Hopscotch Children’s Therapy Centre

Hopscotch Children’s Therapy Centre is a specialist paediatric therapy centre based in central London, supporting children and young people with sensory, developmental, communication and functional needs. Established in 2002, the centre provides Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy and Ayres Sensory Integration®, bringing different areas of expertise together to provide coordinated, individualised support.

Sensory integration is a particularly important part of Hopscotch’s work. Our senses continually provide the brain with information about our bodies and surroundings, from sound, light and touch to movement, balance and body awareness. For some children, processing and organising this information can be difficult. Everyday environments that other people find manageable can become distracting, uncomfortable or overwhelming.

These sensory differences can affect many aspects of everyday life, including concentration, emotional regulation, sleep, dressing, eating, play, movement, learning and a child’s ability to comfortably participate in family or school activities.

Hopscotch’s Occupational Therapists can help families better understand these differences by looking at the individual child’s sensory profile, strengths and areas of difficulty. Where appropriate, the centre provides Ayres Sensory Integration®, an evidence-based therapeutic approach that uses carefully selected sensory and movement experiences to support the way the nervous system receives, processes and responds to sensory information.

Therapy may involve movement, balance, suspended equipment, tactile activities, body awareness and carefully graded sensory experiences within a specialist therapeutic environment. Activities are designed around the individual child, with the aim of supporting regulation, coordination, confidence and participation rather than simply asking them to tolerate uncomfortable sensory experiences.

Alongside sensory integration, Hopscotch provides broader Occupational Therapy support for everyday skills and activities. This can include fine and gross motor development, handwriting, dressing and self-care, coordination, play, emotional regulation and participation at school.

Speech & Language Therapy is also available for children and young people who experience speech, language, communication or social interaction differences. Having these services within one centre allows therapists to consider how communication, sensory processing, motor development and the environment may interact.

Hopscotch works with children with a broad range of needs and neurodevelopmental differences, including autism, ADHD, DCD/dyspraxia, sensory processing differences, developmental delays, dyslexia, social communication differences and emotional regulation challenges.

For families interested in creating a more sensory-friendly home, the service is particularly relevant because understanding a child’s sensory profile can help inform decisions about their everyday environment. Sensory needs can influence preferences around lighting, noise, furniture, textures, movement, personal space and the need for quieter areas where a child can regulate.

Occupational Therapy recommendations can therefore extend beyond the therapy room into practical changes to routines, activities, equipment and physical environments. This can help families create spaces that are more supportive of the child’s individual sensory needs rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach to sensory design.

Hopscotch works not only with families but also with nurseries, schools, local authorities, legal professionals and other organisations involved in supporting children and young people. Families can approach the clinic directly, making specialist sensory and occupational therapy expertise accessible without necessarily needing to begin with a GP referral.

For The Sensory Home, Hopscotch is particularly relevant because its work helps bridge the gap between understanding sensory processing and making practical changes to the environments in which children live, learn, play and relax.