One of the key elements to gross motor skills is balance. Balance allows control of movements during stationary (static) as well as moving (dynamic) tasks like laying, sitting, crawling, walking, or running. How Balance Works Ears play a large role in balance due to the vestibular system which arises in the inner ear and is [...]
Part Five is the final post of a series that concentrates on the inherent benefits of play for children with special needs. In this post we focus on how toys and the experience of play help with social development. Part One was devoted to toys and the development of gross motor skills. Part Two of the [...]
This is Part Four of a series of posts that will concentrate on the inherent benefits of play for children with special needs. In this post we focus on how toys and the experience of play help with cognitive development. Part One was devoted to toys and the development of gross motor skills. Part Two of [...]
Fidget toys are great self-regulation tools to help with focus, attention, calming, and active listening. We asked some of our contributing bloggers what widgets they would recommend. The results are some pretty neat fidget toys that will help your child with special needs. Check out all 21 below. Karen Wang 1. Rainbow twist and lock blocks [...]
Parents, therapists and educators who buy emotion flash cards have high hopes. Face-blindness and an inability to recognize emotions are factors in some cases of brain injury, autism and other neurological conditions. At this time, there is no known treatment for face-blindness, and results from teaching emotion recognition have been inconsistent. But we can still [...]
This is Part Three of a series of posts that will concentrate on the inherent benefits of play for children with special needs. In this post we focus on how toys and the experience of play help with emotional development. Part Two of the series was related to physical development and the growth of fine [...]
This is Part Two of a series of posts that will concentrate on the inherent benefits of play for children with special needs. In this post we focus on how toys and the experience of play help with physical development and the growth of fine motor skills. Part One of the series was related to [...]
Does your child play with toys? If so, this article isn’t for you. You should probably Google “hottest toys of 2012.” Is your child scared of blinking, beeping toys? Is your child unable to understand the rules of most games? Does your child lack interest in typical toys? Is your child delayed when it comes to basic [...]
As the holiday season approaches the rush to find the perfect toys for children with special needs can sometimes be a nerve-racking mission. How do you pick the right toy for your little girl or boy? Here are some guidelines to keep in mind. 1. Consider Unusual Interests Many children with special needs many not [...]
While doing a research study on the effectiveness of fidgets in the classroom, I was surprised to learn how many colleagues did not know what they were or how they could be useful – even those colleagues in the special education field. Therefore, I knew I had to write this blog on fidgets. What Are [...]
