Blog

Transitioning from daycare to preschool is one of the biggest milestones in any family and at TFK we feel that supporting children to make this transition successfully helps set the foundation for a lifetime of learning. All the people in your child’s life have a part to play in helping your child successfully navigate this…

At TFK we are constantly talking about tummy time for babies. There are so many reasons why tummy time is important, let’s start with: Brain Cognitive development Aware of environment Sensory integration Head – helps prevent flat head (plagiocephaly) Eyes Visual-motor perception Depth perception Allows follow through 180O Looking up Neck Strengthens neck muscles Improves…

Jumping develops once your toddler is walking, going up and down stairs, trotting, and walking on their toes. Toddlers begin to experiment with this from around 18 months. Jumping is important for a number of reasons: Balance: This is the first time 2 feet leave the ground at once. They first use dynamic balance where…

At TFK we love to see our babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers play posting games. It begins from about 12-15 months and involves dropping or “posting” objects into different containers (e.g. a bowl). Children still play posting games in more complex ways into preschool. Posting helps develop: Fine motor skills Finger dexterity Strength in arms Eye-hand…

Often at TFK you will hear a therapist say “Great crossing over” or “This week we’ll work on crossing the middle.” So, what is crossing the midline? It is easiest to think of the midline as an imaginary line down the middle of your child’s body from head to between their feet. Your child can…

Following up on last Monday’s blog post – “Benefits of pretend/imaginary play,” here is a table on how pretend play develops over time. First with children aged 12-18 months, then children aged 18-24 months, 24-30 months, 30-36 months, and 3-5 years.

A couple weeks ago I discussed the development of social play. This week I will discuss a type of play – pretend play. Pretend play is important throughout life and starts in infancy. As adults, we are constantly using imagination to solve problems, invent new things, enjoy a book or movie, to come up with…

A very different milestone this week for fun. This week is a milestone for TFK as we will be running our first intensive in Narrandera, plus it is my first visit to the clinic since it opened. I will be seeing many of the local clients over 3-4 days. In addition, I will be assisting…

Any activity that your child does (whether organised or unstructured) that they find fun is considered play. Play is much more than just having fun. While playing, your child learns and develops important skills they will continue to use throughout their lifetime. There are 6 stages of play during early childhood – all of which…

Over the past few months, I have been exploring developmental achievements of babies in the first 12-18 months in the areas of gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and language. Today, I’ll discuss walking, which is one of the major achievements in your baby’s life. The age at which babies walk varies considerably between children.…