Little Thrivers OT Services

01/29/2026

It is dental hygiene week in OT!! The kids had so much fun exploring this lesson. Occupational therapy is ALL about learning through play. We took this dental kit and adapted in so many ways to meet the goals of each kiddo!

✏️Writing- is often a trigger for kids because it’s HARD and doesn’t come naturally for some. This week they picked up those markers without hesitation! We drew cavities, made name badges to practice our name, wrote stories about the dentist, and made our own mouths!

🫟Sensory- we played with shaving cream to brush those teeth!

🍿Feeding- we played and explored foods during a snack and “fed” our mouths.

😊Social-emotional: we PLAYED together as I guided the children to label emotions they feel at the dentist and practiced social skills when having to play with others.

🗣️ Speech- we learned new vocabulary and practiced on our AACs to say things like “my tooth hurts”

Who knew we could focus on so many skills when we are just “playing”?

Speech Therapy Solutions - MNe

01/14/2026

Welcome Kristy!!! So excited to have you as part of our team!

Things were BUSY tonight at the clinic. Everyone give a warm welcome to our newest SLP, Kristy Knutson! She will be working at the clinic on Tuesday's.

With more than 20 years of experience as a Speech-Language Pathologist, Kristy brings a depth of knowledge, skill, and compassion to her work with children and families. She utilizes a child-led, strengths-based approach to therapy, carefully following each child’s interests to ensure sessions are engaging, meaningful, and motivating. Her clinical experience spans a wide range of communication needs, with particular expertise in supporting children with autism and speech sound disorders.

Outside of her professional role, she enjoys spending time with her two daughters, ages 19 and 17, and supporting them in their athletic pursuits. She has a strong appreciation for the outdoors and enjoys hiking, skiing, and fishing. More recently, she has taken up Pickle Ball and enjoys the opportunity it provides to stay active and connected. She also loves spending time with her Boston Terrier, "Queenie" who she adopted and needs extra support/LOVE!

A message from Kristy:
"I truly enjoy partnering with families, because you know your child best and play an important role in their communication journey. The part of my job I love most is building those special connections with children—the ones that help communication feel easier, more natural, and exciting."

12/08/2025

Check it out! Alana is simply amazing! Taking big steps to help our community offer speech therapy and OT services with her private practice Speech Therapy Solutions - MN

11/29/2025

Using this snowy day to prep for December with my mini ❤️. Peppermint playdoh, sensory bins, & finemotor fun!
Speech Therapy Solutions - MN

11/20/2025

Help us reach our goal by donating to a great cause! All money goes directly to our playground!

🎉 GIVEAWAY TIME! Basket #4

Treat yo'self with this amazing SPA BASKET! Make a donation to our inclusive playground fundraiser to enter. Every gift counts toward making playground dreams come true!

Comment "I donated" to be entered. Drawing for basket winner will be held Friday morning!

Stay tuned ... 1 more GIVEAWAY!



https://www.givemn.org/organization/Princeton-Pto

10/30/2025

Just having some fun practicing our working memory with play!

09/24/2025

See the world through their eyes & guide them ❤️

09/16/2025

So excited to announce I am taking clients at Speech Therapy Solutions - MN! Call to inquire for the few spots left on my schedule for after school hours!

🌟 **Welcome Our New OT!** 🌟

We’re excited to introduce **Melissa Hokeness, MS, OTR/L** from Little Thrivers OT Services , to our clinic team! With 10 years of experience in both outpatient and school-based settings, Melissa is passionate about helping kids grow through play while building skills in social/emotional regulation, fine motor development, self-help, sensory processing, and more.

She currently works full-time at Rum River Special Education Co-op and is now offering **outpatient pediatric OT services in our clinic** to provide even more support for families in our community.

👩‍👩‍👧 Outside of work, Melissa lives in Zimmerman with her husband and two kids (ages 5 & 3). Her family loves the outdoors and cabin time!

📅 **Now accepting new OT clients!**
Visit our website to schedule a phone consultation.
https://alaina-verkinnes.clientsecure.me/

Read her full BIO here: https://www.mnspeechtherapysolutions.com/oturl

Help us give Melissa a warm welcome! 💙

09/15/2025

September is all about 🍎s.
Stay tuned as we gear up for some fun Fall sessions! Still have 2 openings for new clients. Reach out if interested! 📞

09/10/2025

🍎 School has started & new routines have begun. Fall OT services starting September 15th.

📞 For for more information on occupational therapy services.

08/22/2025

This week we celebrated our last visit of the summer by making ice cream 🍦! THANK YOU soooo much for an amazing summer with Little Thriver’s!

👀 keep on eye out for more information on Fall services 😁

08/07/2025

It was a fun week for Little Thrivers!

We learned about break bins, did yoga, and practiced deep breathing with bubble snakes & pinwheels.