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Messy play is a crucial part of a child’s learning and development. Children have an innate drive to explore and this exploration can come with a mess. This mess, while it can be off-putting for some is providing the child with opportunities to learn through their senses, build fine and gross motor skills, encourage problem solving, inspire language development, foster creativity and exploration, and promote the ability to play independently, and this is just naming a few of the many benefits.

Despite the many benefits some parents still struggle with the ability to let their child engage in messy play. Full disclosure I am one of those parents! My type A personality makes it extremely difficult for me to sit back, relax, and enjoy the mess. My brain starts racing and my hands itch to wipe and clean. I find this a huge irony given the career I chose, but the reality is that I have learned to love the mess because I have seen the benefits.

If you yourself find messy play a little cringe-worthy, please know you are not alone. It can often be more challenging for a parent then it is for the child. Here are a few tips you might be able to add to your toolbox to help you better embrace the mess.

Educate yourself– The good old saying “knowledge is power” really is true! Educate yourself on why messy play is important for your child. Knowing the reasoning, research, and science behind it can sometimes make it more tolerable.
Practice practice practice– The more you let your child get messy the easier it will become for you. You do not have to dive all in, start with small time periods and small messes.
Set a designated time and use a timer-I find a good time period to start is before bath, that way you know that the mess will only be temporary. Better yet let the messy play activity happen in the empty bathtub, the clean up is super simple and convenient. Use a timer to help you know how much longer until child is mess free. Timers are also a great way to help children with transitioning to the next task.
Set a designated area– This helps not only you, but your child know there is a designated area for messy play and makes the situation more predictable for you which can be comforting. It is OK to set boundaries around messy. (invest in some cheap shower curtain liners to throw on the floor)
Move messy play outdoors– Personally I am a lot more open to let my kids have free reign over mess when they are outside.. a lot less clean up for mom. An added benefit is nature is your built in sensory playground so let your child simply explore outside and know they are reaping many benefits. 
Use big storage bins or baby pools-This helps a lot to contain the mess which can help cut down on your anxiety. This also provides kids with a visual boundary of where you expect the activity to occur.
Look into a sensory box subscription– This can be a wonderful option. There are so many options available. Many have the option to receive a different sensory box each month. This way someone else does all the gathering of materials, everything comes in it’s own nice little organize box, and has a great storage container for easy clean up. It takes a lot of the guess work out.
Know your limit– You may be OK with dry rice and beans getting on the floor(vacuum those suckers right up) but shaving cream and paint may send you into full panic. Please don’t push yourself too far for you and your child’s well-being. After all knowing is half the battle, (wink wink).
Don’t be afraid to pass the torch– Look guys the reality is that no matter what you do or how you set up the environment there are still some people who just can’t tolerate the mess, in the environment or on their child and that’s OK. Your emotional and mental health are number one! It’s perfectly fine to designate this task to another caregiver who has more tolerance( hello fun Aunt we see you)! Remember it takes a village, people!

I hope this information was useful and to all my fellow mess-avoiders, I see you, I was you, Hang in there….YOU GOT THIS.

What is “W”sitting?
When a child sits with their bottom on the floor and their legs bent behind and out to the sides, if you look from above child it looks like the letter W.

Is it bad for my child to sit like this?
First, this position can be a transitional position and many kids go through this position to get to another or will briefly sit like this before moving to another position. It is also quite common in kids under age 2. This is perfectly fine!! Please don’t panic if you see your child occasionally sitting like this! It is not “bad” just not recommend/preferred

Why is it not recommended?
-mechanically it can cause tightness in hip flexors, hamstrings, hip rotators and adductors
-it makes it hard to cross midline during play, a crucial skill in development
-hard for child to develop hand preference/dominance
-limits trunk rotation/movement which helps to strengthen the core/trunk
-delays in transitions in and out of certain postures

Why does my child sit like this?
There are several possible reasons, here are a few…
-provides a wide base of support so children who have weak core/trunk tend to prefer this position because it’s easy
-ligamentous laxity that causes a child to feel insecure in positions where joints are not “locked out “
-a child who has vestibular sensitivity may prefer this position because not a lot of movement happens
-spasticity/increase in tone and/or shortened muscle lengths

When should I be correcting it and how?
-if “W” sitting is child’s preferred way of sitting. If every time child is on the floor, you see them in this position or if they have trouble maintaining other positions than “W” sitting or if they sit and stay in this position…that’s when we encourage some alternative positions and/or seeking out professional advice. Again NOT if your child occasionally goes through or in and out of this position throughout the day.

Alternative positions:
-side sitting sitting/“Z” sitting
-criss cross
-ring sitting
-long sitting
-tall kneel
-half kneel
-prone (on tummy)
-in a small chair/couch cushion
-in a bucket/laundry basket/box(no room to w-sit

What is crossing midline?
Imagine someone draws an imaginary line down the center of your body that divides your body in half. Crossing midline refers to the arms, legs, and eyes ability to cross that imaginary line and complete tasks.
So why is this skill important?
Crossing midline promotes the connection and communication between the two hemispheres of the brain. Being able to cross midline and use both sides of the body together is crucial for development and helps us be able to complete everyday tasks like: reading, writing, brushing teeth, dressing, putting on socks and shoes, tying shoes, hitting a ball with bat. The list goes on and on, which is why this skill is so important and why we want to begin and continue to promote this skill.
-around 2-3 months babies start crossing midline with their eyes when they visually track objects from side to side
-around 6-9 months babies begin banging objects together, reaching across body, and transferring objects from hand to hand crossing over that imaginary line.
-crossing midline skills continue to improve and happen with more ease as children get older and by age 4 should be easily crossing midline (if not sooner) and skills continue to mature with age
Some things you may notice if your child is  has difficulty crossing midline:
-they may struggle with self-care tasks that are age appropriate… many self care tasks require both hands and crossing midline
-switching back and forth between hands/feet during an activity to avoid one hand/foot crossing over midline… Keep in mind it is normal for younger children to switch between hands/feet in fact we encourage equal use of hands and legs early on.
-a possible delay in rolling
-a possible delay in reciprocal movement patterns such as creeping/crawling, skipping
-a possible delay in hand dominance-if child isn’t spontaneously crossing midline they are not getting in the repeated practice to develop fine motor skills/dexterity
-child may rotate/turn their body/trunk to get an object instead of simply reaching their arm across their body

Ways to prepare and promote crossing midline with babies:
*most are meant to promote the skills needed before child can cross midline
-visual tracking exercises.. baby’s vision is not clear at beginning, their biggest motivators are usually you, high contrast colors, and mirrors…
-side lying play- have your baby lie on their side and play, this helps babies bring  hands together at midline
-rolling….our bodies will follow our heads so use tracking to promote rolling. Take baby through the motions of rolling even if they cannot do it on their own… this is how they learn and how the brain makes the connections. Try rolling them in/out of diaper changes/tummy time for practice throughout the day
-stretching/nursery rhyme play.. again taking baby through movement patterns is the best way for their brains/bodies to learn. Show them how to grab a foot with their opposite hand or cross their arms as if they are giving themselves a bear hug, recite “this little piggy” having the baby reach their toes with the opposite hand or both hands..get creative and silly here! Your baby will love the social engagement and learn about how their body has 2 sides.
-encourage clapping, pat-a-cake, and banging 2 objects together. Simultaneously bringing hands to midline is the precursor to using one hand to cross over and helps the baby become aware that they have 2 sides of the body that can work together.
-ball play… when baby can sit, rolling a ball is a perfect way to encourage  bringing hands together..if you roll the ball to either side of them it encourages them to reach crossing midline to grab the ball..also place bigger toys to the side so babies have to reach over with both hands.
-music…babies naturally move to music.. give them some instruments/scarves to bang, shake and play again promoting bringing hands to midline and using both hands together
-core strengthening..it is important to note that core strength is a prerequisite for so many skills including this one! So keep up the tummy time, baby sit-ups, bicycling with feet
-don’t forget vertical play! (info on this is in a previous blog post)

Activities to promote crossing midline for toddlers and up..there are so many, but here are a few of our favs:
-infinity loop-a figure 8 turned on its side ♾. There are million ways to use this. Tape on floor and drive cars on it…put on horizontal surface(window/wall) let kids trace with crayons/fingers…place letters/shapes along the outside and call out a shape/letter for kids to find as they trace around the loop.. possibility are endless with the ♾
-Simon says/movement games/twister- great way to get kids to imitate or initiate movements that cross midline, include things like cross-crawls, touch right hand to left leg, etc
-Letters/shapes in air- take turns drawing big shapes/letters in air and guess what they are. Use big movements that cross midline
-Yoga- Cosmic kids yoga is a fun guided option on YouTube. Also yoga pretzels and yogarilla cards are a great guide as well, both found on amazon
-Use bigger objects-playing with bigger items such as large balls and blocks forces a child to have to hold the item with both hands/feet naturally crossing midline when moving the item to different positions
-Prone(tummy)play-child will have to stabilize themselves with one arm while reaching to play with other
-Coloring/painting on big surfaces-kiddos will naturally use big motor movements therefore crossing midline
-Two-hand play-give child something to hold in one hand while the other hand works..think holding a cup while picking up items scattered across floor(use  tongs for bonus😉)
-Passing in a circle/down the line-great for groups..pass larger items down a line or in a circle using feet/hands.
-Grapevine or carioca gait pattern- includes side stepping and alternating crossing other leg over in the front and behind encourages the legs to cross midline.
-Stickers-this provides a great visual for kids…place a sticker on the hand/foot you want the kid to use or place 2 matching stickers on opposite sides of body(right hand/left knee) have child match the stickers(great to teach cross crawls)
-think about set-up-you can incorporate crossing midline in almost in activity, let your creativity soar!

Vertical play? You might be asking what is vertical play? How do you perform vertical play? Well we are here to share with you how to make this possible with your little ones. Vertical play is exactly what it sounds like. It is play on an upright surface instead of on a flat or horizontal table top or floor. We simply move the activity or motivation tool use for play onto a surface that bring their eye gaze forward and up instead of downward
Part one-we are focusing on babies through 1”ish” year. Move your baby’s motivation to a vertical surface, here are some reasons why:
-For infants
Putting a toy on a vertical surface for tummy time play moves their line of vision up helping facilitate pushing up on forearms and hands and when they reach for the toy it is also a good way to encourage weight shifting, a skill needed for rolling and crawling. Another important use of vertical play is eye alignment. For babies with poor head positioning (torticollis) changes in eye alignment can be associated with the head tilt, therefore vertical work can help orient eyes to proper vertical alignment while in supported posture before advancing to unsupported postures.
-For sitters
It is a good way to help with trunk extension and elongation encouraging independent sitting. It can also be used to facilitate righting and protective reactions(how babies bring themselves back to midline or catch themselves when falling). For more advanced sitters you can use it to encourage trunk rotation and crossing midline
-For babies 6 mo+
it can be used for a tall-kneeling( when the child is bearing weight through knees with bottom in air) activities. Great for building strength in core, hips, and bottom all needed in the progression to walking. Kneeling>Pull to stand>standing>cruising>walking. It can also be an alternative position for tummy time/crawling if your child is really struggling with those positions. They are still putting weight through upper extremities when pushing against the surface and shifting weight to play similar to what they would do on the floor. This can also be a good position for babies showing vestibular sensitivity since their head doesn’t move planes in this position.
-For kiddos pulling up
it is more challenging to pull up on a flat vertical surface then something like a couch or coffee table. Place desired objects just out of reach to encourage a more challenging way to pull up and get them closer to independent standing

Toddlers and up…
The reasons we love vertical surface play for babies are a lot of the same reasons we love it for older kiddos too along with so much more. Now we can also branch out more with the activities we do.
The reasons we love it:
-arm and shoulder strengthening
-core/trunk strengthening and elongation
-can strengthen hips and glutes when in tall kneel
-promotes proper head and neck position and even neck extension- this is important for our school age kiddos who are looking down at their papers and books all day with neck in a flexed position
-improves visual skills/eye hand coordination
-crossing midline connecting both sides of the brain
-encourages bilateral use and coordination
-working on a larger surface area requires more reaching, stretching, and movement of the shoulder and arm. This supports the natural progression of fine motor skills which start with large movement and becomes more refined
-encourages wrist extension promoting proper grasp on writing utensils

Activities or tools we love to use:
-Coloring and painting on easels, chalkboards, windows, sliding doors, paper taped to wall
-magnet play
-felt boards
-Suction cup toys.. we love squigz and suction kupz from fatbrain
-window stickers
-shaving cream play in windows
-letting kids help clean windows
-let kids do homework on a vertical surface
-use a short stool to work on sit to stand or balance having child place one for on stool
-have child sit on an exercise ball or peanut ball to promote even more core strengthening and righting reactions/balance skills
-standing on a balance board or uneven surface
-you can even work in prone(on tummy) with the activity on the vertical surface. Child can lay on floor, therapy ball, scooter board.
The list goes on and on but I hope this gets your brain thinking about ways to encourage vertical play with your littles!
Happy motivational Monday! Hope these help!

 I started thinking about what a special time this Holiday season is but also how stressful it can be if you have a child with sensory processing challenges. I felt inclined to write a post on some simple ways that could help…

-Prepare them as best you can for what the day holds in store. Explain to them what the day will look like. During play act out some of the events that will happen and things they may be able to do that can help them from becoming overstimulated. Visuals are an excellent tool so you could use a visual schedule or color out some of scenarios with your child. Anything that helps your child to become more familiar with the day ahead.

-“But first heavy work” I’m sure there are many that have heard this phrase! Try to provide your child with opportunities to get in heavy work especially before going to the place that may overstimulate them. Have them help you carry and push items, do a mini obstacle course that involves crawling, jumping, rolling, etc. remember that the effects from sensory input like this does not last all day so try to remember to give them opportunities throughout the busy day. Try an animal walk race, jumping contest, or simply jumping jacks. I also like to tell my kids to see if they can push the wall over, they get great prop input pushing against the wall.

-Try to bring or have some simple “tools” that can help your child. A few favs-crazy straws-these are a great way for your child to get proprioceptive input especially during meal time, drinking from these is heavy work! Gum-if your child is able to chew gum safely it’s a great little tool to keep around again providing heavy work that we may not think of. Small fidget toys/squeeze or stress balls-these are a good way to keep children busy if excepted to sit at table. Weighted lap blankets or vibrating huggable stuffed animals-these items that can sit on child’s lap and provide comfort and calming.

-Let them have a quiet/safe place to go that is removed from the overstimulating area. Show and tell them about this place ahead of time. Have a few items there for the child that are calming and re-organizing. Things you may include in the space..dim lighting, calming music or silence, weighted blankets/compression blankets, fidget toys , a crash pad, a soothing light tool like a salt lamp or lava lamp. It may be necessary for you to take time and go to this safe place with your child to help them calm and recollect.

-Remember no matter what it is ALWAYS ok to remove you and your child from a situation that is causing sensory overload. If you decide to leave the event all together then give yourself credit for knowing what your child needed at that time. If you decide to stay some things you can try….take your child outside or in a quiet room and do some deep breathing exercises or simply blow some bubbles, provide them with some bear hugs and calming squeezes to help them calm. Let them take the time they need to clam and recollect.

If the Holiday Season is a time that brings more anxiety than joy for you and your family please know you are not alone! We hope that the community we are building here can help provide you with resources and connect you with others that can relate.