Playtime

Meet Me in the Metaverse

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

This past fall, our family went on a cruise to the Western Caribbean. Its kid camp offered a variety of kid activities, including game time in the boat’s computer lab. My son learned how to play Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite with the other kids on the boat. He loved playing, and I loved that everything was on a closed server. There was an additional in-person moderator to keep the kids in check and I was relieved that he was playing with peers he could actually see and interact with.  

Now that we’re back, he wants to keep playing these awesome games but it’s different. Without the security the boat provided, he’s exposed the entire online world.

Once upon a time, the playground was THE place for kids to meet up, hang out, and blow off that excess energy. Now, it’s the metaverse. If you’re not tech or digitally-savvy like me, the online universe is like the wild west; and now my soon-to-be 8-year-old wants to be part of it. What is a parent to do? But first, what the heck is the metaverse (in a non-Zuckerberg sense)?

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Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Middle Grades 8+

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

This category is new for us but TBH, the toys and games in this age range have upped their game in the last couple of years.

Around ages 8-12, kids make big strides in many areas of development. Their skill refinement allows for:

  • Improved attention, problem solving, and critical thinking
  • The ability to strengthen friendships and resolve conflicts more efficiently
  • Participation in skill-based activities requiring refined motor movements
  • The ability to express themselves more clearly
  • Increased independence and thought

Here are our recommendations for kids 8+:

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Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Preschool and Early Elementary

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

This has got to be the largest list we’ve put together to date, but not just because we love toys.

Kids at this age are achieving key developmental milestones and improving their executive functions, allowing for better focus and memory. As they continue to refine their skills, they enjoy social play, seek friendly competition, pursue independence by testing limits, try new things, and make new friends.

Not only did we pick a ton of toys and games geared towards these age-range skills, but we also chose practical items to encourage independence, and bigger, family-friendly gifts that include your littlest.

Here are our gift picks for kids 3-7:

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Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Babies and Toddlers

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

It’s that time again: Gift Guide season. We’re sharing our top picks for the holiday gifts, so all you list girlies can prep before Black Friday.

To make the Child(ish) Advice cut, we use these criteria:

  • Is it cool and new?
  • Does it support child development?
  • What makes it stand out from all the rest?
  • What do the reviews say, specifically about durability and longevity?

Here are our gift picks for babies and toddlers, ages 0-3:

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Fear For All: Age-Appropriate Fear

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Growing up in Florida, Patti and I have ridden Disney’s Haunted Mansion too many times to count. The dark attraction is a fan favorite, resulting in multiple movies and specials highlighting the grim stories of its ghostly residents. Aside from the 2003 and 2023 films of the same name, other versions include the family-friendly Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021) and yes, Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak (2015) is rumored to be the R-rated version that never came to be. 

This got us thinking how cool it is that all these different variations of the same IP cater to full spectrum of age and maturity levels. Are these stories playing toward our fear, our entertainment, or both? What exactly is age-appropriate when it comes to fear?

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