Helping Your Child Find Calm and Clarity Through Sensory Regulation Therapy in NYC: A Sensory Clinic Owner’s Perspective
As the energizing spring weather is coming around the corner, I am always pulled to grounding exercises that calm and regulate my nervous system.
If you take a breath, pause, and slow down, you may notice the heightened spring equinox energy all around us. Bears are coming out of hibernation, birds are chirping from the trees, plants are sprouting, and children are laughing in the park. In moments like these, practices inspired by speech therapy and sensory regulation therapy in NYC can help children stay grounded.
I would like to share with you some of my favorite activities to ground and regulate my mind and body, during this time of springtime energy of renewal and growth.
Grounding Exercises with your Breath:
- Begin with a few moments of slow, gentle inhales and exhales. Gently inhale through the nose and exhale slowly through the mouth. You can practice this seated or even while going for a morning or afternoon stroll.
- Next, you can place your hand on your belly – feeling your stomach rise and fall with each inhale and exhale – connecting to your body and breath.
- Then, you can try some simple box breathing exercises. Inhaling for 4 seconds through the nose and exhaling for 8 seconds through the mouth – with lips slightly rounded.
Grounding Exercises with your Voice:
- I invite you to take a nice, deep breath and then gently project the word “hello” a few times.
The word “hello” helps to relax the muscles in the throat and neck. Repeat this word gently – a few times. Be mindful to use your diaphragm for breath support.
- Humming is another one of my favorite quick and easy ways to calm the nervous system.
Humming activates your vagus nerve and instantly calms your body. The vocal exercise of humming activates the rest and digest functions – your parasympathetic nervous system – signaling your nervous system to slow down and relax.
- Put on your favorite music track and belt out that tune.
Go to your bedroom, close the door, put on your headphones, and sing away. Don’t worry. No one is listening! Let those good endorphins – flow!
Grounding Exercises with your Body:
- Deep pressure and proprioceptive input to the joints of the arms and legs can feel deeply calming to your child’s body.
Invite your child to engage in silly and fun animal walks – like a crab, bear, or bunny walks – these all provide deep organizing information to the arms and legs.
- These animal walks provide what we call –proprioceptive input- or deep input in the joints.
- You may also pretend you are jumping in puddles or across lily pads – just like frog jumps!
- This deep proprioceptive information to the body’s joints can have a very calming and organizing effect on the nervous system.
- What we term –vestibular input- also helps to regulate a child’s nervous system. Vestibular input refers to different types of rotary movements – like swinging and spinning.
Some common types of vestibular input can be found at your local park and can include: linear movement – swinging back and forth on a park swing; rotary movement – spinning in a circle, and inverted movements – like hanging upside down on the monkey bars.
These different types of vestibular input can provide information to the inner ear – which in turn helps you process where your body is in space at any given time.
Body and spatial awareness provide important foundational skills for balance, postural control, and overall spatial awareness skills – as your child’s motor skills develop and grow with age and maturity.
The Role of Occupational Therapists in NYC
It can be extremely helpful to consult with a state-licensed occupational therapist to determine which sensory experiences will be most beneficial for your child. Because each person has a unique sensory profile, similar to one’s own fingerprints.
Occupational therapy with an occupational therapist can help determine the unique sensory profile of your child and put together a set of daily exercises to improve their ability to focus, regulate, and organize their body throughout the day.
What is Sensory Play and How Can it Help?
Sensory exploratory play can be utterly fun, engaging, and calming to your child’s mind and body.
This is why sensory play is one of my favorite go-to activities for a quick and easy way to regulate those highly energetic kiddos!
- Invite you to enlist your child in helping create a magical sensory box experience. You can add any combination of ingredients. Don’t forget to add in some spring-themed toys and manipulatives for extra thrills!
Encourage your child to find the missing eggs, dinosaurs, gems, ducks, chicks, bunnies, gold coins – whatever their heart desires.
Invite your child to search for the missing treasure using their hands, a spoon, or even a tweezer – to add an extra challenge!
Please be mindful of any allergies or small pieces – depending on your child’s age or sensitivities. Make sure to create your child’s sensory box – custom to their unique interests and needs.
Here are some of my favorite kid-tested and approved sensory bin combination ideas:
- Rice & beans
- Slime with gem pieces
- Shaving cream with glitter or coloring added
- Water & gentle soap
*Remember to add some springtime treasures or figure pieces to search for during this sensory bin exploration game for added fun!
Springtime Treasure Hunt:
Lastly, I invite you to go on a springtime treasure hunt and walking adventure in your neighborhood. As the weather warms, invite your little ones to collect items along the way. They can bring these finds back home to create an original, colorful springtime art collage!
Encourage your child to find and collect “signs of spring” – just like a detective! These springtime items can include: blades of grass, a flower, a petal, a feather – anything that speaks to the season!
And when you get home – you can have a blast creating a beautiful springtime masterpiece of all your treasured finds!
Bonus points: Hang that masterpiece on the fridge and talk about all your finds – what did you find, how does it feel, where did you find it?
This is a fun, natural way to expand your child’s vocabulary and response to questions during everyday conversations!
I really hope these grounding activities and ideas nourish your child’s body and mind, while helping to stay organized and regulated during these transitional springtime energies!
Nurturing Growth Through Sensory Regulation Therapy in NYC
Please reach out and tell me some of your favorite grounding springtime activities to do with your family as well – I love to try new ideas!
At Chatty Child, we can help your children embrace their differences – finding calm, clarity, and creativity in their everyday lives.
Our experienced therapists can assess your child’s sensory needs and craft a perfectly tailored sensory regulation therapy program for your child to thrive and succeed.
Chatty Child is a bespoke, neurodivergent affirming, and fully equipped sensory gym. We are here to support all your child’s sensory and occupational therapy needs. For additional support, we also offer speech therapy for children in NYC.
I invite you to schedule a tour to discover the support waiting for your child at Chatty Child.
We are here to help. Let’s create voices, calm kids, and limitless possibilities – together!
Sincerely,
Heather Lynn Boerner, MA CCC/SLP
Start Your Child’s Journey with Speech Therapy & Sensory Regulation Therapy in NYC
At Chatty Child, we’re dedicated to helping children develop the skills they need to communicate, learn, and navigate daily life with confidence. Whether your child needs support with speech, language, motor skills, sensory regulation, or social interaction, our therapy programs provide individualized guidance to help them thrive.
Here’s how to begin:
- Reach out to us or call 347.491.4451 to schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone conversation.
- Set up an evaluation session to better understand how your child functions in their everyday learning environment.
- Start tailored speech therapy or occupational therapy sessions with goals that target essential skills.
- Watch your child grow with confidence from the support of a compassionate team.
Your child doesn’t have to navigate these challenges on their own. With thoughtful support from our therapists, they can develop strong communication skills, enjoy learning more fully, and build meaningful connections with others.
Comprehensive Speech and Occupational Therapy Services for Children in NYC
At Chatty Child, we support children in building the communication, cognitive, and social-emotional skills they need to succeed at home, in school, and within their communities. Our holistic approach recognizes that language, learning, relationships, and confidence are all closely connected.
Our services include:
- Speech Therapy – Individualized, play-based sessions that support language development, articulation, social communication, and real-world confidence.
- InterAct – A creative, story-based program that builds language skills, connection, and self-esteem through imaginative play.
- Occupational Therapy – Support for sensory processing, fine motor development, and independence in everyday routines.
- Hum Studios – Accessible mindfulness, meditation, and compassion-focused classes for individuals of all ages and abilities.
- Teletherapy – Convenient virtual speech and occupational therapy sessions available across New York State.
- Tutoring – Personalized academic support designed to strengthen reading, writing, and critical thinking skills.
- Functional Nutrition – Nutrition-based strategies that support focus, regulation, and overall developmental well-being.
- Consulting – Collaborative guidance for families, caregivers, and educators to support children across settings.
- Group Programs – Small-group sessions that encourage communication, cooperation, and social-emotional development.
Meet Heather: Compassionate and Experienced Speech Therapist in NY
Heather Lynn Boerner, MA, CCC-SLP, is a nationally certified and New York–licensed speech-language pathologist with over 20 years of experience providing pediatric speech therapy in NYC. Her clinical work is informed by a blend of professional training, mindfulness-based practices, trauma-informed care, and her lived experience as a neurodivergent and differently-abled individual.
Drawing on both personal perspective and extensive experience, Heather founded Chatty Child Speech, Occupational & Physical Therapy, PLLC, an inclusive practice focused on creative, individualized care for children. She is also the author of Carrie the Colorful Chameleon, a children’s book that encourages confidence, curiosity, and meaningful connection.
Heather and her team offer services in person at their Tribeca location, as well as through virtual sessions across New York State, helping children build communication skills and express themselves with confidence in daily life.
