The Importance of Play

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L
The Importance of Play

If I asked you what children do, “play” would be one of the top 3 answers. 
But what is play exactly? It’s more than just a child engaging with toys or running around with other kids. It’s real work.

Play can be defined as “any spontaneous or organized activity that provides enjoyment, entertainment, amusement, or diversion.” It is an occupation that is intrinsically driven by curiosity and exploration to interact within their surroundings. It allows for imagination, the ability to pretend with limited consequences, as well as the opportunity to share and act out ideas other with no judgment. 


Notice that I said play was an occupation. 
Yes, PLAY is an important job that a child does from birth to 12 years of age. 

When a child plays:

  • They understand their own body and how it moves within space 
  • They learn about their environment, objects in relation to each other, and cause and effect
  • They engage their imagination
  • They learn how to build with various objects 
  • They interact with others and participate in games 
Continue reading →

Playtime with Household Items

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L
Playtime with Household Items

The holiday season has come to an end and all that remains are Amazon boxes, gift wrap tubes, and torn wrapping paper. Perhaps your family had big shindig this past New Year’s and have empty liter bottles hanging around, or maybe you are in holiday clean-up mode and have a ton of recyclable items piled up.

Rather than toss them out immediately, let your kids have some fun with them first. 
Not only does this foster imagination, but it builds on so many other skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, motor planning, and conceptualizing ideas.

Continue reading →

Child vs. Nail Trimming

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

As toddlers get older, they become more vocal and what they like and what they don’t. This includes the dreaded hygienic chore of nail trimming. 

Nail trimming is important for various reasons. For one, those little claws left untamed, can leave unintentional scratches on themselves or others. Another reason is to keep the hands free of dirt and grime that can collect under the nails. 

Nail clipping involves touch, pressure, sound, and visual sensations. Some children may not tolerate this task because they perceive the sensations as uncomfortable or painful, not because they are actually in pain.


Here are some OT tips to make nail trimming a little easier:

Continue reading →

What is Occupational Therapy (and how can it help my child?)

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L
What is Occupational Therapy?

Your child has survived the first two months of school and you think all is going well. Then, you receive the news that your child is struggling. 

They are having difficulties sitting still in a chair or keeping their hands to themselves. Perhaps they keep dropping objects out of their hands or it takes them a long time to complete written assignments. Maybe they are consistently having meltdowns in class, having trouble attending to tasks, or even just listening to instructions. 

As a parent, this is hard to hear.  Are these difficulties something they’ll grow out of, or are they just clumsy? Is this a Nature vs. Nurture situation? Are the other kids doing it, too? You want to do what’s best for them, but not sure how to go about it or even how to personally relate. 

Well, there are a few options that can help in the field of Occupational Therapy.

Continue reading →