During my occupational therapy training at the master’s level at Columbia University, I remember it said often “a child’s work is play”. Children are continuously playing to learn, acquire and master developmental skills. Mastery is a child’s ultimate goal.

I have fifteen years experience in various clinical and educational settings. My hospital based years were spent working at the Alfred I. DuPont Institute in the developmental disabilities department, in the NICU and in the prosthetic department. My outpatient experience was gained via the Easter Seals society and that time has left me with many fond memories. I have accrued and continue to build many years of experience in both private and public school settings.

• Albright College, Reading PA (1987) - BS in Psychology and Biology.
• Columbia University, New York, NY (1990) – MS in occupational therapy.
• Christiana Hospital, Newark, DE – NICU/Transitional Nursery and PICU
• Alfred I. Dupont Institute (now Nemours) - Developmental Disabilities Outpatient Department, ICU, Prosthetic Clinic.
• Easter Seals- Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Development and outpatient therapy.
• Children’s Seashore House (Atlantic City, NJ) – Pediatric home based therapy.
• Millcroft (Newark, DE) – Clinical coordinator at this long term care facility.
• Arbors at New Castle Sub-Acute and Rehabilitation Center (Newark, DE) – Director of Rehabilitation.
• John G. Leach School (Part of Colonial Public School District- Newark, DE) – Therapist in this school for children with severe and profound disabilities.
• The Tatnall School (private school in Greenville, DE) – Screened children and educated teachers regarding fine motor and visual motor development.
• Penn London Elementary School (part of Avongrove Public School District, West Grove, PA) – Provided therapy for children in kindergarten through second grade.
• Avongrove Intermediate School (part of Avongrove Public School District, West Grove, PA) - Provided therapy focusing on fine motor, eye-hand and perception skills for 3rd through 6th graders.
  

Over the past fifteen years, it has become abundantly clear that children will work much harder and longer towards a goal than many adults. The key to starting and maintaining this movement toward goal achievement is motivation. A child will be motivated if his strengths and interests are a part of the therapeutic or learning experience.

Even though I am a trained therapist, as a mother of a child with a learning disability, I find it very difficult to incorporate the concept of integrating both strengths and weaknesses into our lives on a regular basis. I am always looking for just the right toy or activity that will maintain my child’s interest for that moment in his little life to foster the particular skill that is in most need of remediation. If this is a difficult task for me with my background, I cannot imagine the trying task it must be for a parent without training in special education. Parenting is a tremendously difficult job. Through this website, I hope to make parenting just a little easier. I would like to “help all parents help their kids through play”.

As co-founder and president, I personally oversee and edit all toy descriptions. The descriptions of the toys are written to convey how they have been helpful within therapy sessions or how I have found them to be helpful for me and my children personally. I hope this insight enables you to create a play environment or situation that will foster your child’s development. Jackie Erb, MS, OTR/L