Encouraging Connection: Understanding Your Child’s Movement and Development

ByHomeschool OT

If you walked into my living room during handwriting time, you wouldn’t see row after row of kids quietly forming letters in identical lined notebooks. Instead, you’d find a rhythm all our own. Children turning circles across the rug, a tunnel of couch cushions ready for kids, and yes someone always wondering aloud, “Why are we doing this, again?”

This organized chaos may not sound picturesque, but it’s exactly the kind of environment where developmental magic happens.

Watching the Way They Move

Tiffany reminded us that “an occupation is anything that occupies your time.” Whether your child is building elaborate block towers or struggling to tie their shoes, their movement patterns tell a story. She watches for cues in the way a child rollicks about the playground, compensates during play, or settles at a table, interpreting these tiny details as clues to underlying strengths and needs.

For parents, this means slowing down to watch: Does your child often bump into things? Always walk on their toes? Move their entire body when writing or drawing? These visible signs can be hints to deeper sensory or motor processes at play.

Just as not every co-op sewing session unfolds with tranquil grace, not every milestone is reached at the same time or in the same way. Maybe your child skipped crawling or rolled less as a baby—these may seem minor, but they can ripple out into challenges with reading, writing, and even managing big emotions.

Linking Playfulness to Progress

If you think “occupational therapy” means rote exercises or endless remediation, Tiffany offers an encouraging perspective: “Almost never do I work on handwriting in treatment.” Instead, it’s about building those big foundational skills—core strength, awareness of space, and integration between left and right sides—through play and everyday tasks.

In our group, that looks like vertical surface activities (think painter’s tape on walls or chalk outside), crawling races, and even “cleaning” the floorboards (an excuse for under-the-table movement!). Some kids gravitate naturally toward these activities; others need them gently woven into daily routines like reaching for laundry, hopping to fetch a book, or making big arm circles before sitting down to work.

Are all of these children at the same developmental level? Not at all. But, much like our handicraft sessions, “all were being exposed to a new activity and simultaneously building underlying skills.” Sometimes the adaptations are obvious, sometimes playful and hidden, but always in service of connection.

Encouragement for Every Parent

Maybe you sometimes feel overwhelmed and wondering if your child’s quirks hint at something more, unsure how to help without turning life into therapy. Take heart: you’re not alone.

Tiffany encourages parents to make these types of activities part of the family routine, to model a “we can do hard things” attitude, and to reassure children that support is about making life smoother, not “fixing” them. If you’re lost in a sea of resources, seek recommendations from trusted therapists or curated platforms—she’s shared gems like Harkla, and, yes, our own parent resources too.

Just as our co-op adapts tasks to kids at all levels, your family can adapt developmental supports to what works for you. Start small. Watch your child. Celebrate progress—messy, silly, or unexpected as it may be.

Adaptations to Try:

  • Crawling relays (yes, even with older kids!)
  • Vertical art or games: painter’s tape, chalkboard, sticky notes
  • Scooter board scavenger hunts
  • Hand “warm-ups” before writing (finger tapping, squeezing play dough, tracing letters in the air)
  • Household chores as movement breaks: laundry, floor cleaning, carrying groceries

Remember, “children adapt so easily, but if we can recognize [where they’re working extra hard], we can make everyday tasks easier and more enjoyable.” Whether your homeschool looks like structured lessons or a swirl of movement and laughter, trust that these small investments will build skills that last.

OT is IN #78: How Movement Influences Learning: OT Insights for Parents

This week I sat down with Tiffany Parsons, a pediatric occupational therapist and homeschooling mom with a deep passion for supporting families outside of traditional school settings. Tiffany shares her unique journey from clinic-based therapy to homeschooling her twin boys, and how that experience inspired her to bridge the gap for homeschool, micro school, and private school communities seeking occupational therapy resources.

We break down what occupational therapy really is, how parents can identify if their child might benefit from OT support, and why movement and developmental milestones—like crawling and rolling are so crucial to a child’s learning and emotional wellbeing. We discuss practical ways parents can observe their child’s movement to spot potential challenges, creative activities to support development (hint: it’s not just about handwriting worksheets!), and friendly, hands-on advice for making therapeutic activities a natural part of everyday life at home.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

  • Tiffany’s background as a pediatric occupational therapist
  • Experience in outpatient clinics and decision to homeschool her twin boys
  • Recognition of limited OT resources for homeschool, micro school, and private Christian school families
  • Initial challenges in offering therapy services to families unaware of OT benefits
  • Shift toward educating parents and educators through in-services
  • Defining Occupational Therapy and Identifying Needs
  • Tiffany’s broad definition of “occupation” for children
  • Explanation of how OT addresses all areas affecting a child’s quality of life: play, academics, self-help skills
  • Observing and Understanding Movement in Children
  • Tiffany’s perspective on observing children’s movement as an indicator of nervous system and brain function
  • Developmental Milestones and the Link to Functional Challenges
  • Importance of achieving developmental milestones in order
  • Example symptoms: emotional regulation difficulties, picky eating, sleep issues
  • The connection between early movement and later struggles
  • The neurological connection between spinal rotation, brain processing, and self-regulation
  • Simple assessments (e.g., ask a child to turn while standing, observe ability to cross midline)
  • The Critical Role of Crawling
  • Relevance of crawling, despite changes in pediatric milestone recommendations
  • Developmental foundation offered by crawling: proprioception, bilateral integration, ocular motor skills
  • The impact of crawling on hand-eye coordination, depth perception, and learning readiness
  • What to do if a child didn’t crawl or only crawled briefly
  • Creative and functional ways to encourage crawling behaviors at any age
  • Practical difficulties: shifting focus between near/far tasks, copying from board to paper
  • How underdeveloped crawling or movement can impact visual and physical skills needed for reading and writing
  • Tips for parents to frame OT-based activities as playful and family-wide, not “fixes” for deficits
  • The importance of making adaptations natural, fun, and group-oriented
  • Handwriting Without Handwriting
  • Why direct handwriting practice is often less effective than movement and play-based activities
  • Vertical surface activities, Play-Doh, and other proximal (core/shoulder) to distal (hand/finger) strengthening
  • How developmental readiness and explicit instruction should be balanced

Links and Resources From Today’s Show

Connect With Our Guest, Tiffany Parsons

Tiffany is a pastors wife, bonus mom, twin mom, homeschool mom and pediatric occupational therapist. She is a 2014 graduate from West Virginia University. She is passionate about educating others on what occupational therapy is and how it can benefit the lives of not only children but the family as a whole.

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