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Fall is one of my favorite times of year to bring learning off the worksheet and into hands-on play. The colors, textures, and natural materials make it easy to create activities that children genuinely enjoy while quietly building the foundational skills they’ll use for writing, reading, math, and everyday independence.
The best part? You don’t need expensive materials. A few leaves, pinecones, acorns, mini pumpkins, and simple art supplies can provide hours of meaningful learning.

A well-designed writing center can do more than store pencils and paper. It can give every student a meaningful way to communicate. In this post, I’ll show you how to create an Alternative Pencil Writing Center using simple, inexpensive tools like label makers, magnet letters, yard sale stickers, address labels, locker magnets, and more. You’ll also discover easy writing activities, organization tips, and practical ideas to help struggling writers, reluctant writers, and students with fine motor challenges become confident, successful writers.

For years, people have asked what I use to carry all of my occupational therapy supplies from classroom to classroom. After trying countless bags and organizers, I’ve found the combination that works best for me: a well-stocked therapy cart that stays at school and Hulken bags for transporting everything else. Along the way, my therapy cart became more than just a way to organize supplies. It even created one of my favorite therapy memories with a second-grade student who looked forward to helping me push it between schools each day, reminding me that sometimes the best therapy moments happen in the hallway, not just during a session.

For years, occupational therapy IEP goals have focused on one thing: writing with a pencil.

“The student will write a sentence.”

“The student will write their name.”

But are we really measuring handwriting, or are we measuring a student’s ability to communicate?

That simple question changed the way our occupational therapy department wrote many of our IEP goals. Instead of asking students to write, we began asking them to generate text.

It may seem like a small change in wording, but it represents a much bigger shift in thinking. By focusing on communication rather than the tool being used, we opened the door for more students to participate meaningfully in literacy while still supporting handwriting development. Sometimes a single phrase can make all the difference.

If you’ve ever watched a student stare at a blank page during writing time, you know that getting started is often the hardest part. For

Homework has changed over the years.

Many schools have moved away from traditional worksheets, and for good reason. Families are busy, students spend long days at school, and many educators are looking for meaningful ways to reinforce learning without adding unnecessary stress.

One approach that can work is using homework calendars.

Instead of sending home another worksheet, a homework calendar encourages children to practice important skills through simple, everyday activities. Better yet, it gives families opportunities to spend time together while supporting their child’s development

One of the questions I get asked most often is:

Where did you get that?

After 28 years as a school-based occupational therapy assistant, the answer is simple…

Most likely either Dollar Tree or Amazon! Ok, well, sometimes a yard sale.

Each has its strengths, and over the years I’ve figured out which items are worth hunting for at the dollar store and which ones I prefer to order online.