A program dedicated to providing occupational therapy to children with special needs is set to start next year at Pump It Up.
Sensory Bounce Therapy, founded by Miriam Skydell, started in Paramus four years ago and has expanded to 15 locations from Connecticut to Florida. In addition to the program coming to Roselle Park, the only one in the Union County area, Sensory Bounce is set to open in Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles in the coming months.
Designed to help children with autism, ADHD, as well as children with motor and/or social difficulties that interfere with their ability to function in their environment, Sensory Bounce offers a fun, practical, and functional program that is a complement to ABA (applied behavior analysis) therapy.
The program incorporates a child’s love of play with skills usually learned in a group session environment to help children master sensory motor and social skills. Balance, timing, stamina, bilateral integration, core control coordination, and body in-space awareness are worked on using sensory equipment in combination with inflatables in a small 1:2 adult-to-child ratio personalized environment.
Sensory Bounce focuses heavily on social skills development. Using a natural play environment, children will be able to facilitate skills such as eye contact, language, impulse control, turn taking, sensory modulation, frustration tolerance, team building, and sportsmanship.
“Strengthening these foundation skills is integral to the development of good handwriting, reading, motor planning, sequencing and problem solving skills,” stated Director Skydell, “The small group size . . . allows us to guarantee safety and fun while addressing each child’s unique needs within the group setting.”
Sensory Bounce also runs a parent support group, often led by a social worker and takes place in a private room at the same time that children are at play. The support group is a way for parents to meet other parents, network, share common struggles, and gain support from each other.
Sessions are limited to ten (10) children and are held for an hour after school one night a week for six (6) weeks.
Additionally, Sensory Bounce offers winter and summer camps that include a minimum of one (1) hour bounce time plus hands-on sensory activities such as paint, bubbles, shaving cream, glue, and more. Sensory based snacks are made incorporating all of the five senses.
Anyone interested in registering or finding out more information can contact Sensory Bounce at (201) 794-7700 or by visiting their website (link), Facebook page (link), or Twitter page (link).