Self-regulation directly impacts children’s success in all areas of development. As an occupational therapist, I often work with children who demonstrate disinterest in academic tasks, struggle with attention and focus, and have difficulty managing the world around them. These children might have intense emotions and undesirable behaviors and are often misunderstood. Conversely, some children might appear withdrawn, quiet, and uninvolved. All these children struggle with self-regulation.
What is Self-Regulation?
We often think of self-regulation as impulse control, emotional control, self-management, or self-efficacy. Self-regulation is coping and managing sensory information, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors to produce acceptable, positive, and socially appropriate responses.
Moreover;
“Self-regulation is learning to regulate one’s own physical, emotional, and cognitive processes in healthy, proactive ways to be successful across several domains of life.” (B. Chapin, Self-Regulation Training, 2021)
Furthermore;
“Self-regulation is the ability to do what needs to be done to be optimal for the given situation. This includes regulating one’s sensory needs, emotions, and impulses to meet the demands of the environment, reach one’s goals, and behave in a socially appropriate way.” (The Zones of Regulation, 2019).
Lastly;
“Self-regualtion refers to healthy, adaptive, and appropriate responses to internal and external events.” (B. Chapin, Self-Regulation Training, 2021
As we dive into the phenomenon of self-regulation, we quickly determine that self-regulation does not only relate to children. All of us are continually regulating ourselves by facing everyday challenges. When we encounter a difficult situation, we become less balanced and learn to control and organize our responses.
Effective Self-Regulation
Children who present good self-regulation are generally happy, calm, and collected. They plan and organize. They pay attention in class and exceed in learning and academic performance. Regulated kids make friends quickly and maintain positive social relationships. They listen, take turns, and share. They adjust appropriately to unexpected situations; they calm down quickly and handle frustration without outbursts. Regulated children have a much larger window of emotional flexibility and self-control. They know “right” from “wrong” and display proper judgment skills.
Dysregulation
Conversely, dysregulated peers struggle with what seems easy and natural to their regulated classmates. They have challenges initiating and completing schoolwork. They might need extended time to complete assignments and often need to remember to do homework; when they complete it, they forget to turn it in. They have difficulty staying focused or sitting still. These kids might be disruptive and impulsive in class; they blur out answers and need help waiting their turn.
Dysregulated kids are easily frustrated; they have difficulty thinking clearly and rationally in challenging situations. These children become overwhelmed by the environment or overreact to minor changes; their window of stress tolerance is small. They lose things, they blame others, and they avoid tasks. They do not adhere to rules, demonstrate maladaptive behaviors, and disturb classroom harmony.
Children who struggle with self-regulation might be impatient, rigid, and argumentative. They might shut down or withdraw. It is difficult for them to act appropriately in social situations; they do not make friends easily, and it might be challenging to maintain friendships when they do.
It takes a tremendous amount of energy to navigate a way through a highly demanding school day. These children often operate from a place of internal chaos, fear, and survival. They might shut down, become distracted, or act aggressively.
“Children will do well if they can. It is our job as responsible adults to help others navigate and remove barriers in their lives.” (Green & Ablon, 2006)
Many Children and Adults Struggle with Self-Regulation
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I work with children with many types of neurodevelopmental disorders (i.e., ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, and Intellectual and Learning Disabilities). Regardless of their type of disability, many of the children demonstrate challenges in self-regulation.
Furthermore, children with special needs are not the only ones who need to learn self-regulation skills. In fact, through my twenty-plus years of working in schools, there is a tremendous need to teach our children self-regulation skills. Educating children on facing everyday challenges and managing themselves in uncomfortable or threatening situations opens the door to success.
Hopefully, as adults, we have developed a healthy and acceptable way of coping with demanding life expectations and unpredictable, challenging spins. While some manage overwhelming frustrations and pressures better than others, we control our impulses and rely on our internal strategies to help us in difficult situations. Although, there might be times we struggle and regret our actions when we are dysregulated.
Need for Self-Regulation Education
Generally, our society places intense value on teaching children concrete academic skills. We teach children how to write and read. We teach them math and science. Yet, if a child does not behave well, we often provide consequences for misbehaving.
Self-regulation is an essential set of skills for success and happiness. Investing in teaching children self-regulation skills is a fundamental way to promote and influence academic success and reduce problem behaviors in the classroom.
Additionally, many general education teachers lack an understanding of self-regulation and do not have the skills to coach healthy behavioral skills. We cannot assume children have learned how to regulate their behaviors properly.
Often, we spend time and energy in unproductive places. We engage in power struggles, personally perceive students’ negative behaviors, and provide punitive consequences. We react instead of responding. Instead, we must provide safety, connection, support, kindness, and acceptance for the student to cope with the lack of regulatory ability.
Conclusion
Teaching self-regulation is a foundational aspect of child development that might often be overlooked. Self-regulation skills have been shown to improve academic performance, positive social interaction, physical health, and emotional wellness and directly impact a child’s success.
Thus, let’s help children gain control of their lives by offering guidance and support as they learn to manage their emotions and actions. It’s a gradual journey that requires patience and consistency but significantly benefits a child’s development and future success.
How do we help dysregulated children learn and succeed? Stay tuned for part 2 to explore valuable tips and strategies.
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Cute and easy snowman crafts are excellent activities for preschoolers to enjoy during wintertime. These crafts can help preschoolers appreciate the winter season and aid in developing fine motor skills, following directions, and expressing creativity.
Here are some cute and easy snowman craft ideas to try with preschoolers:
Toilet Paper Snowman
Materials:
Paper: a sheet of paper, precut white circles, black small circles, a precut orange nose, and a precut scarf
Precut hat or pompoms for ear muffs (pipe cleaner to connect pompoms or connect pompoms by drawing
decorative art supplies: buttons, ribbons, googly eyes, and markers
Instructions:
Paint the pine cone white with a paintbrush.
Glue and decorate to make a snowman.
Puffy Paint Snowman
Materials:
Shaving cream and glue
Paper
Paintbrush, pencil, markers
Decorative art supplies: buttons, popsicle sticks, ribbons, pompoms, pipe cleaners, cheerios, precut nose/eyes, googly eyes, scrap paper/material (we used old sweaters for scarves and hats).
Draw a snowman with chalk, and provide an example to copy as needed.
Cute snowman crafts add winter spirit around colder months and help us learn about the winter theme. Additionally, snowman crafts help develop fine motor skills, creativity, spatial awareness, and teach children about body parts. Always supervise children with small materials, scissors, and glue. Snowman craft activities are an excellent opportunity for children to learn and have fun. Snow is falling. Let’s make a snowman!
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Let’s make terrific turkey crafts! November, leading up to Thanksgiving, is indeed an excellent time for preschoolers to engage in crafting adorable turkeys. Turkey crafts help celebrate the gratitude season and aid in developing fine motor skills, following directions, and expressing creativity.
Gobble, Gobble!
Here are some cute turkey craft ideas to try with preschoolers
construction paper for the head, beak, and gobbler
cardstock or manila folder for the body (thicker paper than construction paper)
googly eyes
scissors
glue
Instructions:
Cut out half a circle for the body (cardstock or manila folder)
Cut out head, beak and gobbler
Glue body parts
Place paperclips around the body
Finger-Paint Turkey Craft
Materials:
Brown paint and four other paint colors
Paintbrush
Markers
Paper
Optional: find a cute turkey poem
Instructions:
Use a paintbrush to paint the child’s hand brown, including the palm and thumb
Use a clean brush to paint four fingers in different colors
Stamp painted hand-on paper
Wait until dry, and draw legs, eyes, beak and gobbler
Optional: glue the turkey poem on paper next to the turkey finger-paint.
Toilet Paper Roll Turkey Craft
Materials:
Toilet paper roll
Brown paper or paint
Feathers
Googly eyes
Piece for beak and gobbler
Glue or hot glue
Scissors
Instructions:
Cover toilet paper with brown paper or paint
Add turkey face to the front
Glue feathers to the top of the roll.
Terrific turkey crafts add festive spirit around Thanksgiving time and help us celebrate the theme of gratitude. Additionally, turkey crafts help develop fine motor skills, creativity, and an understanding of the holiday’s cultural significance. Always supervise children with small materials, scissors, and hot glue. Turkey craft activities are an excellent opportunity for children to learn and have fun. Gobble, gobble, and turkey wobble your way to create your favorite turkey craft!
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Pumpkin activities are a festive and easy way to engage preschoolers in learning. Children enjoy exploring pumpkin activities during the fall season. The bright orange, round, and fat pumpkins are our favorite seasonal activities. Young learners appreciate engaging senses of the texture, smell, and color of pumpkins. Furthermore, pumpkin activities are an excellent way to foster creativity with carving, disguising, and painting. Incorporating pumpkin activities during fall festively provides multifaceted learning experiences.
Favorite Fine Motor Pumpkin Activities
Pumpkin Patch Finger Print: Dip your thumb or index finger in orange paint and stamp it on paper. Draw green stems and leaves. Decorate pumpkin patch.
Playdough Pumpkins: Roll round pumpkins with orange playdough. Use small art pieces to decorate pumpkins. Make pumpkin fun pumpkin faces.
Five Little Pumpkins: Use brown paper to cut paper strips and glue the gate. Cut out 5 orange pumpkins. Draw faces on pumpkins: smiling, pouting, yawing, crying, and laughing. Glue pumpkins on the gate and sing the Five Little Pumpkins.
Q-tip or Pencil Pumpkin Paint: Draw a giant pumpkin or use a template. Use Q-tips or pencil top erasers, dip in paint to cover the pumpkin with paint. Practice finger pinch.
Pumpkin Mat Man: Mat Man is a popular activity in preschool that supports the development of body awareness and drawing. (Learn more about Mat Man at Learning Without Tears.) Transform Mat Man to a Pumpkin Mat Man to invigorate learning. Substitute his body with a pumpkin, step up the fun, and add a pumpkin head.
Gourds & Rubber bands: Practice fine motor skills by placing rubber bands on the small gourds. It’s a pretty challenging and rewarding task for little fingers.
Pumpkin Hand Print: Have fun with finger paint. Make small or big pumpkin prints.
Pumpkin Bracelet: Pipe cleaner and orange beads make a simple fall pumpkin bracelet.
Paper Plate Pumpkin: Cover the paper plate with orange paint. Personalize details to make your unique pumpkin design.
Pick-up Pumpkins: Pick up orange pompoms and/or pumpkin erasers with tweezers. Squeeze the tweezers tight and release them to transfer the pumpkin into the bin.
Finally, carve out some good times this fall with your cutest pumpkins on the patch!
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Excessive mouthing of objects is a typical behavior for infants and toddlers as they start to learn about the world. “Mouthing” refers to children placing objects in their mouths. It is a significant part of their early learning and development.
The primary way infants explore the world is through their senses of touch and taste. Infants’ vision is not fully developed at birth, and the mouth serves as the exploration cave for babies. The mouth is one of the most sensitive parts of the human body, equipped with abundant sensory receptors ready for exploration.
Further, it allows babies to gather extensive sensory information about texture, temperature, shapes, size, and taste. During infancy and toddlerhood, placing items in the mouth is accepted. Furthermore, learning about the properties of the objects in the environment through mouthing is a critical part of early development.
Mouthing Stages in Babies:
Newborn to 3 Months:
Rooting Reflex: Right from birth, babies will turn their heads and open their mouths when the corner of their mouth is stroked or touched. This infant behavior is called the rooting reflex, which helps them find the breast or bottle for feeding.
Exploratory Mouthing: Even in these early weeks, babies might suck on their hands or fingers. It is a sign of hunger and a way they start to self-soothe and explore.
3 to 6 Months:
Hand Discovery: Babies become increasingly aware of their hands. You’ll notice them studying, bringing their hands together, and often bringing them to their mouths.
Teething Onset: While teething can start anytime (and for some, a bit later), initial signs may begin in this period. Teething can increase the baby’s desire to chew on things, including their fingers, to relieve gum discomfort.
6 to 9 Months:
Introduction of Solids: As many babies start on solid foods around 6 months, they’ll experiment with textures with their hands and mouths.
Improved Motor Skills: Mouthing is part of how infants improve hand-eye coordination. Grasping objects and bringing them to the mouth is one of the early motor milestones. Mouthing is still a primary way of exploring textures, shapes, and the world around them.
Active Teething: Many babies will have their first tooth eruption during this period, making teething toys and other safe objects crucial for gum relief.
9 to 12 Months:
Pincer Grasp Development: Babies use their thumb and first finger to pick up objects, increasing their ability to explore smaller items with their mouths.
Increasing Dietary Exploration: As babies eat a more varied diet, they’ll experiment more with different food textures, shapes, and tastes.
Safety Concern: With the ability to explore smaller objects and the natural curiosity to put them in their mouths, this stage poses an increased risk of choking. It’s crucial to ensure their environment is safe.
12 Months and Beyond:
Toddlers and Older Infants: While the intensity of mouthing might decrease, many toddlers continue to explore objects with their mouths, especially during teething spurts or when encountering new textures and materials.
Language Development: As babies babble and form words, they’ll use their mouths differently, exploring sounds and practicing speech patterns.
Indeed, parents and caregivers should always be vigilant during the early development stages. Providing safe, appropriate toys and objects for mouthing while ensuring that potential choking hazards are out of reach is vital. It’s also helpful to understand that while mouthing is a natural developmental behavior, keeping the child’s environment clean and safe is essential, especially as they become more mobile and curious.
Why Older Children Are Mouthing Objects
Sensory Seeking Behavior: Some children, particularly those with sensory processing disorders or conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), may mouth objects to seek additional sensory input. It can help them self-soothe, regulate their emotions, or focus.
Habit: For some children, mouthing objects may become a habit that they continue into older childhood, particularly when they feel stressed, anxious, or bored.
Attention-Seeking Behavior: Some children may mouth objects to attract attention from adults or peers, especially if they have learned that this behavior elicits a reaction.
Medication Side Effects: Certain medications might cause older children to exhibit unusual behaviors, including mouthing objects, due to altered sensory experiences or cognitive functions.
Hunger or Malnutrition: In rare cases, older children may mouth objects due to extreme hunger or malnutrition as they might be trying to find something to eat.
Curiosity: Just as younger children explore the world orally, older children might occasionally use mouthing as an explorative or contemplative behavior.
Oral Discomfort: New teeth coming in might cause discomfort and pain. Chewing on objects can provide relief by applying pressure to the gums. Ensure the gums are intact and there is no damage to the tooth or cavity.
Excessive Mouthing Concerns
Age Inappropriateness: If a child older than 3-4 years continues to mouth objects frequently and excessively, especially non-food items, it might warrant attention. While some older children may occasionally mouth things, it should not be a primary method of exploration or soothing.
Interference with Daily Functioning: If the mouthing behavior interferes with the child’s ability to participate in typical activities, play, or social interactions, it might be an area of concern.
Risk of Harm: If a child is mouthing objects that are toxic, unsanitary, or pose a choking hazard, it’s an evident safety concern.
Pica: Pica is characterized by eating non-food items. If a child is mouthing and consuming inappropriate objects such as dirt, paint chips, rocks, or other non-food substances, this is a cause for concern and warrants immediate intervention.
Developmental or Behavioral Concerns: If excessive mouthing is seen alongside other signs of developmental delays or behavioral issues, it can indicate an underlying condition, such as a sensory processing disorder or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Intensity and Frequency: Occasional mouthing might not be worrisome, but it’s more concerning if the behavior is intense and persistent.
Signs of Dental or Oral Damage: If a child’s mouthing behavior is leading to damage to their teeth, gums, or inside of their mouth, it’s a reason for concern.
Signs of Distress: If a child seems distressed and uses mouthing as a predominant means of self-soothing, it might indicate unmet needs or emotional distress.
Developmental Regression: If a child who has stopped mouthing objects starts doing it again, it might signal stress, anxiety, or other underlying issues.
Therefore, when children continue mouthing objects beyond 2 to 3 years old or if the behavior seems intense, frequent, and difficult to redirect, it could indicate developmental, behavioral, or sensory-processing concerns that might warrant attention and potential intervention.
Addressing Excessive Mouthing Concerns
Medical Evaluation: It’s important first to rule out medical or nutritional deficiencies. For example, if the child is found to have pica, this could indicate a lack of iron deficiency anemia.
Behavioral Assessment: Conducting a comprehensive behavioral assessment can help pinpoint triggers and determine whether the mouthing is sensory-seeking, a result of anxiety, or a habit.
Occupational Therapy Assessment and Treatment: An occupational therapist, especially experienced in sensory integration, can offer strategies and interventions tailored to the child’s need, for example:
A program to address sensory needs to help the child stay in a calm-alert state.
A sensory-based oral motor program.
A sensory diet that includes activities for sensory modulation and oral motor activities. Sensory diets that meet oral needs include sucking, chewing, biting, crunching, blowing, hot, cold, sour, bitter, and other sensory food characteristics.
A behavioral-based program that reinforces the desired behaviors and teaches replacement behavior while extinguishing the mouthing.
Safe Alternatives: For children who seek sensory input through mouthing:
Offer chewelry (chewable jewelry) or sensory chew toys made of safe, non-toxic materials. Chewies are considered socially appropriate, and it is used to meet a child’s sensory need to chew.
Positive reinforcement: Reward and praise the child when they refrain from mouthing.
Redirect: If they begin to mouth an object, redirect them to a more appropriate activity or item.
Set clear boundaries: Make sure they know which items are okay to mouth and which are not.
Environmental Modifications: Remove or reduce access to non-safe items that the child tends to mouth. Ensure their environment is free from small objects that could be a choking hazard or pose a risk if mouthed.
Counseling or Therapy: For children who mouth objects due to anxiety, stress, or trauma, counseling or therapy might be beneficial.
Consistent Communication: Consistency is critical. Ensure all caregivers, educators, and family members are on the same page regarding strategies and interventions.
Education: Teach the child about the dangers associated with mouthing particular objects. Depending on the child’s cognitive abilities, they might benefit from understanding the “why” behind specific rules.
Monitor Medications: If a child has started a new medication and you notice increased mouthing or other unusual behaviors, consult the prescribing doctor about potential side effects.
Regularly Check Developmental Progress: For children with developmental delays, regular check-ins with pediatricians or developmental specialists can help adjust strategies as the child grows and evolves.
Summary
The mouth is a primary sensory organ through which infants explore and learn about their environment. Mouthing is a developmental stage where babies and toddlers put objects in their mouths to learn about their texture, taste, temperature, and other properties. It’s an essential part of their sensory development and helps babies understand the world around them.
Concerns should arise if a child continues to excessively mouth objects beyond the developmental stage. When older children mouth objects, it’s essential for caregivers, educators, and healthcare providers to explore the underlying reasons for this behavior. Particularly if it risks the child’s health and well-being or interferes with their daily tasks.
Above all, every child is unique, and finding the underlying cause of the mouthing behavior is crucial to providing the proper support. Furthermore, it is critical to investigate and understand the specific reasons for each child’s behavior to provide appropriate intervention. Often, thorough professional evaluation and assessment will provide insight and help manage behaviors effectively.
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Recess is a critical component of the school day that contributes to the comprehensive development of children. It is more than a simple break from the classroom routine. There is overwhelming research on numerous benefits that positively impact students’ physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development.
As a parent and a pediatric occupational therapist working in the school setting, I have strongly advocated not limiting recess for academic catch-ups. While some educators believe that cutting back on recess can provide more instructional time and thus improve educational outcomes, many experts argue that this approach is misguided and can negatively affect students. Educators, parents, and policymakers need to recognize the importance of recess and ensure it remains a priority in school schedules.
It’s important to note that while instructional time is undeniably valuable, the quality of that time matters as much as if not more than, the quantity. Children who are well-rested, physically active, and mentally refreshed are more likely to engage in learning actively. Thus, preserving and expanding recess time can be an investment in the well-being and productivity of students.
In light of my passionate feelings regarding the importance of recess and its countless positive benefits on children’s school performance, my 9-year-old daughter Claire astonished me with her opinion essay.
My daughter’s fabulous and energetic fourth-grade teacher shared her opinion essay on the importance of recess at our recent parent-teacher conference. As she complimented Claire on her writing proficiency, I was amazed by her connections, realizations, and discoveries on the advantages of school recess.
What does recess mean?
Let’s explore a delightful insight from a 9-year-old
“Do you think students should have recess or not? Recess is a time when children go outside and play. I believe students should have recess because it helps with learning and your brain, recess helps kids with social and emotional skills, and it makes young adults happier. This is why kids should have recess.
My first reason why students should have recess is because recess helps kids by helping them learn and their brains. Recess helps with cognitive abilities. When children are moving around, their brain grows. Recess can also help children with a hard time concentrating. Young adults with a hard time concentrating have a difficult time in class. In order for new learning to cement itself in the brain, kids need a break. According to Source 2: According to Pediatricians, Recess is the Best states, “People need a break or a rest from focused concentration.” This example shows that students need a break from work in order for new learning to be in their brains forever. All these reasons prove that recess is unbeatable.
Another reason why recess is important is because it helps students with social and emotional skills. When kids go outside and play with other children, they learn how to speak to other people. According to Source 2: According to Pediatricians, Recess is the Best. It states, “Recess gives students the chance to interact with their peers on their own terms.” This shows that recess helps children with social and emotional skills. Recess also helps kids with valuable communication. From my experience, students are talking nicer because of recess. Recess can also teach self-control. Without recess children would be rude to others. With all these reasons, recess is extremely important.
Lastly, students should have recess because it makes kids happier. Children are learning more because they are focused. Without a break, it would be hard for young adults to focus. In my experience, I get really distracted without recess and recess helps me focus better in class.
Also, recess provides kids greater independence. Children get to choose what they want to do at recess and which friends they want to play with. According to Source 3: Texas School Triples Recess states, “Students don’t just focus better, but they have also shown greater independence, and they are better at following directions.”
Additionally, Source 3: Texas School Triples Recess, states “They have more friends, and they seem happier. Social skills have also improved since they have more unstructured times to practice by simply playing with their peers.” Kids are more happy to hang out with their friends and are happier to go back to the classroom after socializing with their friends. As you can see, recess makes kids happier.
In conclusion, I believe students should have recess because recess helps young brains to learn, it also helps children with social and emotional skills, and recess makes kids happier. This is why we should keep recess at schools. Please write a letter to your principal to convince to keep recess.” -written by Claire, age 9.
The topic quietly impressed me, and I enjoyed the essay’s pure and uninfluenced opinion statements with personal references. Our fourth grader wrote this opinion essay independently of parental input and support as a class assignment.
Our young students do recognize, anticipate, and enjoy recess. Unstructured play, physical movement, and uniting with friends is a necessary break during a demanding academic day. Indeed, it boosts memory, attention, and concentration and increases test scores.
Conclusion
In summary, recess has multidimensional benefits in students’ overall development. While academic instruction is undoubtedly vital, so is recess. The implication of recess for children cannot be understated. While it might be tempting for schools to cut back on recess time to catch up academically, it is crucial to consider the countless benefits recess provides.
It’s important to understand that eliminating or reducing recess to catch up academically can be counterproductive. It can lead to decreased attention spans, increased classroom disruptions, and potentially reduced information retention. In essence, the benefits of recess directly and indirectly support academic success.
Recess should be considered an essential school day component, not just an optional break.
Let’s go out for recess!
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Alphabet readiness-often referred to as alphabet awareness or letter knowledge- involves a child’s ability to recognize letters and identify their sounds. It is considered a precursor to alphabet writing in early childhood education. The foundational skill preschoolers need to develop is alphabet readiness before advancing to alphabet writing. Developing literacy skills in young children involves a progression of understanding from recognizing letters to writing. Once children demonstrate alphabet readiness, they can quickly learn to write.
Teaching alphabet readiness is a fun, engaging preschool adventure filled with creativity, play, and discovery. Interactive and enjoyable lessons provide young children with eagerness and motivation to dive into the world of learning letters. Let’s explore the journey of teaching alphabet readiness, a delightful experience for educators, parents, and children.
50 Alphabet Readiness Fine Motor Activities
1. Sand/Salt Tray Writing: Let children trace letters in a tray filled with sand or salt.
2. Shaving Cream: Spread shaving cream on a table and let children write letters with their fingers.
3. Air Writing: Have children write big letters in the air with their fingers.
4. Nature Letters: Use sticks, leaves, and stones to form letters outdoors.
5. Spray Bottle Writing: Fill a spray bottle with water and have kids spray the shape of letters on a wall or sidewalk.
6. Glitter Glue Letters: Trace letters using glitter glue and let them dry for tactile learning.
7. Gel Bags: Fill a ziplock with colored hair gel and trace letters.
8. Alphabet Soup: Use letter-shaped pasta for kids to fish out and identify.
9. Rainbow Writing: Write a letter with one color and trace over it using many different colors.
10. Sticker Letters: Fill in outlined letters with stickers.
11. Letter Stamps: Stamp letters onto paper and practice writing over them.
12. Magnetic Letters: Use magnetic letters on a board to identify match upper and lowercase letters, and try to copy alongside.
13. Magnetic Alphabet Maze: Kids use the attached magnetic wand to guide each letter into place, reinforcing letter identification and alphabet order while playing the game.
14. Magnatap Alphabet Tracing: The magnetic stylus pulls up beads that children see, hear, and feel. Magnatap is one of my preschoolers’ favorite.
15. Window Writing: Use washable markers to write on windows.
16. Yarn: Wrap or glue yarn around cardboard letters.
17. Letter Jewelry: Thread letter beads onto string to spell out words.
18. Playdough Letters: Create letters using dough, copy from sample, or use molds.
20. Collage Letters: Cut out magazine letters and make a collage.
21. Chalk and Wet Brush: Write with chalk and trace with a wet paintbrush.
22. Sponge Letter Tracing: Cut the dish sponge into small pieces, dip it in paint, and trace letters with small dabs.
23. Letter Mosaics: Use small colored tiles or blocks to create letter shapes.
24. Magna Doodle: This is an ideal way for preschoolers to practice letters and doodles. Draw, write, erase, and start over. Large doodle boards are perfect gifts for toddlers and preschoolers.
34. Dot Markers: Dot out each letter using dot markers.
35. Tactile Letter Cards: Make textured letters with fabric or sandpaper for touch tracing.
36. Clothespins Letter Matching: DIY, match upper to lower case letters game. Write each uppercase letter on the clothespin and clip to the corresponding lowercase letter around the paper plate.
37. LCD Writing Tablet: Innovative “Magna Doodle” for older preschoolers. LCD drawing/writing board inspires children beyond preschool and kindergarten.
39. Cookie Cutter Stamping: Dip alphabet cookie cutters in paint and stamp them onto paper.
40. Lego Letters: Build letters using Lego or similar building blocks.
41. Alphabet Ice: Freeze water in alphabet molds and play with them.
42. Letter Lacing: Lace through letters using string.
43. Mirror Writing: Write letters on mirrors with safe markers.
44. Pom-pom Tracing: Glue pom-poms along the shape of a letter.
45. Alphabet Stringing: Learn and string letter beads
46. Alphabet Robots: Alphabots figures change into different super-cool robots.
47. Bubble Wrap: Write letters and let kids pop the corresponding bubble.
48. Marshmallow Constructed Letters: Glue marshmallows on the letter.
49. Paint with Q-tips: Paint on the letter sheet with Q-tips.
50. Penny Letters: Place “trace” letters by placing pennies on the letter sample.
Exploring and guiding young preschoolers to infinite letter opportunities will develop a solid groundwork for alphabet writing. It’s essential to keep the learning experience enjoyable, motivating, and tailing the pace of each child’s individual needs and abilities. Alphabet readiness lays the necessary groundwork for future literacy skills, and the transition to alphabet writing becomes more accessible and rewarding.
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Crossing the midline is a critical developmental milestone in young children. Essentially, it refers to the ability to move one’s arm, hands, legs, or eyes over the imaginary line that divides the body into left and right halves, called midline. The brain coordinates the movement across the corpus callosum, the large bundle of neural fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres and facilitating interhemispheric communication.
The ability to cross the midline indicates that both brain hemispheres communicate and share information effectively. It is vital in building brain pathways that promote coordinated use of both sides of the body. Crossing the midline is fundamental for daily cognitive and physical tasks. Reading, writing, coordination for sports, and self-care skills require fluid movements of the left and right sides of the body.
Reading and Writing: Comfortably moving eyes and hands from one side of the body to another is crucial for reading and writing. Both tasks require the ability to track from left to right smoothly. Children who struggle with crossing the midline will find it challenging to read a line of text or write across a page without switching hands or making unnatural movements.
Coordination, Fine and Gross Motor Skills: Tasks that require coordination, like crawling, jumping, and dancing, often involve crossing the midline. Fine motor skills (such as cutting with scissors or coloring) and gross motor skills (such as reaching or catching a ball) depend on how comfortably children can cross the midline. Furthermore, crossing the midline sets the stage for learning more complex coordination tasks later in life, such as swinging a bat in baseball or dribbling a basketball.
Self-care skills: Many everyday tasks, like brushing teeth, combing hair, and getting dressed, require crossing the midline. As children develop this skill, they will become more independent and efficient in their daily routines.
Development Stages of Crossing Midline
Infancy (0-12 months)
0-3 Months/Spontaneous Movements: Infants primarily display reflexive, involuntary movements. Newborns are learning to control their movements.
4-6 Months/Limited Independent Movements: Babies begin to reach for objects but still generally use the hand on the same side as the object they’re getting for (i.e., they don’t yet cross the midline).
6-12 Months/Independent Movements Develop: As infants become more mobile, they might occasionally cross the midline during activities like rolling over, crawling, or reaching for objects across their bodies.
Toddlerhood (1-3 years)
1-2 Years/Emergence of Dominance: Toddlers use both sides of their bodies more symmetrically as they learn to walk. However, many toddlers still prefer using one side of the body for tasks. Early signs of hand preference may emerge, but switching between hands is not unusual. Some may begin to cross the midline during play, but many still rely primarily on one side of the body for tasks.
2-3 Years/Inconsistent Midline Crossing: During this period, toddlers become more coordinated and may start to cross the midline during activities like drawing, even though they may not do so consistently. Activities like dancing, running, and playing promote crossing the midline, but some children might still avoid it.
Preschool Age (3-5 years)
Early Preschool/Improved Coordination: Children of this age can usually engage in activities that naturally involve crossing the midline, such as turning the pages of a book or scribbling across a large piece of paper.
Late Preschool/Hand Dominance/Refined Motor Skills: Children are more adept at activities requiring the coordinated use of both hands, such as cutting with scissors, drawing shapes, or playing ball games. Many children start showing a consistent preference for one hand. There are increasing instances of smooth, spontaneous midline crossing.
Early School Age (5-7 years)
Consistent Hand Dominance: Most children should be comfortable crossing the midline by this age. Hand dominance is defined.
Complex Tasks: Children perform more complex motor tasks that require crossing the midline, such as tying shoes, writing, and playing sports like basketball and soccer. Furthermore, children perform intricate tasks such as reading, which requires moving their eyes from left to right.
Later School Age (7 years and beyond)
Mastery: By now, crossing the midline is a well-established skill. At this stage, children engage in activities requiring rapid, coordinated movements across the midline, like playing musical instruments, participating in advanced sports, and writing more fluently.
Developmental Concerns
Every child develops at their own pace. The ability to cross the midline develops when children grow and become more coordinated. Some variations are typical and not necessarily indicative of developmental challenges. However, if a child consistently avoids crossing the midline, it may be reason for concern. It is always best to consult a pediatrician or developmental specialist, such as an occupational therapist, for comprehensive evaluation.
Why is my child not crossing the midline?
Delayed Milestones: The child needs more time to develop skills. The child displays delays in motor skills, including fine and gross motor skills. Additionally, the child might exhibit difficulty with speech and language development.
Sensory Processing Difficulties: Children with sensory processing difficulties might avoid or have trouble with tasks that involve crossing the midline. Planning and executing movements crossing the midline might be challenging.
School Difficulties: Difficulty crossing the midline can manifest in a school setting. Teachers or caregivers report concerns regarding the child’s motor skills or coordination. Handwriting, reading, or participating in physical activities might be puzzling.
Vision Concerns: Sometimes, children with vision issues might have difficulty with tasks involving crossing the midline.
Neurological Concerns: The brain’s left and right sides of the brain must communicate to execute coordinated movements. Brain hemispheres may lack effective neural connections. A child’s ability to cross the midline might be affected if the brain pathways do not share information adequately.
Unusual Behaviors: If a child seems to be compensating for not crossing the midline by turning their whole body to perform tasks or appears awkward and uncoordinated in their movement, it could be an indication for further assessment.
Parental Instinct: Sometimes, parental instinct is a powerful signal to seek professional advice. Following the parental instinct to pursue comprehensive evaluation and potentially target intervention never hurts. Early diagnosis and intervention often result in better outcomes.
It is crucial to avoid jumping to conclusions based on one or a few observations. If the concerns persist, consult a pediatrician for an assessment. The pediatrician may refer the child to an occupational therapist, who can perform more specific evaluations and recommend appropriate therapeutic activities to help your child develop the necessary skills.
Activities that Promote Crossing the Midline
Physical Activities
Simon Says: Play “Simon Says” with actions that involve crossing the midline, like touching opposite elbows and knees or tapping the opposite shoulder.
Bean Bag Toss:Toss bean bags, softballs, or rings to a target on the opposite side.
Windmill Stretches: Stand with arms and legs wide, then reach down with one hand to touch the opposite foot and alternate.
March and Tap: March in place or around the room, lifting knees high and tapping the opposite knee with the opposite hand as they march.
Hula Hoop: Swirling a hula hoop around the waist or limbs engages both sides of the body and encourages midline crossing.
Obstacle Course: Create an obstacle course where the child crawls under tables or through tunnels, naturally encouraging them to cross the midline.
Crab Walk: Walking like a crab enables crossing the midline as one hand and the opposite foot move simultaneously. Moreover, practice various animal walks, swim like a fish, or stop like an elephant. Please check out the Fun Animal Walks Action Cards.
Sports:Basketball or soccer dribbling often encourages moving the ball from one side of the body to the other. Baseball, tennis, and golf require more intricate coordination moves. As well, martial arts provide excellent left and right-side coordination.
Drawing: Use large sheets of paper and have kids draw big circles or figure eights with crayons, crossing from one side to the other.
String Beads:Bead stringing not only works on fine motor skills but also has kids crossing the midline as they pick up beads from both sides.
Painting: Encourage children to paint on a large canvas or paper, reaching across the midline to apply colors.
Sidewalk Chalk: Have fun with sidewalk chalk. Ensure children use their arms and cross over to the other side of the body.
Crafts: Cutting with scissors, gluing, and manipulating craft materials requires skilled coordination.
Music and Rhythm
Drumming: Have your child drum on pots and pans, encouraging them to reach across their body to drum on the far containers.
Clapping Games: “Pat-a-cake” or “Miss Mary Mack” and other clapping games can help children practice crossing their midline.
Scarf Dance: Hold one or two floaty scarf waves in the air in multiple directions. Play fun music and make circles, lines, zigzags, crosses, figure eights, and other shapes.
Dance: Encourage moves that require reaching across the body or spinning in both directions.
Pass the Ball: Sit in a circle and use both hands to pass a ball around the circle, requiring each child to reach across their body to receive and pass the ball. Pass the Potato Game is super fun.
Board Games: Board games often require players to reach across to move pieces and encourage crossing actions.
Everyday Activities
Cooking: Stirring a bowl of ingredients can help you practice crossing the midline. Fun pretend cooking activities are also an excellent option for younger children.
Getting Dressed: Putting on a coat or pulling up pants encourages children to cross the midline.
Reading: Tracking with a dinger from the side of a page to the other facilities crossing the midline.
Gardening: Actions like digging, planting, and watering promote crossing the midline while alternating or reaching across the body. Gardening set for toddlers and preschoolers.
These activities are generally safe for young children; however, adult supervision is advised to ensure children perform the movements safely and correctly.
Summary
Crossing the midline is a critical developmental milestone reflecting the integration and communication between the brain’s two hemispheres. The ability to spontaneously cross the midline with the arms, legs, and eyes strongly indicates that both sides of the brain effectively communicate and share information. The ability to cross the midline suggests a maturing brain, therefore, predicts the capacity to perform complex, fluid, and coordinated movements across myriad environments.
Early childhood represents a critical time for the ability to cross the midline. Although the brain can always learn and change, early childhood (0-7 years) is a sensitive period for developing various motor and cognitive skills, including crossing the midline. During these years, the brain is rapidly receptive and responsive to experiences. New neural connections are developed quickly, and foundational skills are being established.
If a young child has difficulty crossing the midline, it is beneficial to consult a professional. Early therapeutic interventions tailored to a child’s needs positively influence foundational skills development. Mastery of crossing the midline can impact the ease with which the subsequent abilities are learned. Successfully crossing midline at a young age can influence the outcome of reading, writing, and many other coordination tasks.
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Playdough is one of the most fun and accessible tactile mediums in preschool settings. In my over twenty years of working with children, I have not met a child who turned down the opportunity to play with playdough. Undeniably, children enjoy exploring and expressing their imaginations via their unique playdough designs. It offers young children a rich, multi-sensory, and gratifying learning experience. Engaging with this versatile material offers a plethora of developmental and educational benefits.
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I love how manipulating playdough helps children develop fine motor skills. Squishing, rolling, flattening, kneading, shaping, pinching, and poking is a fantastic way to help strengthen muscles in the hands and fingers.
Let’s keep the enthusiasm high and fuel the magic with fun and easy playdough activities.
Bakery
Provide children with baking-themed tools, like cookie cutters, rolling pins, and cupcake liners. Please encourage them to create cookies, donuts, cakes, pies, ice cream, and other treats. Certainly, baking activities can spark imaginative play for bakers or customers. Dust it with glitter or make tiny sprinkles for a final touch. What a fun and imaginative play.
Animals
Supply googly eyes, feathers, and pipe cleaners. Ask children to create their favorite animals or invent new ones. Building animals can lead to discussions about different animals’ habitats, sounds, and characteristics.
Treasure Hunt
Hide small objects like beads or coins within the playdough for kids to discover and extract. Children like digging and poking with their little fingers. Besides, it is a perfect way to enhance sensory exploration and fine motor skills.
Nature Impressions
Gather leaves, twigs, shells, small rocks, or pinecones. Allow children to press these items into the playdough to observe and discuss the patterns and textures they leave behind.
Kitchen
Lead pretend play about what food we make in the kitchen. Use a garlic press or extruder to create spaghetti or noodles. Make a pizza, add toppings like olives, pepperoni, mushrooms, and sprinkle with cheese. Serve fruit for dessert, like blueberries and strawberries, or make a fruit salad.
Playdough Mats
Create or print out laminated mats with outlined images or scenes. Children can then use playdough to complete the pictures, such as placing apples on a tree, making fish in an underwater scene, or forming flowers in a garden.
Playdough Shapes
Roll, squeeze, knead, and create different shapes. Make circles, ovals, crescents, squares, rectangles, triangles, and diamonds. Sort them into categories, for example, round and linear or small and big. Use different tools, molds, and stamps.
Playdough Letter and Number Formation
Encourage children to form letters and numbers. Use playdough to make the letters of the alphabet, and shape a few items that begin with the letter, such as an apple or airplane for the letter “A.” Older preschoolers might work on forming letters of their first name to build a foundation for name writing. Furthermore, copy numbers and then count out corresponding small playdough balls. Number and letter stamps and molds are also great for introducing children to literacy and numeracy concepts in a tactile manner.
Portraits
Kids can create faces, adding details like eyebrows, ears, and hair. Craft different facial expressions – happy, sad, mad, angry, and more. It is an excellent opportunity for children to express their feelings and discuss emotions. Finally, children can practice forming and combining different shapes to create a self-portrait, adding all body parts.
Roads and Traffic
Flatten a layer of playdough to act as the ground, imprint roads, and make traffic lights, trees, and buildings. Play with cars and appreciate the newly constructed setting.
Storytelling with Playdough
Create characters and settings using playdough and then ask the children to craft a story around them. Indeed, telling a story by making unique characters fosters creativity, language development, and sequencing skills.
Color Mixing
Provide primary-colored playdough and allow children to mix them to discover secondary colors. Finding new colors offers a hands-on lesson in basic color theory. Additionally, mix colors that are available and discuss outcomes.
Playdough Cutting Practice
Let kids roll playdough into “snakes” and then practice their cutting skills using child-safe scissors to cut them into small pieces. Subsequently, includes more complex cutting practices, such as:
Flattening a large selection of playdough.
Drawing a shape on playdough.
Cut out the form.
Volcano
Form a volcano shape with playdough. Place a small cup or container inside the top, fill it with baking soda, and the kids add a few drops of vinegar to witness a “volcanic eruption.”
Dentist Play
Children can make teeth using white playdough and use tools to pretend to be dentists. Use different colors or additional media, such as beads for teeth germs. Shortly, remove germs with tweezers and floss teeth with a string.
Puzzles
Flatten a large piece of playdough and then cut it into puzzle shapes using a plastic knife. Lastly, let children put the pieces back together while strengthening spatial reasoning skills.
Patterns
Encourage kids to make patterns by placing beads, coins, small pegs, or other objects onto flattened playdough. Markedly, children learn to make predictions, understand what comes next, and practice logical connections and reasoning skills.
Holiday Activities
Creating decorations for holidays is always enjoyable. Christmas, Halloween, or Easter provides multiple ideas for designing items like trees, pumpkins, or eggs. My favorite activity around Christmas time is making our holiday-scented frosting dough.
Bonus Tips
Use popsicle sticks, plastic knives, toothpicks, and buttons to add more dimensions.
Incorporate sensory materials like sand, rice, or beads for an extra tactile experience.
For a multi-sensory twist, use scented playdough. Add food extracts or essential oils to homemade dough.
Include creative add-ins: googly eyes for creature creations, pipe cleaners for arms, legs, or antennas; beads and buttons for decorating or creating patterns; straws to make imprints or structures; nature-leaves nature, twigs, or shells can be pressed for unique designs.
Making playdough at home can be a fun activity to do with kids. There are plenty of fantastic recipes online.
Always supervise young children, especially with added small items.
Summary
The beauty of playdough is its versatility. It offers endless possibilities for creative activities that engage children in playful learning. Playdough is a staple in many preschool classrooms and a favorite activity among children and educators. It is a world of exploration, imagination, and developmental benefits rolled into one colorful dough.
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Drawing is a beautiful way for children to express themselves. Developing drawing skills at an early age is crucial in advancing preschool-aged children. Drawing provides a holistic approach to learning, nurturing a child’s fine motor, cognitive, and social development. It leads to exploration, creativity, and self-expression while laying the foundation for future writing and learning success. Educators and parents might consider incorporating drawing into daily routines. By recognizing children’s interests and providing a supportive environment, we can help youngsters enjoy the process of drawing and unleash their imagination. Please remember that at this age, the goal is to foster their creativity and fine motor skills rather than aiming for complex drawings.
Typical Stages of Drawing Skills
Scribbling Stage (18 months – 3 years):
Uncontrolled Scribbling: Initially, children make marks on a page that are not controlled and are purely an exploration of the child’s motor activity.
Controlled Scribbling: As their motor skills develop, children gain more control over their scribbles, create patterns, different types of lines, and more purposeful marks on paper.
Pre-Schematic Stage (3 – 4 years):
In this stage, children’s drawings become more figurative and symbolic. Children’s drawings start to have recognizable shapes and forms, though they may not be easily identifiable to adults. They might draw a face as a circle with dots or lines or represent animals and people with basic geometric shapes. Drawings often represent objects, people, and events, but they are still simple and may include little detail.
Schematic Stage (5 – 6 years):
At this stage, children develop a ‘schema,’ or repeated and recognizable way to draw specific objects or people. They develop an understanding of spatial relationships and may start to attract more detailed scenes. For example, a drawing of a person represents a combination of different shapes and lines, with added facial features, and placed with appropriate spatial awareness. Children may begin to include a baseline in their pictures, where objects are oriented to a line.
How to Improve Preschooler’s Drawing Skills
Provide the Right Tools
Ensure that you provide your preschooler with age-appropriate drawing tools like crayons, colored pencils, markers, and washable paint. Various options make drawing more exciting and allow children to experiment with different colors, sizes, and textures. Make sure tools are accessible for small hands to grasp and manipulate. Always model the correct crayon grasp and assist with functional finger placement.
Provide Various Drawing Surfaces
Offer different types and sizes of paper for their artistic creations. Try drawing on different types of paper, plain, colored, construction paper, cardboard, and any textured or heavy paper. Additionally, consider using easels or chalkboards for additional drawing experience. Magna Doodle and LCD tablets are motivating for drawing tasks and are especially useful for longer car rides. Be cautious with using tablets.
Start with Basic Shapes
Preschoolers work on drawing various prewriting strokes, such as vertical lines, horizontal lines, circles, interesting lines, diagonal lines, squares, rectangles, and triangles.
Basic Shapes for Three-year-olds
Around three years old, they can draw lines and circles. Encourage your child to create drawings to combine vertical, horizontal, and circular strokes. Fun three-year-old practice drawing skills include simple pictures of; sun, balloon, cookie, donut, tree, flower, smiley face, snowman, road, bridge, rain, pizza, and more. Opportunities for enjoyable drawings are endless. Use your imagination and think about what you can draw with circles and lines.
Basic Shapes for Four and Five-year-olds
When preschoolers turn four and five, they draw shapes like squares, rectangles, and triangles. They can also draw diagonal, curved, zig-zags, and more. As their drawing skills advance and fine motor control improve, the opportunities to create drawings become unlimited. To list a few examples, our older preschoolers often work on pictures of themselves/self-portraits, families, animals, and houses.
Be a Role Model
Children often learn by observing. Sit down and draw alongside your preschooler. If a child struggles with drawing a specific shape, show them how to draw the shape and encourage independent practice. Demonstrate how to draw something new and show your enthusiasm for the activity. Be positive, patient, and encouraging, and you will give the child an excellent introduction to the world of drawing and creative expression.
Provide Visual Samples
By providing visual samples, it will make the drawing more straightforward. Start with a simple subject that is familiar and interesting to preschoolers. Create a graphic illustration of the picture beforehand that will serve as a model. Place the visual sample where the children can see it easily, such as on a large piece of paper, chalkboard, or digital screen (smartboard).
Break-down Drawing Skills
Breaking down drawing tasks into smaller, manageable steps can make drawing more approachable and enjoyable for preschoolers. Let’s break down the drawing of a flower into small, simple steps, focusing on shapes and lines that make up the larger picture. For example, if drawing a flower:
Draw a small circle for the center of the flower.
Draw petal shapes around the circle.
Draw the line for the stem.
Add leaf shapes.
Demonstrate each step, use different colors, and have children follow along.
Tell a Story through Drawing
Children can be encouraged to develop drawing skills to tell a story. Encourage children to figure out what they want their story to be. The drawing is child-directed and can be prompted by questions. What will your story be about? Who are the characters in your story? What happens to them? Introduce topics or themes, like family, animals, or nature, and see how they interpret them. Additionally, children can draw images based on the book or cartoon they enjoy. They can share a story about their artistic creation when their drawings are complete.
Practice and Repetition
Each time children draw, they have the opportunity to refine their drawing skills. It allows children to gradually improve their precise hand movements, refine strokes, and get better at producing the images they envision. Learning to draw can be challenging, and it teaches children that it is okay to make mistakes and that skills develop over time with consistent effort.
Praise and Encourage Process over Product
Creating something and receiving positive reinforcement can significantly increase a child’s self-esteem. Compliment the effort and enjoyment they get from drawing rather than focusing on the outcome. Say things like “I liked how hard you worked on this drawing!” or “I see you enjoyed using a lot of colors!” rather than “What a beautiful flower!” Consequently, as they develop their drawing skills, they gain confidence in their abilities.
Display Their Work
Hang children’s art creations on the walks, or have a special art show. Prominently, displaying a child’s work shows their effort is acknowledged and appreciated. It tells the child that what they have created is important. Seeing their creations on display can instill a sense of pride and accomplishment in children. It shows them that their voice, perspective, and expression are meaningful, which helps build self-confidence and creativity.
Summary
Certainly, developing drawing skills is more than an artistic endeavor in preschool. It is a complex task involving fine motor skills, cognitive processing, and creative expression. Children naturally develop and refine their drawing skills by fostering a nurturing, positive, and fun environment. Encouraging drawing skills in preschool can play a pivotal role in skyrocketing success.
Celebrate artistic creations, encourage efforts, and, most importantly, let’s have fun!
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