Course Description:

It is well established that play is the primary way young children learn and develop. But what happens when society’s view on play changes? When adults change the way they view play, change the environments children play in, and change materials children play with, play trends and therefore early learning and development suffer.

In this course, therapists will explore the changing culture of play in current society, including what factors have influenced this change, as well as the evolution of play, and the importance of play in 5 domains of child development (gross motor, fine motor, cognitive, social-­‐emotional, and speech and language). Special attention will be given to sensory development and the role that play has in sensory regulation. With attention to purposeful play, the presenters will model pairing 3 detailed milestones in each of the 5 developmental domains (15 total examples), with hands on, easily reproducible, purposeful play activities that can be incorporated quickly into pediatric practice. Practical strategies will be shared including types of toys and materials for each stage of development and specific goals, shared recommendations for play spaces, resources that support traditional, developmental play as important and valued, and the role of the pediatric therapist in becoming an advocate for play.