Facilitated by an Occupational Therapist and a Speech Pathologist

Kids in the Kitchen blends the excitement of cooking with essential skill-building in a group setting. Led by an Occupational Therapist and a Speech Pathologist, this program helps children develop life skills while enjoying hands-on cooking experiences.

Cooking offers a sensory-rich environment that enhances fine motor skills, executive functioning, social connection, and communication. The group is designed to support each child in a way that feels comfortable—whether they prefer leading, observing, or collaborating—while encouraging growth in practical life skills.

OT and Speech Pathologist expertise supports children in:

• Building self-awareness and emotional insight, helping children recognise and manage emotions in a safe, structured environment
• Strengthening executive function skills such as planning, sequencing, and organisation as children follow recipes, measure ingredients, and manage multi-step cooking processes
• Developing fine motor skills through activities like chopping, stirring, decorating, and measuring.
• Fostering social connection and perspective-taking: Offering gentle guidance for building communication, empathy, and understanding in social situations.
• Exploring self-advocacy and self-determination, encouraging children to make choices about ingredients, recipes, and their roles, fostering confidence in their decision-making
• Supporting interoception and body autonomy, helping children tune into their sensory experiences, such as temperature and texture, while learning to manage their body’s responses in a kitchen setting
• Enhancing communication skills through following verbal and visual instructions, using descriptive language to talk about the cooking process, and engaging in group discussions
• Promoting safety and hygiene awareness, guiding children in safe kitchen practices, such as handling utensils properly, maintaining cleanliness, and staying aware of hazards

Kids in the Kitchen provides a supportive, engaging environment where children can develop life skills, build confidence, and discover that cooking is not only a valuable skill but also fun!

When: Tuesday 7th, Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th July

Where: Mount Eliza Village Church – 93 Canadian Bay Road, Mount Eliza

Session Options:

• Session 1 10am – 12pm (6 to 9 years old)
• Session 2 1:30pm – 3.30pm (10 to 14 years old)

Group Numbers: Maximum 8 participants per session
Cost: $810

Facilitators:

Nadene

Hannah

Facilitated by two Occupational Therapists

Inspired by common games like Among Us, Pokémon, Roblox and Minecraft, this dynamic group transforms the excitement and challenge of video games into real-life activities that support personal growth, social connection, and confidence.

Facilitated by 2 Occupational Therapists, the group focuses on nurturing each child’s unique ways of thinking and engaging. OTs bring specialised expertise in sensory regulation, emotional insight, and executive functioning to create a tailored, supportive environment where each participant can thrive.

OTs provide targeted support in:

• Building self-awareness and emotional insight: Helping participants tune into their emotions, understand their responses, and manage feelings with OT identified self-regulation strategies.
• Strengthening executive function skills: Facilitating planning, organising, and sequencing tasks through engaging, game-inspired challenges.
• Supporting interoception and body autonomy: Encouraging awareness of bodily signals and exploring with children how they might regulate their own body and emotions.
• Fostering social connection and perspective-taking: Offering gentle guidance for building communication, empathy, and understanding in social situations.
• Developing motor skills through interest-based movement and play: Incorporating movement into gameplay to support motor planning, coordination, and sensory processing. Participants will also be engaged in numerous occupational therapist led fine motor activities during the group.
• Exploring identity, self-advocacy, and self-determination: Supporting participants to express and advocate for their needs and preferences and understand their unique identity within a group dynamic.
• Celebrating difference and shared experiences: Providing a space for children to feel seen, valued, and connected, where individual differences are celebrated and understood.

This group is a fun, safe, and supportive environment where participants can think critically, move creatively, and connect with others through shared interests and real-life activities. It’s a space for growing confidence, developing new skills, and enjoying the process of self-discovery.

When: Monday 29th & Tuesday 30th June

Session Options:

• Session 1: 9:30am – 12pm (7 to 10 years old)
• Session 2: 12:30pm – 3pm (11 to 14 years old)

Where: Frankston Hub – Level 1, 20 Davey Street, Frankston
Group Numbers: Maximum 8 participants per session
Cost: $650

Facilitators:

Angela

Julianne

Facilitated by two Occupational Therapists 

Brick by Brick is a hands on program using LEGO® to support children in exploring their strengths, building meaningful connections, and developing a wide range of skills—at their own pace and in their own way.

The structured, predictable nature of LEGO® provides a calming and engaging space for creativity, communication, and regulation. Whether a child chooses to build independently, alongside others, or collaborate when they’re ready, all forms of engagement are supported and respected.

Our Occupational Therapists, bring unique expertise in understanding how the body, mind, and emotions work together. Their knowledge of sensory processing, self-regulation, and development helps them tailor activities to each child’s individual needs, ensuring they feel safe, calm, and engaged. They also support children to work through challenges in a way that is empowering, respecting their pace and preferred style of interaction.

This group supports development in:

• Fine motor skills through purposeful construction and hands-on tasks
• Executive functioning including planning, organising, sequencing, and problem-solving
• Identity, self-determination, and advocacy through creative expression, shared interests, and supporting children to communicate their needs, preferences, and ideas
• Interoception and regulation, using structured play to notice body signals and emotional states
• Social connection and understanding, through the shared process of creating and building together, fostering natural opportunities for communication and perspective-taking
• Communication and confidence, including optional opportunities for presenting and storytelling

Brick by Brick provides a safe, flexible environment where children can feel successful, connected, and understood. Each session is designed to nurture individual strengths, support curiosity, and celebrate diverse ways of thinking, playing, and relating.

When: Monday 29th, Tuesday 30th and Wednesday 1st July

Session Options:

• Session 1: 9:45am – 11.45am (Prep – Grade 2)
• Session 2: 1pm – 3pm (Grade 3 – 6)

Where: Frankston Hub – Level 1, 20 Davey Street, Frankston
Group Numbers: Maximum 8 participants per session
Cost: $780

Facilitators

Sandy

Facilitated by Counsellors

Pokémon Academy is a structured, interest-based group for children aged 5-17 years who love Pokémon — with a focus on learning to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Facilitated by counsellors specialising in play therapy with an extensive background in trading card games, this program uses the TCG as a purposeful therapeutic tool, blending genuine fun with the development of real-world skills in an inclusive and supportive environment.

Grounded in evidence-based practice, the group draws on children’s shared passion for Pokémon to build confidence, resilience, social connection, and everyday functional skills — all through the rich, naturally motivating context of card game play.

With the support of a Counsellor and Counselling Student, children will work on:

Strategic Thinking & Executive Functioning – TCG gameplay provides a natural, interest-based context for practising planning, decision-making, cause-and-effect reasoning, and flexible thinking as participants construct and execute strategies.

Creative Planning & Problem Solving – Participants are guided to build and adapt strategies from the cards available to them, mirroring real-world problem solving through creative, play-based thinking under gentle pressure.

Commitment & Sustained Attention – Facilitators support participants to persist through cognitive challenge and frustration, building sustained attention, goal-directed behaviour, and the satisfaction of consistent effort over time.

Emotional Regulation & Coping with Chance – The unpredictability of card draws creates natural opportunities to practise tolerating uncertainty, with facilitators providing therapeutic scaffolding to help participants develop personalised regulation strategies within gameplay.

Navigating Disappointment & Building Resilience – Pokémon Academy provides a safe, supported environment for participants to experience and work through real moments of disappointment, building the emotional tools to recover, re-engage, and keep perspective.

Managing Excitement & Emotional Peaks – High-stakes gameplay moments provide real-time opportunities to practise managing elevated excitement and maintaining respectful, regulated engagement, with facilitators modelling sportsmanship and appropriate social behaviour.

Time Management & Turn-Taking – TCG gameplay scaffolds time awareness, perception of time, and courteous decision-making within constraints, building respect for how each player’s pacing and conduct shapes the shared play experience.

Communication & Self-Advocacy – Participants are encouraged to verbalise their gameplay decisions and ask for help — including calling “judge!” during rules disputes — building confidence in expressing their needs within a structured social context.

Reading Comprehension – Facilitator-guided interpretation of card text and game rules supports participants to build reading comprehension skills in a meaningful, motivating context.

Navigating Perceived Unfairness & Sensitivity to Criticism – Facilitators validate challenging emotions arising from competitive play while reinforcing the impersonal nature of competition and rules disputes, guiding participants to manage these feelings constructively.

Teamwork & Collaboration – Participants explore shared strategy, mutual support, and respect for their opponent’s play experience, fostering genuine capacity for collaborative play.

Boundaries & Respect for Property – Handling cards with personal and monetary value provides real-world context for respecting others’ belongings and navigating sharing and trading with care, complemented by facilitator-guided introduction to card sleeves.

Fine Motor Skills – Facilitators model and guide participants in safely and respectfully handling, sorting, shuffling, and positioning trading cards, supporting fine motor coordination and dexterity in an engaging and motivating way.

Pokémon Academy celebrates each participant’s unique strengths and differences, building inclusive strategies that work in everyday life. It is grounded in the belief that young people do well when their needs are understood and supported — offering the structure and care of allied health in a setting that feels genuinely engaging, relaxed, and fun. It’s a place where children can develop real-world skills, build meaningful connections, and grow in confidence — all while doing something they truly love.

When: Tuesday 30th June, Wednesday 1st & Thursday 2nd July

Times:  

Session 1: 9:30am – 11:30am (5-12yr old)

Session 2: 12:30pm – 2:30pm (13-17yr old)

Where:  Frankston Hub, 20 Davey Street

Cost:  $600

Facilitators:

James

Abi

Understanding My Body & Self is a small-group program for neurodivergent teens and their families to explore body changes, emotions, and identity. Across three interactive sessions, participants will learn about body autonomy, consent, emotional awareness, and self-advocacy — with activities designed to match different learning styles. Parents and carers join a dedicated session to connect and gain practical tips, while teen sessions include optional breakout activities so everyone can participate safely. By the end, participants will have knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate puberty their way. 

Program details:

When: Monday 6th & Tuesday 7th July

Where: Frankston Hub

Time:

Session 1: 9:30am – 11:30am (for Neurodivergent Teens and their Families)

Group Numbers: Maximum 8 participants per session

Cost: $780

Facilitators:

Angela

Teena

Facilitated by Provisional Psychologist and Speech Pathologist

Navigating the ups and downs of friendship can be tricky—and that’s where Friendship Matters comes in.

This small, supportive group is designed to help girls build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and deepen emotional insight in a space that’s safe, creative, and affirming.

Run by a Provisional Psychologist and Speech Pathologist, this is more than just a chance to socialise. It’s a structured therapeutic program that honours each girl’s unique strengths, needs, and communication style—without pressure to conform or perform.

We explore real friendships through expressive activities and shared interests—fostering connection and conversation that feels meaningful, not forced.

The program draws on expert knowledge of social-emotional development, identity, regulation, and communication—supporting girls to express themselves confidently and navigate peer relationships with clarity and kindness.

Group Objectives

• Explore personal identity, values, and strengths in the context of relationships
• Build emotional awareness and expression using supportive, non-pressured approaches
• Support communication through both verbal and creative means
• Help girls identify and express friendship needs, boundaries, and preferences
• Foster understanding of friendship dynamics (trust, conflict, change, repair)
• Develop individual regulation strategies for managing big social feelings
• Promote self-advocacy and confident decision-making in peer interactions
• Encourage inclusive, respectful connection that honours different ways of engaging
• Build confidence in asking for help, saying no, or taking space when needed
• Create a warm group culture grounded in mutual respect and flexibility

When: Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th June

Session: 9:00am – 12:00pm (8 – 12 Girls)

Where:  Frankston Hub, 20 Davey Street

Cost:  $780

Facilitators:

Danielle

Alannah