Pediatric Occupational Therapy in Vernon, BC
Home-based OT for North Okanagan families. We come to you, meet your child where they are, and make the whole thing feel like play.
Welcome, Vernon families
You know your kid better than anyone. You also know when something is harder for them than it should be. Maybe mornings feel like a battle. Maybe writing their name ends in tears. Maybe the grocery store turns into a meltdown every single time.
You don't need to keep Googling at midnight. You just need someone who actually gets it, who shows up, and who knows what to do.
That's what we do here.
Play 2 Learn 4 Life is pediatric occupational therapy built for real Okanagan life. The ski lessons, the lake days, the school drop-offs, the sensory-overloaded Save-On runs. We work on all of it, through play, right where your family lives.
Meet Your Vernon OT
Zoe Raffard is the occupational therapist behind Play 2 Learn 4 Life. She's UBC-trained with a Master's in OT and a Diploma in Infant Development and Supported Child Care. She specializes in autism, DCD, ADHD, sensory processing, and mental health.
She's also a former cross-country ski coach, snowboard instructor, and adapted kayak guide. She's led Girl Guides, volunteered on crisis lines, and worked in women's shelters. In other words, she lives the Okanagan life, and she brings all of it into the way she works with kids.
Zoe isn't just a clinic that happens to be in Vernon. She's a therapist who chose to live here and is building something real for the families who call this place home.
What We Help With
Pediatric OT covers a lot more than handwriting (though yes, we do that too). Families across the North Okanagan reach out to us for support with:
Autism and neurodivergent kids who need therapy that actually respects how their brain works. ADHD, focus, and self-regulation challenges. Sensory processing differences, including overwhelm at school, in public, or at home. Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and motor planning challenges. Fine motor skills like writing, cutting, and getting dressed. Gross motor confidence for playground, sports, and everyday movement. Emotional regulation and the "big feelings" that come with growing up. Daily living skills like sleep routines, mealtimes, and transitions. Mental health support for kids and tweens who are struggling.
Not sure where your child fits? Reach out.
How It Works in Vernon
Our sessions are flexible and meet you where you are. Sessions can be home-based, which means no challenging transitions, waiting rooms, no sensory-overwhelming clinic spaces, and no hour-long drive to Kelowna. Zoe comes to your home in Vernon, Coldstream, Lumby, Armstrong, or Enderby, and works with your child in the environment they already know.
If your home is too chaotic and your kid can’t focus with all those distractions, then Zoe is also building her home-based sensory play studio in East Hill. It will feel cozy and natural, like a play date. With indoor and outdoor equipment to focus on building skills.
Where We Serve
Home-based pediatric OT across the Greater Vernon area, including:
Vernon, Coldstream, Okanagan Landing, Lumby, Armstrong, Enderby, Lavington, and surrounding North Okanagan communities.
Not sure if you're in our service area? Send us a message and we'll figure it out together.
Funding OptionsThere are several ways to fund pediatric OT in BC, and we're happy to walk you through what might apply to your family.
Autism Funding Unit (AFU): Covers OT for children with an autism diagnosis under 19.
At Home Program (AHP): Supports children with complex health needs.
Extended health insurance: Most plans cover occupational therapy.
Distance learning and homeschool programs: Many include therapy funding.
Charities: Variety, CKNW, and others may provide support.
Jordan’s Principle: Federal funding for indigenous families/children
MCFD: covers therapy for children in the foster system
If funding feels confusing, you're not alone. We'll help you sort through it.
FAQs
Do I need a referral?
1
Nope. Reach out anytime, no doctor's note required.
Does my child need a diagnosis?
2
Not at all. You don't need a formal diagnosis to benefit from OT.
How long are sessions?
3
We combine a thoughtful, human-centered approach with clear communication and reliable results. It’s not just what we do—it’s how we do it that sets us apart.
Do you offer virtual sessions?
4
Home visits are our main model, but reach out if you'd like to chat about other options.
Get started today.
