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Local Occupational Therapist Creates Facebook Live Show for Kids

Posted at 5:12 AM, Apr 08, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-08 06:12:28-04

Dave Pilon is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist in Lafayette, and lately he's been restricted to teletherapy sessions instead of meeting his clients face to face.

He says this isn't something everybody can afford at a time like this, and there are many kids who aren't his clients, but who could still benefit from a fun and educational moment in their days.

This is where Days with Dave came in. Pilon created a Facebook Live show that is equal parts silly and enriching.

"Kids don't know what's going on and we have this opportunity for kids to respond with how we're responding, so having fun and laughing and moving our bodies and playing... I mean maybe Days with Dave can help combat all the stress going on right now in our environment," says Pilon.

"Each week we'll do some songs, dancing, being silly, doing an activity that has educational value to it. Then after the activity we're going to read a story. Then I'm wrapping that up with a new word of the day," explains Pilon of the half hour shows airing each week in his public Facebook group

He's sure to get a belly laugh out of anybody, but Pilon's professional background also lends to more teaching moments than kids may even realize they're getting.

"Through movement, through fun, through laughing, the brain can attend more to what we're doing. So throwing in educational components to an activity or to a story that we're reading, allows the kids and the parents to be more engaged in what we're doing," he says.

These shows air each Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Facebook group Days With Dave