Early intervention activities
🗣️ “Why is early intervention important?”
Early intervention paves the way for a child to successfully develop the skills needed in later life to complete their daily life activities. Early intervention promotes learning so a child is ready to hit life’s milestones as they age.
🗣️ “Why play based strategies?”
Play based activities are fun and motivating! A child is more likely to develop and generalize skills when they are learning through natural, fun, and motivating ways!
A few other strategies to remember:
-Model without expectation. You can model words, phrases, and play activities with your child. It is okay if they do not directly imitate you! They are still watching, hearing, learning and soaking it up. The more you repeat those activities/communication, the more likely a child will start generalizing it and using it in context!
-Set up the environment the way you want it to. Create natural opportunities for communication or certain behaviors. I.e.: Place a preferred toy on a high shelf that the child can’t reach. This creates room for a child to complete a gesture or communicate with you on their wants and needs.
-Adapt your sessions so it creates learning. Incorporate a gross motor, fine motor, sensory, etc., goal into a preferred activity. I.e. Hide and seek yoga cards. Have your child search for a yoga card and then complete that pose after finding it!
-Support and cheer them on. Be your child’s biggest cheerleader! Compliment them on the things they did well and what you want to see more of. I.e. “Great job helping me clean up that game!”.
-Be silly and have fun! Create an environment where a child feels excited, comfortable, and safe! I promise you will see a lot more progress when those components are involved.
Early intervention is crucial as it helps children develop the skills needed to navigate everyday tasks effectively. Engaging children through play-based strategies not only makes learning enjoyable but also significantly enhances their overall development. For instance, sensory play activities like playdough, water tables, and finger painting are fantastic for enhancing sensory processing as well as fine and gross motor skills. Gross motor activities can include obstacle courses, ball games, and dancing to build coordination and strength while fostering creativity. Pretend play using costumes, toy kitchens, or animals encourages imagination, social skills, and problem-solving abilities. Fine motor skills can be improved through puzzles, building blocks, and stringing beads – all helping to hone hand-eye coordination and dexterity. Lastly, social play through shared activities, cooperative games, and turn-taking can enrich communication, coping strategies, and cooperation skills. Overall, integrating these play-based strategies provides a robust framework for children's growth and development, ensuring they are well-prepared for life's milestones.
