Step By Step Pediatric Therapy

Restaurant Tip for Toddlers: Bring ONE Sticker.

Who knew one little sticker could buy you several minutes of happy, engaged play?

While your toddler is safely buckled into their high chair, take turns putting the sticker on different body parts:

👃 “On your nose!”
✋ “On your hand!”
🦶 “Can it go on your foot?”
👂 “Where are your ears?”

This simple activity builds:
💬 Language (hearing and learning body part words)
👀 Joint attention (looking at each other instead of just the table)
🧠 Following simple directions
😂 Shared smiles and connection

The best part? It fits in your pocket, costs almost nothing, and turns waiting for food into a playful learning opportunity.

Sometimes the simplest activities create the biggest moments of connection. 💚

🎉 Happy Friday! It’s time for another PLAY SPARK! 🎉

This Wednesday we shared how a simple diaper box can become the perfect little “table” to encourage kneeling, balance, and two-handed play. Today, we’re taking it one step further by showing you how to make this activity fun, engaging, and language-rich!

We call this game… Block Blast! 💥🧱 (Or “Box Boom Blocks!” if your little one loves dramatic crashes!)

💡 Therapy Strategy: Deconstruction

Before children learn to build, they often learn by taking things apart. We call this deconstruction—setting up simple opportunities for your child to remove, knock down, or pull apart something that you have already put together.

Try it with:
🧱 Build a quick block tower for your child to knock over.
🥔 Put together Mr. Potato Head (or a completed puzzle) so your child can pull the pieces out.
🪣 Stack nesting cups or rings so your child can take them off one at a time.

These simple activities build attention, problem-solving, hand skills, and teach the idea of “my turn, your turn.”

🗣️ Language Tip

Don’t just watch—be SILLY!

As your child knocks the blocks off the box, use fun sound effects:
💥 “BOOM!”
🎉 “Crash!”
😲 “Uh oh!”
🤣 “Oh noooo!”

Pair your words with exaggerated facial expressions and gestures.

In Early Intervention, we coach parents to:
👉 Look at what your child is doing. Add a few silly sounds and gestures that match their play.

Being silly captures attention, keeps your child engaged longer, and gives them meaningful sounds, words, and gestures to imitate as they learn to communicate.

💚 Therapist Tip

If your child keeps knocking the entire box over instead of just the blocks…

✔️ Leave the wipes inside! A full wipes box has enough weight to stay put.

No diaper box? No problem! Fill any sturdy box with a few books or other heavy household items to make it more stable.

⭐ Ready for a challenge?

• Use smaller blocks to encourage more precise grasping.
• Build taller towers before the “BLAST!”
• Encourage your child to help place one or two blocks before knocking them down.
• Have them reach across their body to grab blocks on the opposite side to encourage trunk rotation and core strength.

👧👦 Have older siblings?

Turn it into a family game!

One child is the Builder 🏗️
One child is the Blaster 💥

Switch roles every few turns so everyone gets a chance to build, crash, laugh, and learn together.

This is one of our favorite low-prep activities because it works indoors on hot or rainy days, and it’s just as much fun outside on the patio or in the backyard.

✨ Simple toys. Everyday materials. Meaningful play.

Save this idea for your next “I’m bored!” moment and tag us if you give Block Blast a try!

We’re kicking off a new series featuring toys that are not only fun — but also support connection, communication, play skills, and development. 💬💛

First up: 🫧 Bubble Besties by Chuckle & Roar!

Why we love it:
✔️ Encourages joint attention & shared play
✔️ Creates opportunities for requesting (“more bubbles!”)
✔️ Builds turn-taking skills
✔️ Supports imitation and social interaction
✔️ Builds hand strength and fine motor skills
✔️ Encourages play with both hands
✔️ Adds a little sensory fun to playtime!

Want the link? 👇
Comment “Bubble Besties” and we’ll send it your way! 🫧