Ideas at Play: An Occupational Therapy (OT) Podcast

Drowning in long therapy wait lists? Researchers found that group DIR Floortime (4 kids, 2 therapists) produced the same outcomes as individual occupational therapy sessions for autistic toddlers—AND slashed wait times from 108 to 52 days! We break down what worked, the challenges (parent participation was tricky), and what the therapists thought about it. Plus Michele's epic "Failed It" moment with bleeding lips and Lacy's activity up & down-grading breakthrough. If you're looking to serve more kids faster without sacrificing quality, this episode delivers a solution that you could try tomorrow.We share our own thoughts in the Research Review and encourage you to read the article too.Hirschmann, S., Magnezi, R., Bassan, H., & Tal, O. (2023). Group versus individual occupational therapy for toddlers with autism as a means to improve access to public health-care services. Randomised controlled pilot study. Australian occupational therapy journal, 70(4), 434–445. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12865KEYWORDS: Occupational therapy; evidence-based practice; OT; OT ideas; Peds OT; pediatric occupational therapy; group therapy; autism; DIRFloortime; early interventionStay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at IdeasAtPlayPodcast@gmail.com 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

Ever feel like you are in over your head? You're not alone—new research shows 84% of occupational therapy practitioners and students secretly battle impostor syndrome. From OT students to seasoned therapists, despite being well qualified, we're all wondering if we actually know what we're doing! In this episode, we break down the study that puts numbers to what we feel and reveal who may be hit hardest by these "Am I good enough?" thoughts. Then, Michele & Lacy share their strategies to move past impostor syndrome. Whether you're an OTA doubting your skills, an occupational therapy student feeling overwhelmed, or a veteran OT questioning yourself, we've got real cognitive and behavioral tools you can use starting today. We share our own thoughts in the Research Review and encourage you to read the article too.Prisco, D., & Walsh, S. (2025). A Survey-Based Quantification of Imposter Phenomenon In Occupational Therapy. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 13(2), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.2344KEYWORDS: Occupational therapy; evidence-based practice; OT; OT ideas; Peds OT; pediatric occupational therapy; impostor syndrome; impostor phenomenon; professional growthStay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at IdeasAtPlayPodcast@gmail.com 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

Michele presents research that offers a completely different perspective on OT handwriting intervention. While previous episodes emphasized task-specific training (doing writing to improve writing), this study suggests that students receiving specialized resistance exercises—putty, rubber bands, clips—significantly outperformed control groups on handwriting legibility. We discuss the mechanisms behind these results and share practical strengthening activities OTPs can use in their sessions or use as home (or car) programs. We explore this alternative viewpoint, discuss the conflicting evidence, and let you decide how this fits into your OT practice. Plus, hear about Lacy's McDonald's shoe-tying success story and the Yuka nutrition app that's perfect for OT feeding interventions.We share our own thoughts in the Research Review and encourage you to read the article too.Kumar, M. A., & Nagalakshmi, P. (2023). Effectiveness of specialized resisted strengthening activities to improve handwriting legibility in autism spectrum disorder: a quasi-experimental study. The Indian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55(2), 57-60.KEYWORDS: Occupational therapy; evidence-based practice; OT; OT ideas; Peds OT; pediatric occupational therapy; handwriting; writing; strengthening; fine motor; autism; ASD; school-based; interventionStay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at IdeasAtPlayPodcast@gmail.com 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

Dive into the intriguing world of play in pediatric therapy! Discover the fascinating evolution of play theories from Piaget to Vygotsky and Mary Reilly. Explore the eight distinct types of play, including attunement and imaginative storytelling, and their impact on child development. Uncover your own play personality with a fun quiz, learning if you're an explorer, collector, or competitor. This playful journey not only enhances therapeutic practices but also enriches personal insights into how we engage with play!

Ep 23 - Ready to turn your occupational therapy sessions into playgrounds of learning? In this episode of our Summer of Play Series, we explore using play as both the vehicle AND the destination in pediatric OT. We'll discuss 5 manualized occupational therapy interventions that facilitate play for kids (and OTPs!) and 6 other evidence-based strategies for many diagnoses and practice settings. Discover how LEGO bricks build friendships, why getting down on the floor is a powerful OT clinical tool, and learn the key ingredients that transform ordinary activities into genuine play experiences. Whether you're an occupational therapy practitioner justifying play goals to insurance or wanting more authentic play in your sessions, this episode arms you with evidence-based strategies to help kids develop through what they do best – PLAY! 🌞 Grab the free Summer of Play Guide here—available only through August!  This 7 page guide beautifully summarizes the Summer of Play Series content and includes bonuses.We share our own ideas and several compiled in the Royal College’s OT & Play Practice Guideline (2023)  Stay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at IdeasAtPlayPodcast@gmail.com 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

Ep 22 -  Think you know how to assess play? We break down the surprising gap between how important play is for EVERY PART of child development and how this occupation is often overlooked in OT/OTA education programs and practice. You'll discover Bundy’s 4-part definition of play, the top 3 play assessments every pediatric occupational therapy practitioner should know, and learn simple ways to incorporate play observation into your OT evaluations. 🌞 Grab the free Summer of Play Guide here—available only through August!Find the assessments discussed in this episode and more in the textbook Play in Occupational Therapy for Children, 2nd Ed. by Parham & Fazio. Stay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at IdeasAtPlayPodcast@gmail.com 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

Ep 21 - Summer just got a whole lot more fun! 🌞 Michele and Lacy kick off their Summer of Play series with 10 fun, evidence-based therapy activities. From DIY food trucks and table tennis for executive function to water balloons for social play to messy mud & shaving cream toy washes, these aren't just fun activities—they're strategic summertime interventions that your therapy kids will want to do again. Build your toolkit of seasonal strategies that work across all pediatric occupational therapy settings and ability levels. Time to trade your worn-out activities for some serious summer fun!🌞 Grab the free Summer of Play Guide here—available only through August!Stay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at IdeasAtPlayPodcast@gmail.com 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

Iona Novak, a distinguished OT researcher renowned for her Traffic Light System, shares groundbreaking insights on effective occupational therapy interventions. She emphasizes the importance of starting with client goals over assessments for quicker outcomes. Novak discusses how certain therapies, particularly for children with cerebral palsy, are evolving from less effective to promising. Her unique approach encourages active participation from children and their families, showcasing innovative methods like cognitive orientation and the impact of emerging stem cell therapies.

Discover the dynamic debate between using static pictures and lively videos to support autistic children in mastering daily living skills. The hosts delve into a research study comparing these visual aids and reveal that the best choice varies by individual needs. Learn about creative strategies for enhancing engagement in therapy and hear entertaining stories about navigating challenges in pool therapy. Plus, find out how to safely teach cooking skills and the quirky yet fascinating world of Boom Whackers in therapeutic settings!

When you think of therapy in the swimming pool, swim lessons probably come to mind. However, occupational therapy practitioners use water for so many life skills! This week, Michele dives into research from Spain that reveals how aquatic therapy can be beneficial for autistic children in OT settings. The results? Better school performance, improved social competence, and happier kids overall. Plus, Michele shares her own terrifying pool story of a little girl who loved staying under the water for a long time and the treatment strategy to ensure her safety.We share our own thoughts in the Research Review and encourage you to read the article too.Güeita-Rodríguez, J., Ogonowska-Slodownik, A., Morgulec-Adamowicz, N., Martín-Prades, M. L., Cuenca-Zaldívar, J. N., & Palacios-Ceña, D. (2021). Effects of aquatic therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder on social competence and quality of life: A mixed methods study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(6), 3126. Effects of Aquatic Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder on Social Competence and Quality of Life: A Mixed Methods StudyKEYWORDS: Occupational therapy; evidence-based practice; OT; OT ideas; Peds OT; pediatric occupational therapy; autism; aquatics; swim; social skills; quality of life; aquatic therapyStay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at IdeasAtPlayPodcast@gmail.com 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play