1KHO 549: The Hidden Skills Behind School Readiness | Allison Mell, Tots on Target

The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Ginny Yurich

Parenting, Kids & Family

4.9 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 14 August 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Most people think school readiness means knowing letters, numbers, and how to sit still—but what if those are the outcomes, not the foundations? In this powerful episode, pediatric physical therapist and founder of Tots on Target, Dr. Allison Mell, reveals the “hidden” developmental milestones that set kids up for academic and social success—things like crawling, balance, crossing the midline, and even clapping games. These early motor and sensory experiences—often displaced by screens—are how the body feeds the brain. When kids skip them, it shows up in surprising ways: struggling with handwriting, falling out of chairs, or bouncing off friends in circle time. Allison and Ginny explore why these physical milestones matter so deeply and what parents can do—at any age—to help kids thrive. You'll leave this episode with practical strategies, renewed confidence, and a deeper understanding of how movement builds strong, capable learners. Whether your child is just learning to crawl or heading into middle school, this conversation is your blueprint for supporting natural development in a world that’s rushing childhood. 🔗 TotSpot Membership 🔗 Tots on Target Blog 🔗 Follow Allison on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	I've ruled out uni because I want to live at home.
0:02.0	I've ruled out uni because I want to earn money.
0:05.0	I've ruled out uni because of my grades.
0:10.0	Study with the Open University and there's no need to rule out anything.
0:13.0	With our respected degrees, you can learn from home and work alongside study.
0:17.0	We're open to all. Plus, you'll have the support of expert tutors. So rethink your
0:23.6	future with the degree you didn't think was possible. The Open University. The future is open.
0:30.0	Welcome to the 1000 Hours Outside podcast. My name is Ginny Orch. I'm the founder of 1,000 hours outside.
0:34.7	And I'm so excited about today's guests. We are going to be
0:37.9	talking about kids of all ages, but talking a lot about toddlers in the early stages. Dr. Allison
0:43.2	Mel from Tots on Target is here. Welcome, Allison. Well, thank you so much for having me. This is
0:49.5	such an honor to be talking with you. And I am so excited for this. Okay, you are perfectly primed to be
0:55.5	helping out parents because you are a pediatric physical therapist and a mom of four, including
1:01.6	a set of twins. Talk to us about your path toward tots on target. Sure. So yes, I am a mom. I have
1:08.9	four kids, two boys, two girls, my first two are twins.
1:13.0	And I love the mom experience and then also I love working with kids.
1:19.0	I always knew I wanted to work with kids.
1:20.6	I mean, even as a child myself, as a teenager, I was a lifeguard, a counselor, a babysitter,
1:25.4	all that kind of stuff.
1:26.6	So when I was drawn towards
1:28.2	physical therapy right from the get-go, I knew that I was going to be in the child space. And that's
1:34.1	where I went right away. I've worked in all different types of environments. I've worked in a sensory
	...

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