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Building Blocks Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services

Fairfield Connecticut Occupational Therapist

203-341-0178
943 Post Rd E Suite A
Westport, CT 06880
bbpedot@yahoo.com
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Kristi’s Game Recommendation 1: Tricky Hands

January 6, 2020 By admin

Tricky Hands 

Made by IQ Toys

Ages 4+

2-4 players

How to Play?

Turn 1 card from the deck facing up , in order for all the players to see it equally. Place the correct colorful bands on the proper hand and specific fingers (right or left) and place your hand on the card before your opponent does.  Whomever does this first, grabs the card and earns a point. The colorful bands must be in the exact same color order and finger placement as shown on the card. The player with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.

What does this game work on?

Tricky Hands works on right and left hand recognition, color and pattern recognition, finger dexterity/recognition, visual-perceptual skills, grading of force, spatial awareness, body awareness, hand-eye coordination skills, visual-sequencing, and pincer grasp development and refinement. This game also works on shift and translation when turning the cards face up or down, bilateral integration, and tactile discrimination by having different textured bands on the child’s fingers. Functionally, this game will help a child with pinch strength, while they are picking up coins, jewelry, crayons, dolls, or other objects, as well as dressing manipulatives such as buttons, snaps and zippers. The proprioceptive ability to grade the amount of force/pressure exerted on a manipulative is important while writing, coloring, buttoning clothes, opening doors and manipulating feeding utensils (fork, spoon, and knife), etc. Right and left hand recognition and finger dexterity will be important as the child enters their school year in terms of writing, typing and participating and gross motor physical education activities, etc. Spatial and body awareness is important for a child’s general safety and social interactions with peers. The skill of shift is important when handling school worksheets, counting money, turning pages of a book or notebook, and the skill of lateral shift when turning a key. By having the child put the textured colorful bands onto their fingers, they are working on tactile discrimination and are being exposed to the feeling of different textures on their skin. Finger-to-palm translation enables a child to pick up coins, a pencil or crayon, and small toys, etc. Visual-sequencing skills is important when getting dressed, cooking, organization, completing a math problem or writing a paper. This skill is crucial in helping a child to develop organizational skills needed for functional participation within the home and school environments.

Why do I love this game?

Tricky Hands is a fun game for children to play with a friend or to play alone. It engages the child’s mind in a fun and exciting way. This game allows the players to experience competitiveness in a safe and fun environment. This game gets the kids excited to race to the finish and see which player wins the game round. This game is easy to play with few directions and minimal pieces. The child will not have to read, understand, or follow complex directions/rules, so they can just have fun while playing. It is also a fun way to learn and recognize different colors. The child is able to work on important fine motor and visual skills while having fun. Play is a child’s main occupation and through games like Tricky Hands, their therapeutic goals are able to be met.


Filed Under: FAQ, Therapy

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As a pediatric occupational therapist, I often tal As a pediatric occupational therapist, I often talk about going deeper than just “take a deep breath.” Deep breathing is more than a simple instruction—it’s a powerful tool that helps children connect with their bodies, regulate their emotions, and calm their nervous systems.
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As you slowly open the ball, encourage your child to take a slow, deep breath in through their nose, imagining their lungs filling up just like the ball expands. This helps them become aware of how their body feels when they breathe in.
Then, as you slowly close the ball, have them gently blow all the air out through their mouth until their “chipmunk cheeks” are completely empty. Encourage them to keep blowing until every last bit of air is out. This full exhale is just as important as the inhale—it helps release tension and signals the body to relax.
Repeat this several times. The movement of the ball helps children pace their breathing and stay focused, making it much easier than simply telling them to “take a deep breath.” Over time, this builds body awareness, supports self-regulation, and helps children learn how to calm themselves when they feel overwhelmed.
This is an easy strategy to use at home, in the classroom, before homework, before bed, or anytime a child is feeling anxious, frustrated, or needs a reset.
Sometimes the simplest tools can make the biggest difference. 💙
#explorepages  #SelfRegulation #DeepBreathing #Sensory #Interoception
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Who may benefit?
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• Sensory seeking or avoiding behaviors
• Some children with sensory processing differences, ADHD, autism, or developmental delays

Brushing
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• Keep the brush flat against the skin
• Brush arms, hands, back, legs, and feet only
🚫 Never brush the face, chest, stomach, or groin

Joint Compressions
🤲 Immediately follow brushing
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Benefits
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DPPT should only be taught and supervised by a trained occupational therapist and is individualized for every child.

💙 Helping children feel regulated, confident, and successful.

#OccupationalTherapy #ExplorePages #SensoryProcessing #EducationalContent #WilbargerProtocol
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Play isn’t a break from learning. For children, play is learning.
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Swipe through to learn:
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✨ The 7 visual perceptual skills
✨ How these skills impact daily life
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Want to learn more? Our newest blog takes a deeper dive into visual perception and how OT supports these important skills. Check out the link in our bio!

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Check out our latest blog post using the link in our bio to read more about my journey into OT!

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#OccupationalTherapy #PediatricOT #FineMotorSkills #Handwriting #pencilgrips
When you play on the floor with your child or foll When you play on the floor with your child or follow their lead in a game, you are actually engaging in part of an important pediatric occupational therapy method known as Floortime!

This is a relationship-based therapy for children that helps with emotional and developmental growth. 

Check out our latest blog post using the link in our bio to learn more!

#FloortimeMethod #PediatricOT #OccupationalTherapy #BuildingBlocksOT
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