AudioBooks and Fine Motor Skills

*in every post I am going to mention this, so be prepared to be slightly annoyed. We sign up for every available therapy. We value the professionals and have found it to be incredibly helpful. These are things we do While waiting for our turn on the waitlist. *

My children LOVE audiobooks and podcasts. They are absolutely captivated by them. 

I love them because FRANKLY it gives me some time to myself and I don’t have a ton of guilt because they aren’t staring at a screen.

We started listening to podcasts and audiobooks as we went on long road trips for my ex’s work.

It actually started from necessity – we very quickly became tired of listening to the favourite songs that the kids would sing,

Then repeat

Then repeat

Then. Repeat.

Until even when I had a moment to myself – lets just say, in the washroom. I would find myself humming THAT SONG even though no one was actually singing it at the moment.

It was time to bring in something new

Good bye Tay-Tay

Hello non-repeating podcasts and audiobooks!

Amazing!

Even more amazing – our library lets you download them FOR FREE.

My Dutch heart was singing

Once we started listening at home however, the kids didn’t know what to do with themselves.

Just sit on a couch? 

Sit

Together

….Still??

Nope

I had been trying to teach my son to write (cursive, not print) and while I thought it would be great to practice writing while listening to a book, it turned out it was a little too on the nose for him. He dislikes all forms of worksheets and anything he deems as school work. So we had to become a little more creative. 

His printing and writing are fine motor skills. So while we were waiting for our turn for to see the Occupational Therapist (got to love those LONG wait times!), I decided to find ways for him to strengthen his fine motor without it seeming like work.

I found several fine motor activities and put them in the craft cupboard. From there it was just a rule that if we listen to podcasts/books, you must pull out one activity to do with it.

Bonus: My other children LOVE these things too!

They all use and develop fine motor skills while we all enjoy the distraction of the audiobooks.

On that note, I am going to do something crazy while my kids are occupied.

Maybe clean

Maybe fold and put away laundry

Maybe prep some homeschool material

Maybe forget the work and drink a hot coffee!!!