ARK's Blog

When working on articulation, I often find it best to begin the session with an auditory discrimination activity.  Not only does this help children better hear their own speech, but it also helps them settle into therapy and focus their attention. Auditory discrimination is the ability to tell the difference between correct and incorrect speech sounds.  Some kids struggle with …

A lego wall is a very simple DIY project that packs a ton of therapeutic benefit.  To assemble:  simply attach a lego board to a wall.  Mine is from at least 20 years ago so I don't know the exact brand anymore, but any lego / brick set that comes with a mat to stack them on should work.  Then I used heavy-duty velcro to attach it on the wall.  There's probably a better …

This vertical pulling activity is a simple way for your little ones to work on upper extremity strength in their shoulders, wrists, and hands. . . Directions: 1.  Cut 3 strips of velcro, about 12 inches each. 2.  Securely attach the strips vertically to a vertical surface.  We attached them to a section of our tactile sensory board (full post on this coming soon) …

Putty, play dough, and other hand manipulatives are classic occupational therapy tools for fine motor work and sensory play.  Not only are they fun, but they can also be used to work on a whole host of developmental skills, such as hand strength, finger isolation and dexterity, bilateral coordination, imaginative play, and much more.  Here are some of our favorite play-dough games/exe …