From May 4\u20138, during the intensive week of the international Nordplus project\u00a0‘Empowering Puppetry’,\u00a0participants who arrived at the Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine,\u00a0Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution\u00a0engaged in a wide range of educational, creative, and therapeutic activities focused on supporting children with sensory integration disorders (SID). The project created a collaborative international environment where students and lecturers from Lithuania, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia exchanged ideas, experiences, and professional knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The week began with community-building activities and presentations that encouraged participants to learn about one another\u2019s cultural backgrounds, professional perspectives, and approaches to working with children with SID. Homework tasks and discussions explored environmental adaptation, inclusion, and communication strategies, helping participants better understand the everyday challenges faced by children with sensory integration difficulties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout the following days, participants took part in art therapy workshops, communication exercises, and tabletop theatre performances. They also explored shadow theatre, puppet creation, storytelling techniques, and sensory-based learning methods that can support emotional regulation, communication, and social interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Creative activities encouraged self-expression and demonstrated how art, storytelling, and puppetry can become valuable therapeutic and educational tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lectures from international professors and specialists provided theoretical and practical insights into sensory systems, coherent communication, and neurodiversity. One of the most impactful moments was the session led by an autistic occupational therapist, who shared personal experiences and strategies for managing sensory challenges, offering participants a deeper and more personal understanding of SID.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project further strengthened international collaboration through mixed groups composed of students from partner institutions. Together, participants worked on final presentations and creative solutions that combined knowledge from healthcare, rehabilitation, education, and social work fields. These collaborative activities strengthened professional communication skills and encouraged participants to think beyond traditional approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking toward the future, the\u00a0‘Empowering Puppetry’\u00a0project aims to continue developing innovative, inclusive, and interdisciplinary approaches to education and rehabilitation. The experience gained during this intensive week demonstrated the growing importance of creative therapies, sensory-friendly learning environments, and international cooperation in supporting children with sensory integration disorders. The project partners hope to further expand these methods, encourage new research and practical initiatives, and inspire future healthcare and rehabilitation specialists to apply creativity, empathy, and collaboration in their professional work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From May 4\u20138, during the intensive week of the international Nordplus project\u00a0‘Empowering Puppetry’,\u00a0participants who arrived at the Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine,\u00a0Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution\u00a0engaged in a wide range of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":280561,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-280560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n