Group Therapy
Happy Chatter’s offers many different, tailored groups for a variety of client needs.
In the diverse spectrum of child development, fostering robust social skills is paramount. Happy Chatter’s offers many social skills groups that are designed to cater to the unique requirements of each child – from nonverbal toddlers to teenagers with burgeoning conversational abilities.
These groups are conveniently scheduled during school holidays, on Saturdays, and at selected times during the school term. We believe every child should have the opportunity to participate!
Why Social Skills Groups Matter
Interactive Play: Children learn to take turns and share, which is essential for peer interaction.
Conflict Resolution: Through fun activities, children navigate the complexities of negotiating and handling both victory and loss.
Emotional Regulation: Children learn to manage their feelings and understand those of others.
Fostering Independence: Skills like waiting patiently and managing tasks are reinforced, setting the foundation for future responsibilities.
First Steps: The Meet & Greet Session
Before embarking on their group journey, new clients are warmly invited to Meet & Greet session. This introductory meeting is at our clinic and will include the child, their parent or guardian, and a clinician.
We’ll ask you many questions about what you want out of the group, and will do some informal assessment to ensure that each child’s entry into a group is smooth and tailored to their unique needs.
- Taking turns
- Sharing
- Negotiating
- Dealing with winning and losing
- Emotional regulation
- Waiting
- Setting up and packing up
Group Spotlight: Sensory Adventure
This group represents a sensory journey, engaging children aged 6 to 17 in activities ranging from playdoh to gymnastics. It’s ideal for those looking to refine their social greetings and interpersonal skills. This hour-long session provides a nurturing environment for children to engage in social and sensory play, targeting primary to early high school-aged clients, and enhancing team dynamics and social interaction.
- Social and sensory play session
- Good for clients who need support to work and engage with others
- Primary and early high school age
- Works on social interaction and engagement and team-work.
- Activities: sensory exploration (e.g. messy play with shaving foam and coloured ice), crafts.
Happy Kids Playgroup Group
The Happy Kids Playgroup is a 60-minute group therapy session for children aged 2-4, focusing on social, play, fine motor, and gross motor skills. It includes parent education and participation, featuring a different theme each week. Activities include gross motor movement, sensory gym play, crafts, and parachute games. The playgroup meets on Mondays during school terms.
Community Chatter Group
The Community Chatter Group is a therapy session for individuals aged 10 and up, focusing on social and community skills. Sessions are held on Wednesdays at Crave Restaurant Boronia, where participants engage in activities such as menu selection, role-play, ordering, and money handling, all aimed at improving social interactions and decision-making skills.
Brick Masters Group
The Brick Masters Group is a group therapy for children aged 6-9, focusing on social skills development through Lego building. It features small groups, with each child taking on roles like Parts Finder, Builder, or Engineer, in 45-minute sessions held fortnightly on Mondays. The program emphasizes communication, turn-taking, positive peer relationships, problem-solving, collaboration, conflict resolution, and language skills such as elaborating ideas and expanding vocabulary.
Motor Skills Madness
This group targets motor skills needed for school participation! Facilitated by our Occupational Therapists.
- 4-5 years old
- Social Skills practise while building Lego projects
- 3 clients per group or multiple groups of 3 in a session
- Each child has a dedicated role: Parts Finder, Builder, and Engineer
- 0min group
- Mondays at 4pm fortnightly
Group Spotlight: Little Explorers
Catering to younger children in Grades 1 to 3, Little Explorers blends physical activities with creative table-top crafts in a two-hour session. This group emphasizes social and language skills, along with motor skill development—all in a fun and interactive setting. Planned activities include group discussions and craft-making, ensuring that children learn while they play.
- 2 hour session
- Group size 3-8 children with 2-3 clinicians
- 4-year-old, kindergarten and lower primary school age
- Focus on social skills, language skills, language and communication skills, speech skills, fine and gross motor skills, team work
- Social and play skills session
- Following group rules and instructions
- Activities: group discussions, working as a team, craft activities, movement breaks
Group Spotlight: Sensory Quest
Does your little one have few words, or none at all? Do they follow their own agenda and need 1:1 supervision?
Why not bring them to Sensory Quest, our 45-min group that gently explores different sensory experiences like bubbles, water, gymnastics, and music? Many of our Sensory Quest enthusiasts have a diagnosis of ASD or IDD, and just love to run around! This group has 1:1 support with a clinician so they can explore in a fun, safe environment. They are encouraged to interact with each other or simply share the same space.
- Good for clients who run their own agenda, are non-verbal or have few words, or need constant 1:1 supervision. This is also a fun group to try if your child has separation anxiety, sensory aversion, or have never participated in a social skills group before.
- Group size: 1:1 ratio of child to clinician, these groups are usually around 4-5 participants.
- Ages: 4-14 years
- Activities include: Blowing bubbles, messy play or exploring the senses through play, e.g. shaving foam, sensory bottles, rolling on the floor, using crash mats, and more!
