Occupational therapists (OTs) have the knowledge, skill, and evidence to support new parents through education while promoting typical development in their infants. OT interventions regarding parent-child relationship and parenting are a vital topic in the area of children and youth. Families should have access to education for parenting skill development; however, a gap in accessing opportunities exists. The AOTA identifies OT as a profession that can serve community education programs for promoting health, well-being, and prevention. This capstone project incorporates the recommendations from AOTA’s Vision 2025 and New York state initiatives for educating families on healthy infant development. The purpose of this capstone project is to provide a community-based educational program to new parents on how to facilitate typical infant milestones in the areas of communication, social-emotional and motor skills by using the occupation of play. This capstone project embodies the principles of leadership and scholarship, demonstrates the characteristics ingenuity and veracity, and promotes the use of evidence-based OT interventions.
