The new school year is off to a great start! Staff and students have come back refreshed from the summer and excited to work and learn. During therapy sessions, your child works to develop underlying motor skills and improve performance on specific school-related activities, such as handwriting and typing. I thought I’d take the time to remind parents of the importance of working on these skills at home. Many OT activities are game-based so they are fun and can be incorporated into playtime. Practice of functional skills (handwriting, typing, etc.) should be done in frequent, short sessions (several times a week for 3-10 minutes). I realize that life is busy; however, just practicing letter formation or keyboarding for 3 minutes a few times a week can make a huge difference! I cannot stress enough the importance of frequent home practice for maintenance, improvement, and carryover of skills. I have noted a significant difference in the skill development of children who consistently participate in activities at home and those who do not.