1
Understand
We get to know your child — their strengths, interests, communication style, and sensory needs, not just their challenges.
In-home autism therapy & pediatric OT in central Connecticut
Understand Your Child. Build Connection. Grow Together.
Relationship-based pediatric occupational therapy, DIR/Floortime®, and caregiver coaching for young children — provided in the comfort of your home.
Serving families throughout Wallingford and surrounding Central Connecticut communities.
Growing Through Play is a private-pay, neurodiversity-affirming pediatric occupational therapy practice in central Connecticut providing child-led, play-based autism therapy, in-home pediatric OT, DIR/Floortime® therapy, and caregiver coaching in families’ homes.
Founded by Keri-Lynn Yonika, OTR/L.
You know your child best. You just may need someone to help you understand what they’re communicating.
Maybe you’re wondering:
- “Why does my child become overwhelmed so quickly?”
- “How can I connect with my child when they don’t want to play?”
- “What is my child trying to communicate?”
- “What should I do during meltdowns or difficult transitions?”
- “How can I support my child without turning every moment into therapy?”
- “Where do I even begin after an autism diagnosis?”
You don’t have to figure it out alone.
At Growing Through Play, we slow down, get curious, and look beneath the behavior to understand the child.
More than therapy. A journey you’ll take together.
We combine pediatric occupational therapy, DIR/Floortime®, and caregiver coaching into an approach that grows with your child and your family.
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Connect
Through play and following your child’s lead, we create opportunities for connection, communication, and shared joy.
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Grow
You learn practical strategies for the routines that matter most — playtime, mealtimes, transitions, and everyday family life.
Children learn best when they feel safe, understood, and connected.
The Growing Through Play Caregiver Curriculum
More Than Therapy. A Roadmap for Growing Together.
Learn how the Growing Through Play Caregiver Curriculum helps families build connection, communication, and confidence through everyday play.
About a minute. Captions available.
Read the transcript
What if therapy wasn’t just about what happens during a session, but about helping you feel more confident supporting your child every day? That’s why I created the Growing Through Play Caregiver Curriculum, a step-by-step guide for parents of young children with autism and developmental differences.
Together we learn relationship-based strategies, watch them in action, try them during play, reflect on what works, and grow together. Because small moments of connection during everyday play can support attention, communication, and learning.
Everything is tailored to your child, with practical strategies and guidance to help you feel confident even when I’m not there. Learn more about Growing Through Play and schedule a free consultation at growingthroughplayllc.com.
In-home therapy
Therapy where real life happens.
Your child doesn’t have to leave their familiar environment for us to make meaningful progress.
I come to you.
- Play
- Communication
- Sensory regulation
- Transitions
- Mealtimes
- Daily routines
- Connection
Because we’re practicing in your real environment, you can see how to carry what you learn into the rest of your week.
Just received an autism diagnosis?
Start here.
You don’t need to know what therapy is right for your child yet.
Not sure it’s autism? Sensory and regulation support does not require a diagnosis.
Serving families across central Connecticut
- Wallingford, CT
- North Haven, CT
- Cheshire, CT
- Branford, CT
- Guilford, CT
- Madison, CT
…and surrounding communities within about 45 minutes of Wallingford.
Questions parents ask first
Growing Through Play provides pediatric occupational therapy, DIR/Floortime® therapy, and parent coaching for families throughout central Connecticut — Wallingford, North Haven, Branford, Cheshire, Guilford, Madison, and surrounding communities. Because therapy takes place in your home or community, we can sometimes expand into additional towns depending on scheduling. If you live within about 45 minutes of Wallingford, get in touch and we will explore whether we are a good fit.
Both — parent coaching is not an extra service here, it is part of every session. No one knows your child better than you do. Throughout each session you receive real-time coaching and personalized guidance, so you can recognize what your child’s behavior is communicating, learn strategies that fit your everyday routines, and feel more confident in moments of frustration or dysregulation. The greatest progress does not happen in one hour of therapy a week. It happens in the hundreds of small moments you already share.
Growing Through Play is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly. That allows care to be shaped around your child’s developmental needs rather than insurance rules, diagnosis-based treatment plans, or preset visit limits. If your plan includes out-of-network benefits, we are happy to provide a detailed superbill you can submit for possible reimbursement. Coverage varies, so check with your insurer about your benefits.
“Keri is going to help me understand my child — not just work on my child.”
You don’t have to navigate it alone.
You don’t have to have all the answers, and you don’t have to become your child’s therapist.
Prefer email? Growingthroughplayllc@gmail.com