Easter Activities

Spring has sprung and it is time for another wonderful holiday, Happy Easter!

Check out some of these Easter activity ideas!

- Matching colors of eggs.

- Shake the egg and guess what is inside before opening to find out! I used bells, balls, pom poms, feathers, beans, and buttons. You can also ask, is this egg loud or quiet?

- Count how many are inside. How many buttons? What are their colors?

- Strengthen oral motor muscles by blowing pinwheels.

- I also brought a baby chick from Dollar Tree, the one that chirps when you hold it. We talked about taking care of animals and using gentle touches.

Have a very Happy Easter!

Katie Zink, ITFS/P

THE ANNUAL HUNT

Iza finds an egg.

It’s that time again. The Easter Bunny will descend upon lawns and backyards across the country, scattering colored eggs along his path. This holiday tradition can be a great opportunity to reinforce cognitive skills such as:

• Counting eggs

• Sorting eggs by size

• Sorting eggs by color

• Guessing the contents of each egg

The" more than/less than" concept will probably be introduced without prompting by the child. He or she will be astutely aware of which sibling has collected more eggs and he/she has collected less!

Katherine Generaux
Community Inclusion

Baby's First Steps!!

Did you know that today, March 21st, is World Down Syndrome Day? Partners In Learning joined thousands of people in wearing their jeans to spread awareness for the extra "genes" that our friends with Down Syndrome carry everyday.

Today allowed me to put myself in the shoes of parents whose children have special needs, whether Down Syndrome, Autism, or any number of special needs.

I can only imagine what it is like to work so hard encouraging your own child to meet a goal and for it to finally happen.

While I am not yet a parent myself, I live for the moments of "firsts" with the children I work with everyday. It is the most amazing feeling to see a child meet a milestone after weeks, months, or even years of work.

Check out this video that I recorded of a child I see weekly taking some of her first steps! I was beyond excited, and she was so proud of herself when she finally took off!!

Katie Zink
Infant-Toddler Family Specialist/P

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO NEVER BE INVITED?

What if your child was never invited to a classmate’s birthday party? And, what if your child wasn’t included in other events, such as soccer, art, theater or flag football? How would you, as a parent feel if your child was continually left out because of a developmental delay or disability? Children with special needs need these kinds of enriching activities as much as typically developing children.

Please join us next Tuesday at Partners In Learning at 6:00 for a panel discussion, presented by parents of children with special needs who will discuss opportunities they have discovered for their children to participate in extra-curriculum activities.

This event is free and includes dinner and childcare. Please RSVP at 704-638-9020 or email pilcdc@gmail.com.

Katherine Generaux, Community Inclusion

Celebrating EVERY LIFE!

I have often wondered how parents of children with special needs do it.  Have you ever wondered?  This video explains it and puts it all into perspective.  It's all in the eyes!!!  This video is for all of my friends and family that have walked the journey and continue to walk the journey of raising a child with special needs.  It's all worth while when it's your child!  

Blessings, Norma Honeycutt

Take Advantage of Consignment Sales!!

Whether you are in need of clothes, toys, or big ticket items, such as strollers or cribs, consignment sales are the place to go!

Just about all of my toys have been purchased at either a consignment store or sale and I have saved hundreds of dollars because of it.

A couple weekends ago was the Tarheel Kids Consignment Sale in Concord. I purchased a ton of toys (check out the picture below) for $66!!

Many of these sales are huge, as in 20,000 + square feet of kid-stuff. If you have never been to a consignment sale, you may want to start out small.

Milford Hills United Methodist Church, a smaller sale, is having their semi-annual sale this Friday 15th 8am-8pm and Saturday 16th, 8-12pm.

There are tons of other sales, check out ConsignmentMommies.com for local and regional sales. I plan on going to three this weekend from Charlotte to Mooresville!!

Katie Zink, ITFS/P

Tim's Place: Where breakfast, lunch and HUGS are served!

 The Sky's the limit and don't ever let anyone tell you anything different!  If you don't believe it, take a few minutes to watch this inspiring video clip! 

Why do people continue to stereotype and label people?

 We are all more alike than different.  

Norma Honeycutt, Executive Director

A SALUTE TO DR. SEUSS

Many classrooms across the county have been celebrating Dr. Seuss this week. Here of some popular Dr. Seuss quotes:

“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.”

“From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.”

“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”

“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way.”

“If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good. “

“I meant what I said, and I said what I meant; an elephant's faithful, one hundred percent.”

“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”

“And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed.”

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple. “

Thank you, Dr. Seuss, for enriching our lives; the stories you’ve told, for both young and the old!

Cat in the Hat participating in the Iditarod

Katherine Generaux, Big Dr. Seuss Fan

Benefits of Inclusive Education - Toddlers Peer Teachers

The benefits of inclusive education are numerous for both students with and without disabilities.

Benefits of Inclusion for Students With Disabilities

1. Friendships
2. Increased social initiations, relationships and networks
3. Peer role models for academic, social and behavior skills
4. Increased achievement of  IEP goals
5. Greater access to general curriculum
6. Enhanced skill acquisition and generalization
7. Increased inclusion in future environments
8. Greater opportunities for interactions
9. Higher expectations
10. Increased school staff collaboration
11. Increased parent participation
12. Families are more integrated into community

In  the photo to the left, one of the toddlers is teaching the child how to clap to If you are happy and you know it.  In the photo to the right, the child is doing it on his own.  Even one year old children can peer teach.

Benefits of Inclusion for Students Without Disabilities

1. Meaningful friendships
2. Increased appreciation and acceptance of individual differences
3. Increased understanding and acceptance of diversity
4. Respect for all people
5. Prepares all students for adult life in an inclusive society
6. Opportunities to master activities by practicing and teaching others
7. Greater academic outcomes
8. All students needs are better met, greater resources for everyone
             http://www.kidstogether.org/inclusion/benefitsofinclusion.htm
   
   
   Norma W. Honeycutt, Early Intervention Specialist