Smoky Mountain Occupational Therapy

04/25/2026

Crushed the sensory play.
Crushed the cornmeal too.

04/24/2026

In a story where anything can happen, Santa Clause gets a job at McDonalds during the off season.

04/23/2026

Ashley does a spectacular job cleaning our messy space every single evening. She has a spot open every other Thursday to magically clean your space, too. Ashley Raye Carter

04/23/2026

This ball didn’t stand a chance.

04/17/2026

04/17/2026

"Occupational therapy and play go hand in hand. There is a reason why you’ll often see kids playing as part of their OT sessions: Play is the primary job of children!

A family walks into an Occupational Therapy clinic for the first time. With a quick look around, the child notes swings, gym mats, ramps, balls, bins of toys, and shelves of bubbles, games, and toys. It looks more like a play room than a clinic. Even the school-based OT, with their suitcase on wheels has containers with toys, mini erasers in fun colors, balloons, small-scale games, and toys…in a school where it seems there is no time for play!

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND PLAY

There is a reason that pediatric Occupational Therapy centers on play. Play is the most essential occupations of childhood and it’s a natural medium for achieving goals and prompting kids to work toward goals that may seem lofty, unnatural, or hard.

Occupational Therapy goals are often included in pediatric OT interventions as the actions that come with play work to achieve the underlying areas needed for play as well as other areas of function."

Read more: https://www.theottoolbox.com/occupational-therapy-play/

04/10/2026

OOBLECK! So easy to make with just corn starch and water. And so interesting to explore with its solid and liquid properties.

04/09/2026

Yeah… we spilled the beans.

What looks messy is actually a rich, multi-sensory experience—texture, sound, movement, and coordination all in one.

Some kids have a lot of sensory space that needs to be filled, and we believe they deserve opportunities to explore it in meaningful, engaging ways.

This is what child-led, neuroaffirming care can look like.

04/08/2026

This is what child led, neuroaffirming care looks like.

One of our clients created this entire comic from start to finish: storyline, characters, problem solving, and even the humor woven throughout. What might look like a simple drawing is actually packed with skills.

04/06/2026

Just a few kids making eggs…
and working on coordination, praxis, connection, and tolerating textures and smells.
All the good stuff!