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What’s really happening when your kids play pretend?

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WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING WHEN YOUR KIDS PLAY PRETEND

When I hear the words ‘pretend play’, my mind instantly goes to playing ’parents’ with my sisters, using our teddies as babies and making our little brother play the mean mum. I remember playing shops with a shoe box as the cash register, using the coins next to dad’s bed and stealing mum’s lipstick to look older as the shop attendant. My brother was obsessed with dinosaurs when he was younger, and to include him in our play, his dinosaurs often took on a lot less scarier roles, my personal favourite being our vehicles for transportation. 

What I didn’t know then was that my play themes relied heavily on my own experiences within the world through books, movies, and stories as well as what my parents had shown me through their introduction of play as well as their own everyday life activities such as eating, sleeping, and bathing. 

Pretend play shaped my childhood, it provided me with opportunities for creativity, imagination, emotional development, role playing, social development, increased confidence and so much more!

The Explore and Soar team recently took a course about play therapy and we had a collection realisation of the impact that pretend play can have on early development, also how pretend play can tell us more about a child’s development. 

What is pretend play?

The ability to pretend in play is about understanding the meaning of what is happening beyond the literal function of toys.

In other terms, it is ‘thinking play’.

When children are playing pretend, they are playing as if something or someone is real. They are creating a situation where there is more going on that what is literally happening. 

While there are many different types of play, pretend play is unique due to the specific key development skills it focuses on. These include:  

  1. Ability to spontaneously self-initiate play
  2. Sequencing play actions logically
  3. Using objects as something else (object substitution or symbols in play),
  4. Engaging with a doll or teddy character outside of themselves
  5. Integrating their play so a clear play script is evident
  6. Role play and socially interacting using play.

Even having a cup of tea with a child is pretend play, when you are pretending to drink from an empty cup or blowing on the empty cup because the tea is hot.

Why is pretend play important?

Pretend play is closely linked with language development, narrative language, abstract thought, social interaction, self-regulation, emotional integration of child’s experiences and creativity. 

Play sets the foundation for the development of critical social and emotional knowledge and skills. Through play, children learn how to forge connections with others, share, negotiate and resolve conflicts. Play also teaches children leadership, group interaction, and self-advocacy skills. 

Play is a natural tool that children use to build their resilience and coping skills as they learn to navigate relationships and deal with social challenges. It is also a way that kids conquer their fears, for example through re-enacting fantasy heroes.

Pretend play satisfies a basic human need to express imagination, curiosity and creativity, which are key resources in a knowledge-driven world. They help us to cope, to find pleasure, and to use our imaginative and innovative powers.

Pretend play can also be mixed in with other types of play. For example, when children are running around in gross motor play , they might also be pretending they are running in the Olympics or being chased by a crocodile. Or in fine motor play, they may be threading a necklace but the ultimate goal of making the necklace is for the princess in the play scenario to wear it.

How will the team use pretend play to hit goals?

Pretend play is a tool that we occupational therapists look forward to adding into sessions and sharing with parents and caregivers to explore avenues for creativity and spontaneity. 

As a team at Explore and Soar, our focus for this year is Safety for Vulnerability. Pretend play is a way that children unconsciously choose to present their emotions. It is here that we can model true self-expression and vulnerability, where there is no judgement on their chosen actions or themes as they are showing us their honest imaginations. Supporting this creativity is crucial to building a trusting and joyous relationship.

General ideas for pretend play.

  • Creating your own cubby house,
  • placing a variety of objects into a tub such as kitchen utensils, flowers, sticks and inviting your child to explore them,
  • Narrating and asking questions how they feel, the colour, shape and size. For older children this could look like discussing what each object could represent in a play scene,
  • Pretend objects can be different things.
    • For example, boxes can be cards, beds, tables, oven, house and so on. Cloth can be grass, ocean, deserts and snow,
  • Create spaces where you can join your child in role play.
    • For example, different rooms in the house could represent different everyday settings such as a shop or petrol stations, where the children have to use objects in their rooms to represent that,
  • Play Dress ups,
  • Play mums and dad’s,
  • Have a tea party,
  • Play Cars, trucks, Dinosaurs adventures,
  • On a smaller scale, try creating meaningful movements with figurines or small toys where the child can manipulate the toys and have their characters interact with each other.

Ask our Explore and Soar team for more specific activities or ideas on age-appropriate play themes and ideas to help start playing with your children today!

Until next time, 
Molly

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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 5, 2023

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Tools to Support our Emotions

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TOOLS TO SUPPORT OUR EMOTIONS

A common ask from our families is help regulate their child’s emotions. 

As the new year is still fresh and we are all working hard to settle into the new routine of life, the big transitions or changes that have taken place, a common theme I’m hearing among our families is Emotional Regulation. 

This allows a lot of reflection in how we explain emotional regulation, what it means and how we show up. Over the last 3 years, we have explored  what emotional regulation is, The Emotional Regulation Continuum and Safety & Connection, they are all essential to every stage of development and emotional awareness. 

What is Emotional Regulation?

Emotional regulation refers to an individual’s ability to recognise, process and act upon the emotions that they feel within different situations on a regular day. It is one’s ability to adjust and control their energy level, emotions, behaviours, and attention to allow for success in connecting with our loved ones and engaging in our daily lives.

Emotional regulation is a continuum, constantly changing

Emotional regulation is vital as it impacts not only our confidence and sense of self but also our ability to interact, develop and maintain relationships with others. As a whole this includes how we talk, listen and act towards others when we are presented with some form of physical, mental, or emotional stimulus.

How does Explore and Soar support our clients?

At Explore and Soar, we describe this as our band of arousal. Within sessions, we work with our families and children to identify their optimal band of arousal (where they feel most comfortable and safe) and work closely with them to expand their optimal band to increase flexibility, adaptability and often more capacity to deal with daily stressors. 

We do this by 

  • Strengthening and developing co-regulation and self-regulation skills,
  • Supporting recovery times and processing,
  • Increasing time spent in optimal,
  • Increasing self-awareness, and
  • Developing the foundational skills of perspective taking and empathising for social development.

The word ‘safety’ can be more deeply explained by Dr Stephen Porges, a pioneer in the field of neuroscience and one of the world’s leading experts on the autonomic nervous system. Dr Porges states that we all have an innate need for safety that is wired into our beings and that when we feel emotionally unsafe, our nervous system goes into a state of defence, creating our fight, flight, fright, or freeze responses.  

As occupational therapists when working with our clients and families, we begin by establishing what safety looks like for each family, so we can adapt our therapeutic practices in the most efficient and successful manner. Before any goals can be targeted or reached, it is essential for a sense of safety and security to be built between our client and their therapist. 

Being ‘Emotionally Vulnerable‘ to feel Safe 

This year, from our previous blog, we are embracing Safety for Vulnerability; focusing on the path of true human connection with the ability to express thoughts, feelings, desires and opinions with yourself, your children, and others around you. 

Vulnerability is consciously choosing to not hide emotions and to be present

Vulnerability is about opening up to emotions and becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable. This allows for emotional safety, allowing feelings and emotions to the surface. 

As Brene Brown states “Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, accountability authenticity”. 

In the sense of emotions, we cannot teach someone to be resilient, curious or to connect. However, we can model this and help to script what this might look like by creating a safe environment for the process to unfold. A child who feels safe, knows that they can express their emotions because they will not be judged for having them. It allows them to be who they really are with anybody. Being able to play ands are in fun positive experiences, as clinicians we establish safe relationship and connections in order for us to being tailoring the therapeutic practices to each child.  

Explore & Soar’s Therapeutic Tools  

DIR Floortime 

DIR stands for the Developmental, Individual-differences, & Relationship-based model. It was developed by the late Dr. Stanley Greenspan to provide a foundational framework for understanding human development. 

The ‘Floortime’ aspects refers to getting down on the floor, interacting with the child on their level and taking their lead in play. 

D – Development 

This is where we look at how the child is developing, emotionally and cognitively. Establishing a firm understanding of how the child is performing in relation to a model of “Shared Attention and Regulation”. This is a foundational pillar that child needs to master beginning at birth. 

I – Individual Difference

 The unique ways each person takes in, regulates, responds to, and comprehends the world around them. Understanding the child’s particular pattern of challenges is essential for helping them. These differences can include sensory processing, motor planning or daily living skills. 

R – Relationship 

This is how relationships fuel our development.  Humans are social beings and relationships are vital  to our human development.  

This approach assists caregivers in developing their relationship with their child, so they can be effective in helping the child learn and grow. The approach also aims to ensure that the child is developing meaningful relationships with peers and siblings. to build healthy foundations for social, emotional, and intellectual capacities rather than focusing exclusively on skills and isolated behaviours. 

Greenspan, S. I., & Wieder, S. (2006). Engaging autism: Using the Floortime approach to help children relate, communicate, and think.

Womb Space 

The in-utero was predictable, constant, and safe, designed for growth and development of the baby. This is In contrast to the complexity of our sensory world, where we know our children can become overwhelmed with sounds, visual stimuli, and fatigue to name a few. 

A womb space is a small, enclosed area that reduces the amount of visual and auditory stimuli in the child’s environment to promote reorganization and self-regulation. It is a therapy tool often used to support children to feel safe when overwhelmed. it is a therapy tool often used to support children to feel safe when overwhelmed. 

A child may independently seek out a womb space, or you can passively facilitate one to help them reorganise. Womb spaces can be temporary or semi-permanent, depending on the situation or environment.

It is a combination of reduction of sensory over stimulation, physical connection, gentle movements, being present and consistent. Ways in which we can create womb space include tents, blanket forts and lycra tunnels, reduced light, foetal positioning, music, respiration and singing. 

The provision of womb space allows time to adapt to the intensity of the sensory world. 

Holding Space 

Holding space means being physically, mentally, and emotionally present for someone.

This involves  putting your focus on the individual to support them as they feel their feelings. It is not about dampening or changing the emotion. An important aspect of holding space is managing judgment while you are present. This sets the tone for curiousness and judgement-free interactions, opening way to safety for vulnerability. 

In this interaction, minimal to no words can be used, being present is enough and wait for them to show you what they need to support their emotions. Being present for each person is different, for one person it might be in a hug, for another it might be side by side or across the room. 

The holding space concept is very powerful, asr the physical space between you does not matter. The other person’s ability to hold space emotionally, mentally or spiritually is enough to allow for calming. 

Have you ever noticed anyone holding space for you when experiencing your emotions?

Therapeutic Use of Self 

At Explore and Soar, the way in which we interact with children and families is built on the foundational beliefs of the value of humanity and the importance of being able connect. 

To create feelings of calm, safety and support we use our powerful and individual therapy tool ‘Therapeutic use of self’ in all interactions. It is a therapist’s conscious efforts to optimise interactions with clients through the use of personal characteristics, which are of benefit to the therapeutic relationship. Conducting ourselves in this way that one becomes an effective tool in the intervention process. 

In essence, it is being aware of yourself in terms of verbal communication, body language, eye contact, our own regulation and overall presence to build trust and comfort. To use yourself therapeutically, you must first be aware of your interactions with the child to then be able to adapt them to suit their needs. 

Being Kind to yourself! 

The process of working through and understanding what it truly means to create safety for vulnerability can be overwhelming. Its acknowledging yourself and others with the complexity of emotions we all have. It is human nature to avoid the uncomfortable, painful, or scary emotions. 

Just know, we are here with you along the journey. 

“Vulnerability is not a weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.”  Brene Brown.

Greenspan, S. I., & Wieder, S. (2006). Engaging autism: Using the Floortime approach to help children relate, communicate, and think.

Until next time, 
Maddie

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 27, 2023

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Safety for Vulnerability

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SAFETY FOR VULNERABILITY

Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone has had a magical Christmas and New Year with your family, friends and community. 

I know December was a busy time for a lot of people, navigating all the demands of the end of year. I hope there has been lots of resting, sharing quality time and making memories for you and your family, to set you up for another successful year ahead. I truly cannot wait to see you all continue to grow, share who you are with the world and shine.  

At the beginning of each year we reflect on the previous year’s theme and set intentions for the year to come. This year our intentions and the way you will see us show up within ourselves, our team and with you, our families and communities is Safety for Vulnerability. 

Why this theme?

How this came about is for the last few years we have had significant change, including life and world events; but also growth of the company, which has meant a lot of movement, adapting, changing and requiring to always be on. This year, it is about getting back to our core knowledge and foundations. 

It is about holding space for people to feel ‘Safe’ to allow for ‘Vulnerability’. When this happens, this is where the magic happens. 

The clinical side of it

From an OT perspective, there is a lot of research around the importance of feeling safe before beginning any work with any child, family member or community. 

When we feel safe, secure, and protected, we are comfortable to let our true self shine, to show people our true selves, including our quirks, strengths and limitations. This is where the true beauty is. Being able to share who you are unapologetically is the essence of what brings you joy in your everyday activities; it brings about wellbeing and enhances our confidence in everything we do. As OT’s this is part of our job – to facilitate and support all our children, parents and community members to achieve this. To create a feeling of safe, to allow you to be vulnerable and share who you are. 

This is where our point of difference at Explore and Soar is for our clients and families, because connection, relationships, establishing trust and safety are at the forefront and the beginning of everything we do. We take pride in these relationships with you all, because we know when we have this safety and connection, only then can we address and begin the real work.

Once we feel safe, we can be vulnerable 

We can share and express how we feel, and work through these feelings. It is these moments that we as part of your team, get to support you further and be there with you in those moments. It is where we can assist in identifying activities that are leading to such feelings where things feel like they are  unattainable or unachievable. 

This is where we grade these activities for success in learning that new skill and then, where appropriate share them with your people and community. 

So something that felt big and challenging is now an obstacle overcome and done so with everyone supporting you. 

Vulnerability also brings the need for flexibility

When we share our true selves – our emotions and feelings – we cannot be sure how people will react; its unpredictable. 

For our children, unpredictability is the opposite of what they need. It is the opposite of what they seek. They seek the predictable, to know the boundaries and limits and have control. However, ensuring strong connections and relationships allow our children the safety and securing within this unpredictability. 

It is here we can show our flexibility. It is here that we can still provide our children with the predictability they seek. Our ability to be flexible in our thoughts, plans and actions is teaching our children that skill also! It is breaking down a skill that seems big and challenging to our children in real time. 

Being flexible and dealing with change is something every one of us has to be at some point in our lives. 

So it is our commitment to our Explore and Soar families that we will show Safety in Vulnerability in 2023 – to develop our children’s flexibility and dealing with change.

Until next time,
Jess & Lori

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 10, 2023

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Transitions for Kindergarten

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TRANSITIONS FOR KINDERGARTEN

Transitions can be an exciting and nerve-racking time. Transitioning to Kindergarten being one of those times in our life. It is the moment where you are finishing an era in preschool and being home more with your family, to starting your 12 years of learning at school. It’s the start of one your biggest transitions.

We at Explore and Soar, have you. 

We hear you in the excitement as well as the nerves. We understand the range of emotions we all have with the closing and saying goodbye to a fun stage in our lives and opening the door to the next. We know exactly what to look out for and how to assist during these times. 

As OTs for our children, we look at all areas of development, such as sensory motor, emotional and social, attention/concentration, fine motor, gross motor, self-care, routines, motor planning, problem solving and play skills. We dive deep into all these areas, identify strengths, areas to work on and provide a range of strategies to support their development in preparation for the coming year. 

Some strategies for our children are:

Obstacle Courses: Inside and outside (weather and time dependent), being able to crawl, climb in, over, under, through all different items within the family home or backyard that brings about a fun playful adventure. Sometimes we play “pirates finding the treasure”, dinosaurs or “hidden treasures in the garden” – the world is your creation in play!

Arts & Craft: Christmas is such a fun time for all the craft ideas that our children are motivated to engage in. It’s great for using all different craft utensils and ways to make anything, from ripping paper, scrunching and gluing it on a Santa hat, cutting out a Christmas tree, painting (inside or outside), using a water bottle and paper towel to clean up wet chalk drawing on doors or chalk on the pavement. If you want to share your creations, we would love to see them all! 

Eating & Drinking: With all the end of year social events and New Year, practicing drinking from our school drink bottle, to open it, close it and refill it is vital. So is eating different snacks and food. When going out to all events over the break, take your school lunch box and package foods like you would they were attending school. Practice eating from this packaging to ensure they can open it. Who doesn’t love to eat?? 

If you’d like some ideas, our team have developed a Transition to School resource for you to reference and support you for some fun activities.

As OT’s for our parents, we look at how to best support you in this transition to provide the best for your children, this can come in many different ways and is not limited by any means. Some ways that we support is through parent coaching and education, presenting transition to school talks at our local communities schools as well as providing online education transition to school seminars with a Speech Pathologist. 

Some strategies for our parents are:

Self-regulation & Awareness: Being aware of your own emotions and ability to regulate them. It’s ok to feel nervous, uncertain and overwhelmed, but being able to individually work through these yourself will further support your child transition. What emotions you are feeling subconsciously, your child will be able to feel them too. 

Ask Questions: It is ok to ask questions! Talk to your teachers, chat with allied health professionals (OTs and speech pathologists) if you have any questions about development and/or being ready to transition to school. We can help, support and give guidance for where you need it.

Attend our FREE online School Readiness talk with ASPIRE Speech Pathology. 

Our Director Jess Rodgers and ASPIRE’s Director Andrea Cooper, team up each year to present all the must knows around Speech, Language & Overall Development as our children transition into Kindergarten. The online FREE event occurs at 7pm – 8pm Thursday 3rd November. Please join us as we love answering all your questions and sharing our knowledge with you all. 

Lastly but most importantly. Follow your gut! Our gut instincts are there for a reason, if you have any uncertainties or questions, my advice is also trust your gut and go with it. The uncertain feeling is there for a reason.  

School transitions are big, we want to ensure you are well prepared and have plenty of opportunities to reach out. If you would like more information each November, we write different pieces around school readiness. 

We hope these last few months of the year are exciting, fun and playful. We are looking forward to sharing with you our last blog of the year next month and begin sharing with you all, all the changes and transitions, Explore and Soar have been going through too. 

Until next time,
Jess

P.S. Last year Georgia wrote a lot of helpful tips about school readiness. Read here. 

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 1, 2022

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Auditory Intervention – TOMATIS®

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AUDITORY INTERVENTION – TOMATIS®

Recently the OT team at Explore and Soar participated in some professional development training that allows us to provide another auditory intervention to our clients and their families. We are pleased to announce that Explore and Soar is now a certified Level 1 TOMATIS ® Practitioner.

What is TOMATIS ®?

TOMATIS ® is a sound-based neurosensory education program that is used to enhance the connection of the ear, brain and body in order to work together and support the progression of all foundational skills for your child’s development. It is based upon the work of Alfred Tomatis (Tomatis® Method) using a special machine called the TalksUp® device, to produce the Tomatis® effect. 

This time last year we spoke about the complexity of the auditory sensory system and how it is linked to multiple other sensory systems, including the vestibular (movement) system. As such, our ear is regarded as both an auditory and motor organ within our body and is the doorway to our entire nervous system! The way it interprets and processes sensory information from the world around us impacts upon our emotional regulation, fine and gross motor skills, postural activation, spatial awareness and social skills. 

Did you know that one of the primary roles of the ear is to provide energy to the brain – 70-80% of all energy for our brain comes from our ear! 

Of this, 60% is from our auditory system (hearing) while 30% comes from our vestibular (movement) system. Thus, the ear requires both sound input as well as vibrational input for it to energise the brain and allow for sensory processing to occur at a very automatic level. The TOMATIS ®system is the only auditory system to provide both air (sound) conduction and bone (vibrational) conduction in order to simulate the brain. 

Here is a great video that demonstrates how this in fact works within our bodies.

So why would Explore and Soar use TOMATIS® over other auditory interventions?

TOMATIS ® is based on the principals of intensity and breaks. This means that each program lasts 14 days (intensity) with specific time durations (breaks) between the programs to allow for integration and progression of skills. Thus, it is a 14 day commitment, 4 times per year within the first year and minimum 2 to 4 programs upon the second year to complete the listening program of up to 80 miutes duration per day. However, the integration time outside of the listening stage is just as critical to the overall effectiveness of the program. The effects of TOMATIS ® are best seen over time (with multiple programs for increased results); whereas other auditory interventions can elicit an immediate response or change to behaviours or body awareness or require continued daily listening for up to 12 weeks. 

Explore and Soar clinicians apply their knowledge of each of the different auditory interventions we have access to, along with consideration of each individual’s goals, funds and family life to determine which interventions will be best suited for the individual. 

We’ve seen many children gain a range of benefits by completing the program alongside our clinicians. One of our clients who engaged with the Tomatis® method was previously unable to regulate emotions effectively, follow instructions, understand spatial awareness or movement through space. After completing his first 14 day program, the child became better regulated with a reduced recovery time, staying in his regulated state for longer, with a greater sense of awareness within his own space. He was able to engage and communicate his wants and needs in a healthy way, without lashing out and his creative play and expression exceeded all expectations. 

What benefits can TOMATIS® help achieve?

The changes mentioned here are some of the changes observed and reported by parents using the Tomatis® Method around the world. Responses will vary from child to child and can be difficult to predict; however patterns of development allow us to recognise and assist families in preparing for such changes. These benefits include:

  • A child can become either calmer or more alert depending on their sensory profile.
  • A child can appear more focused and more purposeful in their behaviour. 
  • Improved eye contact. 
  • More affectionate. 
  • Children begin to frequently seek their parents out and want to join in on more family activities. 
  • Show increased interest in non-verbal communication such as facial expressions and gestures.
  • A child may increase their self awareness, or become inquisitive about their own self.
  • They show more awareness of their environment around them and may start to notice things they seemed oblivious to before. 
  • Some of the sensory sensitivities that were especially heightened will start to decline.
  • Increased vocalisations or sounds such as babbling or baby sounds in children who are considered non-verbal.
  • Increased recognition of their name or when they are spoken to.
  • Ability to demonstrate an increased understanding of more complex sounds, words and phrases in children who are considered verbal.
  • Ability to understand and follow directions of varying complexities.
  • A child will have increased purposefulness in their communication, behaviours, play ideation and social interactions with others.
  • A child will be less in their own world and more willing to join our world. 

If you would like to know more about TOMATIS ® or the other auditory interventions Explore and Soar can offer as part of our ongoing therapy to assist your child in achieving their goals, please reach out to your treating clinician. 

Read more about the Tomatis® Method here.

Until next time,
Lori

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AUGUST 31, 2022

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