About Develop Learn Grow

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Hi, I’m Amy – I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a pediatric occupational therapist (since 2002) and a mother who created Develop Learn Grow to help more adults help more children.

So many educators are seeing increased challenges with their students’ attention, behavior, sensory, and motor skills. And for some reason, it’s getting worse, not better.

Children’s bodies are not developing as they used to due to many changes in our society.

But YOU can help children get back on the right track. Simply provide your kids with easy activities and exercises that they need in order to have a strong foundation for their bodies and brains.

Develop Learn Grow shares easy to use sensory activities, brain breaks, OT activities and exercises, and fine motor activities for all kids.

You can use the information on Develop Learn Grow to help kids develop a strong foundation for learning, attending, and skill development.

You’ll find ALL of my OT strategies, tricks and tips that I’ve used over the course of my career (and as a mom.) These tools will help you keep all of your kids on the right track developmentally in order to better support them.

The play activities, games and exercises are easy to use and embed into what you’re already doing.

It’s always been enjoyable being an OT and helping kids with whom I work. But I’m finding it so much more enjoyable to share my strategies to help a greater number of children through this site! The parents I connect with value my support and I’ve been told in the educational world that I’m a “Teacher’s Teacher!”

OT Activities and Resources on Develop Learn Grow for YOU

As I’ve watched the shifts and changes in society and changes in play experiences, I realize that sharing what I know is more important now than ever before!

It has been so incredibly exciting watching hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world read my blog posts and purchase my resources. It’s rewarding to share information globally to parents, teachers, therapists, and administrators. My dream of helping more kids thrive is coming true!

Life is busy for parents and educators (I get it) so I keep my activities practical and easy to use. Many of the activities and exercises that I create and recommend are quick and simple. I want them to be easy for you to plug into your kids’ current learning and play routines.

Develop Learn Grow consists of three main categories:

1) Sensory Learning Activities and Brain Breaks for Kids,

2) OT Activities and OT Strategies for Kids, and

3) Fine Motor Skills, Pre-Writing Skills and Writing Skills for Kids.

The default blog section lists all of the articles on the blog… with additional posts that don’t fall into the 3 main categories. There are posts that I threw in for fun. They were written as a result of challenges I’ve come across and questions I’ve heard. Or for needs that I’ve seen as an occupational therapist and mom.

(For example, you’ll find Tips for Dealing with Behaviors, How to Enhance Memory and Focus, and some fun posts, like 81 Positive and Heart Touching Quotes for Teachers on days when you need something positive to keep you moving.)

The Evolution of This Mom & Occupational Therapist

I’ve been an occupational therapist since 2002. I absolutely love what I do. My successes and failures in my career AND as a mom have added to my experiences in order to better help other parents and professionals.

My daughter (first born) was a 3 pound, 3 ounce preemie. A sweet, fierce, driven, beautiful little angel. She was born with a very small structure connecting the two sides of her brain. She had feeding challenges and growth concerns for her first couple of years. With my background as an OT I felt prepared to help, but I was also navigating my role as a first-time mom.

Then came my two sons. The first a very, very busy little guy! My full-of-life, extra twinkle in the eye “sensory” kid. Two years later came my second son, my sweet, laid back little old man of a boy. With auditory processing difficulties and speech delays.

All three absolutely AMAZING children! Each with their own sets of unique strengths and needs. I have loved and enjoyed every second with them. ESPECIALLY when they were little… I knew how important those early years were.

My background as an OT enabled me to help support each of my kids’ development. And I even learned from them which in turn helped me grow in my career.

The Creation of Develop Learn Grow

While working with families in the homes in 2018 and 2019, moms kept telling me, “You should start a blog.” And to be honest at that time, I didn’t even really know what they meant! Or how I would even begin to start…

My husband joked with me: “You can’t even get our printer to work, how are you going to build and run a website?!”

So I created Develop Learn Grow!

Game on. My mission is to share my experiences as a mom and OT with more professionals and parents in order to help more kids.

(And maybe, just maybe also to prove that I CAN AND I WILL do this!)

I never envisioned this as part of my career but I love it! Sharing OT activities, developing online courses for professionals and parents, and creating resources have been more enjoyable and fulfilling than I ever imagined.

My site continues to grow and with increasing needs in children, I continue to add resources, information, and services.

As adults, we are navigating parenting and teaching. We develop, learn and grow every day to help guide our children.

With changes in play, increased screen use for kids, and pressure on academic standards, child development has been impacted negatively. Together, we can easily add some fun and therapeutic activities to help kids continue to develop, learn and grow.

How You Can Use Develop Learn Grow

Navigate the homepage to check out the site. If you have a topic you’d like more info on, use the search bar at the top. Additionally:

1. Check out the blog posts that interest you in each of the categories in the header. Many posts have links to related information. Some have free printables that you can sign up for via email. (After you receive the email, you’ll be automatically signed up for Develop Learn Grow’s email updates.)
2. Sign up below to follow the blog. You’ll get an email when there’s new content on the blog or if I have something pressing to share! (You can unsubscribe at any time, however, I won’t flood your inbox.)
3. Share articles with others… the more you and I spread helpful information, the more children we can help.
4. Feel free to email me in the contact form (at the top) with questions, challenges or concerns. 
5. Follow me on  Teachers Pay Teachers, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and/or Facebook.

I hope you enjoy the info on this blog. Kids’ brains develop so rapidly when they’re little. We can work together to make the most of their play and learning experiences!

All the best,

Amy Hathaway MOT, OTR/L
Creator of DEVELOP LEARN GROW