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A Parent’s Guide to the 5 Best Pediatric Occupational Therapists in Toronto

best-pediatric-occupational-therapists-toronto
We extensively test and research all services we review. Here's why you can trust us.

A coworker recently asked me to help him find a pediatric occupational therapist for his son. He needed someone who could work with kids in a fun, engaging way while helping his son build the fine motor skills he needs for everyday tasks.

Naturally, I wanted his son to have the best care possible, so I did my due diligence and dove into the world of pediatric OT in Toronto. After researching top-rated clinics, reading reviews, and talking to a few parents, I found some incredible options!

Here are the best pediatric occupational therapists in Toronto that truly stand out.

How much does seeing a pediatric occupational therapist cost in Toronto?


The cost of seeing a pediatric occupational therapist in Toronto ranges from $100 to $150 per session. Prices can vary depending on the therapist’s experience, location, and the specific services provided.
It’s worth checking if your insurance or benefits plan covers any of the costs.

How We Chose the Best Pediatric Occupational Therapists in Toronto

Reputation and Reviews: We looked at customer feedback and online ratings to evaluate each therapist’s reputation for quality care, reliability, and patient satisfaction.
Experience and Qualifications: We assessed the therapist’s background, education, and years of experience in pediatric occupational therapy to ensure expert-level care.
Specialization: We focused on therapists who specialize in specific areas like sensory processing, fine motor skills, or developmental delays.
Child-Friendly Environment: We evaluated whether the therapy spaces are engaging, safe, and designed to make children feel comfortable and motivated.
Therapeutic Approach: We reviewed the types of techniques used, including play-based therapy, sensory integration, and family-centered practices.
Parent Involvement: We checked how therapists involve and communicate with parents to provide consistent support and guidance for continued progress at home.
Success Stories and Outcomes: We looked at case studies and testimonials to determine how effective the therapists have been in achieving positive results.
Cost and Insurance Coverage: We examined the affordability of sessions, discounts for long-term plans, and whether the services are covered by insurance or benefit plans.

1. Butterfly Paediatric Therapy

butterfly-paediatric-therapy
TestInfo
WEBSITEhttps://butterflytherapy.com/
ADDRESS2601 Matheson Blvd E, Unit 29, Mississauga
SOCIAL MEDIAhttps://www.instagram.com/butterflytherapy/
CONTACT DETAILS(905) 206-0300
BUSINESS HOURSMon - Thurs: 8 AM – 8 PM

Friday: 8 AM – 2 PM

Sat - Sun: 8 AM – 3 PM

Butterfly Paediatric Therapy has served families in need of pediatric physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services since 2009. 

A standardized initial assessment is conducted first to understand each child’s specific needs, followed by a treatment plan based on their pediatric OT services. These include feeding, sensory processing, school readiness, fine motor skills, self-care, and play. 

We’re impressed with the clinic’s gross motor environment designed to mimic everyday surroundings. It’s fully equipped with mats, stationary bikes, parallel bars, and a Lite Gait Body Weight Supported Treadmill System.

For more focused sessions, they have smaller treatment rooms that are ideal for children working with occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists. These come with sensory swings, monkey bars, trampolines, and even a rock climbing wall.

Virtual therapy services across all disciplines are offered as well.

Note, however, that services cannot be billed directly to insurance.

Pros

  • Over 15 years of experience
  • Wide range of pediatric OT services
  • Fully equipped gross motor environment
  • Sensory treatment rooms
  • Virtual therapy services

Cons

  • Does not bill directly to insurance

Results were better than I could have imagined

“I brought my daughter to Butterfly in January with hopes of improving her gross motor skills, and after a few months the results were better than I could have imagined. The exercises were customized for her needs, they were different every time and were in form of games and puzzles which kept her looking forward to the next session. Elina was amazing with her, she was patient and answered all my questions in detail and even did additional research. We loved this experience and we highly recommend Elina and Butterfly!”

Bojana Vujcic, Google Review   

Saw tremendous improvement

“Finding a good physiotherapist who was paediatric focused, was a challenge. After much scouring, we thankfully we came across Butterfly. We met with Cassandra Bodrucky and were immediately at ease. Cassandra was spot-on in grasping the issue at hand and had a detailed plan on our way forward. Over a period of 5 months, we saw tremendous improvement with our infant daughter’s gross motor development. From not crawling as much to taking her 1st steps, Cassandra really helped her come a long way and has been amazing with her. Her calm demeanor and manner of working with our daughter helped ease our nerves as parents. She was also very accommodating when it came to scheduling our sessions. We’re very grateful and would highly recommend Cassandra. Also, a shout out to the staff at both clinics who were very helpful in answering my initial queries.”

Erica Fernandes, Google Review   

2. Erika Rostek

erika-rostek
TestInfo
WEBSITEhttps://erikarostekot.com/
ADDRESSSt Clair West
SOCIAL MEDIAhttps://www.instagram.com/erikarostekpediatricot/
CONTACT DETAILS(416) 399-8692
BUSINESS HOURSMon - Sat: 9 AM – 5 PM

Erika Rostek is a pediatric occupational therapist with experience working in both Australia and Canada. She’s enhanced her skills through programs like Zones of Regulation, Handwriting Without Tears, and the Alert program. 

To start, you can book a free initial consultation. It’s a 15-minute virtual meeting or phone call to review your child’s developmental history and set goals. 

For families ready to dive deeper, their initial OT assessment can be done at home or in the clinic. After this, they develop a personalized treatment plan. 

Their therapy sessions target key foundational skills like gross and fine motor development, handwriting, and visual processing. Ongoing sessions are also available at home, at the clinic, or even at school. 

As a bonus, Erika can offer services in both English and French.

We did notice that her clinic is comparatively newer—established in 2022—so they don’t have the long-standing rep of other clinics.

Pros

  • OT has worked in Australia and Canada
  • Underwent several training programs
  • Speaks English and French
  • Free initial consultation
  • In-home or onsite assessment
  • OT sessions can be done anywhere

Cons

  • Relatively new clinic

Knowledgeable, patient, and compassionate Occupational Therapist

“Erika is a very knowledgeable, patient and compassionate Occupational Therapist. She provides necessary recommendations and makes a lengthy commute to my home to work with my son in-person, which I greatly appreciate. My son thoroughly enjoys his sessions and has made improvements since working with Erika. I highly recommend Erika!”

Suzy Thompson, Google Review

Our child has shown significant progress

“Erika has a calm and caring demeanor, along with a gentle and compassionate approach. She has a talent for devising practical strategies and activities that align perfectly with our goals, and her dedication is evident in every session. Our child has shown significant progress, and it’s clear that Erika’s expertise and guidance are key factors in this success. Her positive impact is immeasurable and we are grateful for the wonderful work she has done.”

Alison Horn, Google Review

3. Bumblebee Occupational Therapy

bumblebee-occupational-therapy
TestInfo
WEBSITEhttp://bumblebeeot.com/
ADDRESS1414 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga
SOCIAL MEDIAhttps://www.instagram.com/bumblebeetherapy/
CONTACT DETAILS(647) 542-7615
BUSINESS HOURSMon - Fri: 9 AM – 5 PM

Bumblebee Occupational Therapy was founded by Dima Alsakka. As a mom herself, Dima understands the ups and downs of parenting, and her goal is to empower parents to take an active role in their child’s development. 

We appreciate her free 20-minute phone consultation before booking—a great way for parents to see if her services are a good fit for their child. 

Speaking of services, they specialize in enhancing fine motor skills, focusing on things like postural stability, pencil grasp efficiency, and visual motor integration. They also offer gross motor therapy to assist with developmental issues. 

For parents dealing with feeding challenges, they can help with everything, from picky eaters and severe oral sensitivities to weaning children off feeding tubes.

While Bumblebee OT has a strong focus on these specific areas, its range of services is somewhat limited compared to larger clinics. 

Pros

  • Free 20-minute phone consultation
  • Specialises in fine motor skills therapy
  • Offers gross motor therapy
  • Feeding issues therapy

Cons

  • Comparatively limited range of OT services

Developing Hands

“Miss Dima is one of the best occupational therapists around. A friend recommended her for my son Aaryan, who is 7 years old; from the instant he met her he got comfortable. My son is a little easy going and needs a little push everytime to get work done. Dima has this quality of having a tone that is firm yet comforting. This makes it so easy for Aaryan to do the activities told by her and not get upset. We are surprised when we see the pictures of the activities he gets done in his 1 hour session. Every time we tell him that we need to go to Miss Dima he smiles and is very happy to go. As parents we only hope that our son learns stuff with his coach/therapist happily. Dima has been great with him and we definitely will resume after the summer break to have more sessions. Dima you are effortless and brilliant 😊”

Aasha Sarnobat, Google Review

Dima is incredible! 

“Dima is incredible! She has provided OT expertise for both my children. Dima takes the time to truly understand each child and what their needs are and provide support accordingly. She also takes the time to share insights with the parents and provide updates. Thank you, Dima. You’re the best!!”

Oopee, Google Review

4. Developing Hands

developing-hands
TestInfo
WEBSITEhttp://developinghands.com/
ADDRESS3100 Ridgeway Dr #22, Mississauga
SOCIAL MEDIAhttps://www.instagram.com/developinghands/
CONTACT DETAILS(416) 576-6842
BUSINESS HOURSMon - Sun: 8 AM – 8:30 PM

Developing Hands is a pediatric therapy center that has a mission: to empower children and provide hope to parents. With in-clinic services in Mississauga, in-home support across the GTA, and online sessions, they provide flexible care.

Occupational therapy, speech therapy, physiotherapy, counseling, and osteopathy are offered here. And they work with kids aged 0 to 18 to help them thrive.

Their occupational therapists address a wide range of challenges. These include fine motor skills (like pencil grasp and handwriting), sensory processing (helping kids with self-regulation and sensitivities), and feeding difficulties. 

They also promote independence with self-care tasks like dressing, brushing teeth, and toileting, while working on cognitive and social skills to encourage connection.

Some families, however, may find their therapy sessions a bit on the pricey side. 

Pros

  • In-clinic services and in-home support 
  • Offers online sessions
  • Works with kids aged 0 to 18
  • Addresses a wide range of OT challenges
  • Promotes independence with self-care tasks

Cons

  • Pricey

The only OT place I would take my kids

“Lucille at developing hands is wonderful! She helped assess my 5 year old son’s pencil grip and penmanship so we can make adjustments early on in his development. She provided easy and fun strategies to practice fine motor skills with my kids at home. She is kind, caring, and patient. My son was so comfortable during the whole assessment; he thought it was fun play, and asked to come back! The clinic is clean and welcoming! Would highly recommended this clinic, it’s the only OT place I would take my kids.”

Monica Toma, Google Review

Made a remarkable difference in my son’s development

“I am deeply grateful to Harvi VRaj for their exceptional occupational therapy provided to my 2-year-old son. When we began therapy in Feb 2024, I was skeptical about achieving significant progress within the 3-months timeframe initially set. However, I have been pleasantly surprised by the improvements I’ve witnessed in my son. I want to say sincere thanks to therapist Harvi for her wonderful support and positive approach throughout the sessions. Her dedication and expertise have made a remarkable difference in my son’s development, and we are truly thankful for their outstanding care.”

Ramesh Muthukrishnan, Google Review

5. The Hive 

the-hive
TestInfo
WEBSITEhttps://www.thehiveto.com/
ADDRESS68 Railside Rd, Unit A
SOCIAL MEDIAhttps://www.instagram.com/thehivetoronto/
CONTACT DETAILS(647) 965-5437
BUSINESS HOURSMonday: 10 AM – 5 PM

Tue - Thurs: 9 AM – 7 PM

Friday: 9 AM – 6 PM

Sat - Sun: 9 AM – 4 PM

The Hive was founded by Sabrina Handa. After years of working in both public and private sectors around the world, she saw firsthand what was missing in traditional kids’ therapy care—and she set out to fill that gap. 

Much like a colony of bees working together (hence the name), the OTs here take a collaborative approach to create personalized therapy plans for each child. 

To help them tailor their plans, they go beyond standard assessments, evaluating kids’ skills in play, school performance, and everyday tasks. 

We love their 1,500-square-foot gym, which features indoor stairs, slides, rock climbing walls, therapy swings, and more. It’s a space where kids can feel free to move, explore, and have fun while working on their skills. 

Additionally, they have several therapy rooms for more focused sessions when needed.

One downside is that there have been some reports of missed appointments, which can be frustrating for families. 

Pros

  • Creates personalized therapy plans
  • 1,500-square-foot fully equipped gym
  • Evaluates kids’ skills in play, school, and everyday tasks
  • Several therapy rooms

Cons

  • Reports of missed appointments

Had my son doing activities I did not know he was capable of

“I brought my son to the HIVE for a wellness check at 3.5 months. Sabrina was amazing at making me feel comfortable and calm, especially as a new mom. Sabrina had my son doing activities I did not know he was capable of doing at his age/stage. As she evaluated him she was playful and attentive which made my son feel like he was just having fun! Sabrina also sent me home to do some exercises with him to increase his motor and sensory skills. I was very happy with my visit and will continue to bring my son to the HIVE for future development.”

Neha Dave, Google Review

Most certainly made a difference in his life 

“We had the most wonderful experience working with Winnie at The Hive. What a calming, fun, helpful place! Winnie was so patient with my son who is extremely hyper active, she was kind and nurturing. She most certainly made a difference in his life and he looked forward to his OT class each and every week!”

Seri Kertzner, Google Review