In conversations with parents we often hear the same question: „therapy in preschool — what does that actually mean?”. Or: „we have a diagnosis, but we’re tired of driving our child to three different addresses after work. Can it all happen in one place?”. This article is for parents asking exactly those questions — who want to see how preschool-based therapy looks in practice, without jargon and with real specifics.
At Siedmiu Krasnoludków we’ve worked with children since 2009, and from the start we’ve employed specialists on staff. That means our speech therapist, psychologist, sensory integration therapist and special educator are part of the team, not „external consultants”. They meet the children every day, know them by name, see how they function in the group. Their assessment starts long before any formal evaluation — in the natural environment of the preschool.
What therapy services we offer
Four main areas:
Sensory Integration (SI) — developed by Anna Jean Ayres, for children who struggle to process sensory input. In practice: the child may be hypersensitive to noise (covers ears at lunch), to touch (refuses clothes with tags), to movement (afraid of swings). Or the opposite — seeking strong stimulation, running, climbing, „can’t sit still”. SI is not exercise — it’s a planned activity on specialised equipment (swings, sensory boards, varied textures) that helps the nervous system learn to organise input. Our sessions are led by a certified SI therapist in a fully equipped sensory room.
Speech therapy — despite the name, it’s not only about pronunciation. Speech therapists work with children who have delayed language development, lisping, stuttering, comprehension difficulties, weak articulation. With us, the speech therapist meets children individually or in small groups, depending on the need. The youngest children work mostly through play; older children (5-6 years) also do focused exercises that prepare them for reading and writing.
Social Skills Training (TUS) — group therapy for children who struggle with peer relationships. Can’t join group play, withdraw, struggle to read others’ emotions, can’t negotiate conflict. TUS isn’t a „good manners course” — it’s joint experience of social situations in safe conditions, with an adult who names what’s happening and suggests strategy. Groups are small (4-6 children), meet weekly, led by a child psychologist.
Child psychology — the psychologist meets children individually when we observe emotional difficulty (anxiety, sadness, anger out of proportion, developmental regression after divorce, a new sibling, a loss in the family). The psychologist also runs consultations for parents — sometimes a child’s difficulty resolves with one outside perspective on the family situation, sometimes the whole system needs work.
Special educator — supports children with special educational needs. Often individual work on specific competencies (focus, self-organisation, fine motor skills) — in close cooperation with the group teachers so the child can participate in group activities as fully as possible.
Hand therapy — for children with fine motor difficulties (weak pencil grip, reluctance to draw, trouble with buttons). Led by a special educator or physiotherapist. Short, regular sessions translate into visible progress within weeks.
How therapy starts
The first step is observation — our teachers see the children every day, so they’re usually first to notice that „something is happening with Antek”. It might be persistent separation anxiety, a regression in speech, inability to join play, intense reactions to noise. The teacher speaks with the team coordinator, who speaks with the appropriate specialist.
The second step is a conversation with the parent. We never start therapy without the parent’s knowledge and consent. We share specific observations („in the last two weeks Antek left the room five times after we put on music”), ask about the home context, suggest a diagnostic consultation.
The third step is the diagnostic consultation — usually short, 30-45 minutes, in which the specialist directly observes the child (sometimes in the group, sometimes in the office with toys). The parent receives a written opinion with recommendation: therapy yes or no, what kind, how often, for how long, what goals.
The fourth step is the parent’s decision. Some parents want to start immediately, others need time — we then refer to another specialist for a second opinion, to the family doctor for a referral, to a public counselling centre for a formal ruling. We respect every pace. We don’t push.
What happens during sessions
It varies a lot, depending on the specialisation and the child’s age. A few concrete examples:
SI with a 4-year-old hypersensitive to touch: the therapist starts with a brushing protocol, then offers play with sensory materials (kinetic sand, dough, rice). The session is 45 minutes, once a week. After three months the child usually stops ripping tags off clothes — and confidently reaches for a sandwich with brown bread, not just for white rolls.
Speech therapist with a 3-year-old with delayed speech: we start with onomatopoeia (car „brum-brum”, cow „moo”), then short functional words („give”, „drink”, „more”). 20 minutes, 2× a week. After two months most children take a visible step — they start using 2-word combinations.
TUS with a withdrawn 5-year-old: a group of 4 children, the psychologist runs joint cooking, puzzles, short scenes — all with a clear role for each child, so nobody hides. We work on microcompetencies: how to start a conversation, how to suggest play, how to say „no” without a fight. After two semesters the child usually starts joining play in the main group on their own.
Psychologist with a 4-year-old after parents’ divorce: play therapy — the child picks figures, sets scenes, the psychologist accompanies without judging. This is a place where anger, sadness, confusion are allowed — emotions that often can’t be shown at home. 45-minute sessions, once a week. The goal: help the child integrate the change, name the feelings, find stability.
When to expect results
First answer: never in three weeks. Second answer: sometimes faster than you’d expect.
In child therapy the „developmental cycle” rule applies — the nervous system learns and consolidates new patterns at its own pace, which can’t be forced. For SI it’s typically 3-6 months before noticeable change; for speech therapy — from a few weeks (single sounds) to a year (complex dyslalia); for TUS — a semester to see the child open up, two semesters for consolidated skills.
The fastest visible changes happen with children whose difficulty is fresh (e.g. anxiety after moving) or clearly defined (e.g. lisping one sound). The most patience is needed with children with deeper diagnoses (autism spectrum, ADHD, comprehensive disorders) — here we measure outcomes not in months but in years, and they usually consist of improving the child’s quality of life at their own pace, not „catching up” to peers.
Working with the parent
Preschool therapy won’t replace home. Best outcomes come when the specialist meets the parent every month and shows what the child has been working on, which strategies are worth continuing at home, what to avoid. We also send short notes after each session (through the parent app) so the parent always knows where the child is.
If you’re considering therapeutic activities for your child in our preschool — the best first step is to book a conversation with our coordinator (biuro@siedmiukrasnoludkow.pl, +48 510 915 565). Tell us what you’re observing — we’ll tell you whether you need a specialist consultation, and if so, with whom.
Our preschool in Saska Kępa is a place where it can all be under one roof — care, education, therapy. That’s how we build a safe, coherent environment for a child whose development needs a little more attentiveness.