Tag Archives: physical therapy

Unveiling Success: Recap of the 2023 School Based Practitioners Summit

August 19, 2023Conferences, Events, Occupational Therapyconferences, fine motor, Handwriting, Occupational Therapy, OT, physical therapy, school based practitionersAllyson Locke, M.S., OTR/L

We’re thrilled to share the highlights of our exhilarating experience at the 2023 School Based Practitioners Summit, held on August 7th and 8th in the vibrant city of Columbus, Ohio. This event brought together school based practitioners from across the region to exchange knowledge, discover new treatment tools, and forge meaningful connections. As part of this inspiring event, we’re excited to unveil the top five best-selling products that left attendees buzzing with excitement.

1. Letter Treasure Hunt: Handwriting Fun in the Form of a Great Game!

Topping the charts of the summit’s best sellers is Therapro’s own innovative game, Letter Treasure Hunt. This engaging tool takes handwriting practice to a whole new level through interactive play. Designed to captivate young minds, this game facilitates letter recognition, gross motor challenges, and social interaction. With Therapro’s commitment to combining fun and education, Letter Treasure Hunt was a clear favorite among attendees.

Pro Tip from a physical therapist in attendance; instead of writing letters, challenge players to imitate those letters with their body to change the skill focus from handwriting to body awareness!

2. Crayon Rocks: Ignite Creativity and Fine Motor Skills

In a world of digital distractions, Crayon Rocks stood out as a timeless gem. These vibrant, eco-friendly crayons provide an excellent platform for sparking creativity and refining fine motor skills. Their ergonomic shape encourages proper pencil grip, setting the stage for future writing success. At the summit, practitioners recognized the value of fostering creativity through simple yet effective tools like Crayon Rocks.

3. Happy Senso Sensory Gel: A Sensory Delight

Happy Senso Sensory Gel added an element of multisensory wonder to the summit. This versatile gel stimulates a range of senses, making it a versatile tool for therapists. From tactile exploration to sensory integration activities, Happy Senso captivated attendees with its potential to enhance learning experiences and create a sensory-rich environment.

Pro Tip: for an even greater sensory experience, try walking through Happy Senso Sensory Gel!

4. Wiggle Wobble Chair Feet: Enhancing Focus and Engagement

Recognizing the need for subtle sensory solutions in educational settings, the Wiggle Wobble Chair Feet received high acclaim. These clever attachments transform ordinary chairs into dynamic seating options, encouraging movement and improving focus. Attendees discovered how this simple yet effective solution can have a positive impact on students’ engagement and attention spans.

5. Flick Stick Fidget Toy: A Pocket-Sized Solution

Fidgeting finds a purpose with the Flick Stick Fidget Toy, which rounded off our list of top sellers. This discreet tool fits in the palm of a hand, providing a soothing outlet for restless fingers. Its satisfying flicking motion aids concentration and stress relief, making it an ideal addition to classroom and therapy settings.

A Journey of Innovation and Collaboration

The 2023 School Based Practitioners Summit was a resounding success, underscoring the importance of innovation and collaboration in the field of education and therapy. At Therapro, we are committed to providing professionals with the tools they need to create engaging, effective, and inclusive learning environments. The summit allowed us to connect with passionate practitioners and showcase products that align with our mission.

As we reflect on this exciting event, we extend our gratitude to all those who participated, shared insights, and explored our product offerings. Your enthusiasm fuels our commitment to supporting educators and practitioners in their noble mission of empowering young minds.

Thank you for being a part of the Therapro community, and we look forward to more opportunities to learn, grow, and innovate together.

2023 Massachusetts Early Intervention Consortium (MEIC) Conference Highlights

May 31, 2023Conferencesearly intervention, Occupational Therapy, OT, physical therapy, pt, speech language therapistGuest Blogger

On May 1st, the Therapro team made a local stop at the 2023 Massachusetts Early Intervention Consortium (MEIC). We had a great time meeting attendees, demonstrating some of our favorite early learning products, and giving away prizes! If you couldn’t make it, don’t worry, in this blog post we are covering all of the 2023 MEIC conference highlights!

Live Demonstrations!

By far one of the best features of an in person conference is the ability to give live demonstrations; while we do our best to adequately describe the products on our website, there are some things you just have to experience! Happy Senso, Rainbow River Stones, and Rody The Riding Horse were just some of the demo products attendees had the opportunity to try out at the conference.

Happy Senso definitely elicited some of the best reactions from attendees who tried this amazing sensory gel. Happy Senso has a unique cold feeling and it pops and fizzles when it is squished by the hands. Attendees were full of ideas for ways this fun sensory gel could be used in sessions, one physical therapists even thought it might be fun to walk through!

Rody The Riding Horse is fun way to elicit balance reactions and provide children with soothing rhythmic movement. Attendees at MEIC enjoyed giving Rody squishes and squeezes with many attendees remarking on the durable feel of the material. Another fun feature of Rody is the availability of the rocker base.

Rainbow River Stones are a set of of six brightly colored durable plastic “stones” of varying sizes that can be used for all sorts of gross motor and sensory play. Designed with the traveling therapist in mind, they easily nest inside of one another and even come with a convenient carry bag! Conference attendees enjoyed the big size of each ‘stone’ and the different textured surfaces.

Conference All-Stars!

At every conference that Therapro attends there are always a few products that sell out quickly. MEIC was no different, for this event the conference all-stars included the Sensory Spoon, My 1st Dinosaurs, and the book Just Take a Bite.

The Sensory Spoon is a unique tool that was developed in collaboration with a speech language pathologist and two occupational therapists. The Sensory Spoon focuses on the development of self-feeding with infants as young as 7 months old. Its unique characteristics include a short, textured handle that offers sensory input to the palm for grasping, a natural “stop” that prevents gagging or deep insertion into the mouth, and a flexible, smooth texture.

The Smartmax My 1st Dinosaurs are a fun, puzzle like activity; each of the soft dinosaur pieces easily click together with magnets. Attendees were impressed with how easily the pieces clicked together. With the Smartmax My 1st Dinosaurs children can build five dinosaurs or they can use their imagination to mix and match for some crazy prehistoric creations.

Just Take a Bite: Easy Effective Answers to Food Aversions and Eating Challenges is the classic book for both feeding specialists and families with picky eaters alike. This book provides clear and concise strategies, and practical lessons for assisting children in eating a balanced diet. This valuable resource contains a comprehensive treatment plan for solving mealtime struggles.

Giveaways!

Therapro loves giveaways; at MEIC 2023 we had so many things to give to attendees.

Prizes! It wouldn’t be a conference without prizes. We brought along a functionalhand, a set of EazyHolds, and a Two Minute Turtle Toothbrush Timer to giveaway. Pro Tip: Attendees loved our idea for using the Turtle Timer as a handwashing timer, simply use the lights to cue washing the palms of the hands, the top of the left hand, the top of the right hand, and the fingers.

Resources! One of the core beliefs we have at Therapro is that achieving therapeutic goals is not only about the use of products, but also about the resources that educate consumers on the uniqueness and rationale behind the products. Therapro’s Handguides are one of the many free resources we have available. At MEIC 2023 Therapro’s What Can I Adapt? Handy Guide and Choose Your Chew! Handy Guide were well received by attendees.

The MEIC 2023 conference was full of highlights! Attendees a big thank you for the warm reception we received, we enjoyed talking to you all! The Therapro team is looking forward to MEIC 2024.

Therapy Activities On A Budget: Rapper Snappers

October 6, 2022Activities, Autism, Body Awareness, Early Intervention, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Occupational Therapy, Oral Motor, Sensorimotor, Strength & Rehabactivity ideas, fine motor, hand skills, Occupational Therapy, OT, physical therapy, pop tubes, rapper snapper, sensoryAllyson Locke, M.S., OTR/L

Rapper Snappers are a multi functional therapy tool perfect for creating fun, budget friendly therapy activities! In this post, Physical Therapist and creator of the ABCs of Movement, Laurie Gombash, PT, M.Ed, shared five different ways to use Rapper Snappers (also known as Pop Tubes) as a therapeutic tool. Be sure to check out her video below!

Demonstration of rapper snapper activity: pulling a pink rapper snapper open

Arm Strengthening

Place hands on either end of the Rapper Snapper and pull! Work with the arms overhead to target shoulder strength or work with arms away from the body to target core strength. Target different muscles of the upper body by pulling in different directions. Try holding the rapper snapper in one hand, at hip level, and using the other hand to pull up and across the body. Alternatively, hold the rapper snapper at shoulder level and uses the other hand to pull down and across the body.

Pro Tip, using the fingers to scrunch the Rapper Snapper back to size is great for finger strengthening!

Self Regulation

Rapper Snappers are a fun way to learn about self regulation. Help kids visualize concepts like fast breathing or rapid heart beat by opening and closing the Rapper Snapper rapidly. Alternatively, demonstrate slow or rhythmic breathing by slowly pulling apart or closing the rapper snapper.

Pro Tip, the sound made by the Rapper Snappers as it is opening and closing provides great auditory feedback!

Demonstration of rapper snapper activity: squeezing a pink rapper snapper closed

Fine Motor & Motor Planning

Looking for a fun and engaging activity? Use Rapper Snappers to make a marble run! Bend and twist the Rapper Snapper to make a maze, drop the marble in, and let it run through. Using two or three fingers to grasp the marble and inserting it into the Rapper Snapper’s narrow opening is a great way to get the small muscles in the hand working. Planning a successful maze for the marble to run through takes planning abilities!

Pro Tip: This activity can be done holding the Rapper Snapper and moving the marble through or you can use Velcro or other adhesives to adhere Rapper Snappers to a wall or other vertical surface.

Demonstration of rapper snapper activity: blowing into a pink rapper snapper

Oral Motor

Shape the Rapper Snapper like a smile and try to imitate it with your lips, now flip it upside down to make a frown! Purse your lips, give a big blow, stick out your tongue! There are so many ways to use a Rapper Snapper to help build and strengthen oral musculature!

Academic Skills

Use the Rapper Snappers to build shapes, letters, and numbers. Connect multiple Rapper Snappers for bigger numbers or shapes. Work as a team to build a giant letter on the floor!

Rapper Snappers are a small, easy to transport, budget friendly tool that can be used across multiple settings and to target a variety of treatment goals making them the perfect tool when creating therapy activities on a budget!

Watch the Video!