Well & Wild Child, LLC

Well & Wild Child, LLC Chautauqua County, NY
Outdoor Occupational Therapy
& Enrichment supporting children and families to grow Well & Wild!

11/30/2025

What I’m talking about here is MODELING!
Children learn habits by observing the adults around them…just like that old saying “monkey see, monkey do!” 🙈
When you join your child outdoors you’re showing them that outdoor play is valuable and fun! Give it a try & let me know how it goes in the comments!

11/22/2025

⭐️Outdoor play often requires no setup but offers a lot of reward!!

🪾Using trees is one of our favorite “tools “ for outdoor OT! Tree play is used for strengthening, balance, problem solving, confidence boosting, and vestibular input…and so much more!

⬇️How do you let your kids utilize trees? Answer below!

11/18/2025

Bilateral coordination is just a fancy way of saying “using both sides of the body together.”

Kids use bilateral coordination for almost everything! Playing, getting dressed, reading & writing, moving through their day and of course during play.

Taking OT outdoors helps these skills grow naturally thought built-in movement opportunities & in a fun way that doesn’t feel like work!

11/16/2025

✨Is your child connected to nature?
You can ask yourself these questions:
•does my child like being outside?
•does my child feel like they are a part of nature?
•does my child show empathy or caring for living things?
•is your child curious about nature or notice details?

✨Foster your child’s nature connection by:
•building in small moments to notice nature (point out a bird in the yard, watch the clouds, notice how a tree in your yard changed over the course of a year )
•encourage caring for nature (move a bug outdoors, fill a bird feeder, compost food items)
•embrace the weather through play! especially in our region of WNY & NWPA, it’s vital to show kids ways to enjoy outdoor play experiences in the rain & snow! How lucky are we to have such sensory rich opportunities for play 😉

Why do we care about connection to nature so much?!
Because it helps kids build foundational life skills:
✨ Strong bodies•climbing, lifting, balancing, running
✨ Strong minds•problem solving, creativity, attention, resilience, confidence & curiosity
✨ Strong relationships• with others, with themselves, and of course learning to love appreciate & protect nature

🌿 Well & Wild Child believes in fostering nature connections & supporting parents to carry this over too! because being connected to nature helps children grow, play, explore in ways that set them up for strong futures! We believe that a simple outdoor childhood helps children thrive by giving kids the space, freedom, and experiences they need to build the foundational skills for life.

11/13/2025

❄️Have you tried this before? I always keep Vaseline on hand during the cold weather months to keep my kids faces (and my own) protected from wind burn & chapped skin.

Anyone have favorite petroleum-free recommendations? Lmk!

11/11/2025

✨This season has changed & the way outdoor play looks has changed too- frequent fog, chill, wet/damp weather & early sunsets make for fun opportunities to play in a whimsical outdoor world of mystery and magic✨
When the world looks different, kids see new possibilities for imaginary play. Bundle up, grab some flashlights or headlamps, and see what magic unfolds outdoors✨

🧣🧤🌬️🍁As the season shifts into darker & colder days, it’s natural for kids to want to stay indoors. To be honest, I myse...
11/02/2025

🧣🧤🌬️🍁As the season shifts into darker & colder days, it’s natural for kids to want to stay indoors. To be honest, I myself am a big fan of “wintering” and turning inward during these months.
…BUT because us western New Yorkers have harsh cold winters for sometimes UP TO 8 MONTHS of the year- it’s crucial to get our kids outdoors year round!

So as the seasons change, so does our opportunity to impact your child’s development! Check out some of the reasons WHY playing outdoors in these colder months are beneficial for your child⬇️

🧠Emotional health: science tells us that exposure to natural light (yes, YEAR ROUND🙃) improves our mental health by increasing our vitamin D absorption & boosting those happy hormones (endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin). See ya later, seasonal affective disorder (p.s. kids get S.A.D. too)

💪✨Improved physical health & sensory experiences: we know that outdoor movement builds strength, coordination, and endurance…it also offers new sensory experiences like feeling the crisp cool air, feeling elements such as rain, snow, ice and leaves, and handling different types of clothing in different weather.

🦠Immune booster: who else here wants to keep your kids as healthy as possible especially during cold & flu season?! 🙋🏼‍♀️outdoor play boosts immune health (thanks again, Vitamin D) but also influences the gut microbiome through exposure to dirt & natural materials, increased physical activity influence cardiovascular health.

👇Drop your favorite cold weather activities in the comments- I’ll drop mine there too!

10/25/2025

How do you handle dressing your kids for the weather? Do you let them figure it out on their own? Have a stubborn kiddo when it comes to dressing ? Or maybe a child that is still learning the basics of weather such as hot/cold?

A few tips I’ve learned along the way-
•layer, layer, layer- teach kids the importance of layers and layering appropriately & remember you can always remove but can’t always add! one of my favorite resources is a layering guide from I’ll share it in my story!
•offer choices- choose a few options that they can choose from… giving them the choice & you a peace of mind that their choice is appropriate
•set a boundary & let it be known ahead of time for certain weather conditions (when snow is on the ground- we wear XYZ- use this language consistently)

10/20/2025

Sassafras have such a lovely lemony smell that reminds me of the iced tea mix my grandma always had at her house! 🍋They have 3 different shaped leaves- and fun ones that my kids always imagine as dinosaur footprints 🦕🦖

Head out to find these leaves & have fun doing scratch & sniff. What else can you notice with your nose outdoors this fall? 👃🏻lmk in the comments!

Fun fact about Miss Jenna- sassafras is my FAV tree because of their whimsical branches. I also lived on sassafras street in college 🙃

10/18/2025

Sometimes the simplest activities are the best!🍁🍂

10/17/2025

We aim to help kids thrive through meaningful outdoor experiences focusing on growing (strength, coordination), playing (building play & leisure skills, interacting with others), exploring (engaging with the natural environment with all of our senses, discovering the beauty & awe of the natural world) & connecting (with one’s self, family unit, others & with nature)

We do this outdoors because we believe outdoor play is foundational to child development!

Want to know more about our unique approach to Occupational Therapy? 👇
-book a FREE discovery call: jenna@wellwildchildot.com
-ask your questions below or in a DM!

Address

Chautauqua County, NY
Chautauqua County, NY

Website

https://www.canva.com/design/DAG7EX5QRzw/FRS3Fi8QGspjaOu0aUj12g/view?utm_content=DAG7E

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