Summer 2011 groups forming now!.  Please call us at 805-264-1553 to sign up.

  

 
  Purpose of Groups:
 
  1. Occupational Therapy (OT) Groups help children with self-care, motor, & social skills, and help parents understand children's behavior
  2. Groups are challenging for your child in a positive way.  Your child's tolerance and ability to focus should grow.  The physical activities should be a great stress release.
  3. Children learn to control behavior, be more self-regulated, and interact better with peers.
  4. Parents become more fluent in understanding and controlling their child's behavior.

Available Groups:

  • Sensory Motor Development - This group uses sensory-based games and activities to develop successful play skills in children who struggle with the gross motor and motor planning aspects of group play.  This group is offered for specific age groups (3 - 5 years and 5 - 7 years).
  • Kindergarten Readiness - This group uses sensory-based games & activities to develop successful plan & pre-learning skills to prepare children to enter into a structured school setting.  Topics include making friends, homework, organization, getting along with teachers, and morning routines.  This group is offered for kindergarten-ready children (ages 4 - 6 years).
  • Happy Handwriting - This group uses fun fine motor games, creative art projects, and home activities to help children develop necessary pre-writing skills and build a more positive attitude towards writing and fine motor tasks.  Specific ability groups include children who are learning to print (ages 4 - 7 years) and cursive hand-writers (ages 8+ years).  Topics include pre-handwriting readiness, hand strengthening, and proper letter formation.
  • How Does Your Engine Run? - This group assists children to accurately identify and alter their activity and attention level using fun sensory-based activities.  We will learn the non-medication approach to improving and maintaining attention.  This group is intended for school-aged children with sensory regulation issues, ADD, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
  • Super Flex Social Thinking - Children often have difficult making and keeping friends.  This group focuses on flexible thinking and how to understand the social world.  Based on the work of Michelle Garcia-Winner, children will learn about SuperFlex and the team of Unthinkables to help with non-verbal communication and social skills.  This group combines sensory integrative approach with social thinking in a play-based environment.  This group will be offered for children 5 -7 and 8 - 12 years old.
  • Girl Power - Dr Stephanie Foster and Ms. Julie Schmidt, Marriage & Family Therapist, offer this group to empower girls with knowledge of anti-gossiping and anti-bullying strategies, communication, friendships, getting along with parents, and non-verbal communication.  This group will be offered for ages 8 - 10 and 11 - 15 years.
  • Boy Power - This group will address issues boys have.  Specific topics include assertive communication, anti-bullying strategies, competitiveness, friendships, giftedness, etc.  This group will be offered for ages 8 - 12 years.
  • Picky Eaters R Us - This group is for all picky eaters.  If your child has difficulty eating a variety of foods & textures, then this group is for you!!  Children will explore foods and textures, learn nutritional education, and discover why eating is so hard.  Parents will understand their child's unique sensory needs, and how powerful input in the mouth can be self-regulation.  This session will be grouped developmentally by the children's age & needs.
  • Parent Support Group - Parenting a child with self-regulation and behavior difficulties is especially challenging.  This group offers a multi-disciplinary support to parents and focuses on supporting each other through the ups and downs of parenting children by reading Parenting From the Inside-Out. Topics include attachment, memory, parenting when children have challenges with behavior, poor self-esteem, and compliance.  This session will be co-lead by Julie Schmidt, MFT, and Stephanie Foster PhD, OTR/L.  Please note: This will be a parent only group--no children should be present.

Dates:

  • Session 1: June 21 - July 7 on Tuesdays & Thursdays, time be determined.
  • Session 2: July 12 - 28 July on Tuesdays & Thursdays, time be determined.
  • Parent Support Group: June 22 - July 27 on Wednesdays at 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Location:

  • Play Groups: Kid's Work Clinic or Dance Motions Studio
  • Parent Support Group: Kid's Work Clinic

Additional Details:

  • Groups consist of 3 - 5 children of similar ages or developmental needs.  Parent volunteers are required to be present at each session to facilitate carry-over and participation. 
  • Prior to the start of the group, each child must attend at least one screening session.  There is a fee for this screening.
  • Contact Stephanie M. Foster, PhD, OTR/L at 805-264-1553.
  • Click here if you would like to download a flyer.

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 For more information, please contact us at 805-264-1553 or info 'at' kidswork 'dot' biz   
(replace 'at' with "@" and 'dot' with "." for the correct email address)

Serving the entire Central Coast
P.O. Box 2476, Santa Maria, CA 93457
© 2011 by Kid's Work.  All rights reserved.