Find fun activities and expert advice to strengthen fine motor skills, handwriting, pencil control, hand strength, and everyday independence.
Find fun activities and expert advice to strengthen gross motor skills, balance, coordination, core strength, and confidence for everyday movement, play, and participation.
A playroom full of toys might seem like the perfect environment for play, but for some children with ADHD, too many choices can make it harder to know where to start, stay engaged or pack away afterwards. Toy rotation is a simple strategy that reduces visual clutter and creates a more manageable play environment. In this blog, our Occupational Therapists at The Therapy Network explore how toy rotation can support attention, creativity, executive functioning and independent play — without taking the fun out of playtime.
Screens are now part of everyday childhood — from educational apps and online learning to favourite shows, gaming and video calls with family. But children also need opportunities to climb, create, move, imagine, explore and connect with the people and world around them. From an Occupational Therapy perspective, the goal isn’t to label screens as “good” or “bad”. It’s about creating a healthy balance so technology complements, rather than replaces, the real-world experiences children need for development. In this TTN OT Insight, our Occupational Therapists explore why play and movement matter, signs that screen use may be crowding out other important activities, and practical ways families can build healthier technology habits into everyday life.
A child can show us so much in a therapy room—but sometimes the missing piece of the puzzle is seeing them in the place where they spend much of their week: school. From managing classroom routines and playground friendships to coping with noise, organising belongings, starting tasks and regulating big emotions, school places many demands on a child at once. From an Occupational Therapist’s perspective, seeing these everyday moments firsthand can provide incredibly valuable insight into what is helping a child participate—and what might be getting in the way. In this TTN OT Insight, we explore why our Occupational Therapists work in schools, what we are looking for during a school visit, and how collaboration between therapists, educators and families can help children feel more confident, capable and included throughout their school day.
One of the most exciting milestones parents celebrate is watching [...]
Have you ever noticed your child swapping hands while colouring, turning the whole page instead of moving their arm, or using one hand for almost every task? While these behaviours may seem insignificant, they can sometimes point to an important developmental skill that is still emerging—crossing the midline. Crossing the midline is one of the building blocks for handwriting, reading, sports, self-care, and coordinated movement. It allows both sides of the body—and the brain—to work together efficiently. When this skill develops well, children move more smoothly, learn more easily, and tackle everyday tasks with greater confidence. At The Therapy Network (TTN), Occupational Therapists regularly assess and support midline crossing as part of a child's overall motor development, helping children strengthen the foundations they need for learning, independence and participation.
Many parents worry when they notice their child holding a pencil differently from their peers. But did you know that pencil grasp develops gradually through a series of predictable stages? In this blog, our paediatric occupational therapists explain how pencil grasp evolves, what is considered typical at different ages, common misconceptions, and when it may be helpful to seek support. Learn how strength, coordination, posture, and play all contribute to successful handwriting.
Movement Is the Brain's Favourite Teacher Children don't learn best [...]
When people think about developing hand strength, they often picture endless handwriting practice or repetitive exercises. The good news is that children build stronger hands best through play. Every time they squeeze, pinch, pull, twist, climb, build, or create, they're strengthening the muscles needed for writing, dressing, eating, and becoming more independent. At The Therapy Network (TTN), we believe that the best therapy often looks like play. Our Occupational Therapists help children build strong, capable hands through fun, meaningful activities that fit naturally into everyday family life.
When families hear the word assessment, it's easy to imagine tests, scores and comparisons. But the Adaptive Behaviour Assessment System (ABAS) is very different. Rather than measuring intelligence or academic achievement, it helps Occupational Therapists understand how children manage the everyday skills that support independence, participation and quality of life. From getting dressed and communicating with others to following routines and participating in the community, the ABAS provides valuable insights into what life looks like beyond the clinic. At The Therapy Network (TTN), we use the ABAS as part of comprehensive Functional Capacity Assessments (FCAs) to better understand each child's strengths, identify areas where support may be needed, and develop meaningful recommendations that help children thrive at home, school and in the community.
When families begin the NDIS process, one of the biggest surprises is the number of questionnaires involved in a Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA). It's natural to wonder why they're needed. The answer is simple: the NDIS doesn't fund a diagnosis—it funds the impact that diagnosis has on everyday life. One of the key evidence-based tools Occupational Therapists use to understand this impact is the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0). In this blog, we explain what the WHODAS measures, why it plays such an important role in Functional Capacity Assessments, and how it helps families, therapists and the NDIS gain a clearer understanding of a person's strengths, challenges and support needs.
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