40. Take Time to Play Using a Sensory Emotional Lens

In today’s episode, I share a personal story about the importance of play in our busy lives. Between running Great Kids Place and A Sensory Emotional Lens, and managing the hectic schedules of my kids—who are now almost 13 and 14—it's easy to forget the joy of play. We spend plenty of time together, like sharing meals, chatting during car rides, and reflecting at bedtime, but these moments aren’t the same as unstructured play. A few weeks ago, I decided to intentionally carve out time to play with my son, and it was magical–for him and me. This episode is a reminder to slow down, embrace the magic of play, and reconnect with the joy of curiosity—whether it’s with your kids, family, or on your own. Tune in to hear more about how this simple moment turned into something special and how we can all benefit from finding time to play. You will also hear about our Sensory Emotional Play Challenge for the New Year!  We hope you’ll join us!  Join our community! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesensoryemotional_ot/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatkidsplace/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreatKidsPlace/ Want more resources? Please visit our blog: https://greatkidsplace.com/category/blog/ and https://sensoryemotional.org/   About Michele Parkins MS, OTR/L IMH-E® Founder & Director, Great Kids Place  Founder, Sensory Emotional Engagement Model™ Michele is an Occupational Therapist endorsed as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist. She specializes in working with children and families with Sensory Processing and Integration Disorders and challenges in social-emotional development. She is also a parent of two sensory kids. She works and lives sensational kids! Michele is a fellow of Dr. Lucy Jane Miller, OTR.   Michele is passionate about working with families and other therapists and continues to do so as a clinician and educator. She educates therapists from all over the country and world and continues to provide consultation to schools on treatment for sensory processing disorder. Michele has co-authored a chapter in the 3rd edition of Sensory Integration: Theory and Practice, the textbook for sensory evaluation and treatment, alongside world-renowned pioneers in the field, and is currently writing a parenting book and children’s books.  She hopes to help everyone - children and adults- understand their Sensory Emotional Personality™ style and ways to find strength and joy within them.