The Center for Childhood Development

04/22/2026

"Autism is truly an interdisciplinary need." — Amy Wetherby, Ph.D.

That perspective shapes everything about how we work with children and families at The Center. Supporting a child with autism isn't just one person's job — it takes a team. That's why we offer OT, PT, and speech therapy under one roof, and partner with Anchored Family at our Jenison location for psychology and social work support.

This Autism Awareness Month, we're sharing a resource we love: Autism Navigator, a web-based learning program from the FSU Autism Institute built for parents, caregivers, and professionals alike.

🔗 autismnavigator.learnercommunity.com

Autism Navigator® is a web-based instructional program developed by the Florida State University Autism Institute to increase the capacity of primary care, early intervention, and other service providers, as well as families, to better serve young children with or at risk for autism spectrum disor...

04/19/2026

We're so excited to start planning for summer! ☀️

To help us build the best groups for your child, please take a few minutes to fill out this survey. We'll use your responses to shape our offerings and reach out with details as plans are finalized.

https://forms.gle/zntKiupCzsQsnUza8

04/17/2026

If you haven't watched Love on the Spectrum yet — add it to your list.

What we love most is hearing directly from the adults on the show. Their perspectives, their self-awareness, their humor, their honesty. It's a beautiful reminder that autism looks different for everyone — and that every person deserves to be seen, understood, and celebrated for exactly who they are. 💙

Season 4 out now: https://buff.ly/4KLvouy

This insightful and warm hearted docuseries follows autistic people as they navigate the world of dating and relationships.SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/29qBUt7Ab...

04/15/2026

We had such a fun session yesterday at The Center! ☀️

With the beautiful weather, we took our learning outside and made “magic potions” 🧪✨

This playful activity was a great way to target important language skills, including:

🧠 Organizing and sequencing steps
🧺 Identifying and gathering materials
➡️ Following directions
👀 Joint attention
🎭 Pretend play

It’s always amazing to see how much growth can happen through simple, engaging experiences like this 💛

Learning through play = the best kind of learning!

04/13/2026

Pretend play is more than imagination — it's executive functioning in action.

Our friend made a list and checked it twice to recreate Christmas in the Castle Room. ✅🎄

✔ Build and decorate a tree
✔ Wrap presents
✔ Cook a full Christmas meal in the play kitchen
✔ Bake cookies and pour milk for Santa
✔ Leave a key out so he could get in 🔑

What looks like "just playing" is actually:

🧠 Sequencing multi-step activities
🔨 Planning, building, and problem-solving
💬 Expanding language and flexible thinking
🔄 Practicing cognitive shifting as the storyline evolves

Play is powerful. And when we expand it intentionally, the skill-building goes even deeper.

04/10/2026

Every brain has its own kind of brilliant. 🌈

This is what we celebrate at The Center, not just in April, but every single day. The kids we work with are honest, focused, dedicated, funny, and wired to see the world in ways the rest of us can only learn from.

Happy Autism Acceptance Month. 💛

04/08/2026

We're hiring! 🌟

We're looking for a full-time Occupational Therapist to join our team at our Holland and Jenison locations.

If you're passionate about pediatric OT and making a real difference in children's lives, we'd love to hear from you. 👇

https://buff.ly/77DwDmy

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04/06/2026

We're so grateful for our indoor and outdoor therapy spaces — and when the sun makes a rare appearance, we take full advantage! 🌞

Last week we headed to the trail and playground to practice our skills.

For kids who experience gravitational insecurity, playground equipment can feel genuinely scary — not just hesitant, but overwhelming. This little friend of ours wouldn't go near the equipment last fall. Now look at her! 🙌

With playful encouragement and the right support, kids learn to trust their bodies, explore movement, and conquer new heights — one step at a time.

04/02/2026

The Center is celebrating neurodiversity this month. Every day, actually. But especially the month of April. 🧠🎉

03/31/2026

Non-judgement and empathy are building blocks for creating safety rooted in connection.

When adults and caregivers notice shifts, it's important to signal we're paying attention and we want to know more about what those feelings, experiences, or thoughts mean for them.

Through paying attention to our own systems of regulation and the underlying messages we carry, we can show up differently. By approaching our own experiences in this very same way of compassion and validation, it becomes more familiar.

Your compassion practice for self creates a roadmap for those around you.

03/27/2026

Join us this summer at our Holland location! ☀️
We're turning your kid's passions into social strengths.

The Special Interest Exchange is a structured 5-week social skills group for neurodivergent youth — where each child's own interests become the bridge to real peer connection, collaboration, and growth.

📌 Session 1 — Upper Elementary/Middle School
Tuesdays, June 9–July 14 | 4–5pm

📌 Session 2 — Middle School/High School
Tuesdays, July 21–August 18 | 4–5pm

💰 $55 per child, per week

Spaces are limited — register today: https://buff.ly/2cSIx6r

03/26/2026

🚨 Attention OTs — Don’t miss this hands-on learning opportunity!

We're happy to host # 329-S Pediatric NDT Intensive Handling Intervention by Gail Ritchie, OTR, C/NDT at our Jenison location!

June 13–14, 2026 | 8AM–5PM
5 Hours/1.5 CEUs

Register here 👉 https://buff.ly/apyeIwL