One thing I’ve learnt through experience is that DIRFloortime® can sometimes look very different from what families expect therapy to look like.
For many parents, child development therapy is often associated with children sitting at a table, following instructions, completing adult-led tasks, and showing compliance. So, when they first hear about following a child’s lead through play, connection, and shared engagement, it can feel unfamiliar or even “less therapeutic” at first glance.
And honestly, DIRFloortime® may not be the right fit for every family – and that’s okay.
Because of this, before I even begin the onboarding process, I always spend time explaining what the approach looks like and the philosophy behind it. I want families to understand that while sessions may appear playful and flexible, there is deep developmental work happening underneath. It’s important that parents feel informed and can decide whether this approach aligns with their child, family values, and goals.
A recent session reminded me exactly why following the child’s lead can be so powerful.
I arrived prepared with activities and materials of his interests for my 6-year-old participant. But as soon as I walked in, he excitedly rushed over to show me his new bug hotel. Inside were seven leaf insect eggs that were apparently going to hatch in “3–4 weeks” — a detail he shared very proudly.
Instead of redirecting him back to my planned activities, I followed his lead.
I showed curiosity, asked questions, and shared in his excitement. From there, one thing naturally led to another. We ended up collaborating to find a safer container for the eggs, and he proudly chose one with little partitions because “they can each have a room so they won’t fight”.
What may have looked like “just talking about bugs” was actually rich with developmental opportunities. He was using higher-level thinking, problem solving, creativity, planning, emotional thinking, and sustained circles of communication throughout the interaction. Most importantly, engagement stayed high because it was meaningful and emotionally connected for him.
By the end of the session, he was asking for more time together.
So was it a wasted or unproductive session because we never touched the materials I brought?
Definitely not.
In DIRFloortime®, following the child’s lead doesn’t mean there is no structure, intention, or therapeutic value. It means we enter the child’s world first, using their interests and passions as the pathway for connection, engagement, and development. And often, that’s where the most meaningful learning happens.
