Stokeshire Designer Doodles is proud to partner with an organization that unites highly trained therapy animal teams with Occupational Therapy professionals to help preschoolers achieve their highest potential. This collaboration enhances traditional therapeutic outcomes by introducing a new dimension that boosts motivation and participation. Through this innovative approach, children can experience improved social and play skills, enhanced independence in daily activities, better emotional and sensory regulation, and increased functional participation in home, school, and community environments.

Key Takeaways:

• Animal-Assisted Therapy at Stokeshire Designer Doodles enriches standard Occupational Therapy services for preschoolers, providing a unique and engaging therapeutic experience.

• AAT fosters improved motivation, social and play skills, and functional participation for preschool children in their daily lives.

• The collaboration between trained therapy animal teams and Occupational Therapy professionals offers an evidence-based, innovative approach to enhance therapy outcomes.

Understanding Animal-Assisted Therapy: Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a therapeutic intervention where trained therapy animals help individuals reach their full potential in daily activities. This approach, integrated with Occupational Therapy, has proven successful in improving various aspects of life for preschoolers. The therapy animal teams, comprising a trained handler and their therapy animal, work together to create a safe and comfortable environment that fosters trust, empathy, and responsibility, leading to better coping skills and overall well-being.

Enhancing Standard Therapy Services: AAT significantly enhances traditional Occupational Therapy by providing additional support and motivation for clients. Therapy animals help preschoolers develop essential skills such as:

• Social and Play Skills: Therapy animals encourage children to improve communication and play effectively with others.

• Independence in Daily Activities: With the support of therapy animals, children are motivated to engage in activities that promote autonomy and responsibility, leading to increased independence.

• Fine Motor and Coordination Skills: Therapy animals make tasks more engaging, helping children improve their fine motor skills and coordination.

• Emotional and Sensory Regulation: Interaction with therapy animals offers emotional support and helps children manage sensory processing and regulation.

AAT in Occupational Therapy: Integrating AAT into Occupational Therapy settings has shown to be highly beneficial for improving functional participation in home, school, and community environments. Preschool children are particularly receptive to therapy animals, which serve as a significant source of motivation and support, enhancing traditional therapeutic outcomes.

Benefits and Client Engagement:

• Social and Play Skills Enhancement: AAT contributes to the development of social and play skills in preschool children, boosting their confidence in social situations and helping them form and maintain friendships.

• Emotional Growth and Functional Participation: Therapy animals play a key role in emotional regulation and functional participation in daily activities, leading to better performance in both home and school settings.

• Motivation Through Animal Interaction: The soothing presence of therapy animals increases motivation and participation in therapy sessions, resulting in better outcomes in areas such as fine motor skills, coordination, and independence in daily activities.

Animal-Assisted Therapy Benefits:

• Social and Play Skills: AAT encourages children to improve communication and play effectively with others.

• Independence in Daily Activities: Therapy animals motivate children to engage in activities that promote autonomy and responsibility, leading to increased independence.

• Fine Motor and Coordination Skills: The presence of therapy animals makes tasks more engaging, aiding in the improvement of fine motor skills and coordination.

• Emotional and Sensory Regulation: Interaction with therapy animals provides emotional support and helps children manage sensory processing and regulation.

• Motivation and Participation: The soothing presence of therapy animals increases motivation, facilitating greater participation in therapy sessions.

• Functional Participation in Home, School, and Community: AAT enhances children’s ability to function in various environments, contributing to their overall development and well-being.

Who Can Benefit from AAT?

• Children with low motivation or participation in activities at school and/or home

• Those experiencing burnout and low motivation in therapy sessions

• Children struggling to keep up with peers developmentally, physically, or socially

• Individuals with low confidence in themselves or their abilities

• Children who have difficulty making and maintaining friendships

• Those with challenges in peer, environmental, or body awareness

• Children struggling with emotional or sensory regulation

• Those who have difficulty focusing or following directions at home or school

• Individuals with low muscle tone or muscle function impacting daily activities

In conclusion, Stokeshire Designer Doodles is thrilled to partner with Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) to support preschoolers in achieving their fullest potential. Through this collaboration, therapy animals play a crucial role in enhancing traditional Occupational Therapy services by fostering improved social skills, emotional regulation, independence, and overall functional participation. By integrating AAT into therapy, we create a motivating and engaging environment that promotes growth and progress in preschoolers' daily lives. This innovative approach not only enriches therapy outcomes but also helps children develop essential skills that will serve them throughout their lives, making a lasting impact on their emotional, social, and cognitive development.