Back in 2020, Comprehensive Therapy Center was fortunate to receive funding from the Kent County Ready by Five Millage to hold our Therapeutic Play & Learn Groups. These groups were created by our programs team to support families of children ages 0-5 with developmental differences. Each week, they set up activities centered around one of five Success Basics of early childhood development: love, talk, count, play, and read.
While their children play, caregivers are able to get to know our trained pediatric therapists, learn about these development basics, and gain the tools and resources they need to ensure their child is “ready by five.” At the end of each session, children leave with free play kits and books to take home.
Even in the midst of a lockdown, our team was determined to deliver this program to our community. For 2020, Therapeutic Play & Learn Groups were held virtually over Zoom. While it wasn’t how we’d originally planned, caregivers enjoyed having something to do with their little ones while staying safe at home.
Check out the video to the left to see our Dance-Movement therapist, Sarah Miller, in action.
“The interactive activities have been a great supplement to our son’s regularly scheduled Occupational Therapy appointments. It’s also given us new ideas of activities and games we can do on a regular basis.” – Caregiver Feedback
“I enjoyed watching the Therapists play in ways that challenged my daughter and learning about the basic skills and ways to have fun when we learn together.” – Caregiver Feedback
In Spring of 2021, we were finally able to have Therapeutic Play & Learn Groups in person! Not only did we have fun at our newly refurbished office, we also partnered with the Kent District Library and the Grand Rapids Public Library to bring Play Groups out to the public. Children, caregivers and therapists had a blast dancing with scarves, modeling with clay and building puzzles together.
For our last session of the year, we’ve partnered with the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan. Starting December 6, we’ll be meeting there every day at 10:30am. On December 11, we’re going to cap it off with an end of the year celebration! Everyone who participated in any of our Play Groups are welcome to commemorate the last two years of playing and learning together. It’s been a wild two years and while our goal is to educate children and their families, we’ve also learned so much ourselves.
Join us for this final week of playing and learning together! For more information and to RVSP, check out our Facebook event!
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