Win Over $100 in Sensational Prizes

I've partnered with Our Journey Through Autism for a "30 for 30" event to celebrate the SPD's Foundation's 30th anniversary.

Three winners will receive over $100 in prizes including:

• My book: Starting Sensory Integration Therapy

• A Fidget Set
  
• Body Sox


• Danceland CD & Booklet


• 28 Instant Songames CD


• Wikki Stix Activity Set

To enter pick up a copy of Starting Sensory Integration Therapy: Fun Activities That Won't Destroy Your Home or Classroom. Buy one or borrow a copy from your local library. Next, select 1-3 activities to do with your child. As you are doing these activities, take notes, take pictures, or take video. If you want to get creative, make a montage, slide show or video. Then, submit everything to OJTA for publication throughout Sensory Awareness Month.

Submission Deadline is September 25th 2010 Act Quickly!

Bubble Factory

Kayla blowing bubbles

My friend visited me recently, and we made a bubble factory for her daughter. She loved it! Now that G & GA are getting older these things have lost their interest.

To make it cut two holes in the top of a yogurt cup:

Sorry this isn't a good picture, anyhow cut a small hole on the top and a larger hole on the bottom. Fill the yogurt cup half full of bubble mix. Insert a straw in the small hole and let the child blow bubbles. If you are worried about the child sucking up the bubble mixture, cut a hole in the straw about one inch down. This will keep her from sucking up the bubbles.

Update on Insta-Snow

I now have more information on insta-snow. I had a mishap with it that you can read about here. Anyhow, if you add water to it after it is initially activated the water won't be absorbed. Instead it turns into the cream of wheat disgusting stuff I had the other day. So that was my bad. I thought after the water evaporated I could add more water with no problem.

If by chance you or someone you love does add more water to the insta-snow, you can let it dry. It turns into a thin film that easily comes off any hard surface. Note, I have not tried this with carpet, I'm afraid to! If anyone has any experience with carpet I'd love to hear from them.

To sterilize insta-snow you can microwave it for a minute. According to Southpaw Enterprises this should kill about 75% of the germs. Good to know if you use it in a classroom. I tried this and the insta-snow came out fine and didn't lose its texture.

If you don't add extra water and let the insta-snow dry it turns back into a grainy substance that is easy to clean up. I found that wiping it up with a dry cloth or sweeping it up off the floor is much easier than using a mop or a wet sponge.

If you want to try insta-snow or buy other cool autism materials visit National Autism Resources.

Have fun!

Ideas Please

I’m working on my second book and I’m stuck. The book is a sensory activity book for kids 8-12. I’ve got all of my activities, but I can’t decide on how to structure it. I have two options, the first is to place the activities in chapters by sensory input: tactile, auditory, proprioceptive and so on…

or

The second option is to have activities grouped by activity type: great give away crafts, group games, bet you-can’t, bet you-can and so on. With this option I would have a grid in the back of the book that lists each activity by its sensory modality. My thought is this second style would be attractive to preteens and that they would use it to pick things out to do with their parents or therapists… I have found “dares” bet you can’t do this or that to be highly motivating for preteen boys. They love to practice them and try them out on friends… but that’s a subject for another time…

Currently I’m leaning toward the second option.

Does the second option sound crazy?

Does anyone have a preference?

Help!

New Book

Well I am starting book number two. This one will be geared for kids who are a little older 8-12 range. I think I am a gluten for punishment! Just kidding, I'm excited to get started on it. I have a huge file of fun things I've been doing with my kids and the kids I have worked with at church for the last three years. So if all goes well I'll be ready to submit it to the publisher around the first part of next year. I'm just trying to figure out how to organize it... but that's for another blog! Anyhow, if anyone has a great sensory activity they would like to share let me know!

I have been drinking Starbucks Organic Serena Blend. I have mixed feelings about it. At first it almost has a bitter quality that mellows after the first few sips. I can't say I like or dislike it. It is better than Folgers, but not my favorite.

Insta Snow

I recently purchased some insta snow. My kids and I loved it. I stored it for about two weeks and it has turned into a slimy cream of wheat consistency. Gross! I'm scared to pour it down the drain because it does not dissolve. I'm scared to touch it. Ewww! I'm not sure what to do. I'm too cheap to throw the bin out because I paid about $20 for it. Anyhow, I am going to contact the manufacturer because they told me eventually the stuff dries and turns back into a powder. There was no mention of the cream of wheat stage...

On a happy note G went to a youth group party last night and had a great time. There were a lot of kids and I was worried about leaving him, but he was fine. He swam with his friends and even figured out how to get the hot tub running. What a hero! :-) He's come so far I've got to remember to stop and enjoy the victories and not always focus on the struggles...

Play Dough is Overrated

We've been playing with Moon Sand lately at our house. G brought out the Lego's and played for over an hour today. Why I don't bring it out more often, I don't know. To be honest I forgot about this stuff until I went to the ASA conference. Southpaw Enterprises had a big bin of Moon Sand and they were selling the container that G is using. The cool thing about the container is that it blows up, folds up, is very portable and has a Velcro lid. So its easy to pull out and easy to store. The downside is it costs around $15 and if your kid bites into it, then its over. (when G was younger he loved to bite any kind of blow up toy...)

Moon Sand has many of the same characteristics of play dough but:

1. It does not dry out.

2. It does not smash into your carpet, furniture or kid's clothes.

3. You can sanitize it by just spraying it with bleach water and letting it dry.

4. It is very easy to clean up.

Given all of the above I'm done with play dough!