What Is the DIR® Model and How Do We Use It at Kids World?
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
By Georgina Ahrens, Occupational Therapist
Director, Kids World Paediatric Therapy
DIR®/Floortime Trainer | Profectum Foundation Associate Faculty
If you've spent time on the Kids World website, or spoken with one of our occupational therapists, you may have heard us talk about DIR® and Floortime.
The terminology can sound a little clinical, but the thinking behind DIR® is actually very human. It helps us understand who a child is, how they experience the world, where they are developmentally and how relationships can support their growth.
At Kids World, the DIR® model is an important part of how our occupational therapists understand and work with children. Rather than starting with “How do we change this behaviour?”, it encourages us to ask:
“Why might this be happening, and what does this child need from us?”
What Does DIR® Mean?
DIR® stands for Developmental, Individual-differences and Relationship-based.
These three areas help us build a much richer picture of a child.
D — Developmental
The developmental part of DIR® considers a child's Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities (FEDCs).
That is quite a mouthful, but essentially these capacities describe how children use emotions and relationships to engage with the world, communicate, solve problems and develop increasingly complex ideas.
We look at capacities such as being able to:
Feel regulated and interested in the world
Engage and connect with other people
Participate in purposeful back-and-forth communication
Solve problems together
Create and communicate ideas
Connect ideas and think in increasingly complex ways
Children don't necessarily move neatly through these capacities in a straight line. A child may show different capacities depending on how they are feeling, who they are with, what they are doing and the demands of the environment.
Understanding this helps us work with the child where they are, rather than simply focusing on where we think they should be.
I — Individual Differences
Every child experiences the world differently.
One child may love movement, noise and busy environments, while another may find the same experience overwhelming. Some children need extra time to process what they hear. Others may have difficulty planning how to move their body, organising their ideas or noticing what is happening inside their body.
DIR® asks us to understand these individual differences rather than seeing them simply as behaviours that need to be corrected.
At Kids World, our occupational therapists may consider areas such as sensory processing, motor planning, regulation, communication, attention and the way a child processes information.
This can help us understand why something that seems easy for one child may require enormous effort from another.
R — Relationship-Based
Relationships are at the heart of DIR®.
Children develop through interactions with the people who are important to them. Feeling understood, connected and emotionally supported can help a child become more available for engagement, communication, problem-solving and learning.
This is why you will often hear our therapists talk about co-regulation.
Before expecting a child to independently regulate their emotions or behaviour, we consider how the adults around them can help them feel safe, connected and supported.
Relationships aren't a reward that comes after a child has done what is expected. The relationship itself is part of how we support development.
So, What Is Floortime?
DIR® is the model we use to understand development. Floortime is a way of putting DIR® into practice.
Despite the name, Floortime doesn't mean that therapy has to happen on the floor.
It involves joining a child in activities and interactions that are meaningful to them, following their interests and using the relationship to encourage engagement, communication, shared problem-solving and development.
That might involve imaginative play with one child, movement or an obstacle course with another, creating something together, playing a game or even having a conversation about a favourite topic.
The activity itself isn't the most important part.
What matters is what is happening between the child and therapist within that activity.
What Might DIR® Look Like During Occupational Therapy?
A DIR®-based therapy session may look very different from child to child.
Imagine a child who loves swinging.
Rather than viewing the swing simply as a sensory activity, the therapist might use that interest to create opportunities for connection and communication.
Perhaps the child looks towards the therapist to ask for another push. The therapist responds. A playful interaction develops. The child indicates faster or slower. Something unexpected happens and together they work out what to do next.
Within what looks like a simple game, the child may be working on regulation, engagement, communication, motor planning, shared attention, problem-solving and flexibility.
Another child might develop those same capacities while building Lego, creating an imaginary world or talking about something they love.
The child's interests give us a way into the relationship.
Why Do We Want to Understand the “Why”?
One of the things we talk about frequently at Kids World is understanding the “why” behind behaviour.
Consider a child who refuses to put their shoes on before school.
We could focus entirely on the refusal.
Or we could become curious.
Are the shoes uncomfortable? Is getting ready for school associated with anxiety? Is the child finding it difficult to shift away from what they were doing? Are there too many verbal instructions being given at once? Is the morning rushed and overwhelming? Is the child struggling with the motor planning involved in getting dressed?
There may be many possibilities.
DIR® encourages us to become curious before we become corrective.
When we understand what may be contributing to a child's response, we are in a much better position to provide meaningful support.
How Do We Use DIR® at Kids World?
All Kids World occupational therapists are DIR®/Floortime certified, so DIR® isn't a separate program that children attend. It is part of the way our therapists think about, understand and support children across our occupational therapy services.
We consider each child's:
Developmental capacities — Where are they in their Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities, and what capacities can we help strengthen?
Individual differences — How does this particular child experience, process and respond to their world?
Relationships — How can we use connection, shared enjoyment and co-regulation to support development?
We combine this understanding with our occupational therapy knowledge of sensory processing, motor development, self-care, executive functioning and participation in everyday activities.
Parents and Carers Are an Important Part of DIR®
DIR® isn't something that should only happen between a child and their therapist.
Parents and carers know their child in ways that no therapist ever can. You know what makes your child laugh, what they love, what they avoid, what mornings are like, what happens after a long school day and the subtle signs that tell you when things are becoming too much.
Our role is not to turn parents into therapists.
Instead, we want to help families understand their child more deeply and develop strategies that feel realistic within everyday family life.
Sometimes a small change in how we understand or respond to a situation can make a significant difference.
DIR® Is About Supporting the Individual Child
Perhaps the thing we value most about DIR® is that it doesn't begin with a predetermined idea of what every child should look like.
It asks us to understand the child in front of us.
What are their strengths?
What brings them joy?
How do they experience their world?
What makes connection easier?
What makes participation harder?
And what can the people around them do to help?
For us, this fits naturally with neuro-affirming occupational therapy. Our goal isn't to make children appear less different. It is to understand their individual developmental profile and support regulation, connection, communication, independence, self-advocacy and participation in the things that matter in their lives.
Want to Learn More?
If your child attends Kids World, your occupational therapist can talk with you about how they are using the DIR® model within your child's therapy.
Kids World also offers Understanding the “Why” Behind the Behaviour, a practical workshop for parents, carers and professionals using the DIR® model to better understand children's individual developmental needs.
Last reviewed: April 2026
Please note: This article provides general information and is not intended to replace individual assessment or advice from a qualified health professional. Every child is different, and recommendations should be considered in the context of their individual needs and circumstances.
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