New Course: Reflective Practice

After taking on The Pocket OT and rebranding to The Therapeutic Edge, we became excited about the possibilities of bringing on new course instructors!  We are excited to announce and introduce our first new instructor, Andrew Klein, MS, OTR/L and his upcoming course, “Reflective Practice in Peds: Becoming your most confident practitioner-self.” Ever feel self-doubt […]

How confident are you with testing primitive reflexes?

Did anyone else graduate from school only to feel that their education around primitive reflexes was lacking?  You aren’t alone if you feel that way (Psst…spoiler alert, scroll to the bottom for a link to a course that can change this for you).  As a pediatric occupational therapist, I have made a habit of assessing […]

20 (therapeutic) Summer Activities

20 summer fun activities for kids with and without special needs. Work on fine motor, gross motor, sensory, letters, scissors/cutting, and more with the tips in this post by The Pocket Occupational Therapist

Teaching Idioms

It’s Raining Cats and Dogs! Idioms or phrases that cannot be understood through their literal meaning can be rather confusing for students with language difficulties. Teaching children and students common idioms can help them navigate verbal communication with adults and peers as well as improve their writing skills. My sons had SUCH a difficult time […]

5 Ways to Add Movement to Learning

Sit Still and Pay Attention! How many times have we heard this in our lives? I know my generation was expected to sit without fidgeting or moving during learning activities. If we didn’t, there was punishment or reprimand. Unfortunately, things are changing and research has shown that movement and brain breaks should be built into […]

What Are Pre-Writing Skills?

What are pre-writing skills and why does my child need them? Babies are born with hands that are curled up and only reflexively grasp their caregiver’s finger. Through practice and play they quickly learn that their actions cause their toy to light up or their body to move around in space. The hands become stronger […]

5 OT Tips for Boosting Productivity

OT is BOOMING! We are in demand and are showing our unique value.   Occupational therapy is growing by leaps and bounds and it’s a beautiful thing! As an educator, I see how excited students are about entering OT. There’s also no shortage of children awaiting much-needed services. Therapists show how beautiful it is to use […]

Tuesday’s TOY of the Week – Tweezers

Cool TWEEZERs are Tuesday’s TOY of the Week! Fine motor skills are important, but we cannot start to practice cutting until a child’s hand is ready. Instead, we use play-based activities to build muscle memory and coordination needed for future functional use in school and life. One of the most fun activities for kids is […]

5 Tips to Celebrate Occupational Therapy Month!

HAPPY OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MONTH! OT Month is a time to reflect and celebrate the unique value of our profession. There’s so much to learn and share when it comes to our work in all settings! We can even start community programs and work in telehealth! Here are 5 Tips to help celebrate OT Month this […]