Playing with your Children
April 19, 2022
Playing with children has always come so naturally to me that I never realized that it’s not something that feels natural to MOST parents! It’s only once I had my
Author: Nancy Amar
Becoming the Observer
April 14, 2022
What does it mean to become the observer and how does this serve me as a parent (and as a human on this planet!) This concept has been coming up
Promote Integration in Your Family
November 19, 2021
The past two weeks I’ve been working on a Holiday Gift Project with my vocational skills students. I can’t begin to tell you how excited they were when they
Outside the Box Thinkers!
November 12, 2021
Are we teaching our children to think inside or outside the box? Is there a box?! ; ) An important social skill for our children is flexibility. Many children can
Co-regulate to Self-regulate.
November 5, 2021
The Role you Play in Your Child’s Regulation. Regulation is a tricky thing. We take for granted all the pieces that have to come together in order to see our
It’s OK To Feel Angry
October 27, 2021
What is an emotion? An emotion is a guidance scale to let us know how far apart we are from our true selves. At its core our true nature is
Productivity over wellbeing
October 14, 2021
As a life-long advocate for children’s wellbeing, this is a very real and vulnerable share for me but I know that many of my kids have been feeling the same
Do we really need to teach Eye contact?
October 7, 2021
Many therapists and parents place a lot of emphasis on children making eye contact. The reason for this being that eye contact in our society represents interest, respect, fondness, attention,
The Paradox of Boundaries: Setting boundaries so your child can soar.
October 1, 2021
Our children experience their reality very differently than the way we experienced our youth – They are asked to “grow up” more quickly than we did and are exposed early
It All Starts at Our Core
September 24, 2021
Let’s talk about core strength. Why is it so important handwriting and other classroom skills? Our core includes not only our abs but also our lower back muscles. When a child’s
Working on Presence with your child
September 17, 2021
The only moment we have is NOW. We can’t wait for circumstances to be perfect in order to show up as the parent we want to be for our children.
Teaching children to find a sense of safety during COVID
September 9, 2021
If there’s one thing that covid has been teaching us it’s that safety is an inside job amidst all these uncertainties. It’s difficult to give children definite answers as the
How to help your child with transitions throughout the day!
September 3, 2021
Transitions are not always so simple. Compounded by the fact that parents are pressed for time to get routines completed, this can turn into a tantrum-meltdown disaster. The more tools
Sleep in Your Own Bed! Foolproof Bedtime Routines.
August 26, 2021
Now that school is back in session, a good night’s sleep is crucial for your child’s wellbeing. According to John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, studies show that kids who regularly
What is an Efficient Pencil Grasp?
August 13, 2021
A functional pencil grasp is one that: Allows a child to move his fingers rather than his whole hand/arm Allows a child to complete handwriting tasks without too much pressure
8 Strategies to Ease Back to School Anxiety
August 5, 2021
Back to school in person is finally happening this year. Many of our children have been online for schooling and being back in the classroom can create a sense of
Let’s avoid the need for OT when possible
July 26, 2021
Tips from an OT so that you don’t have to call on us! 1. Play outdoors in nature Nature is the greatest teacher and the greatest healer. Children in nature
10 FUN summer activities that benefit your child’s development!
July 23, 2021
What our children need the most this summer is to have fun and just be kids! This past school year has been challenging for them on many levels. Taking a
Teach your children about INCLUSION
July 22, 2021
The beauty of our world is its diversity yet as young children we are taught to conform and not stand out. We’re almost afraid of being different than our peers.
Top 5 Activities for Children this Summer?
June 27, 2021
Parents have been asking me the same question over the past 2 weeks…Where do I sign up my child for the summer? What is the best camp or activity to
Sitting Still at Circle Time
June 24, 2021
Introducing Lil’ Wally the Weighted Worm! I have been going to schools for the last 10 years and many teachers ask me advice for the same thing: How do I
4 Really Cool Art Projects to do with Kids of ALL Skill Levels
June 22, 2021
Miss Mancy Summer classes at the Social Mind Center have been doing great! The kids are really enjoying everything they are getting their hands on! I wanted to share with
Color My World
June 22, 2021
Crayon review: Coloring is a great way to work on so many important skills: strengthens a tripod grasp (when crayon is held correctly) child works on important motor coordination skills
Top Ten OT Things to Do with: BALLOONS
June 21, 2021
You know I’m always looking for fun inexpensive and light ways (I travel to schools) to use children’s favorite toys and tools to teach important skills. Balloons are one of
Top 10 OT Fine Motor Tools Under $1
June 8, 2021
Here is a list of my Top 10 Fine Motor Tools along with activities you can do with your little ones. 1. Clothes Pins Therapeutic Benefit: Strengthens muscles used for
Creating a Sensory Smart Classroom
June 2, 2021
As an OT I get the opportunity to visit many schools in South Florida. Teachers ask me all the time how to implement sensory components in their classrooms. Here is
Motivate your Child to Learn a New Skill!!!
April 18, 2021
Parents ask me all the time how to motivate their child to learn a new skill that they have no interest in learning. I usually like children to learn skills
Going Beyond Awareness
April 2, 2021
I have always been torn by the idea of Autism awareness or awareness of any other label for that matter. On the one hand, healing begins with awareness but on
Hold Space for Your Child
March 10, 2021
What do I mean by that? I’d like to recount a known story about Thomas Edison. (not sure if it’s a true story but it definitely drives the point home!)
The Power of Unconditional Love
February 12, 2021
When I ask parents What has Autism taught you? They almost always answer “Unconditional Love” (and “patience”!!!). The very first step in raising a child with or without Autism is
Can’t Sit Stillllll!
January 9, 2021
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I hear teachers and parents who call me for advice to help a child that can’t sit still in the classroom.
Paper | The Canvas
September 6, 2020
We don’t always realize the importance of the surface we write on. Paper is an important piece of the puzzle to mastering handwriting. Consider the following: Blank piece of white
4 Really Cool Art Projects for all Skill Levels
August 23, 2020
Once a week, I work at the Social Mind Center where I teach several classes of Messy Art. The challenge is to find art projects for children with very different
Plastic Sleeve Perfection
August 14, 2020
You Will Need: Plastic Sleeves (You can purchase plastic sleeves here on MissMancy’s Shop or comes included in MissMancy’s Handwriting Starter Kit.) Dry Erase Marker (You can purchase dry erase marker here on MissMancy’s Shop or
The Versatility of Stickers!!!
July 22, 2020
Sticker Fun: Cutting on sticker: place stickers on circular shape and instruct your child to cut through each sticker when cutting. This will teach him to turn and cut. To
Weigh Down that Pencil
July 19, 2020
What you will need: Pencil weight (You can purchase here on MissMancy’s Shop or comes included in MissMancy’s Handwriting Starter Kit) Benefits of a Pencil Weight: There is a definite advantage to weighing
Easels and Slant Boards
July 15, 2020
One of the most efficient tools you can purchase to help your child with proper grasp on writing tools is by far an easel! The reason for this is that
Where do we go from here?
February 21, 2018
These past few days my mind has been occupied by the mass shooting in Parkland, FL. Being that I live in Miami, it’s not difficult to come across someone that
The Sensory Approach to Learning
August 17, 2016
This is my favorite time of the year!!! Back to school!!! I get to do what I love the most! Giving workshops to all the wonderful teachers that I work
Best Trick to Teach Writing Letters
August 15, 2016
Back to School is around the corner and it’s already here for some of our kids! Miss Mancy is back to school to and ready to get back into blogging!
14 Most Effective Tools to Add to Classroom Stations
August 9, 2014
Working in the schools for many years, I see that teachers have less and less time to work one-on-one with a child that has fine motor difficulties. I therefore try to
Math the OT Way
January 30, 2014
Use lots of visuals!!! Use manipulatives ex: pegs, cubes, number line. For younger children, I suggest you using loose cubes rather than the cubes that click together to connect. I
Easy Art Projects from Miss Mancy’s Messy Art Class
January 12, 2014
1. Veggie Art This is a wonderful activity for all skill levels. I have done this with very young children as well as with my older groups and they all
Miss Mancy’s Favorite Toy List
December 4, 2013
The parents I work with always ask me for a list of suggested toys for Hanukah or Christmas so this year I put together a little list for different age
Fall Foam Stickers
November 6, 2013
1- Create a fall scene using stickers This is a great activity for little ones. Peeling stickers has the advantage of working on pincer strength (an important component of dexterity) while
14 Ways to Use Popsicle Sticks
August 31, 2013
I think my favorite challenge as an OT (and lover of crafts) is to find an inexpensive, easy to find item and come up with as many creative uses for
Great Fine Motor Tools to Incorporate in Your Classroom
August 8, 2013
Here are some of my favorite fine motor tools that all teachers should consider incorporating in their classrooms when creating stations. These tools work on finger strength, pincer grasp, pincer
10 Things All Teachers Need to Know When Teaching Handwriting
August 3, 2013
I wanted to share a few tips of the trade when teaching handwriting to young children. There are several approaches but mine has always been eclectic and varies greatly depending
Butterfly Lacing Cards
July 8, 2013
You Will Need From Your Kit: Butterfly cut out hole puncher Ribbon (make sure to cut 10 inches for the door hanger activity in your kit) Stickers You can purchase
Summer Bug Bead
July 7, 2013
You will Need From Your Kit: Pipe cleaners body and head Beads Wing drawings on thick stock paper You can purchase this activity as a part of MissMancy’s Summer Days Kit
CUTTING | Everything you need to know!
June 4, 2013
1. Begin with good scissors. i.e the blade is not too long, scissors are easy to open. Use Left-handed scissors for left- handed children (the blade opens up on the
10 Ways to Use Blue Painter’s Tape
May 12, 2013
1- Tic tac toe: I’m a huge fan of tic tac toe. It’s a great motor planning/problem solving game. You can use bean bags or 2 different colored items to
10 Great Ways to Use Wax Strings
April 30, 2013
Here are 10 Great Ways that I like to use Wikki Stix 1-Place it around the top end of crayons to give children a visual and tactile cue as to
Designing for the Senses
April 10, 2013
One of my projects has been to work in collaboration with designer Deborah Dimare to create Sensory Smart Spaces for children with ASD and with Sensory Sensitivities. We were featured
10 Ways to use Fairy Wands
April 9, 2013
You Will Need: A wand Round Thumbtack Small magnet I put a round tip thumbtack and secured it with hot glue on one end and a small magnet on the
Button the Princess
April 9, 2013
Therapeutic Corner: Buttoning is a bilateral coordination skill as it requires both hands to do work simultaneously. Many children have difficulty with this task so I break it down in
10 Ways to use Easter Eggs with Kids
March 25, 2013
1- Vowel Search: Write a vowel and hide it in an egg, once your child finds an egg with a letter they must name the 2 sounds this letter makes
Rainbow Words
March 15, 2013
You Will Need: Different colored alphabet stickers Different colored markers Lined paper (you can print here) The Activity: Fun and simple way to work on handwriting skills. I begin by
Penguin fish feed:
January 18, 2013
You will need: An empty Tissue box Black, white and Orange Construction paper Straws OR Adaptive chopsticks (You can purchase here at MissMancy’s SHOP) Tissue paper The Activity: This is
Miss Mancy’s Favorite Stocking Stuffers
December 9, 2012
10 stocking stuffers (Most items are available on MissMancy’s SHOP) #1 Squiggle Wiggle pens #2 Pop tubes #3 Tennis Ball and coins #4 Squigglet #5 Putty #6 Buttoning activity #7 Stickers
Miss Mancy’s Favorite FINE MOTOR Holiday Gifts
December 9, 2012
Parents ask me all the time to recommend toys for the Holidays. So here is a little list of some of my favorite games that work on a fine motor
Shaving Cream Fun
November 15, 2012
Shaving cream is such a fun sensory experience for your child. For children that demonstrate tactile defensiveness, I would only introduce this activity once a child trusts you and knows
Alphabet Skeleton Bones
October 7, 2012
LOVE LOVE LOVE these!!!! This is such a fun way to teach letter formation to young children with a Halloween twist! You can purchase this activity on MissMancy’s Shop. Draw
Tic-Tac-Toe Sight Words
July 22, 2012
What You Need: Paper with Tic Tac Toe grid drawn on it Bingo Daubers (You can purchase at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) The Activity: This is such a fun way to
Erase away errors
July 17, 2012
Erasers Mini Pentel eraser comes included in MissMancy’s Handwriting Starter Kit. Available for purchase on this site. We pay so much attention on handwriting that we forget how important the ERASING is!
The Mechanical Pencil
July 17, 2012
The Special Pencil A mechanical pencil comes included in MissMancy’s Handwriting Starter Kit I don’t know about you but I always love to write with a mechanical pencil! The writing always seams
Elastic Bands
July 17, 2012
Tricks of the trade Comes included in MissMancy’s Handwriting Starter Kit. Available for purchase on this site. We always want children to keep their pencils and crayons in the webspace
Great Grippers
July 15, 2012
Great Grippers It’s normal for young children to use a fisted grasp on crayons (A,B on figure) however we want to make sure that they progress from holding a crayon
Importance of Sitting Posture
July 15, 2012
Start with Stability In therapy we talk about the 90-90-90 rule. This means that when seated at a desk, we want to ensure the following: Feet flat on the floor
Get a Grip on Pencil Grasps
July 15, 2012
Get a Grip on Pencil Grasps I realize through my career in pediatrics that more and more children are referred to OT for poor handwriting. I truly believe that this
10 Fun Activities to do with Pop Tubes
June 1, 2012
You Will Need: Many pop tubes Available for purchase at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop The Activities: 1-Pull open pop tubes at shoulder level or overhead and then spinning it around in
Push Pin Match Up
April 9, 2012
You will need: Large Push Pins Cork board Rubber bands MATCHING Worksheet You can purchase this activity exclusively on MissMancy’s Shop The Activity: This is a wonderful way to work
Scoop Up the Rainbow
April 3, 2012
You will need: Sheets of felt including brown and 6 different colors 1 large button 15 inch long gingham ribbon You can purchase this activity exclusively at MissMancy’s Shop Preparing
Tennis Ball Chomper
March 21, 2012
You will need: Tennis ball with a 2 inch slit (and wiggly eyes glued on using a hot glue gun) 12 Small coins Textured inflatable disc (Available for purchase at
Twist and Turn
March 10, 2012
You will need: Stackable Pill Box Colored beads You can purchase this activity exclusively at MissMancy’s Shop Therapy Corner: When working on fine motor skills it is important that your
Paper Clip Counting Cards
March 6, 2012
You will need: Colored jumbo paper clips Cue cards cut in half (or 3 X 3 inch square piece of construction paper) You can purchase this activity exclusively at MissMancy’s
Wiggle Pen Tracing
March 1, 2012
You will need: Wiggle pen (Available for purchase here at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Paper and Marker The Activity: This is a great way to strengthen your child’s grasp on a
The Ladybug Who Lost Her Spots
February 29, 2012
You will need: Print out or drawing of a ladybug with spots Playdoh This activity is available fro purchase exclusively at MissMancy’s Shop Therapy Corner: When working on fine motor
Birthday Candle Twist and Turn
February 28, 2012
You will need: Play-doh Birthday candles Plastic play knife, spatula and plates (optional) You can purchase all this entire activity right here exclusively at MissMancy’s Shop Therapy Corner: When working
Mardi Gras Necklace Dive
February 23, 2012
You will need: Colorful necklaces (available for purchase at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Exercise ball (available for purchase at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Therapy Corner: Many of the children that OTs work with have
The Stylus for iPad/iPhone
February 19, 2012
What you will need: Stylus (I like this one by TARGUS…available at Missmancy’s AMAZON Shop) Gripper Tricks of the Trade: iPads and iPhones are wonderful learning tools. They offer many wonderful
Old McDonald on a Ball E,I,E,I,O
February 18, 2012
You will need: Farm animals on a string (This one is from ALEX toys available for purchase at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Exercise Ball (Purchase at your local Sports Store) The
Cutting Long Legs
February 18, 2012
You will need: Scissors (I like Fiskars best..available for purchase at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Heavy stock paper or construction paper Markers or crayons The Activity: Here is a really fun way
Reusable Plastic Pockets
February 16, 2012
You will need: Clear Plastic Sleeve (I purchased this one locally at ACE School Supplies) Clear Plastic sheet protectors (Easier to find…You can purchase at any Office Supply Store) Dry
Spin-to-Win Spelling
February 15, 2012
You will need: Spin to Win Game (This is an old game but you can play the same game with BeyBlades at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) The Activity: There are certain
Get a Grip on your ABCs
January 30, 2012
You will need: Grabber (You can purchase a similar one here on MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Foam letters (You can purchase these Dora letters here on MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) The Activity: This is a
Scooter Make and Break
January 26, 2012
You will need: Make and Break Game (Available here for purchase at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Scooter board (Available here for purchase at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) The Activity: I love finding activities that combine
Bendaroo Borders
January 25, 2012
You will need: Bendaroos or Wikki Stix (both available here at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop ) Crayons The Activity: A great way to teach children to color in the lines is
Lite Brite Wonders
January 25, 2012
You will need: Lite Brite (I like the smaller version; most children don’t have the patience to complete a large detailed picture…available here at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Construction paper Scissors
The Magic Wand
January 21, 2012
You will need: Magnetic wand (available at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Magnetic Bingo Chips (available at MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Alphabet Stickers (purchase at Target) The Activity: I love teaching nesting and retrieving skills to
Monkey See Monkey Do
January 21, 2012
You will need: Thera-putty (I like orange…available here on MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) Plastic monkeys (or any small items available here on MissMancy’s AMAZON Shop) The Activity: Ask any therapist, they will
