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Sensory Gym

By working with the child and parent or caregiver, our occupational therapist evaluates your child’s skills for playing, their school performance, daily activities, and compares their skills level with what is developmentally appropriate for their age.

OT Program

By working with the child and parent or caregiver, our occupational therapist evaluates your child’s skills for playing, their school performance, daily activities, and compares their skills level with what is developmentally appropriate for their age.

Meet Our Therapists

TNT has 2 occupational therapists on staff. Learn more about our therapists below.

Occupational Therapy

A child’s occupation is to play. So that’s what we do here at TNT! We put your child’s ability into motion through the use of gymnastics skills, equipment, and instruction. We utilize traditional and non-traditional occupational therapy tools to work on the concerns you may have for your child that may be interfering with success in school, at home, or in the community.

OT Program

TNT’s occupational therapist provides client centered therapy to improve: Physical Development, Sensory Processing Skills, Social and Emotional Development, and Cognitive Development.

 

By working with the child and parent or caregiver, our occupational therapist evaluates your child’s skills for playing, their school performance, daily activities, and compares their skills level with what is developmentally appropriate for their age.

How do I know if Occupational Therapy is right for my child?

Does your child crave movement? Do they avoid movement or have a difficult time planning movement? Look at our Red Flag list to see if your child might benefit from OT at TNT.

 

Occupational therapy can help, but is not limited to, in the following areas:

  • Autism Spectrum Disorders

  • Sensory Processing Disorders

  • Down’s Syndrome

  • Cerebral Palsy

  • Behavioral Difficulties

  • Cognitive Disorders

  • Developmental Delay

  • Social Skill Deficits

What skills can be improved?

You are the expert on your child. TNT Occupational therapists want to work with you on what goals and skills you would like your child to improve upon.

 

Here is a list of a few skills that can be improved through sessions at TNT.

  • Sensory and Emotional Regulation

  • Dressing Skills

  • Morning and Night Routines

  • Social Skills

  • Fine and Gross Motor Skills

  • Visual Perception Skills

  • Cognition

  • Strength and coordination

  • Attention and Focus

Intervention and Services Provided

  • Sensory processing 

  • Fine motor development

  • Visual motor skills

  • Visual perceptual skills

  • Activities of daily living

  • Infant and child development

  • Behavioral interventions

  • Autism spectrum disorders

Our therapists use the sensory gym to treat a variety of children’s needs. The activities provided challenge the child to use their senses and make sense of their environment.

How do the sessions work?

Our therapist works 1:1 with children within an age range of 0-21. Sessions are 45-60 minutues long 1x or 2x per week depending on evaluation results. Activities during sessions are based on the needs and goals of the child through parent/caregiver and occupational therapist collaboration. Parents are able to join their child during sessions.

Where are the sessions held?

Sessions are done in the least restrictive environment for the child. The sensory gym and the TNT big gym are both utilized for sessions depending on the needs of the child, time of day, and goals being addressed. TNT’s Occupational Therapist believes that the social environment that the big gym offers is enriching and a valuable place to practice the real time social skill interaction with peers.

How do I set up and Occupational Therapy evaluation?

Contact our OT team at 701-551-5020 or ot@tntkidsfitness.org to set up on an evaluation.

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy (OT) is the treatment of impairments through the use of everyday life activities for the purpose of enhancing or enabling participation in all aspects of life. An occupational therapist works to provide the skills needed for living.

 

Skills gained from OT:

  • Independence

  • Self Care Skills

  • School Work

  • Recreation & Leisure

  • Coordination

  • Confidence

  • Life Skills

  • Social Skills

  • Strength

  • Self-Regulation

Maximizing Potentials

TNT provides 1:1 direct therapy, for children ages 0-21. Sessions range from 45-60 minutes, including parent collaboration and communication.


Through the use of gymnastics, movement, and traditional OT services, our occupational therapists works to improve everyday function and life skills. Play is facilitated from the use of traditional and non-traditional equipment and the sensory gym.

What ages do you serve?

We offer occupational therapy for children 0-21.

Sensory Gym

In May 2016, TNT opened one of the largest “public” sensory gyms in the nation. This space is used not only for occupational therapy but for birthday parties, baby classes, special needs classes, after school program, and much more.

 

Occupational Therapists use the sensory gym to treat a variety of child’s needs. The activities provided challenge the child to utilize all of the senses to make sense of their environment. Since a child’s occupation is to play, the gym is set up in a playful environment.

The 2,200 square foot state of the art space includes:

  • 3 story castle with white boards, yoga corners, and specific OT programming to keep the child engaged

  • Zip lines to incorporate motor planning, fine motor strength, and sensory needs

  • Graded Rock Walls for ease of learning how to climb

  • Trampolines for strength and coordination

  • Crash Pit for the sensory seekers or avoiders

  • Variety of Swings to address balance and coordination

  • Obstacle courses that are interchanged bi-weekly

  • Slides

  • And much more!

How do I sign up?

Contact our OT team at ot@tntkidsfitness.org

Leslie Pladson Frie

MOT OTR/L

Leslie Pladson Frie received her Bachelor of Science in Health Studies and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. Prior to her career at TNT, Leslie worked as an

occupational therapist specializing in pediatrics ages 0-21.

 

Leslie’s experience includes: Completed Intensive Level 1 Mentorship in Sensory Processing, Autism/Behavioral Group team member, Co-led community Social Skills Group, Co-led in community presentation on behavioral interventions, Training in Autism Spectrum Disorders, behavioral interventions, self regulation dysfunction, and developmental delays.

 

Through the use of gymnastics activities and equipment, Leslie believes that a child’s sensory experiences, fine motor skills, motor planning, visual system, self-regulation, cognition, strength, and coordination all improve. Leslie creates a motivating and challenging  environment that TNT’s gymnastics facility provides. She delivers unique opportunities for a child to learn and develop skills in a fun and creative manner.

Lacey Lee

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

Lacey Lee is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Before she found her way to TNT, she spent four years in Grand Forks, ND. While she was there, she gained valuable experience through college, community engagement, and work as a COTA.  

 

At Northland Community and Technical College, she found herself in leadership roles such as president of the OTA Club and student council. As a COTA in an outpatient pediatric clinic, she was provided the opportunity to work with some amazing kiddos – among them were a wide range of diagnoses such as autism, sensory processing disorder, global developmental delay, retained primitive reflexes, trauma, and dyslexia. One of her favorite things about my time in Grand Forks was Special Olympics. She was able to be a coach and unified player for basketball, volleyball, and soccer. Prior to her time in Grand Forks, she gained experience with hippotherapy (therapy with horses) at the Boys and Girls Ranch in Minot. Throughout her experiences, she has been able to watch and learn as children with varying abilities find therapeutic value in the activities that they engage in daily.  It is her passion to take that experience, apply it to my practice, and watch the progression of skills unfold!

Meet Our Therapists

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