Jolene Cilliers Arbeidsterapie / Occupational Therapy

12/08/2026

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S W I N G !
Swing with a purpose! ✨
What looks like simple swinging is actually a sensory-rich experience. 💛
A spandex swing provides a wonderful combination of vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile input — helping children explore movement, body awareness and sensory regulation through play.
🌿 Vestibular input supports balance, movement processing and postural control.
💪 Proprioceptive input provides deep pressure and resistance, supporting body awareness and regulation.
🤲 Tactile input allows the child to experience pressure and touch across the body in a safe, playful way.
And all of this is happening, the child is also working on motor planning, coordination, core stability and spatial awareness.
Because in Occupational Therapy, sometimes the best therapy looks a lot like play. 🤍
Get your spandex swings at:
Prove Kids
Paediatric Occupational Therapy Spandex Stuff
VestibularInput ProprioceptiveInput LearningThroughPlay

10/06/2026

T A C T I L E
F U N!
Foam play is so much more than messy fun! 🫧

Playing with foam provides rich tactile sensory input, encouraging children to explore different textures through their hands. As they squeeze, scoop, swirl, and manipulate the foam, they develop greater awareness of their hands and fingers—an important foundation for fine motor skills needed for tasks such as handwriting, cutting, buttoning, and other daily activities.

Searching for hidden objects within the foam further promotes:
✨ Tactile exploration and discrimination
✨ Sensory processing and regulation
✨ Increased tolerance of different textures
✨ Sustained attention and concentration
✨ Hand strength and fine motor development

Through play, children are building essential sensory and motor skills while having fun and engaging their curiosity. 💙

17/05/2026

N U R S E S ! 💚💪🫁
This week we celebrated Nurses Day 🤍
A small token of appreciation for the nurses who show compassion, strength and dedication every single day.
Thank you for the care, comfort and difference you make in so many lives — your work never goes unnoticed.

22/04/2026

F•I•N•E••M•O•T•O•R••S•K•I•L•L•S

We need fine motor skills for everyday tasks like eating, dressing, fastening buttons and zips, tying shoelaces, brushing teeth, writing and manipulating small objects✋

These skills involve the small muscles of the hands and fingers working together with the eyes to perform precise, controlled movements.

🔑Key components of fine motor development include:
• Hand strength and endurance
• Finger isolation/ discociation of movement (using one finger at a time)
• In-hand manipulation (moving objects within the hand)
• Bilateral coordination (using both hands together)
• Hand-eye coordination
• Grasp patterns (e.g. pencil grip)
• Motor planning and control

Steps of treating fine motor skills:
Get full range of movement➡️ strengthen the hand muscles➡️ work on fine motor skills

15/04/2026

T H E . R E T R E A T !
What an incredible week for our team! 🌟
Therapists from JCOT, Physioflex, and Hearclear had the privilege of visiting The Retreat Hazeldean, where we got to connect with residents and spread some truly valuable knowledge.
From fall prevention and hearing health to balance, daily independence, and cognitive functioning — we covered it all! Our goal? To empower residents with the tools and awareness they need to live their healthiest, most confident lives.
A huge shoutout to our amazing team who showed up with big smiles, big hearts, and even bigger passion for what they do. The residents were engaged, curious, and absolutely wonderful to spend time with — honestly, we may have learned just as much from them! 😄
Here’s to building healthier, happier communities one conversation at a time. 💪

27/03/2026

Building more than just blocks 🧱
This activity targets visual-motor integration (VMI) — helping children copy, plan, and coordinate what they see with how they move.
A simple task with powerful developmental benefits!
This task also challenges:
• Visual discrimination and analysis
• Motor planning and sequencing
• Spatial organisation
• Bilateral coordination

24/03/2026

18/03/2026

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A D L ‘ s
In hospital, the small things are often the big things.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) — like getting dressed, brushing teeth, washing, or eating — are more than routine tasks. They are powerful steps toward independence, dignity, and recovery.
When patients practice their ADLs in hospital, they rebuild strength, regain confidence, and prepare for returning to their everyday lives. What may seem simple can actually be a vital part of healing.
ADLs can be used as the perfect “prep” activity. Even when the patient does not feel like doing therapy, an ADL is often the perfect way to achieve engagement in further therapy activities.

10/03/2026

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S H O U L D E R • S T A B I L I T Y
As OTs, we work from proximal to distal. 💪
When the shoulders are strong and stable, they provide the foundation for controlled arm movements.
This stability supports better coordination for hand and fine motor movement, which is essential for developing the skills needed for handwriting and other precise tasks. ✍️
Here’s a quick video for some shoulder stability inspo! ✨