Childhood has changed significantly since we were kids. Today, babies are born into a world that is fast paced and filled with modern conveniences. Over time the pace of life has steadily increased, and our brains and nervous systems were able to adjust slowly. Today babies are born into this fast-moving lifestyle and their brains and nervous systems can easily become flooded, like how adults may feel at Chucky Cheese! Babies did not come preprogrammed to be able to prioritize the onslaught of mental stimuli, however children are expected to magically possess this skill in school and life. This is a foundational skill imperative for academic achievement that is learned and developed through practice.
Modern conveniences, such as car seats with compatible strollers, bouncers, Bumbo seats etc. help parents adjust to modern, fast-paced life. However, these items tend to prevent our babies from exploring the world at their pace and ability. As an example, the infant click in car seat is helpful however it prevents babies from being carried and held, which is one of the most nourishing sensory activities parents can do to foster healthy brain development. Babies now sleep on their backs, for safety reasons, and are spending more time in baby containers such as bouncers and activity stations. As a result, babies spend less time on the floor practicing tummy time. Floor time is imperative for developing strength, endurance, and sensory processing abilities, which lead to the achievement of developmental milestones and later skills required for handwriting, attention, academic success, and coordination for sports and play.
OT Time provides your child with activities that directly promote achievement of these missing foundational skills. If a child does not obtain these skills it can lead to difficulties with learning, paying attention in school, socialization, body awareness, balance and coordination. Pediatric Village would love to help your child develop these foundational skills during our OT Time group at your child’s school. Groups are 30 minutes long and have a maximum of 4 children per group. Throughout the series, we will be communicating with you about the different activities we work on and why they are important. We look forward to working with your kids! If your preschool or daycare is interested in offering OT Time, please contact heather@pediatricvillage.com