Well & Wild Child, LLC

Well & Wild Child, LLC 🌿outdoor OT & enrichment in WNY!
🪵 sensory, motor, regulation & play
📧join our email list for tips & strategies
📞get started with a discovery call

01/21/2026

Whether you're a parent, sibling, spouse, or extended family member providing care for an individual with a disability, you're welcome here.

Our goals are to:
- Support families and caregivers of loved ones with disabilities in rural communities.
- Provide a space for connection and mutual support.
- Share tools, knowledge, and resources tailored to rural caregiving.

Register for our next upcoming virtual group: https://parentnetworkwny.org/events/rural-disability-family-caregivers-support-group-2/

01/20/2026

This used to make me SO annoyed.
You’re FINALLY ready to join in & play with your child until…

You build a fort with them- they tear it down. 😑
You click together magnetic tiles- they run them over with a toy truck. 😑
You build a snowman they tip it and smash it. 😡

But now I look at their play with a different lens & I understand that this construct something-destroy something is all just part of their play and development!

✨They aren’t ruining the play, they’re learning through it!✨(and they aren’t being bad!)
They are being curious about how the world works.
They are problem-solving- how do I make it stronger next time?
They are understanding cause and effect!

✨Parents try this:
Pause & check- is my child dysregulated? Is this play safe (always check the environment)
If it’s safe & playful, let it fall, get knocked over, etc. encourage them to rebuild /add on/ take away/ etc.

🚨If this reframe resonates, you’re exactly who I support at Well & Wild Child 🌿
Reach out for parent coaching, nature-based OT, & social groups
📩 Send a message or email jenna@wellwildchildot.com to set up a discovery call.
🌿 Follow along for parent support and nature-based strategies.

Then ditch them!!I mean the rules - not the kid🙃Follow their lead- encourage your child to make their own rules and take...
01/17/2026

Then ditch them!!

I mean the rules - not the kid🙃
Follow their lead- encourage your child to make their own rules and take charge of their play.
I love to use items or toys that have multiple purposes. Sometimes you can use parts of your games to invent new ones...

Here’s a few ideas to try at home!
🎲 dice: roll for jumps, turns, animal walks, or silly voices
🌀 spinner board: choose actions, colors, emotions, movements
🧱 jenga blocks: build, knock down, write actions on them, create roadways
♠️cards: match, sort, invent meanings

What games/items do you have around the house that has multiple uses? Share below!👇

When kids don’t get outside, parents might start noticing…• emotions that feel bigger, bigger meltdowns • kids who are ...
01/15/2026

When kids don’t get outside, parents might start noticing…
• emotions that feel bigger, bigger meltdowns
• kids who are constantly on the move
• trouble winding down, restlessness
•less frustration tolerance for tough stuff
• more dependence on screens
•decreased imagination & play skills
•less confidence with taking risks & problem-solving

And all that can leave parents feeling burned out, stuck, or unsure how to actually support their kids!

🌲 Outdoor OT can help meet those needs.

We use nature, play, and movement to support:
–regulation
–attention, problem solving
–social skills
–confidence & emotional skills
-strength & coordination
-build curiosity & imagination

⭐️Curious if our approach will work for your child?
Reach out to jenna@wellwildchildot.com for a discovery call to learn more
📍serving Chautauqua, NY & surrounding areas

Tools create new & fun opportunities and are something kids don’t usually have access to!When kids use real tools in nat...
01/12/2026

Tools create new & fun opportunities and are something kids don’t usually have access to!

When kids use real tools in nature, they’re building:
🧠 build brain–body connection like fine motor skills, hand strength, and motor planning and more
💪 confidence & competence by learning to safely use real tools, and practicing taking risks. That confidence carries into school, play, and daily life.
🛠 using tools helps build patience, persistence, and stretches frustration tolerance!

*Tools aren’t just saws, knives, hammers… they can also be real binoculars, magnifying glasses, and other equipment that kids don’t typically get to use!

What types of tools do your kids love using at home? Drop it in the comments!🛠️🪚

01/03/2026

2026 can be the year for your family to grow! The year you stop forcing what doesn’t work and choose what actually does!

Outdoor OT might look different than what we normally think of when we think of therapy, but it’s rooted in how children naturally grow and learn.
Unfortunately these days kids are spending less and less time outside than ever before, and we’re seeing the impact on regulation, attention, confidence, and connection.

Nature based therapy & enrichment meets your child where they are, supporting motor skills, social-emotional growth, and meaningful carryover into everyday life.

It’s off the beaten path on purpose!
Because we believe outdoors is where your child belongs & is meant to grow 🌿

We are excited for 2026…Will you join us?!
🌿
⭐️ Offering individual OT & social groups, evals & speaking engagements
📍 Serving Chautauqua County & surrounding areas
👉 Learn more by requesting a discovery call!

01/02/2026

Eeek! So yes, sometimes risky play like the tree climbing pictured in this reel can be scary to watch (especially when the WNY winter conditions are less than ideal) 🫣
But risky play is also incredibly powerful for child development!

Here are some parent-friendly tips for supporting safe risk taking outdoors:
• Scan the environment (slippery conditions, reliable branches, soft ground or obstacles)- basically anticipate danger & hazards. Better yet- teach your child to scan the environment!
• Stay nearby for safety without hovering. Be a humming bird ready to zoom in if needed, not a helicopter protecting every move.
• Let kids lead their bodies (don’t place or lift them)- this helps kids know their own limits
• use problem solving questions like:
➡️ “What’s your next move?”
➡️ “How will you get down?”
➡️ “Do you notice this (obstacle/hazard)”

✨you don’t need trees to take risks! Maybe you have pallets to prop up outside, a stack of cushions indoors, or a log to balance across… there’s so many other ways to practice these skills

🤓What research tells us:
•risky outdoor play SUPPORTS motor development, confidence, problem solving, and emotional regulation
• = lower anxiety and improved resilience .

When kids are allowed to assess risk , learn about their abilities & limitations & not avoid the risk, it they build incredible confidence, grit & problem solving skills. Taking risks isn’t the enemy… it’s the lack of experience it’s risk that is!

✨ Want to support confidence, regulation, and resilience through nature-based OT?
Follow or reach out to learn more about outdoor OT services in our area. Serving the surrounding Chautauqua County areas in Western NY!

01/02/2026

Happy New Year!! Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and nature-filled year.

❄️how do you plan to get outdoors today?! ⬇️

❄️Playful, simple & SILLY social-emotional learning outdoors! Practicing & learning about what emotions might look like ...
12/24/2025

❄️Playful, simple & SILLY social-emotional learning outdoors! Practicing & learning about what emotions might look like …

We turned this into a game by taking turns guessing the emotion by viewing each others face print in the snow! (BRRR 🥶). Such a fun way to break the ice (pun intended ) & to connect with your child, and offer insight about emotions.

⭐️Takeaway tip- name it to tame it!! When kids know how to recognize & name emotions, they are better able to know what to do with those emotions later on

👋Hey parents! You can have sensory rich nature experiences INSIDE the comfort of your home when you can’t (or don’t want...
12/20/2025

👋Hey parents! You can have sensory rich nature experiences INSIDE the comfort of your home when you can’t (or don’t want to) get outdoors❤️

❄️Fill up a shallow bin or tote with snow & add playdough toys, paint, kitchen tools, figurines or cars! Snow is such a fun o& versatile medium to play with.

Have you tried this? Let me know below with a ❤️

☃️Make your childs winter dressing routine a little easier this season with this free & editable picture sequence! I lov...
12/10/2025

☃️Make your childs winter dressing routine a little easier this season with this free & editable picture sequence!

I love to use visuals to take the guessing (& frustration) out of the picture. Hang this * editable * visual where your child gets dressed for the outdoors to help with sequencing, predictable routines and building independence.
Great for classrooms too! ❄️

✨Pro tip: use real pictures of your childs clothing items instead of clip art! Personal visuals are always so helpful and more meaningful… and can help with kids who might struggle to generalize their knowledge!

Linked in bio!!

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!

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Chautauqua County, NY
Chautauqua County, NY

Website

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

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