What is DIRFloortime®
Unlocking your child’s potential through personalized and relationship-based therapy
Pioneered by Dr. Stanley Greenspan and Serena Wieder in the 1990s, DIRFloortime® is one of the leading and most popular therapeutic approaches used by allied health professionals worldwide including occupational therapists and here at Star Whale. DIRFloortime® can benefit a wide range of children, especially those with developmental or social challenges such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and others.
But what does DIR stand for? Let’s take a look at the breakdown of its key components.
DIR provides a foundational framework for understanding child development. It recognizes the unique developmental process of each individual child in areas of emotional, social and cognitive growth. As such, the DIR model is considered highly individualized to meet each child’s needs.
And in the heart of the DIR model is Floortime, which is the application of the DIR framework into practice. Floortime is a play-based, relationship-building technique that focuses on creating meaningful connections with the child while promoting their overall developmental growth in a supportive and fun environment.
As the term suggests, Floortime literally refers to engaging with your child on the floor or anywhere such as the playground, through activities that your child enjoys. We believe that Floortime can be beneficial for your child to acquire the skills that he or she is missing.
Some key areas in which DIRFloortime® can help your child include:
- Sensory processing (helping children develop better sensory regulation in their interactions)
- Emotional and cognitive development (helping children connect with others, regulate emotions, express feelings and problem solving)
- Motor skills (helping children to learn to organize their body and actions to perform tasks)
- Social and communication skills (helping children improve both verbal and non-verbal communication)
As a certified proficient DIRFloortime® provider, we firmly believe that this model can help children with developmental and emotional challenges. If you would like to find out more on how DIRFloortime® can positively impact your child’s learning and development, contact us to find out more.