Kids Compass Paediatric Therapy Centre

31/03/2025

Noteworthy to share 🥰

Play doesn’t need to teach anything to be worthy. A child spinning in circles, digging a hole for no reason, or talking to a stick isn’t wasting time—they’re claiming space in a world obsessed with outcomes. Play is not preparation for life. It is life.

Too often, play is tolerated only when it leads to something “productive.” But research tells a different story. Real play—freely chosen, self-directed, often nonsensical—is where children build their sense of self, explore emotional landscapes, and experience joy on their own terms (Hughes, 2011; Lester & Russell, 2008).

Peter Gray, research professor of psychology and leading voice in the field of play and self-directed education, warns that when adults hijack play to teach, we strip it of the very qualities that make it powerful. True play has no predetermined outcome. It doesn’t need to be educational, therapeutic, or efficient. Even when it looks frivolous, it’s doing deep work: protecting mental health, supporting autonomy, and resisting a culture that demands constant productivity from even the youngest among us.

Let kids dig holes. Let them be “unproductive.” That’s where the real work lives.

12/12/2024

We got an update from our lovely beekeeper. The bees that were collected from the front of our clinic have settled into their new hive. They have started to lay eggs (arrows), have been out collecting pollen, and building their hive that started as a flat sheet!! Can you spot the Queen Bee? 🐝

12/12/2024

We had a very special visitor at the clinic today!! 🎅 came and treated the kids to some yummy gingerbread cookies 🥰

03/12/2024

The clinic is closed today because a magnificent swarm of bees have decided to build their hive at our entrance and riddle its way into the clinic. After a morning of ushering bees out, our friend the local bee keeper came to help guide the bees into their new home 🐝 🍯

10/11/2024

Looks like Spirit has claimed the rocket 🚀

08/11/2024

A Rocket Ship 🚀 Compliments of our Boys Motor Group 🥰
While you’re waiting for your session, take a look at the details on the side and feel free to play or add to it (while I decide what to do with it 😆)

10/10/2024

Spirit gave her self portrait the lick of approval today 🥰 The texta on her tongue made me laugh and the little munchkin says “oh, she added a shadow to her picture!!” 😆

17/08/2024

Love this!!

When they say, "too quiet,"
I say, “Don't change, perceptive observer.
You're going to bring wisdom to the chaos.”

When they say, "too inquisitive,"
I say, “Don't change, great thinker.
You're going to bring answers to the toughest questions.”

When they say, "too energetic,"
I say, “Don't change, lively one.
You're going to bring joy and laughter to desperate times.”

When they say, "too sensitive,"
I say, “Don't change, deep feeler.
You're going to bring compassion to hurting souls.”

When they say, "too anxious,"
I say, “Don't change, fierce protector.
You're going to bring thoughtful deliberation to tricky situations.”

When they say, "too distracted,"
I say, “Don't change, awesome Noticer.
You're going to bring attention to the most important details of life.”

The most important thing I did as a special education teacher was reframe the negative labels that had been placed on my students, so they could see their perceived weaknesses as strengths – and with some nurturing, we were able to grow their inherent gifts and their belief in themselves.

-Rachel Macy Stafford

📘 If you’d like to learn how to reframe negative labels into strengths and support teens in a world that constantly tells them they are not enough, you can find it in my fourth book

01/06/2024

heART Club fun with slime bubble breathing (highly recommend!), made some delicious chocolate crackles, and tried Spider Drinks for the first time 😋

18/05/2024

What a cute way to take deep breaths!

03/05/2024

Today was a beautiful day for plein air painting 🎨

11/04/2024

How amazing is this! Our Therapup Spirit is a part of this amazing line of dogs!! 🥰 And raised by an incredibly knowledgeable breeder.
Only the best will do here 🤪🤗

https://fb.watch/rnv6lnL1vv/?mibextid=w8EBqM