A Heartfelt Children’s Book That Helps Families Understand How OT Supports Daily Life Skills and Independence
After exploring hand skills, big body movements, brain body connections, and eye-hand coordination in my previous books, I wanted to focus on another essential area: life skills.
That’s what inspired Life Skills in OT, the fifth book in my “What Is OT?” series. This story helps children and families understand how occupational therapy supports the daily routines that help children become independent, confident, and successful.
💛 Meet Ben, the Heart of the Story💛
In this story, we meet Ben, a thoughtful little boy who sometimes struggles with daily life. He gets frustrated when he can’t do things by himself, and that makes him feel unhappy. His parents want him to feel successful and confident every day.
Through occupational therapy, Ben learns that he can build his daily life skills in fun, hands on ways that don’t feel like work. He discovers that with practice and support, he can become more independent and proud of what he can do.
✨ Learning ADLs and IADLs ✨
In OT, we often talk about ADLs and IADLs, the daily life skills children need to grow and become independent:
- ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) are everyday routines like dressing, brushing teeth, feeding, washing hands, and using the bathroom.
- IADLs (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) are the next step as children get older, such as preparing simple snacks, organizing school materials, cleaning up, and managing time.
Life Skills in OT shows how children can practice these important skills through playful, achievable steps. Every task becomes an opportunity to gain confidence, independence, and a sense of accomplishment.
💬 From the Author💬
As an occupational therapist, I’ve seen how empowering it is when children master daily life skills. OT helps children learn that practice, patience, and support can turn challenging tasks into victories.
Life Skills in OT was created to help families understand that OT is more than therapy, it’s about teaching children how to do everyday tasks confidently, independently, and successfully.
❤️ A Learning Tool for Families, Teachers, and Therapists ❤️
Life Skills in OT is a valuable resource for:
- Parents, who want to support their child’s independence at home
- Teachers, who wish to encourage self care and responsibility in school
- Therapists, who want a child-friendly way to introduce OT concepts
This story helps everyone see that OT is about helping children gain confidence, independence, and pride in everyday routines, from brushing teeth to preparing a snack or organizing their backpack.
🌟 Join the OT Journey🌟
OT helps children connect their skills, confidence, and independence so they can take on everyday life with pride. My hope is that Life Skills in OT inspires families to celebrate every tooth brushed, snack prepared, and task completed, because each step is a small but important victory.
You can find Life Skills in OT now on Amazon! Click the link below to join Ben’s journey and explore the magic of OT in everyday life.
