Kerri Bailey Sets Course for Summer Handwriting Camp

When it comes to helping children, Occupational Therapist Kerri Bailey demonstrates the utmost determination and motivation. Last year, she developed the Pencil Partners handwriting camp to focus on children who need help with handwriting because there was great demand in her area.

Last summer, Pencil Partners ran for two weeks for just over two hours per session. The camp included three preschool groups: 4-year-olds and those entering kindergarten in the fall, beginning printers (children entering 1st and 2nd grade), and advanced printers (children entering 3rd grade). A typical day for Pencil Partners summer camp included 20 minutes of gross motor warm up followed by activities.

The children learned the letters of the day, including the Frog Jump Capitals, Magic C letters, and Diver letters. Then one group participated in music from the HWT CDs as the other group engaged in a craft activity. Next, Kerri would have the children participate in hand gym, which included specific activities to improve hand grasp and manipulation skills. The two groups would then switch activities. At the end of the session, the groups would come together to reinforce what they did that day.

Kerri’s clinic, Child’sPlay Therapy Center, is looking forward to the 2008 summer camps.

To get the word out about the camp, Kerri uses diverse marketing tactics. She placed an ad in a Birmingham parent magazine, which proved very successful. Next, she will be participating in a camp expo at a local mall where she will have a booth and distribute flyers advertising her camp.

Have you considered starting your own camps? You’ll find there are many options and myriad rewards. And, you’ll love seeing children’s progress and happiness.

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Kerri Bailey has her own therapy practice in Birmingham, Alabama and sees children of varying abilities. If you would like to learn more about the Child’sPlay Therapy Center, visit www.childsplaytherapycenter.com. You can also reach Kerri directly at kerri@childsplaytherapycenter.com.