"I know a great store that has countless toys for kids with special needs"

It's that time of year when i'm asked on a regular basis "what are you getting Hailey for Christmas", or "what can I get Hailey for Christmas" "can she play with regular toys" "How about puzzles, does she play games" "does she still like books" ????????? It's because of the many questions I've decided to write a general guide to help others who may have someone in their lives with motor issues know where to buy and understand what they may like and be able to use. First of all no toys please, just money for her well needed and very expensive hippotherapy lessons, just kidding! First off I would just like to say that Hailey likes alot of the same things that other 4 year old girls like. She loves to play with her dolls, just the other night, I was playing with her in her bedroom, she lined up all her doll babies, stuffed winnie the pooh, elmo, mickey mouse and dora. (Hailey doesn't walk so she spends alot of her time on the floor) With my help,she covered each of the dolls with little blankets (well really anything textile that she found on her bedroom floor, things such as, nightgowns, sweaters, coats, towels and the like). After her babies were all tucked in, she dragged her basket of goodies over and carefully but with much effort, gave each baby a piece of pretend fruit. This took over an hour but it was then I learned that Hailey was a nurturer, she made sure that each baby had their nourishment. There were bananas, tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, and oranges strewn about on the floor next to each of them. In this respect, I'd say Hailey is like other 4 year old girls. As far as other games and puzzles that Hailey likes, they really have to be well built, made of hard plastic or wood,otherwise, because her fine and gross motor issues, she will destroy them. An example of what not to get her would be...anything paper, books, cards, crayons, etc. Or anything that requires you to hold on to in a controlled fashion or with small pieces, these types of things will be destroyed in minutes she doesn't have the control or motor skills to turn the pages of a book without tearing them, or she would crumple a card when she makes an attempt to pick them up. Small pieces are difficult to grasp etc. These are all things that we work on but are extremely difficult for Hailey to achieve. Natalie and Tom believe the best place to buy Hailey's toys from is Lakeshore Learning, they have store locations from coast to coast as well as a full service web site. Here are a few examples of toys that Hailey or someone with motor issues would enjoy.

Though I believe Hailey is getting too old for these now, she enjoyed them last year and this is the type of durability I am talking about.

Giant Knob First Puzzle Set Little hands have no problem piecing together these adorable puzzles! Each simple puzzle has 4 wooden pieces with giant, easy-grip knobs—so they’re a cinch for kids to grab and fit into place. And, with matching illustrations right on the puzzle boards, they couldn’t be better for beginners! Four 9" x 9" puzzles come in a handy wire rack. EE439 • $39.95

Hailey had something similar to this last year, the large plastic cookies are a bit easier to grasp, as we helped her put her cookie in a slot the jar counted for her, she loved it! Count-A-Cookie Number Jars Tots fill up cookie jars with tasty-looking treats…and build counting skills—piece by piece! 5 wipe-clean vinyl jars are labeled with numbers 1-5 and come in graduated sizes to build number sense and reinforce one-to-one correspondence. Kids match the cookies to their color-coded jars, counting each one as they drop it in! Largest jar is 5"; with 15 cookies.$32.99 It is difficult for Hailey to hold a ball, she doesn't own these, but I believe these are something that she could grasp.

Easy-Catch Playballs - Set of 4 Put a fun new spin on active play games with our easy-to-catch playballs! The playground-tough neoprene balls have a flexible woven design that gives children endless ways to grab and throw them—ensuring frustration-free play for players of all sizes. 4 balls, each 7 1/2". CE255 • $39.95 I think Hailey really responds to music, these are a good example for someone a bit younger than Hailey, I think it would be a great way to keep them moving their arms.

Easy-Grip Jingle Bells - Set of 8 With our easy-to-play bells, little ones always enjoy no-fail music-making! Each one has an extra-chunky plastic handle to give children a sure grip, plus three securely attached metal bells that jingle with every shake. They even come in cute animal shapes that kids are sure to love! Set of 8 easy-grip bells; fish is 4 1/2" long. DB952 •$24.99 Hailey loves to be read too, I wonder if she would like these

Differing Abilities Book Set Kids learn why some children wear leg braces, how deaf children communicate, what it’s like to live with autism and more. 5 books, each 24 pages. AB358 • $29.50 She doesn't have these, she doesn't play with figures yet, I guess I posted them because I love them and think that it is a great idea to have figurines of people of different abilities.

Lakeshore Block Play People with Differing Abilities Increase the diversity of your block play community by introducing our figures with differing abilities! Made of extra-tough vinyl, the dolls represent a variety of ages, ethnicities and genders…all with super-realistic details and adaptive equipment—from leg braces to a hearing aid. Tallest is 5 1/2". Set of 6 figures shown. RR759 • $19.95

I like this because Hailey can reach it, but since it is so expensive, I just might buy the magnetic shapes and she can play with them on my refrigerator, she "W" sits lot ( I know, I know, we try to correct her, easier said than done) ans she can reach the lower part of the fridge.

Stand-Up Magnetic Design Center Our magnetic design center is so big, children can stand side by side while they create colorful magnetic patterns! Double-sided center features two giant magnetic write & wipe surfaces, plus a sturdy base to store magnetic shapes. Wooden center is 21" x 32" tall. Easy assembly. LA583 • $79.95 Jumbo Magnetic Design Shapes 40 giant wooden shapes include circles, squares, rectangles, triangles and more. Large squares are 4". LA585 • $29.95 Hailey loves her pretend fruit, this wooden set is very durable

Fruit & Vegetable Cut-Ups Our fun fruits and veggies let kids cut, slice and dice like real gourmet chefs! 18 plastic play foods stick together with hook & loop fastener, so kids can safely “slice” into each one…then press them together and start again! With 2 safe “knives” and cutting board—all in a 10 3/4" basket. FV526 • $29.95 Last year Hailey received this gigantic peg board game from her Uncle, she needs lot of assistance when she plays with this, but she enjoys "trying" to stick the peg in the board!

My First Pegboard Set As tots fit chunky, baby-safe pegs into our fun-shaped pegboards, they explore color matching, develop eye/hand coordination & build muscle control! The big, 9" x 9" pegboards are made of soft, flexible foam…and the jumbo pegs are 2" wide, so they’re a cinch for small hands to grip. Includes 4 boards & 40 pegs. DD645 • $29.95 These are just a few of the many awesome toys that Lakeshore Learning has to offer. Whether or not you have a child with special needs, This store has toys that are strong and safe. It is definitely worth checking out!

The House That Love Built

“The House that Love Built”

The Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan
Their mission is to provide a “home away from home” for families of children and youth
seeking medical treatment.

As I write this post I am sitting on the front porch of The Ronald McDonald House. It’s a beautiful warm summer night in Michigan, I am feeling extremely relaxed and blessed that I am able to spend the last week of Hailey’s Conductive Education session with her. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this trip a reality. We are very proud of Hailey for all of the hard work that she is doing, and the progress she is making.

This is the house where families meet
to continue their lives, to eat and sleep.
to find their strengths and dry their tears,
to look forward with hope to better years.

Bricks and mortar seldom reflect the true nature of a house. For that transforms a house and makes it a true home, it is not the structure itself, but the love and resilience of the family who finds comfort within. The staff and volunteers here are some of the kindest people I have ever met. Their compassion is genuine and they are happy to help in any way they can. Donated goods, services and volunteer assistance help keep expenses down. The house is extremely organized. It sits on 5 beautiful acres with a walking path, picnic tables, children’s playhouses. It has 17 bedrooms, a kitchen that has four kitchenettes, it has a recreation room, laundry room, dining room indoor play room and great room. I’m sure I have missed a few things. While we were there the house had many different donations of food. The Olive Garden brought food in one night, Starbucks contributes regularly as well as random outside contributions. They offer a shuttle service that can take you to Drs. appointments, to the Conductive Learning Center etc. One of my favorite things is when they bring in therapy dogs!
Occasionally we have thought about a therapy dog for Hailey, but only time will tell if she will benefit from one. In the mean time we can still appreciate and enjoy them. When you stay at the RMDH you get free passes to some of the local Museums, fitness centers and even a zoo.
The suggested contribution is $25 dollars a night , but no one in need is ever turned away because of an inability to pay. If you are considering sending your child to the Conductive Learning Center or if you have to travel a long distance to take care of your child’s illness, I would highly recommend staying at a Ronald McDonald House, currently there are 297 houses in 30 Countries and Regions.

Baby sign language

I found this resource through Kidz, a great blog written by many talented woman (including myself) I am honored to be part of the kidz krew. Thank you Tara for sharing.
babysignlanguage Now, don't let the title fool you. Though this is helpful for many babies even babies who do not have special needs, it is a place for any person who would like to learn some basic sign language. So many people can benefit from learning sign language, just to list a few, sign language not only benefits individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also those who are non verbal. This could mean people with Autism, people with Cerebral Palsy, sometimes after having a stroke, people find themselves with speech impairments, teachers can benefit from learning sign language as well. The list is really endless. You never really know when you are going to need sign language.

The website contains these free digital resources, among others:

Free printable Flash cards
Free printable wall chart
Free Tutorials
Free video dictionary
Facebook Community
Learning just a few signs can cut down on the level of frustration you may have when communication is compromised. You don't have to be an expert in sign language to benefit from using it.
So hurry on over and start learning baby sign language today! Why not equip your child with many different ways of communicating! Leave a comment about who you think may benefit from sign language. Thank you for reading!

Core Strength

I just love to spend Sunday afternoons with Hailey, we are not usually rushed for any particular reason. No school, no work...no worries. We can read as many books as Hailey wants to read, she loves to put about 10 books at a time on my living room chair and then come and get me to read them to her. She never tires of reading the same books over and over again. We watched movies together Dora and Tinkerbell. Hailey had to show me how to put the movies in the blue ray player, Grammie doesn’t have a clue how to work it. Thank goodness Hailey did.

Hailey has been accepted and will be attending The Conductive Learning Center In Michigan in May. We are very excited about this!
Because Conductive Education promotes development of the whole person, including physical, social, cognitively and psychological aspects, this intervention is not viewed as a traditional therapy but rather a multi disciplinary approach to improving the quality of life for children and their families. Hopefully Hailey will learn to gain control of her movements, increase her core strength and increase her level of independence. It may also help with potty training. The children and families who attend C.E. are taught problem solving skills that will allow them to develop unconventional ways of accomplishing motor tasks. Today we worked on core strength and neck and head control by sitting independently at this table that we fashioned out of a $7.99 ikea table and a towel holder that was bought at home depot. Hailey seemed to like sitting this way, but when she got excited she would let go of the bar, so of course she could not be left unattended. And of course, she still amazes me everyday!

If you have adapted any furniture in your home to help with core strength...please do share!

A new look for "KIDZ"

As many of you know, I have been doing a little writing in my spare time (which by the way, is really non existent). I write for a few different special needs sites. You may recall me mentioning in a previous post that I write for Kidz. This site is an amazing site that celebrates the ups and downs of raising children with special needs. The posts on this site are a collaborative effort of 12 bloggers and 1 fearless leader Tara. The Kids Krew contributer’s are all amazing woman who have children with different abilities, who share their knowledge and resources with thousands of readers each day, some who are veterans in the special needs community and other’s who are newbies and looking for as much information as they can possibly find to help them understand their child’s diagnosis. This past year Kidz received “The Top Blog Parenting Award” and has over 20,000 visitors each month! It is both an honor and a pleasure for me to be part of this effort that helps so many children around the world. On this site you can expect to find uplifting stories, poems, songs, activities, ideas, friends and resources. We are excited about the new design of the KIDZ site, so be sure to check it out. If you know anyone who may benefit from this site, please share the link with them www.kidzorg.blogspot.com I know it will help them, just as it continues to help and inspire me.

A Valentines poem for my Sweet Tart "Just because"

You have my heart there is no doubt,
my fragile flower, I can’t live without.
my heart is yours, as well my soul
I love you more than you’ll ever know.

A little girl, with long brown hair
her smile it spreads from ear to ear.
her words unspoken, I don’t care
I know she loves me, i’m well aware.

Her future holds no certainty,
but then again who’s does
i’ll just take it day by day
and love her just because.

xoxo Copyright by Janet Harrold

Exceptional Family

A lot of you may recognize this beautiful family as Zak, Nathan and Renee Charlan from Exceptional Family T.V. “EFTV” Is my favorite online destination to visit for news and current resources and advice for children with special needs. Advice given from other parents of children who are living the “Exceptional” life. I credit this family for their humble approach and ability to expose their private lives to benefit others. I personally would like to say thank you for giving us a voice and a connection with each other, and for all that you have done to facilitate this “Exceptional” community.
If you would like a 16 X 20 oil painting of your child email me www.harrold.janet@gmail.com 100% of the proceeds go to Hailey's Conductive Education

"say it with symbols"

“say it with symbols”
(my new favorite special needs resource)

Imagine not being able to say “help” or “i’m hungry” being able to speak is something that most of us take for granted everyday. If you have a child who is non verbal or has difficulty with speech then you know how challenging communication can be. It can also be scary as well as frustrating.
With today's technology, some of us are fortunate enough to have the ipad. The Proloquo2Go app provides a full-featured communication solution for people who have difficulty speaking. It brings natural sounding text-to-speech voices, up-to-date symbols. No doubt about it ,it is getting rave reviews, we are lucky to have one for Hailey. My only disappointment so far is that the symbols it has for communication are not the Mayer Johnson symbols that Hailey has been using since she started speech therapy with early intervention a few years ago. I hope it doesn’t get too confusing for her. She does however have the Dynavox, this computer does use the Mayer Johnson symbols. She uses it mostly at school. For those of you who use the Dynavox, you know that it is a great communication device. A little heavy and not so easy to lug around everywhere you need to go. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have one of these either.
A Great Solution:
I’d like to tell you about a site I have come to love www.sayitwithsymbols.com This site has so many useful things to offer and the prices are much more affordable.. I especially like the pre made communication books.
These books are light weight, colorful, and portable. They are a great solution for making choices. Because our kids need to communicate anywhere and everywhere, this book is a great solution for communicating on the go. It is a great back-up for high tech devices.Very useful at restaurants, at the park or at grandmas house.
Another item that I really love is the Board books photo album. All kids love to see pictures of themselves or favorite people and places.
The album has sturdy cardboard pages and notches have been added to the page edges to make it easy for those with motor skill problems to turn the page. There is even plenty of room to write your own story.
Become a fan on facebook http://www.facebook.com/SayitwithSymbols i’ve seen them give great discounts and even give away FREE communication boards!



www.SayitwithSymbols.com
Giving Greetings Publishing
1-866-544-9540


rsargent@givinggreetings.com