Play-Based ABA Therapy for Children & Families Near Blue Valley, KS
Finding the right support after an autism diagnosis can bring a lot of questions. What kind of therapy is right for your child? What will their days look like? Will they enjoy being there? And most importantly, will the skills they learn actually help them in everyday life?
At The Behavior Project, we proudly support families throughout the Blue Valley area with individualized, play-based ABA therapy designed for young children with autism. Our nearby clinics provide welcoming, engaging spaces where children can build communication, social, behavioral, and daily living skills through evidence-based therapy that feels natural and meaningful.
The Behavior Project is locally owned and led by Dr. Kate Lamb, a doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D). Clinical leadership is central to our approach, helping ensure treatment remains individualized, evidence-based, and focused on the needs of each child and family.
We believe your child should be known for who they are, not simply by their diagnosis. That's why every treatment plan begins with their individual strengths, interests, personality, and developmental needs.
Big Learning Can Happen Through Little Moments
For children, some of the best opportunities to learn happen while they're playing, exploring, interacting with others, and doing the things they already enjoy. At The Behavior Project, we build on those natural moments to make therapy purposeful without taking away what it means to be a kid.
Our approach incorporates Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI), allowing therapists to create learning opportunities within play and everyday interactions. Building a pretend grocery cart can become a chance to practice communication. Playing a game can create opportunities for turn-taking and flexibility. Moving between activities can help a child practice transitions.
Every interaction has the potential to build meaningful skills, and every child's therapy experience is personalized around what motivates them and where they have opportunities to grow.
ABA Therapy Services Near Blue Valley
Play-Based ABA Therapy
Using evidence-based NDBI strategies, therapy sessions are designed around your child's interests so learning feels natural, engaging, and enjoyable.
Early Intervention Therapy
Children can benefit from ABA at many ages, but starting earlier provides more opportunities to build these skills during a period of significant development.
Skills & Behavior Assessments
Through play, interaction, and observation, our team gains valuable insight into how your child learns, communicates, and engages with the world around them.
Building Skills Your Child Can Take Anywhere
ABA therapy should be about more than completing tasks during a therapy session. The skills your child develops should help them participate more confidently in the everyday experiences that make up childhood.
Because every child is different, those skills won't look exactly the same from one treatment plan to another. We work with families to identify meaningful goals based on each child's strengths, developmental needs, and everyday experiences.
Finding Their Voice Through Communication
For one child, progress might mean learning to request a favorite toy or snack. Another may be working on combining words, answering questions, starting conversations, or communicating when they need help.
Building stronger communication skills can give children more ways to connect with the people around them while helping reduce frustration when expressing wants, needs, and feelings.
Building Confidence Around Other Children
Depending on your child's needs, social goals might include shared attention, taking turns, joining play, initiating interactions, responding to peers, cooperative play, or becoming more comfortable participating in group experiences.
We create opportunities to practice these skills through real interaction rather than simply teaching social behaviors in isolation.
Handling Changes, Transitions, and Big Feelings
A favorite activity ends. It's time to leave the playground. Someone else gets the first turn. The daily routine changes unexpectedly.
These moments can be difficult for many children. ABA therapy can help children gradually develop greater flexibility and build strategies for navigating transitions, frustration, unfamiliar situations, and changing expectations.
Progress doesn't mean children never experience big feelings. It means helping them develop skills that can make those moments easier to navigate.
Small Steps. Meaningful Progress.
Getting started should feel supportive, not overwhelming. From your first conversation with our team to personalized recommendations and ongoing care, we’re here to help make every step feel clear, comfortable, and designed around your child’s needs.
Fill out our New Patient Inquiry Form to get started.
Connect with our clinical team and schedule a tour.
We verify your insurance and request an assessment.
Your child completes a comprehensive clinical assessment.
Our team develops your child’s personalized treatment plan.
Begin your child’s first day of therapy with our team.
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Why Families Choose The Behavior Project
Locally-Owned
The Behavior Project is a locally owned ABA practice serving families throughout the Kansas City metro. Founded and led by Dr. Kate Lamb, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the doctoral level (BCBA-D), our practice is committed to providing individualized, evidence-based care for every child. Her leadership and clinical expertise help ensure the highest quality of care across all locations.
BHCOE Accreditation
The Behavior Project is accredited by the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (BHCOE), an independent organization that recognizes ABA providers for meeting high standards in clinical quality, staff training, and family satisfaction. This accreditation reflects our ongoing commitment to providing exceptional care and is held by only a small number of ABA providers in the entire Kansas City area.
Experienced & Dedicated
Since opening our doors in 2018, The Behavior Project has had the privilege of serving more than 500 children and their families. We believe our growth has been built on trust, strong relationships, and a commitment to providing individualized care. Every child who walks through our doors is known by name, supported by a dedicated clinical team, and treated with the compassion and attention they deserve.
Supporting Blue Valley Families Beyond the Therapy Room
For families throughout Blue Valley, childhood happens in many different places. It's getting ready in the morning, spending time with siblings, heading to preschool or kindergarten, visiting a neighborhood park, going to the grocery store, eating dinner together, and navigating new experiences throughout the community.
Those everyday moments are why we place such an emphasis on skills that can carry beyond our clinic.
Our goal is to help children develop communication, social, emotional, and daily living skills they can use across different people, places, and routines. We also believe
parents should feel connected to that process, which is why family support and communication are important parts of the care we provide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does play-based ABA therapy actually look like during a session?
At The Behavior Project, learning happens through play that is meaningful and motivating to the child. For example, while playing in our grocery store, a child might practice requesting items, identifying foods, colors, and shapes, taking turns, engaging in functional play, following directions, and transitioning between activities, all within a single play experience.
To a parent, it may look like simple play, but every interaction is purposeful. Each activity is thoughtfully designed to build communication, social, play, and daily living skills based on the child's individualized treatment plan. Every program is supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), with progress continuously monitored through ongoing data collection.
Is play-based ABA therapy as effective as more structured ABA approaches?
Yes. The Behavior Project uses a play-based approach grounded in Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), an evidence-based framework that integrates ABA and developmental science. Research supports NDBIs as an effective approach for helping young children develop communication, language, social, and play skills by embedding teaching into natural interactions and everyday routines. Because learning occurs in meaningful contexts, skills are more likely to generalize across people, settings, and activities.
Is play-based ABA therapy covered by insurance?
Yes. ABA therapy, including our play-based approach, is covered by most insurance plans. We will run your insurance benefits to ensure your plan covers these services before getting started.
What age should a child start play-based ABA therapy?
Children can begin ABA therapy as soon as they receive an autism diagnosis. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children receive intervention as early as possible because research shows that early support can improve communication, social engagement, play, and adaptive functioning. Early intervention provides repeated opportunities to build foundational skills that support learning across home, school, and community settings.
How is The Behavior Project different from other ABA clinics in the Blue Valley earea?
Families often tell us that The Behavior Project feels different the moment they walk through the door. Rather than a traditional therapy clinic, our clinics are designed as engaging, child-sized communities where learning happens through play and everyday experiences.
We specialize in early intervention and provide individualized ABA therapy using a naturalistic, evidence-based approach. Because we're locally owned and led by a doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D), clinical decisions stay in the hands of experienced clinicians who know your child personally. Combined with our national BHCOE accreditation, our focus is simple: providing high-quality, compassionate care that helps children and families thrive.
Parent Support is built into every child's program because we believe the most meaningful progress happens when families feel confident using new skills beyond the clinic.
We Accept Most Major Insurance Plans
Our team works directly with your provider to verify coverage and simplify the process, so you can focus on care—not paperwork.
