Friday, November 21, 2008
Quote Of The Week
~Hans Asperger
Anyone watch the show "Big Bang"? The character Sheldon reminds me so much of my daughters. Thankfully they aren't quite as annoying!
I hope to get a chance to scan some of my oldest daughter's art work soon. She is amazing! And this kid knows everything there is to know about biology. She loves animals and hopes to work with them one day. I always tell her this might be a good idea because it will be much better than working with people! Animals always seem to listen, don't they?
My little one is very creative as well, just in a different sense. She wants to be a party planner. Or one of the Princesses at Disneyland. Either way, I know she'll be really good at it!
If you have a child on the spectrum, do they have a certain talent or characteristic about them that seems to be enhanced by their Autism?
Us parents of special kids are really lucky. We get to learn to love people for who they really are.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Awesome Product Of The Week!
My little perfectionist would get so frustrated trying to stay in the lines but the tactile cues on these coloring sheets helped her a lot. It made coloring time (code for 'fine motor practice') much more fun for her.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Fun Sensory Play
Here are just a fewgood things to try (most, if not all, can be purchased for under $1 - some, FREE!):
- shaving cream
- finger paints
- cooked spaghetti (for girly girls, try shell "mermaid" pasta or bowtie "fancy" pasta)
- carpet scraps
- shower pouffs (in the child's favorite color)
- gummy worms
- marshmallows
- snow (if you're(un)lucky enough to live in that climate)
- rocks
- leaves
- tree bark
- dry oatmeat
- salt (make sure they don't rub the eyes and there are no open cuts on their hands!)
- yarn
- different fabric textures (buy colorful scarves from thrift store and wash in hot water before use.)
- bubble wrap
And don't forget to raid your arts/crafts supply! Things like clay, pipe cleaners, non-toxic school glue (I used to love to let glue dry on my hands and then peel it off!), pom-poms, scotch tape, and glitter.
Another girly girl hint: find some play makeup that can be applied with the fingertips ~ like eyeshadows (powder and creamy), lip gloss pots, body glitter lotions, etc. Let her do it all by herself ~ glamourous!
If the child you're working with begins to become repetative, such as always making cirlcles with the fingerpaints, perhaps try to switch it up. For example, try using the fingerpaints on a mirror (as long as they are the washable kind). A boy might enjoy giving himself a green moustache and purple mohawk. A girl might like to add a crown to her head and maybe some colorful jewels around her neck ~ or, ya never know, she might like a purple mohawk too!
Use your imagination, you know your child best! Think of what makes him tick and then MAKE IT FUN!
Grand Opening!
Along the way I'd really like to incorporate some fun famiy activities. My husband and I are both artists and always like to show off those skills. ;) If your family is anything like my family I know it can seem that you eat, drink and sleep your child's disability. We gotta break up the monontany sometime and just have fun!
Additionally, once I've got a decent following, I'd like to do a regular tip/trick swap. You really never know what might work to help solve a problem!
I'm very excited about this venture and I hope that it turns out the way I'm invisioning it!