Fun Exercises to Increase Babies Upper Body Strength and Coordination!

The following exercises are generally used from 6 months to 1.5 years old.  These 2 exercises were given by Marissa's occupational therapist to help strengthen her bodies' shoulders, arms and hands.  The exercises also help with hand coordination - so the hands can work as a team and help eye-hand coordination - helping the brain to coordinate information from the eyes to their hands. These skills are important in tasks such as tying shoes, catching a ball, drawing, pulling a wagon, keeping arms lifted and wheelbarrow walking.
Sticky Ball - wad up masking tape in a ball with the sticky side facing out.  Place on babies hands and arms and let them use their opposite hand to pull off the tape.  Do this on both sides - left and right hand and arm.  You can also use words such as pull, hand and arm while baby is pulling the tape off their hand or arm.  Scotch tape can be used in place of masking tape to make this easier.
Musical Pots - I haven't met a baby yet who doesn't enjoy this.  Turn on music and show your baby how to bang on a pot with your hand or with a spoon to the music.  Then let your baby have a go at it - using their hands, one or two spoons.  I also say bang bang bang when Marissa bangs on the pot.
Have fun!

These exercises are from Handprints by Valerie Pieraccini and Darla K. Vance

Kids Beyond Limits - a book review !!!

I wanted to encourage all you parents out there to read Kids Beyond Limits by Anat Baniel.  When I found out our sweet pea had a rare genetic condition I did not know where to begin to help her reach her full potential and this book has been such a great guide.  Some of the most crucial information I learned is to slow down.  Easier said then done! But when we slow down our movements and speech then we see subtle changes in our babes.  That is when I realized my sweet pea could sit by herself, even if just for a few seconds or that her arms were getting a little stronger day by day.  


By slowing down I also began to pay attention to when her learning switch was turned off or on.  When she looked at me - connected with me- I knew her switch was on.  When she showed interest and joy in something new - I knew her switch was on.  This is when I try to do her exercises or try something new with her.  When she is tired - the switch is off!  When she is crying - her brain really does not seem like it will process anything new.


So here is where I brag about our sweet pea Marissa!  Today I really stayed present with her - just watching her- when I came home from work.  We only had 30 minutes together but I saw for the first time she was taking blocks out of a bucket and putting them back in over and over again for 20 minutes.  I could tell she was focused and that her brain registered that she had done something new!  Before she would only take things out of the bucket and we could not for the life of us get her to put things in the bucket.  Our brains are truly amazing.  And we take them for granted but watching this amazing process really made me appreciate the subtle ways our brains can continually grow and how sometimes it takes very little for this to occur.  Just some love and attention and a little patience!