by Melissa Collier | Nov 4, 2025 | DIR/Floortime, For Parents/Caregivers
Parents, are you drinking from a firehouse of information about the “right” therapies, the “best” learning tools, and the “most effective” strategies to help your children? It can be overwhelming. It’s easy to dismiss some...
by Melissa Collier | Oct 7, 2025 | DIR/Floortime, For Parents/Caregivers
The leaves have begun to change, and families have settled into the rhythm of the school year. However, sometimes children and their parents experience bumps in the road. After the initial excitement of new classrooms, friends, and routines wears off, underlying...
by Melissa Collier | Aug 27, 2025 | For Parents/Caregivers
DIR/Floortime-Informed Insights for Parents of Toddlers and Preschoolers by Katy Barnes, OTD, OTR/L – Thank you for following along with this summer blog series! My hope is that these posts have helped you find a little more joy, silliness, and laughter in the...
by Melissa Collier | Aug 18, 2025 | DIR/Floortime, For Parents/Caregivers
DIR/Floortime-Informed Insights for Parents of Babies and Toddlers By Katy Barnes, OTD, OTR/L Why Play? – Play is a safe space without demands or expectations. It’s where children can make sense of their experiences, experiment with new ideas, and build the...
by Melissa Collier | Aug 18, 2025 | DIR/Floortime, For Parents/Caregivers
DIR/Floortime-Informed Insights for Parents of Babies and Toddlers By Katy Barnes, OTD, OTR/L – What is Sensory Regulation in Toddlers? At this developmental stage, children are processing an incredible amount of sensory information, from sounds and textures to...
by Melissa Collier | Jul 11, 2025 | DIR/Floortime, For Parents/Caregivers
Tiny Hands with Big Jobs: Fine Motor Development in Early Childhood DIR/Floortime-Informed Insights for Parents of Babies and Toddlers By Katy Barnes, OTD, OTR/L What are Fine Motor Skills? – You may notice a toddler picking up a crayon, stacking blocks, or...
by Melissa Collier | Jun 16, 2025 | DIR/Floortime, For Parents/Caregivers
By Katy Barnes, OTD, OTR/L When your baby reaches for a toy, rolls over, or takes those first wobbly steps, it is building its brain-body connection through experience. Motor milestones, such as crawling, cruising, and walking, are a window into your child’s...
by Melissa Collier | May 27, 2025 | DIR/Floortime, For Parents/Caregivers
DIR/Floortime-Informed Insights for Parents of Babies and Toddlers By Katy Barnes, OTD, OTR/L Hello and welcome! My name is Katy Barnes, and I am an occupational therapist and parent. I’m passionate about empowering families who are tired of being told to “wait...
by Melissa Collier | Apr 28, 2025 | For Parents/Caregivers, Having Fun/Engaging
What an incredible weekend we had at KIPP Omaha! Families from the Omaha community gathered to engage in fun and enriching activities centered around sensory exploration. From our interactive water play stations to the calming creativity of sensory jars and vibrant...
by Melissa Collier | Dec 22, 2024 | For Parents/Caregivers
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, kids can become overwhelmed, reactive, and dysregulated. Despite all the fun activities and people to see, the holidays can be just as chaotic for kids as for adults. Knowing when your child has “had enough” is more...
