The OT Mom

The OT Mom 👋 I’m Olivia, a pediatric OT & mom sharing tips to support your baby & toddler’s development.
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From feeding to fine motor, potty training to play—follow for realistic advice, helpful tools & baby gear recs that actually make sense.

11/24/2025

I didn’t expect this little jar to be such a hit…
but my toddler sat so still watching it glow, scooping, pouring, and talking about the colors. It’s calm, focused, and gives one of those rare quiet moments, which feels like a gift all on its own.

It’s not just a light-up toy, it’s a sensory regulation tool.

🫧 Just add water
🌈 It lights up and swirls around
✋ Builds hand strength and coordination
🧘‍♀️ Helps with calm-down and attention
👜 Easy to bring for travel, restaurants, or quiet play

It’s under $25, reusable, and perfect as a sensory gift, calm-down tool, or stocking stuffer.

Comment GLO and I’ll send you the link to this exact sensory jar 🎁

Toddler gift ideas, sensory play gifts, holiday gift idea for toddler

11/23/2025

18–24 months is such a fun stage because play starts to look more intentional, not just exploring, but building, role-playing, solving problems, dressing up, and using both hands together.

This is where we start to see:
🧠 Early problem solving
👥 Real pretend play (not just imitation)
👋 Stronger fine motor + hand strength
🚶‍♀️ Climbing, balancing, spinning, jumping, riding
💬 More expressive language & storytelling

Want the full 18–24 month gift guide with links?
👉 Comment “toddler” and I’ll send it to you!

11/22/2025

HIGH-ENERGY TODDLER TOYS 🚀
If your toddler never. stops. moving… you’re not alone 😅
As a pediatric OT & mom, I don’t try to stop the energy—
I just give them safe (and developmentally rich) ways to use it.

These toys are perfect for:
✨ Gross motor movement
✨ Vestibular + proprioceptive input
✨ Core strength & balance
✨ Burning energy in a positive way
✨ AND helping them regulate for calmer play after

Your toddler doesn’t need more rules…
they probably just need more movement. 👣

👇 COMMENT “toddler” and I’ll send you my list with links

11/21/2025

✨This might be our new favorite Christmas tradition✨

I made a FREE personalized Santa video for my toddler and Santa actually said his name and even told him how proud he was for helping at home. 🥹
His little face lit up!
Absolute magic. ✨

You can make one too, it takes just a few minutes and it’s completely personalized with whatever details you want to share. Name, good deeds, wish list… all of it. 🎅💌

Comment SANTA and I’ll send you the free link 🎁


11/19/2025

🚫 “My baby skipped crawling… they just went straight to walking!”
I hear this all the time… and while it sounds impressive, it’s actually not the flex we think it is.

Crawling isn’t just a way to move.
It’s a full-body and full-brain workout that builds:
🧠 Bilateral coordination (both sides of the brain working together)
✍️ Pre-writing + fine motor strength (shoulders → wrists → hands → fingers)
⚖️ Core stability, balance & posture
👀 Visual tracking, scanning, and even attention skills
🧩 Problem solving, motor planning, and emotional regulation

So no… crawling isn’t an optional milestone.
It isn’t something to rush past.
And it definitely isn’t something to brag about skipping.

📌 Babies need floor time, space, and opportunities to move.

👉 Share this with a parent who needs to hear it
👣 Follow along for more pediatric OT truths that protect development, not rush it
💬 Comment CRAWL and I’ll send you my favorite crawling toys

11/18/2025

✨The 12–18 month stage is magic.
They’re learning how to walk, stack, push, scoop, feed a doll, “clean” the floor with a wipe, all while their little brains are making millions of new connections every second. 🧠💥

This stage isn’t just about toys, it’s about giving them tools to practice real life skills through PLAY. 👏

That’s why my favorite OT-approved gift categories for this age include:
🧠 Problem-solving + early thinking
👋 Fine motor & early tool use (twisting, stacking, scooping)
🚶 Movement + balance (pushing, climbing, squatting)
🎭 Pretend play (phones, baby dolls, kitchen tools)
🎨 First sensory & art play
📚 Early language & picture books
🛁 Water play for pouring, squeezing, and scooping

It doesn’t have to be fancy.
It just has to be purposeful. 🌱

✨Want the full list with links and recommended toys
👉 Comment “gift” and I’ll DM it to you!

11/16/2025

✨1-Year-Old Holiday Gift Guide (OT-Approved!)✨
One-year-olds are BUSY—walking, climbing, stacking, exploring, copying everything you do, and learning through movement + play. So I picked toys that support:
🧠 Problem-solving
💪 Gross motor development
🤲 Fine motor skills
📦 Object permanence
🎨 Creativity + open-ended play
…and most importantly, toys they’ll actually use all year long.

These are my tried-and-true favorites as a pediatric OT and mom durable, engaging, and developmentally supportive without the overwhelm.

👇 Comment “gift” for the full list + links! 🎁✨

11/15/2025

✨6–12 Month Gift Guide (from a Pediatric OT)✨

This stage is SO much fun, babies are finally sitting, exploring, reaching, banging, transferring, mouthing, and starting to understand cause & effect.
Here are some of my favorite toys that support development while keeping play simple, safe, and engaging. 💛

I love gifting items that:
🧠 Build fine + gross motor skills
👀 Support visual + sensory exploration
💪 Encourage strength + coordination
🎵 Reinforce cause + effect
🤲 Are easy for little hands to grasp
…and bonus: are parent-approved for durability 👏

These are the toys I used with my own son and recommend to the families I work with every day.

👇 Comment “gift” for the full list + links! 🎁

11/14/2025

✨Shopping for a newborn or young baby can feel overwhelming, but the truth is, babies 0–6 months don’t need much. The right toys at this age should support sensory development, tummy time, early grasping, visual skills, and bonding… not overstimulation.

So I put together an OT-approved 0–6 month gift guide that’s simple, purposeful, and developmentally supportive.
Here are some of my favorite categories 👇
🖤 High-contrast visuals
🤲 Sensory + tactile toys
👋 Fine motor + grasping toys
💪 Tummy time

Want the full, detailed list?
👉 Comment “list” and I’ll send you everything.

11/13/2025

Chores at this age aren’t about getting things done perfectly, they’re about helping your toddler feel capable, confident, and included. ❤️

When toddlers have simple, predictable responsibilities, it supports:
🧠 Independence & problem-solving
💪 Motor skills + coordination
🧘‍♀️ Emotional regulation (having a “job” reduces power struggles!)
🏡 A sense of belonging and contribution

And the best part? They love being helpers when we set them up for success.

If you’re not sure what’s realistic for ages 2–3, save this reel, these chores are exactly where I start with my little OT patients (and my own toddler 💛).

11/11/2025

Growing independence doesn’t happen overnight.
It happens in the small, everyday moments where we let them try.

I’m not expecting him to do everything on his own.
I’m just giving him the tools and opportunities to practice:
- having things he can reach
- a safe way to climb up
- real jobs to help with
- alittle extra time before I step in

The goal isn’t perfection.
The goal is confidence. 🌱

Want a list of my favorite products that make independence actually doable?
Comment “toddler” and I’ll send it to you 💬✨

What skill is your toddler working on right now?
Shoes? Pouring? Brushing teeth? Dressing?
Tell me below 👇💬

11/09/2025

Hi, I’m Olivia, a pediatric OT & mom. 💛
The late 2’s (30–36 months) come with so much confidence. You’ll notice more independence, more personality, and yes… still plenty of BIG feelings.

This stage is all about practicing doing things on their own, refining motor skills, and building longer, more meaningful play. And that can look messy, slow, repetitive, or surprising, all of which are normal.

Some skills come easily.
Some take time.
Some show up all at once.
Some don’t click until later.

That doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It means your toddler is human. 💛

The best thing you can do right now is offer space to try, patient support, and simple routines they can participate in. They don’t need perfection, they need practice.

👉 Save this for later
👉 Comment PLAY for a list of my personal favorites for this age
👉 Follow for the 3-year milestone check-in next

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