Springtime Mindfulness
By Erica Gliga, MOT, OTR/L Springtime is just around the corner and this blog post is all about getting outside, enjoying mindful moments with your littles in nature, and engaging different sensory systems. Nature is filled with so many wonderful sensory experiences and time spent outside can support emotional regulation, for both adults and children. […]
Seasonal Sensory Bins
By Erica Gliga MOT, OTR/L ‘Tis the season for sensory bins. This post shares 2 different seasonal sensory bin ideas to inspire some of your own creations to incorporate into play routines during the holiday season. Generally speaking, sensory bins can support development in a variety of ways such as providing tactile, visual, auditory, and […]
Therapy? It looks like they’re just playing games …
Rouzan Dishoian MS, CF-SLP Speech therapy is often perceived as a fun and playful activity for young children, where they engage in games and activities that appear to be pure amusement. While therapy has a play based approach for young kiddos, it is essential to understand that speech therapy is not just play. It is […]
Play and language
By Madison Gwizdalski MS-CCC, SLP “Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” ~ Mr. Rogers Flashcards, quizzing, educational television shows… it might seem like this would be the best way to teach our children new language concepts. But what if I told you that the best way to connect with your […]
Messy Play
By Erica Gliga MOT, OTR/L With the weather getting warmer, you may be getting outside more with your little ones. Whether inside or outside, messy play is an important activity for your child’s development. This blog post provides a developmental and sensory processing perspective, specifically related to touch, on why messy play is encouraged. Check […]
Autism and play: Why play skills are important and should be reinforced at home
By: Christine Hemelians, MS, OTR/L Play is an important part of a child’s development. However, in children presenting developmental delays or diagnosed with autism, play can be very limited. In fact, play in children on the spectrum can look very different than their neurotypical peers. In autistic children, play may be repetitive, like lining up […]
The Power of Playdough
By Madison Gwizdalski MS-CCC, SLP Play-dough is an all-time favorite toy at Uplift Therapy Center. Curious about why this toy is a staple for our therapists? There are countless benefits to using playdough with your child! It helps to develop fine motor skills: using playdough targets hand strength, dexterity and control, which is necessary for […]
Picking Out Toys for Toddlers and Preschoolers
By Christine Hemelians, MSOT, OTR/L It is crucial to pick out toys that are multi-purpose for children to develop and grow. This is especially important in the digital age. From a developmental standpoint, there is a large body of research indicating the importance of toys fostering and enhancing development across all domains (cognitive, language, social-emotional, […]
Brand new and state-of-the-art sensory gym at Uplift Therapy Center
The brand new and state-of-the-art sensory gym at Uplift Therapy Center will be opening this summer. We will provide occupational therapy and speech therapy services to the pediatric population at our clinic located in La Cañada. Why a sensory gym? When parents see a sensory gym, they may think it is a really cool playroom […]
Building play and social skills
By Deborah Lee MS, OTR/L Play is a child’s main and most important occupation. Through play, children progressively develop skills within various domains such as their overall physical (gross and fine motor), social-emotional, and of course their communication (receptive and expressive language) skills. Play can also be a contributing factor towards an increase in children’s […]