Ilana, School Specialty PT's Blog (45)

I love an outing! I am a big fan of exploring the great outdoors with ALL kids.

Being outside includes physical, sensory and emotional benefits. My family and I like to find state parks and we try to hit a different one each time we head out.

Two great websites for finding accessible hikes near your own home are…

Outings are a wonderful part of summer, and exploring the great outdoors is fun for ALL kids. Being outside includes physical, sensory and emotional benefits. State parks are full of hiking trails and make wonderful destinations. However, hiking can be limiting for those with physical challenges. One great…

As a child and even young adult I always felt "off kilter" when I was going through a transition. This feeling of uneasiness would come over me and put me into a slight depression. I never liked Sunday evenings as I knew that the weekday and schoolday were soon approaching and changing gears was difficult…

The Abiliations PeaPod is really a hit! Look how it helped one boy to be able to "attend" at school. See how schools are using alternative seating solutions with our hard work and creativity:…

Teaching a child to sit can have as much impact on their physical health, self esteem and processing as does teaching them to talk or walk. The way a child learns to sit can have long-term effects all the way into adulthood. There is clear evidence that chronic back pain can be a result of poor sitting habits…

I recently ran across a special needs facility in Israel, Aleh,  where children with special needs are not only cared for but where they can grow up and live as adults. This is really an amazing facility that is showing the world how to care for those less fortunate than ourselves. Watch and enjoy!

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Looking for a camp for a child with Aspergers or Autism?

Well, you probably don't have to look very far. Your first stop might be your very own local community center or county…

  They offer integrated advanced clinical, behavioral, educational and family support services through one…

It seems like every other child I meet these days is on the spectrum. But what I also am seeing more often these days are kids who are not just surviving but thriving. Here's a…

What I loved about this book was the ability of the author to take you inside the head of Jacob, the young man…

Today my boys needed to give a speech to their 2nd grade class on the president of their choice. They needed to dress up as the president (my boys would rather sit under a rock then dress up and have everyone staring at them) and then give their speech. They were to be graded on content, eye contact (not going to…

This week my children are taking the IOWA tests. They are both 8 years old. This is a good year as last year they had to take 3 sets of tests.

I hope they feel like filling in all those little bubbles at the exact time on the exact day when they are asked. I hope they are not thinking about how Harry Potter…

I'm at the grocery store chatting with the nice checkout lady. She informs me that her 19-year-old has left home to live on her own. She then tells me that her daughter will have to learn the "hard way." She explains that this particular child never learned anything from simply being told.

I can relate to that.…

I'm a mother of four, plus a small dog. The dog goes to sleep when the sun goes down. No problem there. I have noticed over the years that each of us needs more or less sleep than the others.…

Valentines Day is just around the corner and it seems like a little boy named Matty has a bit of a lesson to teach us all. Here at School Specialty we were fortunate enough to meet Sarah Grace, Matty's not-so-ordinary 4 year old sister. Here's to every parent, teacher, relative, friend and child with special needs. May you all find a brother like Matty who thinks you're amazing. Happy Valentines Day from all of us at School…

I attended camp every summer from the time I was 5 until I was 15. I then started working at camp. Camp was something I looked forward to each summer. The overnight camp I attended, Camp Barney Medintz, instilled in me a sense of belonging, independence, achievement, freedom and well, just plain happiness. Iearned how…

I can't think of a better "bad behavior basher", than a swing. I happen to have a swing in my kitchen. That's right. No my kitchen is not state-of-the-art, modern or over-sized. It is a 1970's…

Having a moral code goes so far back, it's hard to date. I suspect that even before, “Honor Your Mother and Father,” came along, manners were expected. However, manners are not innate. Children aren't born knowing how to behave. Social norms have to be taught. The old saying, “Do as I say and not as I…