OT Tips - NEXT CHALLENGE

Our Community of Practice - Occupational Therapy tips

Collated by our therapists, here you will find useful links to external websites, products and services that contain trusted advice in various areas of skill development.

Regulation: Sensory + Emotions
Play
Developing Hand Skills
Self-Care Skills

Please note that any advice accessed via these links is is general in nature and is not professional advice relating to a child’s specific circumstances. If in doubt, seek professional advice.

Regulation: Sensory + Emotions

Sensory Processing & Spiciness (booklet by Next Challenge)

Free Download: NC's Sensory Processing + Spiciness

Self-Regulation Research: A Simple overview

Blog: Self-Regulation Research - A Simple overview

Self-Regulation: A Parent’s Guide

Self Reg Parent Guide by Stuart Shanker

Learning Through Movement Modules

Learning Through Movement Modules

Blog: DIY calm down kits

The seesaw effect: building children’s resilience by emotional regulation | Jacqui Barfoot | TEDxUQ

TEDxUQ: The seesaw effect - Jacqui Barfoot

Shanker Self-Reg® Website

Shanker Self-Reg® Website

Anna Freud Mental Health Resources

Anna Freud Mental Health Resources

Young Minds - mental health resources

Play

Play + Early Learning Handouts

Play ideas, Play Group WA, child holds craft toy

Playdough recipe, Kids hands, multicoloured batches of playdough

Playdough Recipe

Craft Ideas, Craft Materials, Play Group WA

Enhancing Learning Turn On Learning Framework

Turn On Learning Framework

Self-care skills

Early Living Skills Handouts, child in blue towel robe smiling and holding tooth brush

Early Skills For Living Handouts

Mob Smiles - dental information for bubbas, teenagers, pregnant women, + elders.

Mob Smiles: Dental info

Blog: Teaching toileting through play

Blog: Teaching toileting through play

DOT WA Handout: Mealtimes

DOT WA Handout Dressing Skills: Buttons

Dressing Skills: Buttons

DOT WA Handout: Dressing Skills: Zips

Dressing Skills: Zips

DOT WA Handout: Dressing: Putting on Tops

Dressing: Putting on Tops

DOT WA Handout: Dressing: Putting on Pants

Dressing: Putting on Pants

DOT WA Handout Brushing and Washing Hair

Hygiene: Brushing and Washing Hair

DOT WA Handout: Hygiene: Brushing Teeth

Hygiene: Brushing Teeth

DOT WA Handout: Routines: Getting Ready for Bed

Routines: Getting Ready for Bed

DOT WA Handout: Routines: Packing the School Backpack

Routines: Packing the School Backpack

Developing Hand Skills

Finger + hand strength activities, child picking up small items with tongs

Finger + hand strength activities

upper body strength + coordination activities, child climbing on playground

upper body strength + coordination activities

Shoulder stability + control activities, child writing on vertical whiteboard

Shoulder stability + control activities

Learning to cut, child holding scissors

Learning to cut

Tips for cutting, child cutting colourful paper

Tips for cutting

Learning to hold a pencil, child pencil grasp holding blue marker

Learning to hold a pencil

Learning to write, child sits at table writing with pencil

Learning to write

Drawing + Writing in Everyday Activities, child writing letters in sand

Drawing + Writing in Everyday Activities

Tips for Writing, child writing on lined paper

Tips for Writing

Hand strength playdough activities, child making playdough mountain

Hand strength playdough activities

Activities for Upper Body Strength, two children doing wheelbarrow walk

Activities for Upper Body Strength

Next Challenge ana (acknowledges) Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Boodja (Country) throughout Australia. Ngalak (We) are committed to kootadjinong (see and understand/ honouring) their unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, bilya (rivers/ waters) and wardarn (seas).

Next Challenge wants to thank and pay respects to the Whadjuk people and Elders, past, present, and emerging, of the Noongar Nation, who have preserved and protected the kanana (land) and bilya (rivers, waterways) on which we continue to waabiny (play), djooroobidiny (go along happily / live), kadadjiny (learn), work, and provide services on yey (today).

© Next Challenge 2024