Baobab Therapy for Kids

31/03/2026

A timeless favourite at Baobab Therapy: obstacle courses!

They just tick so many boxes.

26/03/2026

We've been making these beautiful paper flowers in sessions last week and they have been a hit with Kinder kids and teens alike!

We love craft activities like this where we can adapt the difficulty level to suit various ages. For example, by varying the amount of support and prompting provided, the number of layers of petals and the complexity of the design.

For teens, we practiced functional literacy and executive functioning strategies, and so included reading and following the written instructions, sourcing and preparing the materials, and practicing the "Get Ready, Do, Done" visual organisational prompt to help with sequencing the task.

Lots of great fine motor skills required here as well including:
- Bilateral coordination
- Scissor use
- Pincer grasp
- Visual motor integration

Added bonus, they make great gifts and decor for loved ones! ☺️

25/03/2026

Last week at "Bushrangers" our nature-based social group in Castlemaine.

Our younger group made houses for gnomes!

Plenty of supported opportunities to practice turn-taking, collaboration, negotiation, communication and regulation, as we made a "group plan" together.

Our groups are child-led, play-based, fun and creative.

We are now opening bookings for next term - please contact us for a chat if interested in having your child join.

Older group: 8-12 year olds Wednesdays fortnightly 4:15pm-5:30pm from April 29th

Younger group: 4-7 year olds, Thursdays fortnightly 4:15pm-5:30pm from April 30th

To enquire email: baobabtherapy@gmail.com

05/02/2026

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/04/how-will-thriving-kids-work-ndis-autism-children?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=soc_567&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=Iwb21leAPxxOJjbGNrA_HEsmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHv4hjGM3jPLwpvxYfi5O2wkB8dgYwxTbEgW9qMf7sHFkoYiYxVxMBmNcg0DT_aem_p4Q3rFt3VPqQ0OXRkqhWJg

New services will move children under nine with mild developmental delays and autism off the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Here’s what you need to know

26/01/2026

Tantrum?

25/01/2026

Playfulness beats power struggles! Magic. 😊

12/01/2026

Baobab Bushrangers in Castlemaine is back for Term 1 2026!

Our nature-based social groups provide a fun and supportive space for children to build social skills, confidence, and connection — all while exploring the great outdoors. We help them navigate real-life social challenges in a supportive environment.

Using a neuro-affirming, trauma-informed, and play-based approach grounded in the DIR-Floortime model, we incorporate concepts from the “Social Thinking® Curriculum” to offer flexible tools for social interaction.

We recognise that socialising and self-expression look different for every child. Rather than teaching prescribed behaviours, we focus on helping young verbal learners develop the skills they need to become flexible social thinkers and problem solvers.

PROGRAM

Our groups offer engaging and fun activities that are tailored to suit the children’s specific interests, skills and challenges. Each session includes group games and collaborative activities interwoven with opportunities for problem solving and collaboration, offering opportunities to develop their ‘Social Thinking’ skills.

Activities may include:

Shelter building
Art and craft
Fire-making
Cooking
Sensory play
Rope skills
Making swings or tools
Structured group games
Supported collaborative play

FACILITATORS

The groups are led by Nicola Stampa (Occupational Therapist) and Becky Walls (Teacher & Nature-based Facilitator). Both have extensive experience working therapeutically with neuro-diverse children across a range of ages.

GROUP DATES & TIMES

Group 1: 8-12 year olds
Wednesdays fortnightly 4:15pm-5:30pm from Feb 4th.

Group 2: 4-7 year olds
Thursdays fortnightly 4:15pm-5:30pm from Feb 5th.

LOCATION

Bush reserve 5kms from Castlemaine

Please contact: baobabtherapy@gmail.com ASAP to express interest in joining either group.

Or call Nicola for a chat to discuss suitability and fees: 0401682416

We accept NDIS & Medicare funding.

outdoorkids bushkids bushkinder forestschool naturekids occupationaltherapy

18/12/2025

The xmas theme continues in our nature-based social group!

We used metallic paint to objects found in nature to make decorations for xmas trees (or just making your room look nice.)

While this may not seem like a particularly social activity perhaps at first... but the skill we always practice at every session is making a "group plan": deciding what to do together as a group, listening, negotiating, collaborating...

We also intentionally brought fewer paint brushes than the group numbers 😂 so there was a need to share them and ask each other for a turn.

Sitting painting together became a wonderful focussed opportunity for practicing conversational skills: adding comments, asking & answering questions, waiting our turn to speak, and following the thread of theme of the conversation.

So proud of our Bushrangers kiddos for this term and we are excited for our summer program in Term 1. (There are still a fee spots available - check out our website to book!). Therell be lots of shady activities and cool water play!

12/12/2025

A really simple strategy for kids who are overwhelmed by too much visual stimuli and/or struggle to visually discriminate (only focus on the important information and tune out the rest).

We cover all the parts we are not reading with a blamk piece of paper AND track each word with a finger or pen.

Reduces overwhelm and increases motivation and success with reading! 😊

06/12/2025

Tis the season for xmas craft!

Tearing up the paper at the start of the activity is fantastic for strengthening little fingers.

And the whole activity is great for using two hands (bilateral co-ordination) and following a sequence (executive functioning).

1) Tear up paper
2) Soak for several hours (warm water will speed this up)
3) Mix by hand OR use a stick blender, food processer or blender, depending on how thin youd like it
4) Scoop into paper frame
5) Take off top frame
6) Place a plastic sheet over it and press down to squeeze out water
7) Flip over, then use a sponge or cloth to squeeze out more water
8) Peel off mesh layer and leave to dry in the sun

02/12/2025

It's that time of year again!

One of my favourite fine motor activities for christmas time is potato stamps, because:

🌲 Beautiful
🌲 Useful
🌲 Creative
🌲 Motivating
🌲 Uses both hands (bilateral co-ordination)
🌲 Builds our skill of grading force (using the right amount of pressure to stamp)
🌲 Cutting with a knife builds practical skills for using utensils and cutlery, cooking & meal prep

And the result makes great cards and wrapping paper!

01/12/2025

I love it when you tell me to "just breathe". Said no one. Ever. Yep, including kids!

BUT, hand them one of these blow toys though... and.. voila! They have to take deep breaths to make it work! Anxiety, stress, fight/flight response reduces in a really short time.

And the best thing about this one is that it's silent!! So it can be a good fit for a classroom. And one person's regulation tool is less likely to dyregulate another person. (Compared to a whistle or party blower for example). Yay. 😆