Social Groups

Say and Play

Say and play is a group designed to address the language and skills necessary to play more physical games such as the games seen on a playground at school.  Activities include eye-hand coordination, motor planning skills, bilateral upper extremity games and balance.  Activities are designed to encourage social interactions and appropriate peer relations within group games.  Children will learn to develop and use the language necessary for initiating, turn taking, joining in, waiting, and conflict resolution. The group is facilitated by a registered and licensed occupational therapist and a speech language pathologist, or a developmental specialist.

For children ages 3-6 years

Tumble Tots

This group is designed for children three to five years of age. The group is facilitated by a registered and licensed occupational therapist, and a speech language pathologist, or a developmental specialist therapist. The occupational therapist designs activities that address concerns in the areas of coordination, low muscle tone, balance, strength and motor planning skills through play and motor activities.  The speech pathologist and/or developmental specialist will facilitate appropriate language and social interactions as a foundation for more advanced social/pragmatic skills.

For children ages 3-5 years

Preschool/Kindergarten Readiness

These groups are designed to target social skills for children who are entering preschool and/or transitioning to kindergarten.  Children will have opportunities to practice turn taking skills, commenting, requesting, topic maintenance, maintaining a conversation over several turns.  In addition, this group addresses appropriate play and interaction skills.  The group is facilitated by two speech language pathologists.

For children ages 3-5 years

Facilitated Play Dates

Facilitated play dates are designed to target social skills for school aged-children.  These groups are loosely structured to address real life situations and typically occur within natural environments (home, community, etc.).  The goal of facilitated play dates is to provide children with the opportunity to interact with peers in settings that are not contrived.  Parents arrange play dates and a therapist will facilitate the play date in a non-invasive manner.  These groups are highly effective for children who have difficulty establishing and/or maintaining friendships in school. The group is facilitated by a play therapist or developmental specialist.

For children ages 5-9 years

School Age Groups

School Age social groups are designed to target social skills for school-aged children in a center based setting.  Children will have opportunities to practice topic maintenance, maintaining conversations over several turns, problem solving skills in social situations, theory of mind, and ways to establish/maintain friendships.  The use of video camera footage is employed to engage children in role playing activities as well as provide feedback to children on appropriate social interactions.  The group is facilitated by two speech language pathologists.

For children ages 5-10 years

Table Top Talk

Table Top Talk is a fine motor and social language group.  The group is designed for children who demonstrate fine motor and social pragmatic weaknesses.  The group consists of an occupational therapist, speech language pathologist, or a developmental specialist.  The role of the occupational therapist is to address fine motor skills while the speech language pathologist or developmental specialist addresses social interactions skills among peers.  The objective of the group is to strengthen both fine motor and social pragmatic skills. Groups are developed according to age and ability.

For children 3-10 years

Wii-N

Wii-N addresses coordination, bilateral skills, and hand eye coordination while using the Nintendo Wii video game system. The group is facilitated by an occupational therapist.  This group helps children enhance skills that are necessary to play video games which can lead to stronger peer relationships.

For children 5-10 years old