The key to learning is making it FUN! Quality over quantity is key. 

Building movement into their routine can build strength, balance, and improve coordination! ie. animal walk each time they transition to the kitchen for a meal, hop on one foot 10x holding onto the countertop before brushing their teeth, wheelbarrow walk down the hallway to transition for bedtime, perform sit ups or hold a push up position for 30 seconds at every commercial break.

Use different mediums for academic tasks and change up what position they are in to complete the task for some variety! Examples: sand, salt, playdough, water, shaving cream, cool whip, gak, etc The kitchen is a great place to measure, dump, seek and find items hidden in these mediums, write in these mediums ( put salt in cookie sheet and make shapes, letters, numbers with index finger)

Trunk and shoulder girdle strength is important to sustain an upright seated position for table top activities. Strength can be improved upon or maintained via:

*tall kneeling (as if you are praying in church)

*side sitting (both feet are to the same side)

*lying on your stomach propped on their elbows (complete a puzzle or watch TV/ipad)

*stand on a wiggle board, bubble wrap, or pillow (tape task to the wall or use magnetic items on the refrigerator)

***DISCOURAGE “W” sitting as it inhibits hip development and also weakens the core muscles (this is when they sit with their bum on the floor, knees together while their feet are placed outside near their hips)

Change up the scenery!

*outside (sidewalk chalk, sand, etc to write, bike ride, go to the park, play ball)

*in the bathtub (use bath markers)

*kitchen - help cook or do dishes (dump/measure/pour, or seek and find items in sudzy 

             water to count items or ID letters)

Kinesthetic (movement based) learning can be enticing and expand their attention making  learning more enjoyable! Place the desired academic choices (puzzle, letter/number match, colored marker choice) across the room for them to retrieve and return to match/write/solve. This can give them purpose and extend their attention to the learning task.

*animal walks (crab, bear, dog, seal, duck, frog)

*hop or jump

*skip or gallop

*spin

*somersault or log roll

*hopscotch

*write letters and numbers in the air (use two fingers  or hold pencil, marker ) eyes open/eyes closed

Movement “grows” the brain - true story!! Giving your child ample opportunity to play outdoors between cognitive tasks may help them to attend longer and with more purpose. 

Inverted positions help improve memory! Head stands, lying upside down on chair or couch for less than 10 seconds`- help  child do “sit up “ to upright, somersaulting, swinging while lying on their belly vs sitting, and even sitting in an office chair to spin between answering academic tasks can be fun and rewarding ( start slow with a few spins and see how the child reacts. Do not spin more than 3 times each direction )  Tell child they can request say STOP .

Purposeful heavy work can help calm while simultaneously teaching them a life skill ie. pushing the laundry basket filled with wet clothes, help carry in groceries, load/unload dishwasher, etc 

Adequate sleep and proper nutrition are the foundational building blocks to learning. Choose a time when they are the most alert (not sleepy nor hungry) to capitalize on learning. Limit sugar intake. Recommended number of hours of sleep by the National Sleep Foundation:

• Newborns (up to 3 months old): 14 to 17 hours a day. (Previously, the recommendation was 12 to 18 hours daily.)

• Infants (4 to 11 months): 12 to 15 hours. (Previously, the recommendation was 14 to 15 hours.)

• Toddlers (ages 1 to 2): 11 to 14 hours. (Previously, the recommendation was 12 to 14 hours.)

• Preschoolers (ages 3 to 5): 10 to 13 hours. (Previously, the recommendation was 11 to 13 hours.)

• School-age children (ages 6 to 13): 9 to 11 hours. (Previously, the recommendation was 10 to 11 hours.)

• Teenagers (ages 14 to 17): 8 to 10 hours. (Previously, the recommendation was 8.5 to 9.5 hours.)

• Younger adults (ages 18 to 25): 7 to 9 hours (new age category)

• Adults (ages 26 to 64): 7 to 9 hours (same recommendation as before)

• Older adults (ages 65 and older): 7 to 8 hours (new age category)

Building confidence is key. Refrain from introducing new skills only. Revisiting mastered skills can be rewarding and make them feel successful (ie. if using flashcards to learn letters/numbers/sightwords mix in several mastered options scattered with a couple of new choices) 

Having 7 or more positive comments for every negative is what is proven to be successful. Focus on the positive aspects and recognizing small gains can be oh, so rewarding to both you and your child!

When frustrated, take a break! Revisit the next day as you want learning to be fun and something they look forward to engaging in with you!