Many parents, SLP’s, and educators use the terms “communication” and “language” interchangeably. However, in the world of child development—these two processes are distinct, though deeply intertwined. Understanding the difference is not just an academic exercise; it is the key to supporting children with developmental delays, and specifically those with communication delays (not language delays) such...
True Regulation isn’t just about being “calm” or “well-behaved.” It’s about how a child’s nervous system takes in and organizes sensory and emotional experience—because those two systems must work together, all the time. Research into neuroplasticity and child development suggests that the brain’s architecture is built through the “serve and return” of social interaction (aka...
Why ADLs Aren’t “Just Skills”—They’re Developmental Opportunities How Greenspan Floortime® builds real-life interdependence through connection. Greenspan Floortime® is widely recognized as a child-centered, thinking-based approach using play and meaningful relationships to encourage child development. However, one of its most practical and powerful applications happens outside of traditional therapy sessions—it happens during everyday Activities of Daily...
Dr. Stanley Greenspan, the creator of The Greenspan Floortime Approach®, outlined essential principles for parents to handle challenging behaviors, such as temper tantrums, meltdowns, aggression, perseveration, or self-absorption, by focusing on a strategy that is both responsive to the child’s emotional needs and firmness. The core principle for setting limits is to be gentle but...
How Boundaries and Challenges Facilitate a Child’s Social Emotional Growth The most profound truths are often the simplest. There is an old Latin phrase, once the motto of a sixth-century monastery, that carries a powerful message for modern parenting: Succisa virescit. Its translation roughly means, “When cut down, we grow back stronger.” In an age...
In the world of parenting, it’s easy to feel the pressure to set high standards for our children. We want them to be successful, kind, and capable, and also listen and follow directions. But where is the line between having healthy expectations and making rigid demands? The answer lies in the principle of responsive caregiving,...
(Stanley I Greenspan MD Inc. and its intervention, The Greenspan Floortime Approach®, DO NOT endorse or support ICDL or its DIRFloortime curriculum. Here are some of the reasons why.) Have you ever wondered how your brain processes the world around you? It’s not just about seeing and hearing things in isolation. A new study, published...
The Silent Language: Why Children Need to Learn Non-Verbal Emotional Signals As parents and caregivers, we often focus on teaching children to communicate through words and cognitive activities identifying emotions on the face of a picture. But long before a child can speak, they are engaging in a powerful, non-verbal conversation. This silent language of...
My Autism: How Family, Friends, Therapy, and Education Shaped Who I am Today, with Brandon Mager *The Greenspan Floortime Approach® is the only ‘floortime’ endorsed by Stanley I Greenspan MD Inc. *ICDL’s DIRFloortime and The Greenspan Floortime Approach® are different approaches with different curricula and different outcomes. What does it truly mean to live with...
Are you intrigued by the power of Greenspan Floortime® to connect with your child and foster their development? This play-based approach, focusing on following your child’s lead and joining their world, can feel both wonderfully intuitive and a little… daunting at first. How do you prepare for something that’s all about ‘being in the moment’?...
