Welcome to the Physical Therapy section of CTC's newsletter, where our talented therapists provide information and insights regarding their field.
February 2025 - P.T. Zones of Regulation

The Zones of Regulation can become an important component of a student’s day. The framework can be utilized in both the classroom and in therapy sessions to ensure success. Physical and occupational therapists utilizing this framework would consult a student’s speech therapist for strategies on individualized communication modalities and preferences. Understanding a student’s communication helps therapists identify which zone the student is in at a particular moment in time. With observation and communication from the student, the therapist is able to utilize specific strategies for each student and assist the child into a more regulatory zone. Once regulated, children are ready for therapy or an activity in the classroom.
The goal of the framework is to make children aware of their emotions, help students identify which zone they are in, and recognize how to get to a more regulatory zone. Showing the students a visual of the Zones with colors and pictures will help them identify and differentiate between the zones. Depending on the student, such strategies may be sensory-related (swinging, pressure, squeezes, reducing lights or sounds, movement activities) or biologically need-based (eating, drinking, using the bathroom). According to students’ individual profiles, physical therapy can support students’ movement into the green zone.
In one example, a student participating in their therapy session might not prefer movement. As a result, the physical therapist would communicate with the student during the session to ensure breaks so they do not become dysregulated. Other students may require sensory supports to remain in a functional zone during therapy such as a weighted vest to improve body awareness and help with grounding. Utilizing the Zones of Regulation framework allows the students to be more productive and successful in therapy sessions, in addition to supporting the student in the classroom and at home.
The picture attached displays the zones and which coping skills you can utilize for each zone. For more information, please visit: https://www.pheamerica.org/2021/building-relationships-through-the-zones-of-regulation/
-Alisa Nosti, Physical Therapist at Celebrate the Children
The goal of the framework is to make children aware of their emotions, help students identify which zone they are in, and recognize how to get to a more regulatory zone. Showing the students a visual of the Zones with colors and pictures will help them identify and differentiate between the zones. Depending on the student, such strategies may be sensory-related (swinging, pressure, squeezes, reducing lights or sounds, movement activities) or biologically need-based (eating, drinking, using the bathroom). According to students’ individual profiles, physical therapy can support students’ movement into the green zone.
In one example, a student participating in their therapy session might not prefer movement. As a result, the physical therapist would communicate with the student during the session to ensure breaks so they do not become dysregulated. Other students may require sensory supports to remain in a functional zone during therapy such as a weighted vest to improve body awareness and help with grounding. Utilizing the Zones of Regulation framework allows the students to be more productive and successful in therapy sessions, in addition to supporting the student in the classroom and at home.
The picture attached displays the zones and which coping skills you can utilize for each zone. For more information, please visit: https://www.pheamerica.org/2021/building-relationships-through-the-zones-of-regulation/
-Alisa Nosti, Physical Therapist at Celebrate the Children
January 2025 - Winter Activities
Wheelbarrow walking: Make a straight or zig-zag path (painter’s tape, belt, scarf, dog leash). Have your child wheelbarrow walk while following a straight or zig zag path. Provide assistance at your child’s waist.
Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Ground: Use a balloon to hit it up in the air and don’t let it touch the ground. To make it more challenging, perform this game with more than one balloon. Make this a fun game or friendly competition with family members.
Paper Plate Skating: Grab paper plates, have your child step on them, and have fun skating around the house.
Polar Bear Walk: Feet and hands are on the ground with your bottom up. Pretend to walk through an arctic trail (use pillows, cushions, blankets, laundry basket to creating an uneven terrain)
Snow Angels: Snowing? Go outside and make snow angels by using your upper and lower body to open and close your arms and legs in sync. Not snowing? Don’t worry! You can still practice snow angles inside on the carpet or rugs.
Bobsled Race: Utilize a big box from the left over deliveries or an empty laundry basket. Have a sibling sit inside the box or laundry basket while the other child pushes the box. Take turns.
Long Jump Competition: Make a starting line with painter’s tape, belt, scarf or dog leash. Practice broad jumping as far as possible. Measure the distance to make a fun competition. To increase the difficulty, perform the competition jumping backwards or hopping as far as possible.
Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Ground: Play balloon volleyball don’t let it touch the ground. To make it more challenging, perform this game with more than one balloon. Make this a fun game or friendly competition with family members.
Snowball Fight: If mother nature has provided us with snow, go out and have a snowball fight or toss. If not, crumple paper and have some indoor fun. Give your child a bucket of these indoor snowballs and toss at a target or play catch.
Snow Angels: Snowing? Go outside and make snow angels by using your upper and lower body to open and close your arms and legs in sync. Not snowing? Don’t worry! You can still practice snow angles inside on the floor.
New Year’s Fitness Goal: Make a resolution to participate in fitness activities. It is okay to start small. Walk 15 minutes outside or at an indoor mall, complete 10 wall push-ups with the family, or perform 10 jumping jacks before brushing your teeth.
Snowball Fight: If mother nature provides us with snow, have a snowball fight or toss. If not crumple paper and have some indoor fun. Give your child a bucket of these indoor snowballs and toss at a target or play catch.
Knock ‘em Down: Build a pyramid out of plastic cups. Use white pom poms or bean bags to throw at the cups to knock them down.
Long Jump Competition: Make a starting line with painter’s tape, belt, scarf or dog leash. Practice broad jumping as far as possible. Measure the distance to make a fun competition. To increase the difficulty, perform the competition jumping backwards or hopping as far as possible.
Postural Positioning: Have your child spend extra time on their stomach. They can do a puzzle or watch a video in this position. This will help stretch out their hips, and help strengthen their postural muscles. If possible they can perform a few push-ups or planks as well while in this position.
New Year’s Fitness Goal: Make a resolution to participate in fitness activities. It is okay to start small. Perform dumbbell exercises two times a week, walk 15 minutes outside or at an indoor mall, or perform 10 jumping jacks before brushing your teeth.
- Written by the Physical Therapy Department at Celebrate the Children
Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Ground: Use a balloon to hit it up in the air and don’t let it touch the ground. To make it more challenging, perform this game with more than one balloon. Make this a fun game or friendly competition with family members.
Paper Plate Skating: Grab paper plates, have your child step on them, and have fun skating around the house.
Polar Bear Walk: Feet and hands are on the ground with your bottom up. Pretend to walk through an arctic trail (use pillows, cushions, blankets, laundry basket to creating an uneven terrain)
Snow Angels: Snowing? Go outside and make snow angels by using your upper and lower body to open and close your arms and legs in sync. Not snowing? Don’t worry! You can still practice snow angles inside on the carpet or rugs.
Bobsled Race: Utilize a big box from the left over deliveries or an empty laundry basket. Have a sibling sit inside the box or laundry basket while the other child pushes the box. Take turns.
Long Jump Competition: Make a starting line with painter’s tape, belt, scarf or dog leash. Practice broad jumping as far as possible. Measure the distance to make a fun competition. To increase the difficulty, perform the competition jumping backwards or hopping as far as possible.
Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Ground: Play balloon volleyball don’t let it touch the ground. To make it more challenging, perform this game with more than one balloon. Make this a fun game or friendly competition with family members.
Snowball Fight: If mother nature has provided us with snow, go out and have a snowball fight or toss. If not, crumple paper and have some indoor fun. Give your child a bucket of these indoor snowballs and toss at a target or play catch.
Snow Angels: Snowing? Go outside and make snow angels by using your upper and lower body to open and close your arms and legs in sync. Not snowing? Don’t worry! You can still practice snow angles inside on the floor.
New Year’s Fitness Goal: Make a resolution to participate in fitness activities. It is okay to start small. Walk 15 minutes outside or at an indoor mall, complete 10 wall push-ups with the family, or perform 10 jumping jacks before brushing your teeth.
Snowball Fight: If mother nature provides us with snow, have a snowball fight or toss. If not crumple paper and have some indoor fun. Give your child a bucket of these indoor snowballs and toss at a target or play catch.
Knock ‘em Down: Build a pyramid out of plastic cups. Use white pom poms or bean bags to throw at the cups to knock them down.
Long Jump Competition: Make a starting line with painter’s tape, belt, scarf or dog leash. Practice broad jumping as far as possible. Measure the distance to make a fun competition. To increase the difficulty, perform the competition jumping backwards or hopping as far as possible.
Postural Positioning: Have your child spend extra time on their stomach. They can do a puzzle or watch a video in this position. This will help stretch out their hips, and help strengthen their postural muscles. If possible they can perform a few push-ups or planks as well while in this position.
New Year’s Fitness Goal: Make a resolution to participate in fitness activities. It is okay to start small. Perform dumbbell exercises two times a week, walk 15 minutes outside or at an indoor mall, or perform 10 jumping jacks before brushing your teeth.
- Written by the Physical Therapy Department at Celebrate the Children
December 2024 - Heart Healthy Heroes
In the P.T. department, we encourage physical fitness and wellbeing. We have groups weekly called Heart Healthy Heroes run by P.T.s with students and Staff. This group focuses on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, as well as understanding and engaging in age-appropriate exercise.
Healthy Heart Heroes is a cardiovascular and strengthening program, led by Physical Therapists and primarily focuses on endurance, strength and physical fitness. H.H.H. is also designed to challenge balance, motor planning, graded muscle control and coordination skills. The students participate in a variety of stations, including weight training, the treadmill and Bowflex machine. |
Peer interaction and independence are encouraged throughout the group, while also providing exercises that can be carried over to home and in the community for lifelong health. In addition, the program embraces and incorporates all of the DIR principles!
-Joelle Callahan, Physical Therapist at Celebrate the Children
-Joelle Callahan, Physical Therapist at Celebrate the Children
November 2024 - Get Ready to Learn Program
Get Ready to Learn project is a program that supports students of all ages and abilities and targets a variety of skills to improve on areas such as:
Get Ready to Learn project is a program that supports students of all ages and abilities and targets a variety of skills to improve on areas such as:
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The exercises in the video can be played in the classroom with the support of parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, therapists and others. Several students at Celebrate the Children have participated in Get Ready to Learn and have shown enjoyment. Get Ready to Learn can help your student’s needs so they are able to focus on other tasks throughout the day.
For parent resources, please visit Get Ready to Learn’s website here: https://www.thegetreadyproject.com/family-resources
For access to the free at home series on youtube visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR0ldHf80cc
For parent resources, please visit Get Ready to Learn’s website here: https://www.thegetreadyproject.com/family-resources
For access to the free at home series on youtube visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR0ldHf80cc