messy=smart

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Oh, back in the day!  This makes me giggle a little.  A decade or so when I first started teaching in a preschool classroom, I learned so much about hand on learning.  My favorite part of early childhood eduction was the sensory play.  I some how manage to make every lesson the messiest it could be, to me messy=smart.  I came to love knowing children were learning though touch, smell, sight, sound and tasting their environment. Looking at a picture of an apple just wasn't the same as touching, smelling, tasting and then manipulating it in smooth, gooey paint just to see what will happen. Acceptance of this message 12 years ago with parents at the school I taught in or even my friends, was sometimes not truly understood. It is so exciting to see more and more parents embrace this philosophy, one that is child led and developmentally appropriate. How exciting for educators to see this transition. I love seeing on other blogs parents writing about sensory bins, sensory bottles, process art, sand play, play dough (all KINDS).  I can just hear the neurological pathways forming in these children as they interact on multi levels with the world around them.

I feel so grateful I knew how to use sensory play and used it with my son early on before his Autism  clearly showed.  I felt he had a leg up on treating his sensitivity towards touch and textures.  At the time, I looked at it as a fortunate experience for our family that just seemed to happen. I had  the exposure to this type of play and then it just worked out that it helped our son.  I realize now that God had put me in the right place at the right time to prepare me for this amazing child to come. He knew I was going to need a little extra to help this child who was going to need a little extra.

Some things we used when he was around 9-18 months:

• pudding a tray
•  a box of different fabrics
•  smearing cool whip
•  sandpaper and cardboard rolls
•  felt stories
•  cooked spaghetti noodles with squishy balls (you gotta have meatballs)

As he has gotten older, we have used lots of other wonderful sensory fun.  Play dough  being our NUMBER ONE, of course.  Sometime in the winter we bring in a small plastic pool to put in the kitchen just to fill it up with...whatever! I think I recall blue jello, once!  ~Kim

Dramatic play & Ways to give more

Pin It Now! Many of you may be preparing now for the holiday seasons ahead.  At my home of worship, we have an annual giveaway of clothing, food, household items and toys.  Here are some links to yoyo.com with a promo code good until October 11 that will give you 20% off your first order.  What I like to do is search the clearance section by relevance,  low to high.  20% off clearance toys makes giving easier and able to give more.  Also, costumes are on sale!

Just an idea... halloween costumes aren't just for halloween. They are great for dramatic play(pretend play) all through out the year. Dramatic play is an important part of developmentally appropriate practices for children including those with special needs. It should especially be encouraged with children with Autism because this is an area that does not come naturally or is not demonstrated.    Dramatic play encourages

• gross motor skills,
• cognitive skills through problem solving, creative thinking, language development,
• social/emotional development though turn taking, peer interaction, sharing, cooperation

It is a great part of play and childhood. So, grab a milk crate or find a drawer in your child's dresser to fill it with fun costume for his or her inner hero!


Get 20% Off your first order with promo code YOYOSCHOOL until October 11

Click below
Clearance toys and 50% off Halloween costumes at YoYo.com

20% off Melissa and Doug Halloweens costume enter promo code MDHALLOWEEN

Sensory Friendly Halloween

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 This time last year, my son was totally into Pink Panther. Thanks to Netflix, he was able to be introduced to this charming character along with Little Man also known as Big Nose,  as well as, The Ant and the Aardvark. I didn't mind so much since I enjoyed Pink Panther and Inspector Clouseau as a kid.  I loved having that connection with him. The problem arose when lil' man decided that he wanted to be Pink Panther for Halloween...Pink Panther for Halloween.  There were no Pink Panther costumes, except in Japan.   I must admit I have gone to some extreme lengths for my son, but I'll pass on ordering a costume from across the globe. So, we made one. I had no plan, pattern just a desire to make him happy.  It didn't start off to be sensory friendly. I just made it to be comfy to him.  I thought about what would work for him and made the costume to work. This is what went through my head...

He would not like a mask, but I needed to make a face.Ah-ha, I could put one on a hood.

It will be cool, but he will not want a bunch of layers. Use a matching sweat suit. 

I let him choose a picture off the Internet a friendly face of Pink Panther. I used it as a guideline for his costume.  This gave him control and ownership of his costume.

Why it worked and became sensory friendly!

 

• A hood works great because he can put it up to get away from some of the sights and sounds of all the happening of Halloween trick or tricking.  It does help provide a barrier from the world. He  could put it down if he was tired of wearing it  and still be in costume. People could still see the face..kindof...from the back and looking over the top of him.

• The scratchy part of the costume was on the hood away from him.  He was able to wear his own shoes.

• The sweat suit was warm enough, soft and comfy. It was what my son usually wears.  It was material that would not bother him. I used one that did not have elastic at the bottom so he would not have anything tugging at him.

• He was happy and that makes me happy!

~Kim