Pediatric Physical Therapy & DIR/Floortime
What is DIR/Floortime?
DIR stands for Developmental, Individual-differences, Relationship-based.
DIR/Floortime is a relationship-based approach that considers each child’s developmental capacities, individual sensory and motor differences, and relationships with caregivers and others. Rather than focusing exclusively on completing prescribed tasks, the clinician follows the child’s interests, supports regulation and engagement, and builds on the child’s ideas to encourage interaction, problem-solving, and increasingly complex communication and play.
How Is DIR/Floortime Used In Pediatric PT?
- Follow the child’s lead: Use the child’s interests to create motivation for movement and exploration.
- Support attention and regulation: Adapt the environment, sensory demands, and activity level to help the child feel organized and ready to participate.
- Build engagement and two-way communication: Use shared enjoyment, gestures, sounds, words, and reciprocal interactions to build connection during movement activities.
- Expand play and problem-solving: Introduce small, meaningful challenges that encourage the child to plan movements, try new strategies, imitate actions, and adapt to changes.
Why This Approach Matters
- Movement with meaning: Children have opportunities to practice motor skills within activities that are personally motivating and relevant to everyday life.
- Connection alongside skill development: Shared enjoyment, engagement, and reciprocal interaction become part of the therapeutic experience rather than separate from movement practice.
- Individualized support: Activities can be adapted to each child’s motor abilities, sensory preferences, communication style, and developmental capacities.
- A whole-child perspective: Collaboration across PT, OT, speech therapy, and other services can help address overlapping developmental needs and support participation across settings.
Contact us to discuss any concerns in your child’s development, or to learn more about our DIR/Floortime approach.
Physical Therapy