What is Floortime?

Enrichment Therapies

February 17, 2020

Mom and child practicing floortime

Floortime is a relationship-based therapy for children with Autism developed by Stanley Greenspan M.D. and Serena Wieder, Ph.D. 

Floortime can be done anywhere.  It can be done on the playground, in the bathtub, in the car, everywhere! Parents get down on the floor with their child and play with their child at their level following their lead. 

Following the child’s lead means following her emotions. Parents closely observe their child and figure out what she is interested in and what gives her pleasure. The parent then uses that to help their child engage in increasingly more complex interactions. Parents pull their children into a shared world to teach them how to focus and attend, relate with warmth, how to be purposeful, take initiative, have back-and-forth communication through gestures, and later communicate through words. The end goal is to help the autistic child become empathetic, creative, reflective, and logical.

There are six milestones of Floortime:

  • Self-Regulation and interest in the world
  • Intimacy/Engagement in relationships
  • Two-way communication
  • Complex communication
  • Emotional ideas
  • Emotional thinking

If you think Floortime might be appropriate for your child, check out Engaging Autism by Stanley Greenspan. 

Looking for help with how to communicate with your child? Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center can help! Ask about our free screenings to see if your child is at an age-appropriate level for their speech and language skills!

Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center has locations in the Iowa City, IA area and Des Moines, IA area. We provide individual speech-language therapy and tutoring as well as offering small group academic programs.  At Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center our passion is to help kids achieve effective communication skills and gain academic success.  Contact us for more information on how we can help your child succeed.

info@enrichmenttherapies.com

740 Community Drive, Unit A

North Liberty, IA 52317

319-626-2553

 infodm@enrichmenttherapies.com

5530 West Pkwy, Suite 300

Johnston, IA 50131

515-419-4270

 

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