Patterns and textured games for feet!

Try using things around the house to make patterns, like colored cups, nuts and bolts, fruit loop cereal, or small toys! Scour the clearance section of craft stores for things like these textured foam pieces. We used magnet strips to turn it into a matching sensory game for the young students' feet on the side of a filing cabinet!

kids in america

I found this funny, yet true

Easter egg spinner

Try a spinner for dying eggs!  It's much neater, and the eggs come out looking pretty cool!

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Carseat Harness Option

Well, here's our final choice... the EZ On harness.  No car or booster seat necessary!  Kids cannot fall out, tip over, or release themselves as it zips in the back and is connected to the LATCH system in your 1999 or newer car.  The company makes a bolt in the back or floor option for vans and cars made before 1999.  Easy to order an additional tether for your second car or Grammy's car and definitely portable for travel!

EZ On Adjustable Travel Vest

Car booster seats with five point harnesses

I've been researching this topic with a parent for a few days, here's where we started:

• Her son needs the support of a five point harness to prevent him from sliding out of the seatbelt in his standard belt-positioning booster with a back.
• Almost all of the harness/belt booster combos on the market today end the weight limit for the harness at 40-50 pounds.  This little guy is already over that.

Guess what, Britax makes 3 harness/belt booster options that accommodate the use of the harness up to 90 pounds!  Hoping by the time he reaches this limit, the need will not be there, if so then investigation into options for larger children will be explored.  Use this link to compare the models:

Britax booster seats to compare

Happy carseat hunting! 

Autism Facts

Here are some facts about Autism as reported by Autism Speaks (please check their website for more information or to donate to Autism research):

• Autism now affects 1 in 68 children and 1 in 42 boys
• Autism prevalence figures are growing
• Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.
• Autism costs a family $60,000 a year on average
• Boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to have autism
• There is no medical detection or cure for autism

Autism Awareness Day

Today is Autism awareness day and we wanted to post to bring attention to Autism Spectrum Disorders.  April is Autism Month so we will be posting information regarding Autism throughout the month.  According to the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 1 in 68 children have been identified as being on the Autism Spectrum.  These figures are up from years ago and seem to continue to rise..  More and more children are being identified as having some form of Autism.  Why?  Is this because of increased awareness of Autism, therefore allowing for increased identification of Autistic characteristics seen in children? Are parents, teachers and other care providers more aware of the behavior differences  and characteristics commonly seen in children having Autism?   Or, is Autism truly becoming more prevalent in today's society?  And, if so, why are we seeing more and more children on the Spectrum?  These are questions that are currently being debated regarding the rise in Autism. There are rational arguments for all these explanations and everyone seems to have their own opinions.  What are your opinions about this?