All posts by Therapro

Skill-Building Indoor Fun for Winter Break

December 11, 2025Motor & MovementTherapro

Winter break is just around the corner, and families everywhere are looking for winter break indoor activities that keep kids active, engaged, and learning—without braving the cold. As therapists know, thoughtful play is one of the most effective ways to maintain routines, support regulation, and build foundational motor, sensory, and cognitive skills. With a little planning, parents can turn downtime into productive, confidence-building fun.

Indoor activities that blend creativity, movement, and problem-solving help children stay regulated and connected during the long stretch at home. For example, hands-on manipulatives like the Wikki Stix® Activity Set provide an excellent platform for fine motor strengthening, visual-motor planning, and early prewriting skills. Kids can build shapes, letters, scenes, or their own winter-themed creations—perfect for keeping hands busy and minds calm.

children playing the Picnic Shaped Spinner Game

For families seeking collaborative play, the Picnic Shaped Spinner Game adds structure to indoor time while reinforcing sorting, shape recognition, and turn-taking. Games like this help maintain social skills and flexibility when daily school routines pause. Another great option is On Your Spark… Get Set: Category Game, which promotes speech-language development, vocabulary expansion, and cognitive agility. It’s an ideal group activity for siblings needing a shared task with clear rules and predictable boundaries.

If you’d like an activity that encourages creativity and sustained attention, the Learn to Draw Books by eeBoo offer step-by-step guidance that boosts confidence and reinforces sequencing, visual-spatial skills, and bilateral coordination. Pairing drawing time with movement breaks—such as sensory activities from the Sensational Fun Card Deck—helps kids regulate energy and stay engaged longer.

Parents can also explore hands-on building experiences like Lear n to Build: BIG, which strengthens motor planning, spatial reasoning, and cooperative play. These types of kits are especially helpful for children who need structure but still crave open-ended exploration.

As you plan for the upcoming break, consider mixing quiet tasks, creative projects, and sensory-rich activities to support regulation and skill development. For more winter-friendly ideas, visit Therapro’s blog or explore our therapro.com for therapist-approved solutions.

Winter break doesn’t have to mean lost routines—just new opportunities for growth, connection, and fun.

Fun Ways to Encourage Reluctant Writers to Practice Handwriting

November 28, 2025HandwritingTherapro

Getting reluctant writers to engage in handwriting can be a challenge, especially when fine motor skills, attention, or confidence are barriers. The key is to encourage handwriting practice in a way that feels playful, low-pressure, and meaningful. At Therapro, we offer a range of tools and activities that support handwriting development through creativity and movement—no worksheets required.

One creative approach is to integrate drawing as a bridge to writing. Ed Emberley’s Drawing Books are a perfect example. These fun, simple guides help children create recognizable pictures using basic shapes—many of which overlap with letter strokes. Drawing circles, lines, diagonals, and curves to form animals or objects can boost visual-motor integration and build the foundational skills needed for handwriting, all without the pressure of “writing letters.” It’s a non-threatening entry point that builds confidence and enjoyment.

For students who need more movement and sensory input, Letter Treasure Hunt transforms handwriting practice into an exciting adventure. This game blends gross motor activity, visual scanning, and letter identification with a writing component, making it an ideal multisensory tool. It’s especially helpful for children who learn best through active engagement.

NOVENOP is an acronym created from the words NOun, VErb, NOun, and Phrase and is a board game for children of ages 6 and up

Another great option is NOVENOPS!—a zany sentence-building game that supports literacy, language, and handwriting. To add a handwriting twist, players can write out their silly sentences after each round, turning laughter into writing practice.

If storytelling is more your student’s style, try the Silly Starters Write-Abouts Flipbook. This flipbook sparks creativity with mix-and-match writing prompts that feel more like a game than an assignment. Ideal for classroom warm-ups or therapy sessions, it’s a low-pressure way to get pencils moving.

The goal is to make writing fun, not frustrating. These tools create engaging, multi-sensory pathways into writing that support skill-building without the resistance. Whether you’re a therapist, teacher, or parent, offering alternatives to traditional handwriting practice can make all the difference.

Explore more handwriting resources at Therapro to keep your reluctant writers motivated and on track.

Adapted Scissors Guide: Finding the Right Fit for Every Learner

November 17, 2025Assistive Technology, Fine Motor & Hand Skill Development, School-Based Practice, Therapist Resourcesoccupational therapy (OT) tools, product spotlight, scissorsTherapro

When it comes to developing essential cutting skills, adapted scissors for kids can make all the difference in supporting learners with physical, cognitive, or sensory-motor challenges. Therapists, educators, and parents know that one size rarely fits all—especially when it comes to fine motor tools. At Therapro, our wide selection of adaptive scissors offers tailored options to meet diverse needs, from improving grip and control to promoting bilateral coordination. This guide compares popular adapted scissors and offers practical tips for selecting the right tool based on each child’s abilities and goals.

1. Easi-Grip Loop Scissors:

Ideal for children with weak grip strength or limited dexterity, Easi-Grip Loop Scissors feature a self-opening mechanism and a continuous loop handle that automatically reopens after each cut. These are particularly effective for learners who have difficulty with standard scissor action due to conditions such as cerebral palsy or low muscle tone. Tip: Position the paper vertically to allow more shoulder stability while cutting.

2. Mounted Table Top Scissors:

For learners with severely limited hand function or the inability to grasp, Mounted Table Top Scissors can be operated with the palm, elbow, or even a fist. They stay secured to a surface and allow for one-handed use, making them an excellent choice for children recovering from surgery or those with hemiplegia. Tip: Use with a non-slip mat to ensure stability and safety during use.

3. Dual-Controlled Training Scissors:

Perfect for developing scissor skills with adult support, Dual-Controlled Training Scissors allow a therapist, teacher, or parent to guide the cutting motion alongside the child. This model is ideal for beginners who need extra hand-over-hand support while learning proper finger placement and control. Tip: Use these scissors for modeling open-close sequences before transitioning to independent use.

Therapist Tips for Success:

Start with snipping activities using short strips of paper to build confidence.
Reinforce midline orientation by centering the cutting activity.
Combine cutting with visual-motor integration tasks to strengthen tracking and planning skills.

Selecting the right pair of adapted scissors for kids can significantly enhance a learner’s sense of independence and participation in school and home activities. Visit the Adaptive Scissors Category Page for our full selection.

By choosing the right adapted scissors and using strategic therapist-informed techniques, you empower every child to achieve cutting success—one snip at a time.