to prep kids for fine motor tasks like handwriting and cutting?
Try wall handstands – a powerful shoulder-strengthening activity used in OT sessions! 🧠🖐️

✨ Great before table-top work
✨ Builds core and shoulder strength
✨ Boosts confidence and body awareness

Challenge them to hold the position longer each time – can they beat their personal best? 🎯

Address

173 Rivonia Road
Sandton
2196

Opening Hours

Monday	08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	08:00 - 17:00
Thursday	08:00 - 17:00
Friday	08:00 - 17:00

Website

http://www.gkot.co.za/

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