Learning in Steps

24/04/2026

We’re excited to welcome a new Speech Pathologist to the Learning in Steps team! 🎉

Our team continues to grow, allowing us to support even more children and families in reaching their communication goals. With a passion for helping children thrive, our newest clinician brings fresh energy, knowledge, and dedication to delivering high-quality, family-centred care.

At Learning in Steps, we are committed to creating a supportive and nurturing environment where every child can build confidence and develop essential communication skills.

Please join us in giving a warm welcome! 💙

ChildDevelopment

24/04/2026

We welcome our new allied health speech therapy assistant Zahraa who is dedicated to helping individuals improve their speech and language skills within a supportive and encouraging environment.

Zahraa has experience assisting in therapy sessions and supporting the delivery of speech and language interventions for children with Down Syndrome, Stuttering and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She is also skilled in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), to support functional communication and engagement.

Zahraa applies evidence-based, person-centred activities, tailoring sessions to meet unique needs of each client.

19/04/2026

👀✨ What is Visual Perception? ✨👀

Visual perception is more than just seeing — it’s how the brain understands and makes sense of what the eyes see. It plays a big role in everyday skills like reading, writing, drawing, and even getting dressed!

🧩 Why is it important?
Strong visual perception skills help children:
• Recognise letters and numbers
• Complete puzzles and patterns
• Copy from the board
• Stay organised on a page
• Navigate their environment safely

🛠️ Signs your child may need support:
• Difficulty with reading or writing
• Trouble copying shapes or letters
• Poor spacing or messy work
• Struggles with puzzles or matching games

🎯 How Occupational Therapy can help:
OTs use fun, play-based activities to build skills like:
• Visual discrimination
• Visual memory
• Visual tracking
• Spatial awareness

🎲 Try this at home:
• Spot the difference games
• Puzzles and block patterns
• I-Spy
• Maze and dot-to-dot activities

💡 Early support can make a big difference in confidence and learning!

09/04/2026

💪 Gross Motor Skills Matter! 🏃‍♂️

Gross motor skills are all about the big movements our bodies make — think running, jumping, climbing, and balancing! These skills are essential for everyday play, confidence, and overall development.

✨ Why are they important?
• Build strength and coordination
• Support balance and posture
• Help with participation in sports and playground activities
• Lay the foundation for fine motor skills (like writing!)

🎯 Simple ways to build gross motor skills:
• Obstacle courses at home or in the park
• Playing catch or kicking a ball
• Jumping on trampolines or hopping games
• Dancing to music
• Climbing at the playground

👣 Every movement counts! Encouraging active play helps children grow stronger, more confident, and ready to take on new challenges.

06/04/2026

✨ Fine Motor Skills Matter! ✨

Fine motor skills are all about the small movements of the hands and fingers that help children complete everyday tasks 🖐️

These skills are essential for:
✏️ Writing and drawing
🧩 Completing puzzles
👕 Buttoning and zipping clothes
🍴 Using cutlery

👶 How can you support fine motor development at home?

✔️ Play with playdough (rolling, squeezing, pinching)
✔️ Use tongs or tweezers to pick up small objects
✔️ Thread beads or pasta onto string
✔️ Encourage drawing, colouring, and cutting
✔️ Build with LEGO or small blocks

💡 Tip: Make it fun and playful—kids learn best through play!

If you’re concerned about your child’s fine motor skills, an Occupational Therapist can help support their development 💙

26/03/2026

🎒 Is your child ready for school?

School readiness isn’t just about knowing ABCs and 123s — it’s about having the skills to participate, learn, and thrive in the classroom 💡

✨ How Occupational Therapy can help:
✔️ Fine motor skills (holding a pencil, cutting, drawing)
✔️ Attention & concentration
✔️ Following instructions
✔️ Emotional regulation
✔️ Independence with self-care (toileting, dressing, eating)
✔️ Social skills & play

💬 Every child develops at their own pace, but early support can make a BIG difference in building confidence and success at school.

👩‍⚕️ Our Occupational Therapists work closely with families to support children in developing the skills they need for a smooth transition into school life.

📩 Reach out to learn how we can support your child’s school readiness journey!

AlliedHealth NDIS PediatricOT LearningThroughPlay

19/03/2026

17/03/2026

🏆 Voting is now open!

We’re excited to share that Learning in Steps is in the running for the 2026 Local Business Awards! 🎉

Our team is passionate about supporting children and families through speech and occupational therapy, and being part of this amazing community means so much to us.

💙 We would truly appreciate your support!
If you have worked with us or believe in the work we do, please take a moment to vote for Learning in Steps in the Local Business Awards 2026.

Every vote helps support local businesses and means the world to our team.

🙏 Thank you for being part of our journey and for supporting Learning in Steps.

OccupationalTherapy

13/03/2026

✨ What is Occupational Therapy? ✨

Occupational Therapy (OT) helps children develop the skills they need for everyday activities — also known as “occupations”.

For children, these occupations include:
🧩 Playing
✏️ Writing and drawing
👕 Dressing themselves
🍴 Eating independently
👫 Participating in school and social activities

An Occupational Therapist supports children who may have challenges with:
• Fine motor skills
• Sensory processing
• Attention and regulation
• Handwriting and school tasks
• Self-care skills

Through fun, engaging activities, OTs help children build independence, confidence, and success in their daily lives 🌱

08/01/2026

04/01/2026

⚽ Developing Language & Speech Through Sports 🗣️

Sports aren’t just great for physical health — they’re powerful for communication development too!

🏀 How sports support speech & language:
• Vocabulary: action words (run, kick, throw), positions, rules
• Following directions: “Pass the ball”, “Wait your turn”
• Social communication: turn-taking, teamwork, problem-solving
• Speech clarity: practicing loud, clear voices in dynamic environments
• Narrative skills: talking about what happened before, during, and after the game

👟 Speechie tip for parents & coaches:
Pause during play to model language:
➡️ “You kicked the ball into the goal!”
➡️ “First we warm up, then we play.”

Every game is an opportunity to build communication 💬