Child's Play Therapy Services, PC

Child's Play Therapy Services, PC Child's Play Therapy Services provides pediatric occupational therapy and speech therapy now serving the Lafayette and Pleasanton, California areas.

12/30/2025

Welcome to Child’s Play Therapy Services, PC. Our inviting space is designed to help children thrive, with services that nurture their sensory motor, language, emotional, and cognitive development.

Whether it’s through our core Occupational Therapy or our complementary Speech and Language Therapy, or Feeding Therapy, we are committed to supporting each child’s unique journey towards building confidence, skills, and self-expression. We believe every child has the potential to unlock their greatness, and we’re honored to be part of their transformative growth.

If you’re in the Pleasanton, CA or Lafayette, CA area and think your child could benefit from our services, reach out to us today and schedule a consultation. We are here for you!

Big feelings are part of childhood, and learning how to calm the body is a skill that develops over time, with support.W...
12/23/2025

Big feelings are part of childhood, and learning how to calm the body is a skill that develops over time, with support.

When a child is overwhelmed, their nervous system is often in fight, flight, or freeze. Calming tools help shift the body out of survival mode and back into a sense of safety. These strategies are most effective when they’re practiced during calm moments, not just during meltdowns.

Helpful calming tools for children can include slow, guided breathing (like “smell the flower, blow out the candle”), movement-based regulation such as wall pushes, animal walks, or stretching, and sensory supports like stress balls, weighted items, or soft textures. Moments of quiet connection, like sitting together, reading, or offering gentle reassurance — also play an important role in helping children feel safe and supported.

At Child’s Play Therapy Services, our occupational therapy services focus on helping children understand their bodies, emotions, and sensory needs in developmentally appropriate ways. If your child experiences big emotions, schedule a 15-minute consultation to see if our team can help support regulation, confidence, and emotional growth through occupational therapy services.

At Child’s Play Therapy Services, we specialize in occupational therapy, while supporting speech and language therapy an...
12/23/2025

At Child’s Play Therapy Services, we specialize in occupational therapy, while supporting speech and language therapy and feeding therapy in the East Bay, California area.

✨ Occupational Therapy: We believe in the power of play! Our OTs use developmentally appropriate play to enhance your child’s ability to take on multiple roles, from play partner to student. Through play, we build essential skills for everyday life.

🗣️ Speech and Language Therapy: Our skilled speech-language pathologists tackle a variety of disorders, from autism-related communication impairments to articulation delays. Whether it’s helping with social skills or addressing fluency concerns, we’re dedicated to enhancing every child’s communication journey.

✨Feeding Therapy: Our comprehensive feeding therapy is tailored to each child’s needs, improving oral motor skills and creating a positive mealtime environment. We focus on overcoming sensory sensitivities and promoting a joyful eating experience.

At Child’s Play, we are committed to nurturing the holistic well-being of every child, shaping their skills for meaningful relationships and a positive sense of self. Our individualized approach ensures that every child feels empowered and supported.

We have two locations - one in Lafayette and one in Pleasanton. Schedule your consultation today!

12/18/2025

The holiday season often comes with a lot of expectations - busy gatherings, traditions, and well-meaning pressure for kids to “be polite” or “just go along with it.” While these moments are usually rooted in care, forcing children to do things their bodies or emotions aren’t ready for can actually increase stress and overwhelm.

For example, children don’t need to hug every relative to be respectful. Encouraging bodily autonomy by offering choices like a wave, high-five, or hello helps children learn that their comfort and boundaries matter. This builds trust, confidence, and a sense of safety, especially in busy or unfamiliar settings.

The same applies to food. Rather than requiring children to finish everything on their plate, try inviting them to listen to their bodies. Encouraging kids to try a bite of something new (without pressure) supports a healthier relationship with food and helps reduce power struggles at the table.

When we honor children’s cues, we support nervous system regulation and emotional safety. Offering choices, modeling flexibility, and staying curious about what your child needs allows holidays to feel more connected and less overwhelming for everyone involved.

At Child’s Play Therapy Services, we believe children thrive when they feel safe, respected, and supported. This season, small shifts toward choice and consent can make a big difference in helping kids feel seen and secure.

Children don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling, but they are always communicating. Play is a child...
12/16/2025

Children don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling, but they are always communicating. Play is a child’s natural language, and it’s often how emotions like anxiety, fear, sadness, or frustration show up first. When big feelings don’t have a safe outlet, they can appear as behavior changes, emotional outbursts, or withdrawal.

Occupational therapy in our office offers a developmentally appropriate way for children to express and process what’s happening inside. Through toys, games, art, movement, and imagination, children can explore emotions, build emotional regulation, and feel a greater sense of safety and control. In this space, play isn’t “just play”, it’s how connection, healing, and growth begin.

Our therapists are specially trained to meet children where they are, honoring their pace and supporting both emotional and nervous system development. We also partner closely with parents, offering guidance and insight along the way so support extends beyond the therapy room.

If you’re noticing changes in your child’s behavior, emotions, or ability to cope, or if you simply want extra support during a season of transition, we’re here to help. Appointments are available at our Lafayette and Pleasanton, CA offices. Reach out today to schedule a consultation with our team and learn how play therapy can support your child’s emotional well-being.

Thank you so much, Kimberly, for sharing these kind words. We are truly grateful for the trust families place in us, and...
12/12/2025

Thank you so much, Kimberly, for sharing these kind words. We are truly grateful for the trust families place in us, and it means so much to hear how your son is growing and thriving.

We’re thankful for clinicians like Ms. CJ and for the support Savannah provides with scheduling. Hearing how their care has made a difference for your family truly means the world.

Working with families like yours is an honor. Thank you for allowing us to be part of Dylan’s journey.

Every child has their own unique way of learning, moving, and growing. Some kids are constantly on the go. Others may be...
12/09/2025

Every child has their own unique way of learning, moving, and growing. Some kids are constantly on the go. Others may become overwhelmed by bright lights, loud noises, or unexpected changes. Some struggle with tasks like coloring, tying shoes, or staying focused in the classroom — not because they aren’t trying, but because their nervous system processes the world differently.

Pediatric occupational therapy helps kids understand and work with their bodies and brains instead of against them. Using purposeful play, an OT can help children improve sensory regulation, strengthen fine and gross motor skills, support attention, and build daily routines that feel achievable. Over time, children gain independence, resilience, and confidence in what they can do.

When kids receive the right support at the right time, they’re able to participate more fully in the things that matter most,  learning, playing, making friends, and discovering who they are.

If your child struggles with everyday tasks or becomes easily overwhelmed, they don’t have to do it alone. If you live in the Lafayette or Pleasanton, CA area, schedule a free 15-minute consultation with our team. We’re here to help your child thrive in their own way.

12/09/2025

What do pediatric occupational therapists do?

They help children build the skills they need for everyday life, from holding a pencil to getting dressed, from calming their bodies to playing with friends. For kids with developmental differences, sensory processing challenges, autism, or other special needs, those foundational skills don’t always come easily. That’s where OT comes in.

Through play-based approaches, occupational therapists support fine motor skills, motor planning, coordination, and sensory regulation. They help children learn how to organize their bodies and emotions, strengthen daily living skills, and build confidence so they can participate more fully at home, school, and in their community. OT celebrates what your child can do, while giving them tools to grow in the areas that feel hardest.

Every child deserves to feel capable, successful, and supported as they explore their world. If you think your child might benefit from occupational therapy services and you live in the Lafayette or Pleasanton, CA area, we’d love to help.

Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with our team to learn more and get started. We’re here to support your child every step of the way.

At Child’s Play Therapy Services, we believe every child deserves to feel confident, capable, and connected in their wor...
12/05/2025

At Child’s Play Therapy Services, we believe every child deserves to feel confident, capable, and connected in their world.

Through occupational therapy, we support the sensory, emotional, and motor foundations children need to participate in the daily activities that bring purpose and joy, from learning and play to friendships, family life, and self-care.

Our approach is child-led, relational, and holistic. We focus on building skills through meaningful experiences, nurturing each child’s unique strengths, and supporting the growth of their mind, body, and spirit.

We’re proud to serve families in Lafayette and Pleasanton, CA, creating supportive environments where each child’s strengths are celebrated and their growth is nurtured across mind, body, and spirit.

If your child could benefit from extra support with regulation, motor skills, attention, or social emotional development, we’re here to help, and we’d love to meet you.

We offer free 15-minute consultations to help you determine whether our services are the right fit for your family.

Learn more about our services and philosophy by visiting our website!

With new sounds, smells, lights, and textures everywhere, this season can be a full sensory workout for many kids. Holid...
12/01/2025

With new sounds, smells, lights, and textures everywhere, this season can be a full sensory workout for many kids. Holiday events, school activities, and changes in routine can all add up, sometimes faster than we expect. You may notice increased fidgeting, avoidance, meltdowns, or clinginess, and that’s okay. Their nervous system is working overtime to take in and sort through all this extra input.

Small supports can make a big difference. Try building in quiet breaks between activities, offering noise-reducing headphones in busy spaces, packing familiar snacks for outings, or creating a calm corner during gatherings. Predictability, like visual schedules, countdowns, or preparing kids for what’s coming, can also help reduce stress and make transitions smoother.

Supporting regulation isn’t about avoiding the fun, it’s about helping kids participate in ways that feel safe and manageable for them. When their needs are met, confidence and comfort naturally grow.

There’s no “right” way to celebrate or socialize this time of year. There’s only what works best for your child and your family.

The holiday season can be exciting, joyful, and full of connection, but for many children, it can also feel overwhelming...
11/26/2025

The holiday season can be exciting, joyful, and full of connection, but for many children, it can also feel overwhelming. Travel, new environments, unfamiliar foods, busy gatherings, and disrupted routines can make this time of year challenging, especially for kids who rely on structure or who have sensory, feeding, or communication differences. If your child is having a harder time right now, you are not alone, and you are doing your best.

From an occupational therapy perspective, here are a few supportive strategies that may help your child feel more regulated and confident through the holiday season:

1. Support sensory needs.
Travel, new environments, and busy days can overwhelm kids. Build in movement breaks, use noise-canceling headphones, offer deep pressure, a comfort item, or a small fidget to help them stay regulated.

2. Keep routines where you can.
Predictability helps kids feel safe. Hold onto a few routine anchors (morning steps, quiet time, bedtime rituals). For changes like guests or staying elsewhere, preview the day ahead to reduce anxiety.

3. Use simple communication supports.
Holiday gatherings can be loud and fast. Visual schedules, clear choices, and practicing simple greeting or transition scripts can help kids feel more confident. Slowing instructions also goes a long way.

4. For food, focus on exposure, not pressure.
New holiday foods can feel big. Let kids look, touch, and smell before tasting. Always offer a safe food, and involve them in small prep tasks to build comfort at their pace.

5. Create a “safe space.”
Wherever you celebrate, set up a quiet spot with familiar toys, books, or calming activities. A short reset can prevent sensory overwhelm later.

Remember, the holidays don’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.

With the holidays around the corner, many families look forward to festive meals, but for some children, holiday gatheri...
11/21/2025

With the holidays around the corner, many families look forward to festive meals, but for some children, holiday gatherings can bring added stress around eating. New textures, smells, routines, and expectations can feel overwhelming for kids with feeding challenges. You are not alone if mealtimes feel more complicated this time of year.

Feeding therapy helps children explore food in a safe, supportive, and pressure-free environment. Through sensory-based strategies and play-focused interventions, we help children build confidence, reduce mealtime stress, and expand their comfort with different foods at their own pace.

Feeding therapy directly supports our broader occupational therapy mission: helping children build the skills needed for successful relationships and a positive sense of self. When children feel empowered at mealtimes — instead of anxious or overwhelmed — they can show up more fully in family routines, social experiences, and holiday traditions.

If your child struggles with picky eating, sensory sensitivities, or mealtime anxiety, now is a helpful time to reach out. Contact us for a free 15-minute consultation to learn how feeding therapy can support your family this season and beyond.

Address

3687 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Suite 100
Lafayette, CA
94549

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+19259544546

Website

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