Play to Progress

For children to develop to their fullest potential, their sensory system - which, in addition to the big five of sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell, includes movement and balance (vestibular), body awareness (proprioception), and internal perception (interoception) - needs to be stimulated from the time they are born. Their senses flourish when they explore their environment by touching new textures, including their food, running, jumping, climbing, and splashing outside - never through screens.

As an occupational therapist with a specialty in sensory integration and early childhood development, Dr Allie Ticktin has seen an alarming increase in cases of children who can't sit in circle time or at their desk upright and who are delayed in learning to walk, talk, or socialise, many of whom have been diagnosed with ADHD or sensory processing disorders, in part because these critical systems have been neglected. In the recent past, the sensory system and many developmental skills evolved naturally outside in the garden or on the playground. But with increasing time pressures for both kids and parents, as well as safety concerns, children are often sat in front of screens, without sufficient opportunity to explore and interact with their environment.

The good news is that boosting your child's sensory development doesn't take enormous amounts of time or supplies, or any special skills. In Play to Progress, Ticktin discusses the eight sensory systems and how a child uses them, and offers easy, fun activities that will encourage their development so that your little one will be better able to respond to their emotions, build friendships, communicate their needs, and thrive in school. That's the power of sensory play.

“To wean them from screens and engage them in three-dimensional, hands-on, body-on fun, these imaginative sensory-motor ideas are just what today's kids need. The activities will help them develop a sense of self, feel comfortable in their bodies, and grow to become confident, competent, 'in-sync' children.An important book that helps parents understand the profound impact of play. Allie's background in sensory integration and early childhood development makes her uniquely qualified to guide parents on how to engage their children's senses to explore the world through play. In an age when screens are eclipsing play, this meaningful book comes at just the right time.An important read for every parent, teacher, or anyone caring for children, Play to Progress provides an essential lens through which to understand children's needs and behaviors that most parents and professionals don't know about. In a world where children don't get enough play, movement, or autonomy, now, more than ever, we need to intentionally tend to the sensory needs of children. Allie Ticktin brilliantly walks readers through what we need to know and how to apply that knowledge in meaningful, fun, and practical ways.Perhaps wishes do come true. For so many years in my family counseling practice and parenting workshops I have longed to put a book like this in the hands of parents-and now it's finally here. There is deep child development wisdom in these pages. Allie has found a beautiful way to open up our parental instinct to connect and be playful with our children. What could be better than having gentle fun with your child while at the same time building the foundations of cognitive, social, and emotional balance and success as they grow.This book is an absolute gem! Dr Allie Ticktin has given parents and teachers a game-changing road map to empower children through open-ended sensory play. With compassion and skill, Allie walks you though the eight senses using insightful explanations of each. But more importantly, she offers a series of practical activities to engage your rigid, anxious, or distracted child. These tools allow you to meet your child where they are while creating play experiences that develop their individual sensory system. By helping your child better connect with their senses, they begin to engage more comfortably with the world around them - what a gift!”

To wean them from screens and engage them in three-dimensional, hands-on, body-on fun, these imaginative sensory-motor ideas are just what today's kids need. The activities will help them develop a sense of self, feel comfortable in their bodies, and grow to become confident, competent, 'in-sync' children. -- Carol Stock Kranowitz, author of The Out-of-Sync Child
An important book that helps parents understand the profound impact of play. Allie's background in sensory integration and early childhood development makes her uniquely qualified to guide parents on how to engage their children's senses to explore the world through play. In an age when screens are eclipsing play, this meaningful book comes at just the right time. -- Dr Robin Berman, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA and author of Permission to Parent
An important read for every parent, teacher, or anyone caring for children, Play to Progress provides an essential lens through which to understand children's needs and behaviors that most parents and professionals don't know about. In a world where children don't get enough play, movement, or autonomy, now, more than ever, we need to intentionally tend to the sensory needs of children. Allie Ticktin brilliantly walks readers through what we need to know and how to apply that knowledge in meaningful, fun, and practical ways. -- Dr Tina Payne Bryson, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Whole-Brain Child
Perhaps wishes do come true. For so many years in my family counseling practice and parenting workshops I have longed to put a book like this in the hands of parents-and now it's finally here. There is deep child development wisdom in these pages. Allie has found a beautiful way to open up our parental instinct to connect and be playful with our children. What could be better than having gentle fun with your child while at the same time building the foundations of cognitive, social, and emotional balance and success as they grow. -- Kim John Payne, author of Simplicity Parenting, The Soul of Discipline and Being At Your Best When Your Kids Are At Their Worst
This book is an absolute gem! Dr Allie Ticktin has given parents and teachers a game-changing road map to empower children through open-ended sensory play. With compassion and skill, Allie walks you though the eight senses using insightful explanations of each. But more importantly, she offers a series of practical activities to engage your rigid, anxious, or distracted child. These tools allow you to meet your child where they are while creating play experiences that develop their individual sensory system. By helping your child better connect with their senses, they begin to engage more comfortably with the world around them - what a gift! -- Carolyn Dalgliesh, professional organizer and author of The Sensory Child Gets Organized

Dr Allie Ticktin's mission is to empower children and their families through sensory play so that they can thrive through childhood and beyond. Allie uses the science of child development and the joy of play to boost children's confidence and enhance development within all areas of their life, from social and emotional to physical and academic. She believes that the best way to support children is by arming their parents, from inception, with the knowledge and skills necessary to encourage their child's development for success through childhood and beyond.

Allie began her work in paediatric development at the University of Michigan, where she earned her bachelor's degree in movement science, and continued her studies at University of Southern California, where she received her master's and clinical doctorate in occupational therapy. Allie is certified in sensory integration and hopes that one day quality, open-ended play will be considered as important as learning the ABCs.

For children to develop to their fullest potential, their sensory system - which, in addition to the big five of sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell, includes movement and balance (vestibular), body awareness (proprioception), and internal perception (interoception) - needs to be stimulated from the time they are born. Their senses flourish when they explore their environment by touching new textures, including their food, running, jumping, climbing, and splashing outside - never through screens.As an occupational therapist with a specialty in sensory integration and early childhood development, Dr Allie Ticktin has seen an alarming increase in cases of children who can't sit in circle time or at their desk upright and who are delayed in learning to walk, talk, or socialise, many of whom have been diagnosed with ADHD or sensory processing disorders, in part because these critical systems have been neglected. In the recent past, the sensory system and many developmental skills evolved naturally outside in the garden or on the playground. But with increasing time pressures for both kids and parents, as well as safety concerns, children are often sat in front of screens, without sufficient opportunity to explore and interact with their environment.The good news is that boosting your child's sensory development doesn't take enormous amounts of time or supplies, or any special skills. In Play to Progress , Ticktin discusses the eight sensory systems and how a child uses them, and offers easy, fun activities that will encourage their development so that your little one will be better able to respond to their emotions, build friendships, communicate their needs, and thrive in school. That's the power of sensory play.

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