Connecting through play, one child at a time.
Playforward helps children grow through relationships. We work with children and their parents, and we help schools and clinicians turn developmental theory into everyday practice.
Your child, met where they are
We start with what already delights your child. By following their lead, we help them stay regulated, stay connected, and reach toward the next step.
- Developmental assessments that explain the why behind behavior
- DIR/Floortime sessions for children
- Parent coaching in co-regulation and play
Sustained support, not one-time fixes
Consultation and training for administrators, teachers, Judaic studies staff, and clinicians. We meet schools where they are and build clarity, consistency, and confidence over time.
- School consultation on regulation and classroom dynamics
- Staff training and workshop series
- Clinical consultation and supervision
Development is a staircase, and play is how we climb it
DIR/Floortime follows six Functional Emotional Developmental Levels, each resting on the one below it. Instead of drilling skills, we build the capacities that make skills possible.
Ways to work together
Families
Developmental assessment
A full picture of how your child regulates, connects, communicates, moves, plays, and solves problems, followed by a parent meeting with recommendations.
$600 includes the follow-up parent meeting
A written report is optional, at $150 per hour of writing time. Most reports take 2–3 hours ($300–$450). What to expect →
DIR/Floortime sessions
Play-based sessions for children with developmental, sensory, or regulation challenges. Sessions are usually one hour.
$225 per session
Parents attend every session and take an active part in the play.
Parent coaching
Learn to read your child's signals, lend them your calm, and turn everyday moments into play that builds development.
Built into every session. You're on the floor with your child, so what you learn goes home with you.
Payment
PlayForward is private pay. We don't bill insurance or provide superbills. We accept check, cash, Zelle, and credit card.
Cancellations
Please cancel at least 24 hours ahead. Later cancellations are charged the full session fee, except for illness or an unexpected emergency.
Parents in the room
A parent attends every session and takes an active part. This is where much of the progress happens.
The best play partner is already in your home
Parents attend every session and play alongside their child. Coaching happens in the moment, side by side. A balancing game becomes a chance to read each other, take turns, and share the fun of almost falling.
Schools & professionals
School consultation
Ongoing, reflective partnership with administrative teams and staff.
- Emotional regulation
- Classroom dynamics
- Behavior through a developmental lens
- Working well with families
Staff training
Practical, school-based strategies grounded in developmental theory. Built for general and Judaic studies teachers alike.
Clinical consultation
Case consultation and supervision for therapists and clinicians working in a relationship-based model.
Workshop series: Play in DIR/Floortime
A five-part series for one consistent group of staff. It follows a single child across sessions on video, so participants watch development unfold over time.
Workshops are offered by request for schools, agencies, companies, and organizations. Get in touch to bring a single workshop or the full series to your team.
A look inside the room
Trainings mix real session video, practical frameworks, and moments that change how adults see a child. Click a slide to see it larger.
What growth looks like up close
Pretend play, building, music, messy hands, and a lot of laughing. Every one of these moments is a child stretching toward the next step.
What to expect at your child's assessment
The goal isn't just to find out what your child can or can't do. It's to understand how your child regulates, connects, communicates, moves, plays, thinks, and responds when something gets hard.
- 1Reach out
Call or send a message. We'll talk briefly about your child and schedule a time.
- 2Complete the intake
Fill out the developmental intake and a sensory questionnaire before the visit.
- 3The assessment
Your child plays, moves, and problem-solves with me across different settings, including our gym.
- 4Parent meeting
We go over what I observed, how the pieces fit together, and recommendations for growth.
What the session may include
- Play and interaction
- Table-based activities
- Movement and sensory-motor activities in the gym
- Conversation and language-based tasks
- Problem-solving and structured challenges
- Parent-child interaction when helpful
What I'm looking at
- Regulation, attention, and engagement
- Communication, language, and social-emotional development
- Sensory processing and sensory-motor organization
- Postural control, body organization, and praxis
- Visual-spatial functioning
- Play, ideas, flexibility, and problem-solving
Your role
At times I may ask you to play with your child. This isn't an evaluation of your parenting. Seeing your child with someone familiar shows me how relationship and support shape what your child can do.
How to prepare your child
Keep it simple: they'll be meeting Rabbi Benstein, and there will be toys, games, and a gym. There's no need to call it a test. Dress your child comfortably and bring socks, since shoes aren't worn on the play mats.
Hesitation, avoidance, needing help, frustration, movement, and how your child responds to support tell me just as much as what they finish on their own.
Hi, I'm Shaya Benstein
For more than 25 years I've supported children, families, educators, and schools across developmental, special education, and community settings. I'm a certified DIR/Floortime™ Trainer through Profectum, and I specialize in turning developmental theory into strategies that work in real classrooms and real homes.
I've served as a Principal, Educational Director, Clinical Supervisor, and Director of Research and Development. Along the way I've designed new programs, supervised multidisciplinary teams, and worked closely with administrators to strengthen school-wide practice in both general and Judaic education.
Today I direct Playforward and serve as Director of Research and Development at Encore Support Services, where I lead program development, evaluations, and professional training.
From the Substack
Short pieces for parents on co-regulation, play, and the moments that feel hardest.
Let's talk
Tell me a little about what brings you here, whether that's your child, your classroom, or your school. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
(844) 458-0196
1200 River Ave, Unit 9G
Lakewood, NJ 08701
playforwardnj@gmail.com
In person and Zoom
Please don't include medical or diagnostic details here. We'll cover those in a secure intake.