ARK's Blog

Question:  I have a client (5-years) who sucks her thumb.  She has a lisp and produces most of her consonants while protruding her tongue.  I perfectly understand that unless we resolve the thumb sucking, the protrusion will not going to go away, but her parents are not on the same page as me.  What techniques would you recommend to decrease the thumb sucking? .  You …

One day I happened to have a Band-Aid in my pocket, so I decided to put it on one of my classic bean bag toys. This added a whole new dimension to the toy.  Children immediately related to "Mr. Turtle and his boo-boo.” Some of them said, “Awww!” Some gave him a kiss or held and rocked him. From here, the opportunities for speech and language seemed endless.  As some examples, we worke …

We've all heard the popular "Don't play with your food!" mantra. But contrary to popular belief, playing with food is actually a wonderful way for kids to learn about and discover new foods. Why? . .  1.  Trying a new food can be stressful, particularly for kids with sensory issues and/or food aversions. If you introduce a new food through play, you're removing the pressure/anxi …

Make your own "piggy bank!"  This DIY fine motor activity involves just two easy steps: 1.  Cut a slit into the lid of any old food container (this is an almond can). 2.  Use poker chips, play money, or real money to push into the bank. . . Unlike store-bought piggy banks that have a wide slot for coins, the thin slit here provides resistance when you push items throu …