NorthLakes Community Clinic-Ashland Downtown therapies department is gearing up for another summer of Kindergarten Readiness groups. Kindergarten is a time for children to build foundation skills for higher learning and life. A time to expand upon fine motor, gross motor, social, and play skills.
Transition into Kindergarten can be a large change for children even if a child has attended a 4K or early intervention program. Delays with motor, speech, or social skills can make this transition even more challenging for a child.
NLCC–Ashland Downtown will be offering two types of Kindergarten Readiness groups during the summer of 2019. The motor group will be facilitated by occupational therapy with an emphasis on fine and gross motor skill development including balance, coordination, and strength. Following routines and directions, turn taking, and sharing are naturally built into the motor group structure.
The social and regulation group will be facilitated by occupational and speech therapy. This group will have a more deliberate focus on social interaction and group skills (i.e. waiting, attending, and routine following) in addition to language development and self-regulation.
The structure for both groups includes a greeting and good-bye routine, peer interaction, and fluctuation between seated and movement tasks. The overall goal of these groups is to assist in preparing participants for entering Kindergarten and being part of a larger group setting.
Participants need to be entering Kindergarten in the fall of 2019 and demonstrate challenges with motor skills, social interaction, or self-regulation. Priority will be given to current patients of the occupational and speech therapy department at NorthLakes Community Clinic. Children not currently receiving occupational or speech therapy at NorthLakes Community Clinic will need a referral from the child’s primary care provider and an evaluation at NorthLakes to determine appropriateness. Please call Therapies Coordinator Alaina Archer (715) 685-2200 extension 3119 for more information.
