What is the Floor-time Method?
The Floor-time method was created by Dr. Stanley Greenspan as a relationship-based therapy for children with autism.
- This method meets children where they are emotionally, developmentally, and physically to build upon their strengths and build a fun and trusting relationship between the child and parent/therapist.
- When using this method, the therapist and/or parents will be on the floor during play to interact with the child at their level.
- The parents/therapist will use this floor-time to:
- Explore their child’s interests
- Draw a connection to one another
- Challenge them to be creative, spontaneous, and go outside of their comfort zone
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- During floor-time it is important to:
- Follow the child’s lead (enter their creative and emotional world)
- Challenge them to be creative and play outside of their comfort zone
- Engage in complex and two-way conversation
- Symbolic and logic thinking
- Expand the action and interaction to include all of the senses and different motor actions
- This method can be completed at home or in an outpatient clinic and is meant to be a fun and enjoyable experience for the child
Floor-time example from the Autism Speaks website:
- “If the child is tapping a toy truck, the parent might tap a toy car in the same way. The parent might then put the car in front of the child’s truck or add language to the game. This encourages the child to respond and interact.”
- As children grow, therapists and parents match the strategies with their child’s developing interests. They encourage higher levels of interaction.
- “Instead of playing with toy trucks, parents can engage with model airplanes or even ideas and academic fields of special interest to their child and expand the play.”
Check out this website to learn more about being training in the floor-time method:
- https://www.stanleygreenspan.com/floortime-parents
