About Growing Hands-On Kids

Welcome to Growing Hands-On Kids — Helping Kids Build Skills Through Play.

Hi, I'm Heather!

I’m a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA/LTD), educator at heart, and passionate advocate for hands-on learning. Through Growing Hands-On Kids, I share practical child development tips, printable tools, and research-informed strategies designed to support children in meaningful, hands-on play experiences.

My mission is to empower parents, teachers, and therapists with developmentally appropriate activities that strengthen fine motor skills, support sensory processing, improve handwriting readiness, and build independence in everyday life. I believe children learn best when they are actively engaged, using their hands, exploring their environment, and building skills through purposeful play.

Whether you’re working on pencil grasp, sensory regulation, self-care skills, or classroom participation, you’ll find simple, effective ideas here that are rooted in occupational therapy principles and designed to fit naturally into home and school routines.

Because when we focus on hands-on learning, we’re not just helping kids build skills, we’re helping them grow confidence, independence, and a lifelong love of learning.

What You’ll Find at Growing Hands-On Kids

Growing Hands-On Kids began in 2013 as a small space where I shared hands-on activity ideas I was using in my school-based practice as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. I wanted to give parents and teachers simple, practical ways to support fine motor skills, sensory development, handwriting readiness, and classroom participation.

Over the years, Growing Hands-On Kids has grown into a trusted resource for parents, educators, and therapy professionals looking for play-based, occupational therapy-informed strategies that truly work.

Today, you’ll find:

• Child development tips rooted in evidence-based practice
• Age-appropriate fine motor and sensory activity ideas
• Handwriting readiness and pencil grasp support
• Functional life skill strategies for home and school
• Printable checklists, activity packs, and skill-building resources
• Digital downloads designed for therapy sessions, classrooms, and home carryover

Every resource is created with one goal in mind: helping kids build skills through meaningful, hands-on play experiences.

Whether you’re supporting a preschooler learning to button, a student struggling with handwriting endurance, or a child who needs sensory regulation strategies, you’ll find practical tools here that fit naturally into everyday routines.

At Growing Hands-On Kids, I believe play isn’t just fun; it’s the foundation for skill development, confidence, and independence.

5 Things About Heather…

I'm a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. I graduated in 2006 as an Occupational Therapy Assistant and started working in a skilled nursing facility. My dream position was to work in a school-based setting. Three years after graduating, I was able to find a school-based position and worked there until 2013. I am currently working on going back into the clinic setting soon, hopefully in a part-time capacity!
I'm a homeschool graduate. I was homeschooled from kindergarten through high school and was able to graduate a year early.
I met my now-husband when we were just 10 years old. We met through church, and I was actually friends with one of his sisters first. In college, we started dating, and the rest is history. We've been married for 19 years.
I'm a previous homeschool mom! We have two children, ages 13 and 10, who we homeschooled up to 3rd and 6th grade. They now attend a local church school in 4th and 7th grade. For privacy reasons, they aren't on the website anymore, but you will occasionally find older pictures of them doing some of the activities I write about on my site.
I'm a breast cancer survivor. In December 2021, I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. 2022 through February 2023 has been filled with treatments, but I am thankful for the continued support of my family and the ability to still work from home when I felt like it.

Heather's Professional Background

Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with experience in school-based services for children aged 3-18 years old.

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants must pass a national certification examination. To maintain their credential, 36 units must be completed every 3 years, demonstrating current, ongoing professional development throughout their career. Appropriate use of the COTA credential is essential.
Heather Greutman, COTA – 221409. She is currently holding a limited license in the state of Ohio.

Occupational Therapists Registered and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants who renew their certification with 24 or more out of the 36 required renewal activities in their primary practice area are able to reflect it as a Practice Area of Emphasis.
*Please note that a Practice Area of Emphasis does not connote a specialty certification or advanced practitioner certification.

My Books

I am the author of Basic Shapes for Beginners, a Hands-On Approach to Pre-writing Strokes for Preschoolers, and Basics of Fine Motor Skills – Developmental Activities for Kids.