3 Peas child care

Hello December ❄️ ☃️ ❄️

Have you noticed your child Auditory Stimming? What would you add to this list?
Blurting out high pitched noises
Repetition odd noises or sounds
Excessively talking
Repeating portions of videos
Throat clearing
Banging on everything

Sensory ideas from NHS Lanarkshire.

Ways to Develop ‘Position In Space’ with Preschoolers!

What is Position in Space?

Position in space is the ability to determine one’s position relative to an object.

Proprioception (one of our seven senses) is responsible for a child’s body awareness and determining their position in space.

A child must first learn, through experience, where their body is situated in space and in relation to other objects before they are able to determine the relative position of objects. This is known as spatial relations or space perception.

Position in Space Activities for Preschoolers

Try these simple ideas and activities during play at home or at school, to develop this concept.
1. Play Simon Says

The traditional game Simon Says is the perfect way to get kids moving and positioning themselves in relation to their environment.

Give directions that include position words (prepositions) such as:
Simon says stand behind someone else.
Simon says touch your right knee with your left hand.
Simon says high five the person next to you.
Simon says climb inside the tunnel.
Simon says stand in front of the wall.
Simon says sit on top of the blanket.
Simon says wave your arms above your head.

2. Action Rhymes

Sing action rhymes that teach body awareness, such as:

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
The Hokey Pokey
If You’re Happy and You Know It

Here are the lyrics of the above action songs.

The following two rhymes are also great examples:

Mrs Sally Walker
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (teaches over, under and through)

Here are the lyrics for these nursery rhymes with actions, for the whole year not just Nursery Rhyme Week!

25 Rhymes with Actions!
https://empoweredparents.co/nursery-rhymes-with-actions/

Here are some empathy activities that support emotional intelligence:

🧠Make empathy bracelets and develop fine motor skills, too: https://www.theottoolbox.com/quick-as-cricket-activity-teach-empathy/

🧠Stages of Empathy Development- A great resource! https://www.theottoolbox.com/stages-of-empathy-development/

🧠 Emotional Intelligence resource: https://www.theottoolbox.com/emotional-intelligence-2/

🧠 Teach emotional vocabulary: https://www.theottoolbox.com/5-fun-ways-to-support-emotional-vocabulary/

🧠 (FREE) emotions play dough mats are fun hands on activities: https://www.theottoolbox.com/emotions-playdough-mats/

This is my most widely shared post. And rightly so, it’s an important one. These are “prewriting patterns”, with the average (not prescribed) age at which children are developmentally ready to achieve these patterns listed below them in years and months. Being able to process visual information and produce a movement in response (e.g. copying these prewriting patterns or letter formations), is known as “visual motor integration”. ⠀
⠀
Note that an X is not typically achieved until 4 years 11 months, and a triangle at 5 years 3 months. If a child can’t form these basic shapes...then they probably won’t be able to form letters. ⠀
⠀
It is quite concerning then that there are 3 year 7 month olds starting formal schooling, where they’re expected to write. Not only are their visual motor integration skills not developed enough, their hands are also physically under-developed. In addition, recognising letters, understanding phonics and beginning to read are all needed in order for a child to write meaningfully, skills which children starting kindy typically don’t have. We also know that when a child learns something that doesn’t hold meaning, it‘s unlikely to stick. ⠀
⠀
So if you have a 3-4 year old who spontaneously asks or attempts to write letters, that’s great; otherwise, there is no need to initiate or worry about this. Unfortunately there is a misconception, particularly with the way that the current curriculum stands, that earlier is better. Earlier is not always better.⠀

Source: Beery Buktenica Test of Visual Motor Integration, 6th Edition
⠀
⠀

via The Therapist Parent

My Favorite Book Contest The Oklahoma Center for the Book in the Oklahoma Department of Libraries invites Oklahoma students in grades four through twelve to participate in the My Favorite Book writing competition. Students attending public, private, charter, or home schools are eligible. To enter, students must write a lett...

In November, we focus on expressing gratitude for the things we appreciate. Children may not fully grasp the concept of being thankful for everything in their lives, so we will celebrate our accomplishments and highlight all the things we are capable of doing independently!