Welcome to Term 3
Welcome to our Term 3 newsletter at Paediatric Potentials OT! We're excited to showcase the remarkable achievements and growth from this past term. This term, we celebrated children reaching new milestones in both individual therapy and group programs, demonstrating significant personal growth and enriching their daily experiences and interactions.
Our ongoing commitment to staff development allows our team to deliver high-quality, evidence-based therapy for our clients. Investing in our team’s expertise translates directly into better care for the families we serve, with tailored strategies that meet specific therapeutic goals.
At Paediatric Potentials OT, we don't just meet therapy goals—we enhance lives and empower families, turning potential into reality for every family we support.
In This Issue
In this Term 3 newsletter, we're excited to share updates and insights from another enriching term at Paediatric Potentials OT. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll find in this edition:
Group Programs
CommuniTeens Group: Flourished in Term 3, offering tailored activities for pre-teens and teens during the school term.
Play and Grow: Launched this term for 3-5 year olds and their parents, focusing on boosting early development through interactive play and fostering social connections.
Holiday Programs: Teen Bowling, Kitchen Stars, Creative Hands, Lego, and Minecraft were all hits during the September school holidays.
Coming Soon – Prep Readiness Group: Set to begin in January for children starting school in 2025, designed to develop the skills necessary for participating in both the social and academic aspects of school.
Parent Information Corner
Nicole (OT) has crafted invaluable tips and strategies to support your child's development at home during Term 3. This section is essential for parents eager to enhance learning and growth beyond our therapy sessions.
Professional Development Insights for Term 3
Discover the latest topics our team has explored this term and gain insights from our staff's professional development efforts, all aimed at enhancing the services we provide.
Key Moments of Term 3
Birthdays
We celebrated the birthdays of the following team members this term:
Taylor and Rachael (July)
Elke (August)
Bailey and Amanda (September)
Events
PJ Day: We participated in National PJ Day to raise awareness and funds for children in foster care.
Mid-Term Yo-Chi Outing: Our team enjoyed a refreshing outing to Yo-Chi, bonding over frozen yogurt and conversations.
RUOK Day: We marked RUOK Day by fostering a supportive environment for staff and families to connect and check in on each other.
End of Term Celebration Lunch: We gathered for a long lunch to celebrate our achievements and the strong community we've built together.
Millmerran Outreach Clinic
In the September school holidays, Gabby, James, Maarya, and Rachael ventured out to Millmerran to provide intensive supports to families who find it challenging to access OT services. We are passionate about continuing to expand our reach and impact within rural communities.
Communiteens GrouP - Building Social Skills for Teens aged 13+
The CommuniTeens group at Paediatric Potentials OT flourished in Term 3, offering a supportive and structured environment where pre-teens and teens engaged in activities that fostered both social and developmental skills.
Some key highlights from this term include:
Planning and Making of Polymer Clay Earrings: This activity focussed on fine motor skills and attention to detail. It also provided an opportunity for creativity and self-expression, which are crucial for emotional development and personal identity.
Cooking Ham and Cheese and Vegemite Scrolls: Cooking involved following specific sequences and measuring ingredients, improving executive functioning skills such as planning and organisation. This task also encouraged sensory exploration and was a practical exercise in everyday life skills.
Baking Cookies: Similar to cooking, baking enhanced executive functioning skills and involved sensory experiences vital for independence in age expected tasks. It also allowed for social interaction and teamwork as participants followed recipes together.
Gaming Using the Wii: This activity promoted physical activity in a fun and engaging way while also enhancing hand-eye coordination. Social skills were fostered through cooperative play and turn-taking.
Cooking Quesadillas: Another cooking activity that enhanced life skills, including meal preparation and safety awareness. It encouraged independence and decision-making as participants chose their fillings and managed the cooking process.
Decorating Pots: This creative task allowed participants to express themselves through art, improving fine motor skills and providing a sense of accomplishment when used as plant containers or gift items.
Through these activities, CommuniTeens members worked together as a team, forming connections that extended beyond the group setting, contributing to their social and emotional development.
“Communiteens is more than just a group—it’s a place where participants can enhance developmental skills while forming lasting social connections. The activities are thoughtfully designed to support emotional, social, and functional growth.”
Play & Grow Group
Building foundational skills through engaging and creative activities for children aged 3-5 years
The Play and Grow program is a vibrant and enriching initiative designed for 3-5 year olds and their parents, aimed at enhancing early development through interactive play and social interaction. Launched to support the foundational growth of young children, the program focuses on nurturing cognitive and physical development in a fun, engaging environment.
Key Aspects of the Play and Grow Program
Interactive Play: Children participated in a variety of play-based activities, which encouraged their motor development, problem-solving skills, and creativity. This included using water droppers and food colouring to create vibrant trees both individually and collaboratively, promoting both fine motor skills and cooperative play.
Social Interaction: Early social skills were enhanced as children interacted with peers and adults, developing important communication abilities, empathy, and cooperation.
Parent Involvement: Parents were actively involved in the sessions, gaining valuable insights and strategies to support their child’s development at home. This participation also strengthened the bonds between parents and children during these crucial early years.
Skill Development: The program included diverse activities such as name writing with edible sensory options, play with large foam objects for gross motor skill enhancement, messy play to stimulate sensory processing, and crafting no-cook playdough to foster creativity and tactile exploration.
The Play and Grow group provides a structured yet flexible setting where young children thrive, explore and learn at their own pace.
If you're interested in enrolling your child or have any questions about using NDIS funding, please reach out at your earliest convenience. We look forward to welcoming you and your child to our Play & Grow group program!
September school Holiday Programs
Teen Tenpin Bowling
The Teen Bowling program offered a fantastic outlet for teens aged 13+.
In addition to promoting physical activity and social interaction, the program included practical lessons on navigating the wider community and public spaces safely. Participants learned how to walk safely from the clinic to the bus stop and effectively use public transport, specifically the bus, to travel to the bowling venue. This aspect of the program aimed to enhance their independence and confidence in public environments.
Centered on helping teens develop important life skills such as teamwork, sportsmanship, successful regulation strategies for less familiar contexts and social skills, the informal, relaxed setting of the bowling alley allowed the teens to interact naturally, fostering friendships and encouraging supportive interactions among peers.
Kitchen Stars
The Kitchen Stars program offered a vibrant and educational experience for children aged 7-12.
Centered on teaching basic cooking skills and kitchen safety, the Kitchen Stars sessions aimed to promote independence and healthy eating habits. Children learned to prepare simple, nutritious recipes that they could replicate at home, enhancing their independence in instrumental activities of daily living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Moreover, the program focused on developing important life skills such as following directions, measuring ingredients, and working cooperatively in a team setting. The kitchen environment provided a practical backdrop for these lessons, encouraging communication, patience, and responsibility as participants took turns performing various cooking tasks.
Creative Hands
The Creative Hands Craft Group provided an engaging and therapeutic experience for children aged 7-12.
Focused on enhancing fine motor skills, boosting self-esteem, implementing self-regulation strategies when things don’t go as planned and fostering emotional expression, the Creative Hands sessions allowed children to engage in a variety of craft activities. These activities were designed not only to develop artistic skills but also to encourage children to express their feelings and ideas through creative mediums.
The supportive environment of the Creative Hands Craft Group enabled the children to explore different materials and techniques, working both independently and collaboratively. This helped nurture a sense of community among the participants as they shared supplies, ideas, and feedback, fostering cooperation and mutual respect.
2-Day Lego Program
The Lego program provided an enriching experience for children aged 6-12 years. The program saw both new and returning participants who thoroughly enjoyed their time building and creating together.
Focused on enhancing fine motor skills and fostering creativity, the Lego group also emphasised the development of social skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, and communication. Children worked together to complete Lego projects, which encouraged them to discuss ideas, share pieces, and support each other’s creative efforts.
2-Day Minecraft Program
The Minecraft program continued to be a resounding success. It welcomed both new and returning children aged 7-12 years. Participants enjoyed engaging in the collaborative world of Minecraft, which proved to be an excellent platform for developing vital social skills.
The program focused on fostering teamwork, communication, and turn-taking among the children. Through their interactions in Minecraft, they were able to work together to achieve common goals and solve problems collaboratively. The fun and familiar environment of the game not only made learning enjoyable but also helped the children build ongoing friendships.
Coming Soon – Prep Readiness Group
The Prep Readiness Group at Paediatric Potentials OT, set to commence in January for children starting school in 2025, is an intensive program designed to equip children with the essential skills needed for a smooth transition into the academic and social environments of school.
Key Skills Incorporated in the Program:
Pencil Skills and Name Writing: Children will learn to hold and control pencils properly to write their names and master prewriting forms to build on their letter formation abilities, fostering fine motor development and early literacy skills.
Scissor Skills: Developing the ability to use scissors accurately helps enhance hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, which are crucial for school activities.
Listening and Following Directions: Essential for classroom success, these skills will help children understand and respond to teacher instructions and classroom routines effectively.
Social-Emotional Skills: The program will focus on teaching children how to interact positively with peers and adults, understand and express their own emotions appropriately, and develop empathy and cooperation skills.
Self-Regulation: Children will learn strategies to manage their emotions and behaviours in various situations, which is vital for adapting to the structured environment of a classroom.
Self-Care Skills: Practical skills such as managing shoes and socks, correctly wearing a uniform, opening lunchboxes and water bottles, handling zips on school bags, and practicing good hygiene with hand washing and toilet use are all part of the curriculum. These skills are critical for fostering independence.
Sensory Management of Uniform: Since wearing a school uniform can be a new experience for many children, the program will also address how to manage any sensory challenges associated with uniforms, ensuring children are comfortable and can focus on learning.
The sessions are designed to be interactive and engaging, utilising a variety of activities and games to make learning fun and effective. Over the course of the three days, participants will gain a solid foundation in the necessary skills for school, better preparing them to handle the demands of both learning and social interactions.
Parent Information Corner
School Readiness - By Nicole Brown, OT
How do I know if my child is school ready?
Attending school requires much more from our children - physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally - compared to the Day Care and Kindergarten environments. This is due to increased demands as learning and social interaction moves from a play-based, child-initiated and incidental model to a curriculum-driven and teacher-led model.
A child may need support to be ready for school if they:
Have poor receptive and/or expressive language skills
Rely on parents to do self-care tasks
Not be toilet trained in the daytime
Struggle to follow instructions in daily activities
Struggle to attend to tasks as long as their peers
Get easily frustrated when expectations are placed upon them
Have difficulty understanding consequences of their behaviours
Not interact well with their peers, e.g. unable to share and take turns, or can’t change their play to incorporate new play items or people
Not be interested in looking at books and/or doing sit down activities
Be resistant to new activities
Be resistant to being guided about how to develop new skills
For a child to make an easy transition to the school environment, they need to have developed sufficiently in a number of skill areas which could be considered the “building blocks” that are needed prior to academic learning. These include:
Social emotional development and regulation skills, including self-direction and attention
Language and communication abilities, including the ability to listen to, understand and follow instructions
Gross motor abilities
Fine motor abilities
Health and self-care skills
How can I prepare my child for school?
Early preparation: Start preparing for school from the age of 4 by talking about expectations at school, appropriate behaviour, and regularly engaging in ‘sit down’ activities.
Schedule your day: Have a consistent schedule and routines at home, including waking up time, getting dressed time, mealtimes, indoor play and outdoor play times, bath/shower time, and bedtime routine.
Encourage completion of required activities: Practice taking care of self-care or required activities and following parental instructions prior to preferred activities, by using the “first…. and then….” Concept. Using visuals, picture schedules or reward charts can assist with making expectations clear.
Establish a consistent sleep routine: Ensure your child is getting to sleep at a reasonable hour at night so they can wake in time for school.
A preschool aged child (3–5 years) needs 10–13 hours, including naps.
A school-age child (5-11 years) needs need 9-11 hours of sleep a night.
Reduce/eliminate screen time: Device screens produce blue light which stimulates the brain and suppresses production of melatonin (a hormone needed for sleep onset), making it difficult to “turn off” their brains and fall asleep.
Encourage your child to replace daytime screen time with outdoor physical activity or play. This can improve sleep at night.
Turn off all screens (TV, computers, phones, tablets, and video games) at least 1 hour before bedtime. Encourage reading or quiet play instead.
Provide outings: Visit places such as the library, the zoo, parks, the shopping centre etc and help your child to understand appropriate behaviour in these environments.
Professional Development Insights for Term 3
Throughout Term 3, our OT team has actively participated in ongoing professional development, both individually and as a group, focusing on collective and personal growth to enhance the quality of services we provide to families.
Here’s a closer look at some of the focused training and mentoring initiatives we undertook:
Professional Development Presentations: We participated in presentations led by expert professionals in various areas relevant to our practice. These sessions ensure our team stays up-to-date with the latest best practice principles and integrated cutting-edge knowledge and techniques, enhancing our capacity to provide coordinated and comprehensive care.
Skills Boost: These targeted sessions allow our therapists to refine their practical therapy skills, ensuring they stay current with the latest paediatric occupational therapy techniques.
Mentoring: Through personalised mentoring with our senior team, our therapists enhance their professional skills, directly benefiting the therapeutic support provided to your children.
Key Training Topics Included:
Echolalia and Child-Led Play: We delved into understanding echolalia in speech development and the vital role of child-led play, which supports natural learning and therapy progress.
Movement ABC: Our therapists received training on this standardised tool, which is crucial for assessing motor skills and planning appropriate interventions.
Sensory Processing Series: A two-part training on sensory processing challenges, aimed at helping therapists better understand and support children with sensory sensitivities.
Trauma-Informed Treatment Interventions: We focused on integrating trauma-informed practices into our sessions to ensure a safe and supportive environment for all children, particularly those who have experienced trauma.
Clicker Writer Software: Training on this tool was introduced to support literacy and writing, expanding our resources for educational support.
Sensory Modulation and Discrimination: These sessions provided our therapists with strategies to help children regulate their sensory responses and improve sensory processing abilities.
Dietary Considerations for Sensory Challenges: We discussed how dietary choices can impact sensory responsiveness, providing guidance on nutritional strategies that may benefit children with sensory sensitivities.
These professional development activities are part of our ongoing effort to ensure that our team is well-equipped to meet the diverse needs of the families we serve, with a commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in Paediatric Occupational Therapy.
