My mission is to provide the care and support needed for all kids to thrive and lead a life full of PEP!
Why PEP?
Play
To me the basis of any therapy involving kids has to be Play. Jean Piaget, most famously known for his theory of cognitive development, once said that “play is the answer to how anything new comes about”.
Play is any activity that a child chooses to do, and has fun while doing it. Play is a child’s main work and is essential for development in every area: motor, cognitive, emotional, social.
If an activity makes a child happy and is enjoyable then they want to do it again and it gives them the chance to practice doing things in their own way so that they can be successful.
Play provides a child with opportunities to explore and learn about things in their environment, as well as use and develop their senses and to think.
Play is also a great time to interact with other people and learn social skills.
The best part for me is that play provides a reason to practice moving.
Using a play-based approach during all my sessions makes certain that therapy is fun and
ensures that the child explores, learns and succeeds to the best of their ability.
Exploration
Play and exploration are invariably linked in a child’s development. Exploration is a normal and important activity for children. Exploring is one of the first ways an infant learns about their body, movement, objects, and how to solve problems.
As a young baby or child, plays, explores and experiments they learn how to relate to others and to the things around them.
Gross motor and movement skills like rolling, pulling up, standing, crawling, walking, climbing, and running help children explore and test out their environment and surroundings.
A baby will move their limbs and head and roll over, at first by accident, but soon they learn how to move in order to achieve this on purpose. Another example is when a young child knocks over a tower of blocks and enjoys watching and hearing them tumble. They soon learn that they have the ability to cause this by moving and that every time they hit the tower with their hand or foot it will fall.
As someone who has studied the “science of movement” it is thrilling and inspiring to help infants and children move, explore and learn about how their body’s work and how they can interact with those around them and their environment.
Participate
Participation is defined by the World Health Organization as “involvement in life situations”.
Participation in activities at home, daycare, school and in the community is an important part of childhood and plays a key role in a child’s development, self-esteem, life skills, social relationships and self-belief. Being involved not only improves a child’s health but also their quality of life.
It is important for ALL children to be able to participate and be actively involved, with their families, friends and peers. Ultimately, this is my expectation and goal for the children and families I work with, after all life doesn’t just happen, it requires your participation.
