Author Archives: lizwharton

About lizwharton

I am an occupational therapist working with preschool children for Toledo Public Schools in Ohio. I have spent more than 20 years as an OT for special needs children, helping them face the challenges of mastering dexterity, eye/hand coordination, fine motor skills and gross motor skills. I also serve on the Occupational Therapist Assistant Advisory Board for Owens Community College. As one of the co-owners of Createable Learning Concepts, it is very rewarding for me to know that many children are benefiting from the products that we create.

How do I get children involved in fine motor play?

Several people have asked me, “How do you get children involved in fine motor activities?” Fine motor activities are important since they assist with developing skills needed for reading and writing.  We do know that most boys tend to prefer … Continue reading

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Getting Hands Ready for Work and Play

For some children, they are not sure “where” their hands may be.  This will cause difficulty for the child when they use their hands in play and teacher selected activities.  For all children, typical or children with special needs, it is a … Continue reading

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Happy New Year from Createable Learning Concepts!

Randy and I wish everyone a Happy New Year. People like you have helped make 2010 a successful year for us, and we hope that 2011 brings you all the best year ever! Happy New Year! And if any of … Continue reading

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Crossing the Midline: Brain Exercise for Children

During play and activities a child may need to reach for an item that requires them to cross their midline.  Crossing the midline may involve the arm or leg crossing their body from one side to the other, such as … Continue reading

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Hand Dominance During Fine Motor Activities

Hand dominance during fine motor activities should be determined by what is most natural for the child. Care should be taken not to try to influence the child in making this choice. Continue reading

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Cuttables Activity Books

Randy and I were asked if we would write an activity guide that could be used with our Cuttables and Traceables products. We decided to draw upon the advice and assistance of a wonderful teacher, Lori Berry, who has her … Continue reading

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Create-a-Picture Interactive Game

Working as a therapist in a school setting I have noticed that some children, whether they are special needs or not, look perplexed when asked “let’s draw a picture” or “would you like to draw a picture?”. They look back … Continue reading

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NAEYC 2010 Conference – Thank You!

Randy and I want to thank everyone who dropped by our booth to learn about our products. It was wonderful meeting everyone, and all I can say is that it was over way too soon! We are just now getting … Continue reading

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Cuttables – Assistive Cutting Devices Help Blind Children

Some special needs children are blind children. The learning difficulties they face are unique, but when they successfully accomplish a goal, it gives them a sense of self-confidence that will benefit them in future endeavors. More information at http://createablelearningconcepts.com. Continue reading

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New Blog for Special Needs Kids’ Tools, Toys and Games

Createable Learning Concepts has a new blog to discuss special needs children, and tools, toys, and games that can help them become more successful. More info can be found at http://www.CreateableLearningConcepts.com. Continue reading

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