Tommy's play time

Playing with toys is the best part of the therapies for us. Tommy spends a lot of time playing with Mommy and Daddy and it could be one of the reasons Tommy is progressing very well. Tommy's hands and body coordination are getting better every week. When we play with Tommy we don't look for perfection because understanding the concept behind the game is the most important. Perfection will come later with practice. Following there are some things Tommy is doing with objects, which are appropriate for his age.
• Throw and pick objects

• Open and close drawers

• Take the stocking rings out of the pole and stocks two rings in the pole, Yahooo!.

• Drop things into containers. The video below shows when Tommy was learning to drop in.

• Empty and fill containers. He needs more practice in filling the containers.

• Activate switches on the three button pop-up toy, activity table, little leaps video game control, and other toys. As an additional activity, he turns the light off his room. He likes to activate the peek-a-boo books with animal and transportation sounds.

• Spin whiles. For example, he began to spin the phone disk toy with his index finger.

• Pouring water in the bathtub, but he needs more practice. We are working on pouring into and out of containers.

• Put objects through openings. He is occasionally dropping the coins in the opening of his piggy bank toy. He likes more to move the coin up and down in the opening. We keep working on this game.

• Take pieces apart. He takes starts apart and pull the cord of his bathtub toy, but he needs more practice to put pieces together.

• Blow bubbles in the water when he drinks from a straw or from an open cup. This is a great emerging skill because it is the beginning to blow with a bubble blower.

• Manipulate simple locking devices. For example, he opens shoeboxes.


• Kick, throw and catch the ball. He perfectly understands the concept. One his therapist was amazed how precise is Tommy by kicking the ball, even although he is not walking yet. He is also trying to catch the ball, but it's too fast for him. Therefore, we use a balloon instead to play catching the ball. He likes to throw he ball to anyone who plays with him.

• Place objects in upright position. Tommy place his bubble maker toy in an upright position when it falls.

• Build a tower of blocks. Tommy is building a tower of two boxes. Tommy likes empty boxes more than his stacking blocks.

We are working on Tommy's playing skills and we would like to hear your advises, ideas, or activities that we can try to stimulate him. Please feel free to leave your comments in this blog or send me an email.