Sensory-Based Movement Programs for Infants to Young Teens with Helena Vancells

Young children naturally explore their environment through self-initiated movement, taking it in with all their senses. Nurturing and developing those senses allows for healthy sensory neuromotor development.

Today, self-initiated movement and time to explore are not always a given. Children may spend more time in strollers than they do crawling, more time peering at a screen than running around.

Children who show signs of sensory overload —meltdowns, restlessness, trouble falling asleep, or are annoyed by sounds, smells, and textures — aren’t “misbehaving”, they’re communicating discomfort.

Sensory-based movement work is often the most effective, child-friendly way to support regulation and remove barriers to development for infants to early teens.

“Freedom of movement and activity are essential for healthy child development.” – Emily Pikler

"Working with Helena is an absolute joy and a tremendous support in my daily work. She brings a rare combination of passion, empathy and professionalism to the classroom. Helena is wonderfully resourceful and highly structured in her approach. She is..." [Click for more...]

Helena was very helpful to my 11-year-old son, who was struggling with focus and attention both at school and at home. She guided us with specific exercises to do at home. These were fun activities that became part of our daily routine, allowing for moments of connection and led to real changes. ...I am very grateful to Helena for insisting that it is never too late to work on sensory and reflex integration. Where others saw only behavioral problems, she saw a child working very hard to function in his body. Most of all, she could easily connect with him and he felt cared for with warmth and true understanding...." [Read more...]

"Helena is a true movement expert and an exceptional observer. She has an extraordinary ability to truly see the child reaching a deep level of observation and intuitive understanding, through her life experience, studies, and training, exactly what a child would benefit from… [Click for more...]

"I’m deeply grateful to Helena for the care, patience, and sensitivity she brought to her teaching. She was always incredibly sweet and attentive, with a natural ability to understand and respond to my son’s individual needs. Her calm presence and thoughtful guidance made my son feel seen, supported, and confident. It’s rare to find a teacher who combines professionalism with such genuine kindness. Helena truly made a difference for our family..." [Click for more...]

¨We contacted Helena because we were feeling overwhelmed with our daughter Cleo starting to move around our cluttered house. We were worried for her safety so we put up gates everywhere, but this didn't feel right. Helena helped us learn how (and why) to guide Chloe's self-initiated movement explorations. We learned about the importance of free movement and stepping back and allowing our daughter's wisdom to unfold. She also showed us how to reorganize our space. As first-time parents, we..." [Click for more...]

"I met Helena long before I became a mother. From the very beginning, I experienced in her a genuine warmth of heart and a deep human sincerity. She carries a quiet presence that invites trust and connection. When our son was born, and my husband and I found ourselves alone—without family or external support, living in a foreign country—Helena accompanied us with steadiness and care from the very first moment. Her support was not only practical, but also deeply..." [Click for more...]

"Working with Helena was a pleasure. She was very responsive to our questions and gave us great advice on a wide range of topics including book recommendations, practical tips to prepare our home for the baby, post-partum care, and movements to stimulate baby’s development and help with colic. We’re very grateful to have had her help!" [Click for more...]

"I have worked with Helena since September 2024 at Rudolf Steiner in New York. I was engaged as a mentor, consultant for Grade 2 class teacher based on my background as a class teacher. Helena was part of our support team with extensive background in therapeutic work encompassing Waldorf and mainstream approaches. We knew a large number of individuals in the class needed extensive therapeutic support. I was impressed how quickly our group coalesced into a support team for the individual children while building the community of the class. This was due, in large part, to Helena's observations, interventions and resources. Gradually we built up a picture of the needs of each of these children. Next Helena knew the neurological tests needed and how to connect parents with the providers. When we receive information, Helena is helpful interpreting it and creating a comprehensive working plan for each child..." [Click for more...]

"Helena now designs targeted interventions for students facing specific challenges and continues to support them. At Sumbandila, a programme in rural South Africa that guides promising children through their schooling, her methodology has been enormously beneficial. We have deep trust in her wisdom, judgement, and experience." [Click for more...]