BOOM, POP, OOOH, AWWWW

Happy 4th of July to everyone! A fun time to celebrate with family and friends. The ever-so popular...and loud, tradition of fire works is approaching us fast. While fun, and exciting for us adults, that may not be the case for your little ones.  Listed below are some tips for making this year's 4th of July an absolute BLAST!

• "It's too LOUD"  Try ear plugs or noise reducing headphones to soften the blow.  With these noise eliminating options, the child is better able to enjoy the fireworks without the anxiety of when the next "boom" is going to be.
• If crowds and lots of commotion send your kid sky rocketing along with the fireworks, think about finding a grassy spot somewhere away from the action.  Busy environments with noise, movement, smells and sounds can cause kids to become over stimulated which could create a sense of panic or disorganization. They may have a harder time sitting still, unable to listen or follow directions, or become easily upset and emotional.
• If familiar with The Wilbarger Brushing Protocol (the brushing program), 30 minutes before you go to the show would be a good time to do a once over.  It will help with avoiding the over stimulation that can often times occur at these sort of events.
• Expect a wait.  While the sun is setting, the kids are getting antsy.  Plan to bring a backpack full of activities to occupy the kids while they wait.  Coloring books, cards, toys or a fun festive snack will help take the attention off the fireworks. If the kids are the sitting type, think of fun lawn games you can play. Tag, red light green light, I spy, or animal walks are all good options.
• Maybe next year.  A lot of times the fireworks are more important to the adult than they are to the child, especially if the child is sensitive to noise and crowds. You may have to consider your child's angst and sit this one out.  As much fun as they are, we know there will always be next year :)

Speech Sounds

Included below is a speech sound acquisition chart categorized by age. Children should typically be using the sounds listed in spontaneouse words by the beginning of the designated years. If the child is not yet producing a listed sound by the middle of the year of the age that is listed (based on the child's developmental age) a speech evaluation would be recommended to evaluate if your child may benefit from speech therapy services.

If you have any questions, please comment below or contact Children's Therapy Center!

Slow Down Sparklers

Slow Down Sparklers are a great tool to help your child to calm down, as well as use a timer for taking a break from an activity or timing how long your child should participate in a task.

These sparklers are simple to make from clear plastic water bottles, glitter, and glue! To make the sparklers, choose a color glitter that your child would like. You will need one bottle of glitter glue, a matching color container of fine glitter, clear tacky glue, water, clear plastic water bottle (Smart Water bottles work great), and super glue. Start by adding the glitter glue, glitter, water (about 3/4 full) and mixing this together thoroughly by shaking the bottle. At this point, you can start adding either more water and/or more clear tacky glue. The more glue you add the slower the glitter will settle. Allow frequent trials for letting the glitter to settle before fully filling the bottle to get a good idea for the amount of time it will take. It can be great for a one minute calm down break or also great to be used as a 10 minute timer for table activities. Once you are satisfied with the amount of time it takes for the glitter to settle in the bottle, super the glue the top onto the bottle and then it's safe for your child to use.

These sparklers are a great calming tool as children love to watch the glitter swirling around inside the bottle. Because of the sparkle and movement it helps them focus visually and can help them to stay seated for the amount of time it takes for the glitter to settle. The sparklers are also a great tool to let a child know how long he or she has left to complete an activity or when he or she will have to be done. By setting the sparkler somewhere they can see it, it allows them the independence to look toward the glitter as being halfway or fully settled to know how much time is left!

Let us know if you have any other great ideas for Slow Down Sparklers!

Mission Impossible

For those rainy days this summer, here is a great activity for you to try at home with your kids! It is easy to make, all you need is a hallway, tape and yarn or ribbon! Then just tape the yarn from one wall to the other in different heights and angles. Tell your kids they need to get through the "mission impossible maze" without touching the yarn! You can make this activity harder or easier by how close you put the yarn to other yarn pieces, how long you make the maze or how high or low to the ground you put the yarn. This activity will work on coodination through the kids having to organize their body movements so that they do not touch the yarn with their legs, arms or body. This activity will also work on their visual skills, because they need to be able to determine where they are able to move through the maze in order to not hit the yarn and it will also work on their bilateral integration because they need to be able to use both sides of their body in a coordinated manner during the activity. Here are some pictures of one of our therpists and a child completing the mission impossible maze!