Personality Photo Contest Update: GRAND PRIZE CO-WINNERS!!

posted on Facebook by GummyLump.com on Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 11:49am
see all entries here

 

Here are the Grand Prize Co-Winners!!

• Submitted by Christina Graham: PUDDLE JUMPER!
  

• Submitted by Raven Henry Nichols: SUPERHERO IN FLIGHT! 

Congratulations! Each of you has won a Trunki Kids Suitcase (your choice of color), matching Saddlebag, and Stickers!

 

Click to see all Trunki here

 

Shop Trunki Here

 

The greatest travel innovation since the wheelie bag! Trunki allows children to scoot along on their luggage through the airport or train station. This lightweight, sturdy, carry-on sized suitcase serves as luggage, riding toy, and transport for kids on the go! At home, Trunki may be used as a convenient kid-friendly storage bin too! Features include a tow strap, carry handles, secure catches, integrated wheels and stabilizers to prevent toppling over. Holds up to 100 lbs. Trunki Kids Suitcase

Didn't know about this photo contest? You must not "LIKE" us on Facebook! What are you waiting for?

Hatching Dinosaur Egg in Nest: Project #9 of 300 Crafts for Kids in 2011

KIDS CRAFTS PROJECT #9: Hatching Dinosaur Egg in Nest

Crafts for all abilities!

for Ages 3 Years and Up

♥ An Impressive Craft for Preschool Children! They will be so proud! ♥

Supplies Needed:

• Tin Foil - aluminum foil
• White glue
• Newsprint paper, drawing paper or construction paper
• Clay or play doh (we used Crayola Model Magic)
• Egg carton (cardboard or Styrofoam)
• Paint brushes
• Poster paint
• Newspaper (to keep work area neat)

Time Needed:
30-45 Minutes plus paint drying time in between

What To Do:

To Make The Dinosaur Egg:

1. Cut out 2 egg cups from your egg carton. These will be the top and bottom of your dinosaur egg.
   
   
   
   
2. Paint the inside and outside of the dinosaur egg in any color(s) you want! Use your imagination! Hint: we used different kinds of brushes (foam, textured, rope) to have some fun with this. We also used the top of the egg carton as our paint cup.
   

   

   Using the top of the egg carton as our paint cups

   

   We used a variety of different paint brushes.

3. Once painted inside and out allow to completely dry. If you used a Styrofoam egg carton, you will notice that some of the paint will chip off. That's fine. We saved the paint that fell off and put it in our nest. We thought it looked like crumbled leaves.
   
   

To Make the Baby Dinosaur:

1.  Create the shapes as shown below & attach the pieces to create the baby dinosaur. Many young children will be able to make the basic forms. You can reshape them slightly if necessary!
   
   • Head: make a circle and reshape into an oval.
   • Eyes: 2 small ball shapes. Add googly eyes if desired.
   • Body: large oval
   • Tail: roll a hot dog shape and then pinch and lift the end upward
   • Arms & Legs: roll 2 very short hot dog shape
   • Hands & Feet: make a small ball and then press down with thumb to flatten. Pinch 3 times with fingertips to create the 3 claws on each foot/hand.
   Hint: Use clay or play doh that you don't mind letting dry. We used the Crayola Model Magic but it took a long time to dry and cracked anyway!
2. Allow to dry completely: about 24 hours.
   

   

   We used Crayola Model Magic in green and blue.

   

   We used this TRex as a model.

   

   Follow these shapes.

   
   

   

   Completed baby dinosaur.

   
   

   

   Two Completed Baby Dinosaurs. We added a nose and smiley mouth.

    
   To Make the Dinosaur Nest:
   

   1. Tear off a piece of tin foil approx 1 foot long.
   2. Crinkle up the ends carelessly all the way around by just grabbing a few inches to the edge and closing your hand into a fist.
      
      
      
      
   3. Reshape slightly to make it look round.
   4. Pull off 2 feet of tin foil and fold in half (shiny side up).
      
      
      
      
   5. Place over your beginning nest with nest centered underneath.
   6. Press down with your fingertips in the center and press down into the round nest shape underneath.
      
      
      
      
   7. Fold remaining tin foil underneath the nest.
      

      

      One of our dinosaur nests.

      
      
   8. Repeat steps 4-7 one or two times until you like the size of your dinosaur nest.
   
   
   To Fill the Dinosaur Nest:
   

   1. Using the paper of your choice (and color of your choice) cut into long strips. They can be uneven, thin, wide, whatever!
      

      

      Paper strips we used.

      
      
   2. Liberally apply white glue (Elmer's Type) back and forth, up and down, inside the nest.
      

      

      Application of glue to interior of dinosaur nest.

      
      
   3. Apply the paper strips to the inside of the nest, one at a time. These should not be overly neat looking!
      

      

      Application of glue over paper strips.

      
      
   4. Apply glue over the paper and add another layer of paper strips to the inside of the nest. If any pieces hang over too much just tear them.
      

      

      Nest with paper filling.

To Complete:

1. Place your two egg pieces inside the egg. Glue them down when you've decided on the location.
   
   
   
   
2. Place the baby dinosaur inside the nest.
   
   
   
   
3. Glue any additional paper strips inside the nest to fill.
4. Let dry and enjoy this amazing accomplishment!
   
   
   
   
   
   

   

   We also covered a lemon play food toy with the Model Magic to create this egg. We also added a giant TRex footprint, just for fun!

For Older Children: An older child can further enjoy this project by creating the dinosaur completely on his own, trying to copy a picture or model of a specific dinosaur. An older child can also use some modeling tools to shape the facial features and even create the looks of scales on the dinosaur.

For Children with Special Needs: Assist your child as much as needed - but allow it to be his project.  Art projects are great for fine motor exercise, and using creativity.

If you child needs assistance making the dinosaur shapes you can cover his hands with yours and show him the motion to use. You can also have him cover your hands with his so he can feel what you are doing to create the shapes.

If your child can not tolerate messy painting, you can just cover an object with the clay like we did for one of ours (shown above).

If your child is not able to cut the strips of paper they can also be torn instead. The nest will look great this way too!

This opportunity for hands-on learning with no wrong choices is ideal to foster self esteem as well.

Why We Love Crafts for Kids: Art develops creative thinking, provides means of communication and self expression, increases self understanding, strengthens self concepts and confidence, serves as an emotional release, provides decision-making opportunities, develops appreciation for the individuality of others, aids physical coordination, develops work habits and a sense of responsibility, heightens aesthetic awareness and sensitivity, and generates joy!

Associated Educational Activities:

• Talk about eggs. What comes out of eggs? What does it mean to hatch? How does the baby animal get out of the egg?
  
  
• Read your child a book about eggs. How about "What's In The Egg?" by Innovative Kids
  
  
• Learn about & see actual dinosaur egg fossils
  
  
• Learn how dinosaurs took care of their eggs and their babies.
  
  
• Use these dinosaur coloring pages to learn the names of dinosaurs.
  
  

PLEASE POST IN COMMENTS your opinion of this kids craft, if you enjoyed it, other ideas that may be similar and PLEASE Post any photos of your finished project to our Facebook Page!

Related Links:
3oo Crafts for Kids
Kids Crafts: Crafts for Preschoolers
Kids Art Supplies

Dinosaurs
What's in the Egg Science Book
My First Painting Set

Top 10 Toys for Sensory Seeking Children

Closed: YOU CAN WIN A $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO GUMMYLUMP.COM thru 8/31/10

Entry #12 :

stacythemagnificentmommy said...

my friend's son is autistic and they have used http://www.autismspeaks.org/ a lot to help them. they are involved with the walks in our area every year. if i happen to win this i would pass it on to them.

August 26, 2010 6:29 AM

 Help us with our Resources For Parents with Children with Special Needs!

*WIN a $25 Gift Certificate to GummyLump.com by helping us!


For nearly 15 years parents, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and language therapists have been shopping at GummmyLump.com for toys to use in their practice!

Over the past few months we have been working very hard to improve our Toys For Children with Special Needs section. Our final step is to expand and revamp our Resources for Parents of Children with Special Needs section.

We hope you'll help us by COMMENTING BELOW with the name of a book, website, or blog that you have found helpful for parents of children with special needs. Please give us the name of the resource and why you like it.


We will randomly choose 1 winning comment and the writer of that comment will win a $25 gift certificate to GummyLump.com. Please make sure that we can contact you (no anonymous entries please) if you are the winner!

Thank you for your support and help on this important project!

Enter by leaving a comment on this post thru 8/31/10.

*WIN a $25 Gift Certificate to GummyLump.com by helping us!


Over the past few months we have been working very hard to improve our "Toys For Special Needs Children" section. We're proud to say that we've reworked that section, along with the help of Moms of Children with Special Needs, Occupational Therapists, Language Therapists, and Special Education Teachers. 

See it here: Special Needs Toys 
with these Subcategories:
Toys for Children with Autism
Toys for Children with Blindness
Toys for Children with Deafness
Toys for English Language Learners
Toys for Children with Emotional Disturbance
Toys for Gifted Children
Toys for Children with Hearing Impairment
Toys for Children with Learning Disabilities
Toys for Children with Intellectual Disabilities
Toys for Children with Orthopedic Impairment
Toys for Children with Speech & Language Impairment
Toys for Children with Traumatic Brain Injury
Toys for Children with Visual Impairment


Toys for Children with Special Needs:

Our toys for children with special needs section was developed with your child's abilities and developmental goals in mind. Our safe and appropriate toys for children with special needs have been chosen because of their quality, play value, educational value, and contribution to learning goals. We have hundreds of special needs toys without the price that's often associated with sensory toys, specialty toy catalogs, and occupational therapy toys. Your child should enjoy his toys and learn from them whether you have a typically learning child or a child who has special needs.


Good Luck and thank you for your participation :)

Want to contact us for another reason? Email: gummylump@aol.com

Dr Toy's "Smart Play Smart Toys: How to Raise a Child with a High PQ (play quotient)

Dr. Toy's Smart Play Smart Toys is a wonderfully engaging book that focuses on the importance of play, how to choose appropriate toys, and how to enhance a child's play experience!

What parent isn't looking to provide his child with the best start in life? Dr. Toy's book take a very thorough look at a child's work...play...and shows you how to be a Play Guide so that your child makes the very most of play time. Dr Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D, better known as Dr. Toy, has spent 30 years working in the toys and children's services fields. She is trained in education, psychology, and special education. Through Dr. Toy's Guide and website at www.drtoy.com, Dr. Toy evaluates and reports on toys and children's products. Her enthusiasm for her subject matter is obvious! I enjoyed this book a great deal and there is so much to comment on I am going to have to just recap some highlights! If you have a child in your home I strongly suggest purchasing this book. Smart Play Smart Toys will:

• Change your thinking about your child's play
• Encourage you to and show you how to expand your child's skills
• Give you information about how your child learns
• Provide helpful guides to choosing toys
• Provide toy suggestions from birth to 12 years
• Give you toy suggestions for children with special needs
• Provide an extensive (perhaps all inclusive!) list of fun things to play with and create with your child. I even found a few items on that list that we're going to try!

Smart Play Smart Toys Highlights:

• One thing you may not have thought about is the assortment of toys you have for your child. You may be too focused on one type of toy, thus not exposing your child to toys that would develop and strengthen completely different skills in your child. Dr. Toy's comments on this made me inspect our toy boxes! For example, Dr. Toy points out that SOFT TOYS help your child develop emotional skills, BOOKS strengthen her mentally, PUSH and PULL TOYS strengthen her physically, FINGER and WATER PAINTS strengthen her creatively.
• Dr. Toy's book shows you how to create a playful environment to enhance your child's total development
• This book explains how having fun with your child while playing reduces stress, improves communication, and helps build a happier family
• Dr. Toy provides a checklist of must-have toys for each stage of development.
• An expert in special education, Dr. Toy devotes part of her book to toys for children with special needs. This section includes a list of resources as well.

Here is an excerpt from Smart Play Smart Toys by Dr. Toy that I particularly enjoyed:

Dr.Toy's Checklist to Help Your Child Make the Best Use of Toys and Play Products:

• Allow your child to discover the toy and explore it fully. Do not interfere, even when he makes "mistakes," unless frustration sets in
• Rotate the toys your child plays with to avoid his becoming bored.
• Check on toys frequently to be sure nothing is broken
• Create a space for your child to have his own play area.
• Give your child time to replace the toys he has used.
• Make sure you have a good mix of toy types and other play products
• Be careful that there are not too many playthings out which may confuse the child
• Encourage your offspring to balance play with time to read and exercise.
• Be a playmate when it fits, and nourish communication skills.
• If your child is going to play with a board game, be sure he understands the rules of the game. This is a perfect time for you both to play and talk with each other.
• If batteries are required, be sure they are on hand and operating. Test them. Show your child how to turn off the toy if it does not do that automatically.
• Have fun together every day and enjoy her unique gifts. Notice and appreciate your child's creative use of toys.

Wow! and that's only 1 page of the 245 page book! Get a copy of Smart Play Smart Toys Today and help your child get the very most out of play time! You won't be sorry. In fact, your whole family will benefit :)

Learn More About Dr. Toy

Getting Rid of the Pacifier?

"How am I ever going to get rid of this pacifier?" I hear that question A LOT from parents who have babies under one year. Sure, some babies never take a liking to pacifiers, but there are just as many babies who can't get enough of that sucking action. You might worry that if you don't take away the pacifier soon, your baby will get even more attached and you'll find yourself with a 3, 4, or 5 year old still sucking on that pacifier. But you also can't imagine taking it away now... especially since your baby started sleeping through the night and you don't want to return to sleepless nights. Or you have that upcoming trip on an airplane and you know you will need it then. What's a mom to do? I was one of those moms... my first daughter was obsessed with her paci. OBSESSED. At around 1 year we limited her use of it to just her crib, her stroller and the car. And then we cut back to letting her have it just in her crib. But there was no way she was going to give it up on her own. The method we finally went with is "The Pacifier Fairy." You might have heard about it, but if not, read on to see what it's all about, and make sure to leave a comment sharing your story about the pacifier. The Pacifier Fairy - Will it Work for Me?

The ideal age for using The Paci Fairy method is between 2 and 2.5 years. Most babies cycle through phases where they are easier and open to change and where they are difficult and fight change. You will need to choose a time to do this when there is not other stress in baby's life (new sibling, new school, etc) AND when baby just seems to be having one of those good weeks. Read up on the method, get prepared to do it, and then be flexible with timing... if you choose a certain date but baby seems to be acting up about everything, be flexible and postpone it a week or a month or more.

The Pacifier Fairy - How Does It Work? The basic gist is that you tell your 2 year old about The Pacifier Fairy who comes at night to collect the big kid's pacifiers so she can give them to all the new babies in the world, and then leaves a present for the big kid. Like this so far? Then follow these step by step instructions for how to do it:

One or two times, casually mention the story of the Paci Fairy to your child. Explain about the fairy, but don't make it personal to your child or your child's paci. Just talk about the existence of the fairy, so that when the time comes for the fairy to visit he or she will be familiar with the idea. Do this between 1 and 4 weeks before you actually take the pacifier away.

You start the process 3 nights before you actually take the paci away, and you tell your toddler on each of these 3 nights what is going to happen. For example, on Sunday night you will explain that the Pacifier Fairy is coming in 3 days, on Wednesday night. Explain that they get to sleep with their paci tonight, tomorrow night and the next night, but on Wednesday night (or whatever day) the Pacifier Fairy is coming. Repeat how he or she will leave all his/her pacifiers for the fairy and the fairy will leave a toy.

Do the same thing for the second and third nights. For example, you will explain on Monday night how your toddler will get to sleep with his paci tonight and tomorrow night, but on Wednesday night the pacifier fairy is coming. You get the idea.

On the third night, walk around the house with your child before bed collecting all the pacifiers together. Place them in a bag. Put the bag outside the front door. Follow your normal bedtime routine, give extra love and snuggles. Talk about how the Pacifier Fairy is coming tonight and will be leaving a toy.

In the morning, give your toddler lots of love and walk to the front door together. Open the door and discover the toy that the pacifier fairy left. (Note: don't forget to replace the pacifiers with a toy before your toddler wakes up! The pacifier fairy is actually not a real fairy. Also, make sure you don't put the old pacifiers somewhere where your toddler will find them!)

Congratulations! I hope you find that it was actually easier then you expected it to be. One final piece of advice is that it is really important for you to exhibit CONFIDENCE that your toddler will be okay without his/her pacifier. If you don't believe it yourself he/she will pick up on your anxiety and it will make it much harder for both of you. by Adrienne Shulman from TinyPlayground.com - Help for New Moms Everywhere. TinyPlayground.com is dedicated to providing help for new moms everywhere with practical advice on various topics from surviving pregnancy through the first 24 months with your new baby. Original article here. Reprinted with permission.

Long Winded Lecture or Short Questions: Which Works?

by Sharon Silver (reprinted with permission) Have you ever given a long-winded lecture after a timeout? Does it sound something like this, "We have rules for a reason. When I make a rule you're supposed to follow it-not ignore it, do you understand me? When I tell you not to take your sisters things I mean it! How would you feel if she took your favorite things?" We've all done it. I was always afraid that if I didn't have a long-winded lecture to make my point my children would never figure things out for themselves. That's just not true. Did you know that to a young child a long-winded lecture feels just like another timeout? Lectures can cause a child to say things like "I never do it again, promise!" in order to make the lecture stop. · Children do try to absorb what you're saying but "big talks" can be too much information all at once. Some children may begin to shut down or withdraw instead of listening to you when you lecture. Watch your child's body language. If his body stiffens, he rubs his eyes, hands or legs, or tries to give you a hug as you're lecturing, he's trying to tell you that he's reached his limit and needs the lecturing to stop. He's trying to tell you, in the best way he can, that he can't absorb your feelings and his feelings about what he did and the consequence all at once, it's just too much for him. · Wait a minute-I thought explaining something to my child was what I'm supposed to do? How she'll really learn what you want her to learn is to ask her what her thoughts are about what happened and then wait silently as she musters up the courage to talk to you about it. · How can I get her to share her thoughts? The words Safe, Kind and Honest have been used for a long time and have become popular again. At a time when your child isn't crying or in trouble explain the concept behind the words using examples to make sure she understands. Let her know these are the new rules in the family. After she understands all of that, use the words as part of a question instead of lecturing. Don't assume that because she's fully verbal she understands the concept behind the words and how her actions impact others. Ask her if what she did was safe? Allow her to think about it for 10-20 seconds without saying anything. Then ask if what she did was kind, and again wait silently. If needed ask her if she's being honest about what happened, and wait. The words safe, kind and honest serve as a reminder of what the family rulesare without you needing to lecture to get the point across. When the words/rules are used in question form they cause her to really think about them over and over again, which is also the best way for her to remember them too. Asking questions really can replace lecturing and timeout because they cause more learning to occur then just sitting in timeout. · Silence is golden for a reason and there's a warning. When you ask a question and then become silent for 10-20 seconds it does many things. The 1st thing it does is allow your child to think about what happened and how it impacted another. Her answer allows you to see how she views the situation so you can fill in any missing information. Silence after each question allows you to take a deep breath, release your anger and regain your calm. Warning: Use silence for just a few seconds; if she doesn't answer your question, help her out. Children don't like this because it makes them take responsibility for their actions. This only works if you're loving and empathetic while asking the questions. Slowly ask the questions to guide your child to his/her own aha moment versus feeding them all the answers thru your long-winded lectures. So next time, instead of giving long-winded lectures, try using the words Safe, Kind and Honest and then beSilent. It teaches your child more than you think. Sharon Silver is the founder of ProActive Parenting www.proactiveparenting.net, a site helping parents Stop Reacting & Start Responding. She hosts Ask Me @momtv.com and Getting to the Heart of the Matter @toginet.com. Join her on twitter @proactvparentng.

A Must Read for National Autism Month

THREE LITTLE WORDS By Ellen Notbohm (reprinted with permission)

Valentine’s Day comes and goes each year, and making twenty-something times I will not have received a Valentine from my husband. He has a long-standing allergy to what he calls “commercially mandated” holidays, declaring that he doesn’t “need Hallmark to tell me how and when to love my wife.” And I really don’t care because 365 days a year, he shows his love in dozens of ways. It isn’t that I don’t care about hearing those “three little words.” Who doesn’t? My son Bryce has autism, and when he was young and only minimally verbal, I had my blue moments wondering if I might never hear “I love you” from him. But when the day finally did come – oh my! Those three little words were not whispered in my ear or crayoned on a card, but announced at a school assembly. The students were supposed to describe themselves as a dictionary entry with three definitions. The typical definitions were along the lines of soccer player, math whiz, love to draw, etc. Bryce’s definition of himself was “someone who loves my parents.” It was, of course, a moment that completely redefined the word “unforgettable.” When a child struggles with verbal language, social communication or emotional issues as many children do, it gives new meaning to old clichés like “actions speak louder than words” and “a picture is worth a thousand words.” We may shower our kids daily – hourly! – with the words “I love you,” but after all, the glory of love is its infinite abstraction. We can’t assume that children will ascribe the same meaning to the word as we do, no matter how often they hear it. The good thing about growing older is that your kids grow older too. One day they emerge from childhood and pre-adolescence (“pukey pubes” as one friend good-naturedly calls them) and, rather than telling you all that you do wrong, they begin to tell you everything that you did right. My son Connor is 21 now and Bryce is 17, and they tell me that although they certainly heard those three little words “I love you” from me on an ad nauseum basis, it was a number of other three-word phrases and the actions that accompanied them that really imprinted the I-love-you message on their hearts. “I’ll be there.” At the hoary age of 11, Connor got up at his grandfather’s funeral and told 200 people that his “Grandpa was all about devotion. He was at every baseball game, every birthday party.” He’ll be able to say the same thing about us when the time comes. To us it was the most natural thing in the world, not an imposition at all, that we would be at every ball game, every swim meet, every Halloween parade, every school performance, art show and parent conference. Also for every nasty doctor appointment, call from the principal, broken window and broken heart. I’m sure we put in thousands upon thousands of hours being there, but those years flew by and what we are left with now is kids who may not remember their bygone teammates or birthday presents or illnesses, but do remember that their parents were always, always there for them. “I was wrong.” So many people find it terribly difficult to say these three little words, and yet nothing is more loving than giving your children the gift of being content with their own humanity. By freely admitting when you are wrong, you are modeling strength, grace and humility. These are learned skills that we cannot assume will come naturally to our children. For some children, all errors come in only one size: colossal! By freely admitting when I was wrong (which was frequently), my children learned that, not only will the world not come to an end with such an admission, but that trying again and/or making amends can feel great. “I am sorry.” This cousin of “I was wrong” has been immortalized in music, film and print. Elton John got it right with his song “Sorry seems to be the hardest word...” and the movie Love Story got it wrong with its idiotic premise that “love means never having to say you’re sorry.” I recently read a magazine article entitled “50 Things You Need to Know by 50.” One of them was, how to say you’re sorry. OHMIGOSH!! This is something everyone would know how to do by age 5, not 50. This skill most certainly will not drop out of the sky for your child. Teach him through your own actions and words that love means learning to say you are sorry when you have honestly wronged someone, intentionally or not. “Let’s read together.” We all parent from our own experience, whether we (for better or worse) emulate our own parents or consciously choose a different way. My parents read to me every night and so I did the same with my kids; it was like breathing to me. In my naivety, I assumed all parents read to their kids every night and, in my naivety, was mightily stunned to find it was not so. But it’s one thing my kids refer back to almost daily, endlessly quoting favorite lines from the books we read all those years. And how fondly they remember that good-nights were always said at bedside -- never, ever called up the stairs from the phone or the TV room. “I’m Connor’s mom.” Connor swam varsity at Wilson High School for four years. Each year the kids and parents ordered team sweatshirts with customized printing on the back. Most chose clever nicknames, but I chose the three little words, I’M CONNOR’S MOM. I could never have imagined the response this would bring. People would (and still do) walk up to me and say, “Hi! And how is Connor these days?” It took me a while to figure out that these were strangers; they didn’t know Connor or me. But they all told me they adored the walking “I love you” billboard that was my sweatshirt. Even now, my son warns people not to mess with me because “she’s Connor’s mom!” “Just be yourself.” My sons have both told me that these three little words were the most important ones of all. As children grow older, they mingle with more and different kinds of families, and they begin to be able to place themselves in the context of the larger world. My kids heard “just be yourself” enough to ultimately learn that whatever their doubts about themselves and their various limitations, they have the power to decide whether to be their own best friend or their own worst enemy. That’s a power no super-hero can touch. Three little words. We say them, we hear them, we live them, we re-live them. Writing this column has been a joy for me, recalling a lifetime of love expressed so many three-little-word ways. But I saved the best for last, the three little words I whispered – and still whisper -- in my boys’ little ears at the end of each and every day. I’m so lucky. *** Origninally published in Autism Asperger's Digest magazine, March-April 2008, www.autismdigest.com. Reprinted with permission. © 2008 Ellen Notbohm Three-time ForeWord Book of the Year finalist Ellen Notbohm is author of the best-selling Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew and three other award-winning books on autism. To contact Ellen or explore her work, please visit www.ellennotbohm.com .

Sunny Patch for Your Spring Garden & How to Plant One!

How to Make a Children's Garden Gardening with Mom or Dad is a long-term project that reaps great rewards. Nurturing plants and sharing the "fruits" of your labor are great confidence builders for little ones! To make sure this first foray into gardening is successful for your child, try the following steps: 1. Choose plants that mature quickly. As you know, children have short attention spans. You'll keep them the most interested when they see results quickly! Large seeds, such as beans, cucumbers, pumpkins and zucchini are easiest to plant and sprout quickly. Radishes are the quickest to grow, but the seeds are small. Cherry tomatoes are a good choice too because they produce loads of bite-size treats that children can pick and eat straight from their garden. 2. Give your child a separate plot that is all his own. A 3 foot by 3 foot plot should be fine for a preschool child. Having his own garden will give him ownership now, and pride later! 3. Decide on the layout of your plants. Try using a wagon-wheel design to make it easy to water and pick the plants later. Otherwise, remember to leave a walking path. 4. Prepare the soil by turning it over using shovels. Then use a gardening rake to pick out any large stones or roots that should be removed. 5. Plant the seeds. 6. Water the new seedlings according to the seed instructions. 7. Check the garden every day and celebrate every new growth. 8. Enjoy the bounty of your hard work! Don't forget fun projects along the way such as making stepping stones, a garden sign, and plant markers! Sunny Patch is an imaginative world filled with whimsical, adorable characters boys and girls will love. With their Sunny Patch friends to help guide them, children are inspired to learn about and appreciate all living things. Melissa & Doug's Sunny Patch brand has been thoughtfully designed to encourage kids and families to find new and enjoyable ways of exploring their world together, while bringing a spirit of playfulness to everyday activities. Young gardeners will be delighted with real tools they can use! Child-sized and made to last, these tools and accessories feature durable construction and bright, Sunny Patch colors.

Preemie Parent Power

If you have experienced a premature birth and have had a child in NICU please read on. I recently contacted Deb Discenza, co-author of "The Preemie Parent's Survival Guide to the NICU, How to Maintain Your Sanity & Create a New Normal." I could have used this book 2.5 years ago when my twins were born at 32 weeks gestation. I am forever grateful to the March of Dimes and the staff at my hospital for supporting my husband and me during the time my little babies were in NICU. It was by far the scariest time of my life. Deb and Nicole wrote this book to help other parents. If you don't have a medical background (and maybe even if you do) it's difficult to listen to and understand what the NICU doctors and nurses are telling you. You are overwhelmed with emotion and are just plain scared. "The Preemie Parent's Survival Guide to the NICU" will help you understand and navigate the NICU and make it easier for you to do what's best for your child. Here is a beautiful excerpt from "The Preemie Parent's Survival Guide to the NICU" by Nicole Conn and Deb Discenza that I found very touching:

• As you leave the NICU with your baby, realize that you are a changed person.
• You live life one day at a time because you understand that life can change in an instant.
• You understand that life is truly fragile because you have watched your baby struggle day in and day out.
• You are resilient because you know that to be your baby’s parent you have to bounce back from the trauma and focus on the moment and the joys within.
• You are strong in mind because you have handled a stressful situation and knew what to ask and how to help your baby.
• You are strong in body because you know that you have to take care of yourself to be the best parent you can be.
• You know the true meaning of joy because you have held your baby in your arms after wondering if that would ever be possible.
• You are an advocate for your baby and have talked with doctors and specialists with knowledge about your Preemie that no other parent can truly conceptualize.
• You are an advocate for yourself, making sure that you are clear with others in terms of what you want that is best for you and your family.
• You have the power to vocalize your requirements in terms of how your baby is handled in the real world.
• You stare down adversaries who refuse to wash hands at visits and believe that to be okay.
• You are capable of organizing more than you ever thought possible—daily routines, medical and therapeutic appointments, insurance matters—all while the rest of life continues at its feisty pace.
• You no longer let the small things bother you. You know what is and what is not worth worrying over.
• You understand that what you have been through has changed your life forever and that not everyone else will understand that.
• You have a new passion and a new reverence for all that life has to offer.
• You leap over all problems in an effortless bound—you truly are a supermom!
• You believe in gratitude and no longer take ANYTHING for granted.
• You believe in miracles. Your baby is one. And you helped make that happen.

To purchase this book or find out more Visit Preemie World!

Toys for Children with Autism: Teaching Pretend Play

Toys for Child with Autism Pretend play is an advanced form of play that develops at about 18 months of age in typical children. This kind of play is crucially important for children because it helps develop imagination, creativity, language, and social skills. However, many children with autism do not play with toys the way that typically developing children do and do not engage in pretend play at all. A child with autism may only line up his toys, or carry them around. Pretend play will not develop on its own in most children with autism. But, with your help pretend play can be taught and enjoyed by your child. Five steps to teaching your child with autism how to engage in pretend play:

1. Introduce a new pretend play toy (people figure, doll, train, puppet, car, etc).
2. Let child become familiar with the toy in his own way.
3. Write a script for playing with the toy.
4. Read the script to your child AND demonstrate the script with the toy.
5. Allow your child to use the toy with his new understanding of its use :)

One way to introduce pretend play to your child with autism is to begin with individual play figures like little wooden people or animals. Many children with autism are naturally attracted to play figures so you can just follow your child's interest. Initially, your child may only carry the figure around with him and that is fine. Once your child is familiar with the figure you can introduce pretend play.

Many parents find it particularly effective to write a script for their child. Create a story on paper with pictures for the figure where the figure is sleeping in his bed, then wakes up. Read this "story" to your child and then move on to playing with the figure as shown in the story you created.

Try setting up the figure and demonstrating the story to your child. For example, have the figure pretend to be sleeping, then wake up, then walk around, then jump and run. Maybe the figure is hungry and wants to eat. Pretend to feed him. You should do these things with the figure to demonstrate how to play with it. Make sure to narrate what the figure is doing during this process.

Now give your child the figure and you should see a change in his play behavior with the toy. Help him along and encourage his new skills. This activity should be repeated over time. Expand the play routine once your child has the hang of a simple concept such as sleep/wake take it a step further. Cover the toy with a blanket, sing a lullaby, or feed it breakfast when it wakes up.

Introducing puppets to your child with autism is also a great way to get him involved with pretend play. Choose a puppet that your child shows interest in whether it's a person or an animal.

Many children with autism are attracted to train toys and car toys. If that's something your child shows interest in, use train sets and cars to introduce pretend play. Your script will be entirely different but apply the same steps!

Toys for Children with Autism at GummyLump.com Pretend Play Toys at GummyLump.com Special Needs Toys, Articles & Resources

Fear and Halloween

3 yr old Robbie comes running into the kitchen announcing, “Mommy, I want to be a pirate for Halloween and Katie (his 2 yr old sister) wants to be a princess.” They’re so excited! The day arrives to go get costumes. Robbie begins telling Katie all about Halloween night, “We’ll go out after dinner and come back with lots of candy!” Then mom hears Robbie whisper to Katie, “Be good in the store or you’ll lose your costume, okay!” As soon as they see the Halloween isle they both freeze in their tracks. Mom hears Katie say, “Go home!” Robbie says nothing. They both run up to mom and squish their bodies into hers for safety; they’re really scared! Mom holds them both very close and whispers, “It’s okay, you’re safe, the costumes are pretend.” Slowly the jaws-of-life hold they have on mom is easing up… and then it happens. A stupid teenager in a gorilla mask walks up behind mom and growls at the children. They both dissolve into hysteria and tears so mom leaves immediately. As mom is telling dad the story she wonders, other than the stupid teenager what made the kids so afraid when they were so excited five minutes before? Fear can be tricky for parents. Some parents deal with fear by making light of it, and if that doesn’t work they wonder if this fear is something the child will always exhibit. Fear at Halloween tends to trigger development because preschoolers are learning about independence and power, let me explain. Development increases a child’s independence and power. The flip side of that independence and power is losing control. When a child looses control it scares him. Halloween triggers the fear of loosing control because that’s what most costumes represent to children, creatures that can’t be controlled. When they see these creatures running loose on Halloween it can trigger the same unconscious deep-seated fear he feels when he can’t control himself and that scares him, so he rejects Halloween costumes and fun. How can you help little ones get through Halloween?

• Don't belittle your child if she reacts when someone walks up to her in a mask, even if it's someone she knows. Remember to a child taking off a mask can seem like removing a face.
• Don’t spend too much money on costumes at this age because your child may announce at the last moment, “I don’t want to put it on” or “I don’t want to go out and trick or treat.”
• Try creating a different kind of Halloween during difficult developmental stages. If the kids are scared have a small party with friends and no costumes. Or have a pumpkin carving party with treats and hot chocolate.
• Don’t forget that just answering the door on Halloween means looking at scary things too!
• Be willing to come home after five minutes of trick or treating. Or be willing to carry your child so she’s close to you and up at eye level. That may help her feel less afraid.

Halloween can be great fun family—as long as you take your clues from your child. Sharon Silver is the founder and director of ProActive Parenting,

www.proactiveparenting.net a site offering downloadable seminars so parents can Stop Reacting & Start Responding when handling toddler & preschooler behavior. For tips: twitter @ proactvparentng & facebook @Sharon.ProActiveParenting.Tips

5 Ways to Help Your Child Expand His Vocabulary

by Linda Rocco, President GummyLump.com

We've all heard the saying that children are like blank slates. Their brains are like sponges just wanting to absorb as much information as possible. A great way to satisfy a child's thirst for information is to help them expand their vocabulary. Abby Cadabby on Sesame Street sings "Words Help Me Mean Just What I say". A child needs the command of language in order to communicate effectively. You can help your child with this. 5 Ways to Help Your Child Expand His Vocabulary: 1. Read! Read! Read to them! The #1 way to expand your child's vocabulary is by reading to him. Your child is never too young for you to read to him. As he gets older make going to the library a special event. It's a great adventure for rainy days too. 2. Watch Movies Together and Comment: When watching a child's movie together you can add commentary like "That shark has an enormous amount of teeth. E N O R M O U S means very very big!" or "That dinosaur is gigantic. G I G A N T I C means very very big!". 3. Expand on What Your Child Says: Small children will talk in phrases saying things like "Room Messy" or "Doll Fall Down." Expand on these statements by saying something like "Yes, your room needs to be straightened out. Then it won't be messy. It will be clean." This is fun for your child because you're making conversation with him but you're also introducing new words to him. In the previous example you're also including opposites: messy vs clean. 4. Use "Big" Words and Explain What They Mean: Don't think that children as young as 15 months can't handle big words. They LOVE big words. It's fun for them to try to repeat them. Make it even more fun by singing a really big word. Take the word "amazing". That's not considered a toddler word but toddlers can say it or even sing it. Remember to give them clues to what it means. For example, "Charlotte you are amazing. You are so wonderful. You are great. You are so smart. You're amazing." You can also sing a song you make up! 5. Make a Habit of Using Synonyms When Responding to Your Child: Children love conversing with us. When they are young it's often difficult for them to say what they mean and sometimes difficult for us to understand what they are trying to communicate. Make a habit of using synonyms (words that mean the same thing) when talking to your child. For example if your child says "I'm very hungry." you could respond with "You're hungry? You're starving? You're feeling ravenous? Are you famished? Good thing dinner is soon!" There are so many fun ways to help your child expand his vocabulary. As with all aspects of learning making it fun is the best approach! Try these ideas starting today and before you know it your child will be saying "wonderful", "fantastic", "beautiful" and "amazing." Brought to you by GummyLump.com.

3 Commonly Missed Safety Hazards in the Home

by Marjorie Wrenn, Safety Specialist for ChildProofAdvice.com If you're like most parents you think your home is safe for your child. However, unless you've done a thorough inspection, you're likely to find out that you are wrong. The tragic results of this faulty thinking can land your child in the emergency room or worse! 3 Commonly Missed Safety Hazards in the Home: 1. Do you know what the #1 Choking Hazard is for small children? It's the little rubber tip on the end of a door stop. Prevent this home accident by: Removing these rubber tipped door stops and immediately replace them with plastic one piece door stops. Those are easily found in hardware stores and do it yourself stores. 2. Did you know that a toddler can drown in only 1 inch of water? This is a fact and happens because toddlers are top heavy. They can fall head first into a bucket or a toilet and may not be able to get themselves out. A child's lungs can fill with water in as little as 3 seconds! Prevent this home accident by: NEVER keeping buckets around your yard or home that have ANY water in them. Always keep the bathroom door closed AND put a toilet lock on your toilet. Also, never leave your child alone near or in water. 3. Did you know that your hot water tap may be hot enough to give your child 3rd degree burns? The temperature of your hot water heater should not be over 120 degrees. At 140 degrees, three seconds will produce a third degree burn on your child. That's the most serious burn there is. Prevent this home accident by: Installing an anti-scald valve to reduce water flow if the temperature does go over 118 degrees. Some water heaters also have an adjustable thermostat that you can set to 120 degrees or less. These are just a few examples of home hazards that can put your children at risk for serious injury or worse. For additional information and to order your own do-it-yourself "Child Proofing Your Home" safety guide, see this website: childproofadvice.com. Brought to you by Child Proof Advice.

In Praise of Mud by Carol Kranowitz

Published in S.I. Focus magazine (Winter 2004), and adapted from a 1990 article originally published in Carol Kranowitz's column, "Gentle Reminders," in Parent and Child magazine. Reprinted with permission.
A child comes to school on a soggy day. Tentatively approaching a puddle, she sticks in one spotless boot, watching with interest as her foot sinks into the mud. She puts in the other boot. She is entranced. Looking up, she says to her teacher, "Is this mud? It's fun! Is it okay?"

A child comes to school in his caregiver's immaculate car. Tearfully, he announces, "My babysitter said not to get dirty." He cannot be persuaded to paint at the easel, jump in the mulch, or wriggle on the floor like a caterpillar, although he itches to get into the play.


A child comes to school on a wintry Monday. He says, "Daddy and I watched football all weekend. We're couch potatoes!" Good news: Big Potato and Potato Chip spent time together. Bad news: they limited their sensory stimulation to watching television. They missed the chance at half time to engage in active, physical contact with each other, a leathery football, scrubby turf, and frosty air.


What's wrong here? Have our children lost the freedom to get down and get dirty? Growing up to be tidy is commendable, but many children seem to be maturing without a strong sensitivity to touch.


The touch (or tactile) sense is essential to children's development. Like vision and hearing, touch opens the main avenues of learning. Much of our knowledge about the importance of touch comes from the field of sensory integration (or sensory processing), pioneered by A. Jean Ayres, PhD, OTR. Her research revealed that the ability to interpret tactile information not only promotes optimum development of the young child's nervous system, but also helps the child learn about his world.


Learning about the environment is a child's primary occupation. His brain needs to process and organize all kinds of sensory information, just as his body needs all kinds of food to function best. His tactile sense provides information about texture, shape, density, pressure, temperature, and other attributes of the world.


Nature's plan is simple: let the senses, working in sync, do the teaching. For children whose sensory processing develops typically, learning through messy play is pleasant and interesting. They know how to get the just-right amount to satisfy their neurological system. Some children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), however, may seem never to get enough tactile experiences; they crave more, more, more. Others may have tactile overresponsivity (or defensiveness), causing them to avoid touching and being touched. Whether seekers or avoiders, kids with SPD need tactile activities just as much as typical kids do.

When we encourage tactile experiences, we do more than provide vital nourishment for children's maturing brains. We do more than offer the unadulterated fun of molding mud pies. We also open the way that may become their preferred route to learning. Just as the photographer Ansel Adams took the visual route, the composer Mozart the aural, and the sculptor Rodin the tactile, so each of us chooses one favorite mode.


What if Rodin's babysitter didn't let him get his hands dirty because he'd soil the upholstery? What if Julia Child's mother kept her out of the kitchen because she'd spill flour? Or Jacques Cousteau's father told him to read instead of lingering in the bathtub? Or the pope advised Gregor Mendel to pray more and spend less time messing with sweet peas? How deprived we all would be!


Rather than deprive our children, let's broaden their sensory input with activities that are S.A.F.E. (Sensory-motor, Appropriate, Fun and Easy). Let's provide tactile sensations of dough, water, clay, glue, rock, mud, sap, earth, paint, feathers and fur. Children thrive when their bodies ingest and digest all kinds of sensory stimuli. They may develop to their greatest potential if they have opportunities to feel rain on their faces, leaves in their hair, goo on their fingers, and mud between their toes.


SOME S.A.F.E. TACTILE EXPERIENCES FOR PRESCHOOLERS

� Finger-painting on a tray with chocolate pudding. This open-ended, hands-on activity feels as good as it tastes. Next time, offer shaving cream and enjoy the smell and easy clean-up.

� Digging for worms. Handling worms is about as tactile as you can get.

� Going barefoot, lakeside. The differences between firm and squishy, warm and cold, dry and wet are worth investigating.

� Forming rice balls or meatballs.

� Kneading playdough or real dough. Make shapes, people, pretzels, or blobs.

� Ripping paper. Strips of newspaper are useful to line the hamster cage. Strips of construction paper or tissue paper make beautiful collages. Remember that the process, not the product, is the goal.

� Discovering treasures in a Feely Box. (Cut a hand-sized hole in a shoebox lid. Fill the box with lentils, cotton balls, packing peanuts, or sand. Add buttons, shells, uncooked macaroni, or small toys.) The idea is to thrust a hand through the hole and let the fingers do the seeing. No peeking!

� Collecting seeds, pebbles, or shells in an egg carton. Loading up the receptacles and dumping them out is great fun for a very young child. The ability to sort and classify the items comes later.

� Petting the pet. Drying a wet dog, stroking a kitten, providing a finger perch for a parakeet, or hugging a baby are tactile experiences that make a child feel good, inside and out.


Read More About Carol Kranowitz and her world famous book "The Out-of-Sync-Child" Here.