Ideas at Play: An Occupational Therapy (OT) Podcast

• Ep. 36 Home Programs That Actually Work

  An occupational therapist came into Michele's office complaining that parents weren't following through with home programs—sound familiar? The problem isn't the parents; it's how we're setting them up from day one. This episode flips that script with evidence from a 2024 scoping review on what actually drives caregiver home program adherence. You'll learn OT strategies to create programs that fit into real family life, train parents effectively (hint: it's not a five-page handout), and build the relationships that make collaboration actually work. Plus, Lacy shares a pediatric OT dentistry program, Nailed It!We share our own thoughts in the Research Review and encourage you to read the original articles too.Wingrat, J., Price, C., & Wright, T. (2024). Facilitators of and Barriers to Caregiver Adherence to Home Therapy Recommendations for Infants and Children With Neuromotor and Neuromuscular Diagnoses: A Scoping Review. The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 78(5), 7805205070. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2024.050567KEYWORDS: Occupational therapy; evidence-based practice; OT; OT ideas; Peds OT; pediatric occupational therapy; home program; family collaborationThank you to our sponsor OccupationalTherapy.com! Use the code PLAY25 to support the show and get a free month of continuing education access when you sign up today at our podcast link https://fas.st/t/Fe79v8vUStay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at [email protected] 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

  --------  

  38:00

  --------

  38:00
• Ep. 35 CO-OP for Improving Motor Skills

  What if you could peek inside a child's brain and actually SEE therapy working? That's exactly what researchers did with CO-OP (Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance)—and the results are amazing! Join Lacy and Michele as they break down the 12-week protocol and the 7 surprisingly simple cognitive strategies (you're probably already using some!) that help kids meet THEIR goals for play/leisure, academics, and daily self-care activities. From verbal cues to body positioning, learn how OTs teach children to problem-solve their own challenges. Plus, brain imaging reveals CO-OP literally rewiring neural connections.We share our own thoughts in the Research Review and encourage you to read the original articles too.Schwartz, S. P., Northrup, S. R. K., Izadi-Najafabadi, S., & Zwicker, J. G. (2020). CO-OP for children with DCD: Goals addressed and strategies used. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 87(4), 278–286. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008417420941980Polatajko, H. J., Mandich, A. D., Missiuna, C., Miller, L. T., Macnab, J. J., Malloy-Miller, T., & Kinsella, E. A. (2001). Cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance (CO-OP): Part III—the protocol in brief. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 20(2–3), 107–123. https://doi.org/10.1080/J006v20n02_07 Izadi-Najafabadi, S., Rinat, S., & Zwicker, J. G. (2022). Brain functional connectivity in children with developmental coordination disorder following rehabilitation intervention. Pediatric Research, 91(6), 1459–1468. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-021-01517-3KEYWORDS: Occupational therapy; evidence-based practice; OT; OT ideas; Peds OT; pediatric occupational therapy; CO-OP; cognitive strategies; DCD; brain changesThank you to our sponsor OccupationalTherapy.com! Use the code PLAY25 to support the show and get a free month of continuing education access when you sign up today at our podcast link https://fas.st/t/Fe79v8vUStay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at [email protected] 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

  --------  

  36:39

  --------

  36:39
• Ep. 34 Sensory Integration in Schools

  Can sensory integration really work in schools, or are we just wasting instructional time? This week we're reviewing a study that finally gives us answers. Three students, 17.5 hours of intervention, and results that impressed both teachers and researchers. Michele and Lacy break down this single-subject design study using Ayres SI and weekly teacher consultation with outcome measures sensitive enough to show real change. You'll learn the exact intervention protocol, hear what teachers actually said about pulling kids from class, and discover why this feasibility study matters for your practice.We share our own thoughts in the Research Review and encourage you to read the article too.Whiting, C. C., Schoen, S. A., & Niemeyer, L. (2023). A sensory integration intervention in the school setting to support performance and participation: A multiple-baseline study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(2), 7702205060. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2023.050135Another article referenced:Whiting, C. C., Schoen, S. A., Bundy, A., Lane, S. J., Mailloux, Z., Roley, S. S., May-Benson, T. A., & Schaaf, R. C. (2025). Occupational therapy using Ayres Sensory Integration® in school-based practice: A call to action. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(1), 7901347020. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2025.050971KEYWORDS: Occupational therapy; evidence-based practice; OT; OT ideas; Peds OT; pediatric occupational therapy; school based; sensory integration; Ayres SI; single subject designThank you to our sponsor OccupationalTherapy.com! Use the code PLAY25 to support the show and get a free month of continuing education access when you sign up today at our podcast link https://fas.st/t/Fe79v8vUStay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at [email protected] 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

  --------  

  35:41

  --------

  35:41
• Ep. 33 Play as Occupation with guest Dr. Anita Bundy

  What if the biggest barrier to children's play isn't the kids—it's us? We are thrilled to chat with our special guest, Dr. Anita Bundy—the world-renowned OT behind some of the most transformative play research out there.  She explains why kids actually need to take risks in play, how she facilitates risk-reframing conversations, and why American kids have way less play than their Norwegian counterparts. You'll hear stories about autistic kids finding their people through tire forts and pool noodle creations, Anita’s “Failed It” story (yes, she keeps it real!), and discover the game-changing difference between using play as a tool versus treating it as the main event.Thank you to our sponsor OccupationalTherapy.com! Use the code PLAY25 to support the show and get a free month of continuing education access when you sign up today at our podcast link https://fas.st/t/Fe79v8vUStay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at [email protected] 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

  --------  

  48:17

  --------

  48:17
• Ep. 32 Sydney Playground Project

  What do old tires, crates, pool noodles, and hay bales have in common? They're the secret ingredients that revolutionized recess for hundreds of kids in Dr. Anita Bundy's groundbreaking Sydney Playground Project. In this episode, we get into the occupational therapy research that proved when you add "junk" to a playground and let kids take risks, magic happens. Kids moved more, played harder, and got creative in ways that fancy equipment could never achieve. This study is changing how OTs and schools think about recess, shares why risky play isn't actually dangerous, and gives you everything you need to bring loose parts play to your occupational therapy practice (it’s super simple!). And, don't miss Michele's therapy dog hide-and-seek ‘Nailed It’ and Lacy's cringe-worthy confession about turning test items into goals.  Next week, Dr. Anita Bundy will join us on the podcast!👉 Click here to get the OT Zones of Regulation fidelity measure & planning resources, shared with permission from the author.  Thank you Dr. Peters!We share our own thoughts in the Research Review and encourage you to read the articles too.Bundy, A., Engelen, L., Wyver, S., Tranter, P., Ragen, J., Bauman, A., Baur, L., Schiller, W., Simpson, J. M., Niehues, A. N., Perry, G., Jessup, G., & Naughton, G. (2017). Sydney Playground Project: A cluster-randomized trial to increase physical activity, play, and social skills. Journal of School Health, 87(10), 751-759. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12550Hodges, V. C., Centeio, E. E., & Morgan, C. F. (2022). The benefits of school recess: A systematic review. Journal of School Health, 92(10), 959-967. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13230KEYWORDS: Occupational therapy; evidence-based practice; OT; OT ideas; Peds OT; pediatric occupational therapy; school-based OT; playground; recess; loose parts play; risky playThank you to our sponsor OccupationalTherapy.com! Use the code PLAY25 to support the show and get a free month of continuing education access when you sign up today at our podcast link https://fas.st/t/Fe79v8vUStay informed, stay curious, and stay playful! ✏️ Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. 📧 Email us a question or comment at [email protected] 👉 Find us on Instagram @ideas.at.play

  --------  

  34:22

  --------

  34:22

More Business podcasts

Trending Business podcasts

About Ideas at Play: An Occupational Therapy (OT) Podcast