If you're at our office in Virginia Beach over the next few weeks, you'll see this fun fall craft project sitting by our front office window. Crafts for fall are always on my list of things to do this time of year.
I got the idea of covering a white pumpkin in melted crayons from a tutorial at The Swell Life blog. It's sure to be a hit at our office, one word of warning: it is a bit messy. So be prepared if you try it out. CONTINUE READING We just put up a new pinboard on Pinterest for things to do in Virginia Beach with kids on the Spectrum. We have several locals contributing ideas for activities, resources, and anything else that would be helpful to the autism community. There are lots of great things to do in Virginia Beach. We wanted to have a central location for all these ideas. If you'd like to pin to this board, let us know in the comments. Here are a few of the ideas we featured for Autism Virginia Beach on Pinterest... CONTINUE READING 5. That's not my puppy... by Fiona Watts & Rachael Wells This sensory-friendly book is part of the Usborne touchy-feely "That's not my..." series. Toddlers, infants, and kiddos on the spectrum will all enjoy the sensory experience of this book. It's also a great way to introduce the concepts of distinguishing things within a category, such as different parts of a thing and different types of the same thing. CONTINUE READING There is a lot of research that indicates meditation can be very helpful for self-regulation, calming the brain and mind, increasing the ability focus, among a myriad of other benefits. But how many parents out there can imagine teaching a (neurotypical) child to meditate? How about a child with ADHD, Autism, or Asperger's? CONTINUE READING by Nikki Schwartz Neurofeedback can be very helpful for a variety of of people. If you get a chance, check out What is Neurofeedback? Neurofeedback or neurotherapy works by helping the client to self-regulate. So that they are able to wake-up easier, go to sleep easier, focus better, and manage their emotional state more easily. CONTINUE READING Has your toddler or older child ever clicked themselves out of the app they were playing? Or worse, clicked out and started an app you didn't want them to play with? Our favorite new function in iOS 6 is the ability to shut off that home button and shut off certain parts of the screen. This helps our clients and our own kids stay more focused, as well as lowering the child's frustration when they accidentally close an app. CONTINUE READING
This afternoon I had a chat with Caitlin Hylinski, the Event Coordinator at Cinema Cafe Kemps River in Virginia Beach, about the idea of starting a monthly sensory-friendly showing. She told me they had thought about it, but was not sure there was enough interest. I told her I thought there probably was, considering that nearly every seat is sold out at the other sensory friendly showing in town each month.
Usually a sensory friendly movie showing will involve skipping the movie previews, leaving the lights on, and turning the sound down quite a bit. Families who attend know what the deal is and are comfortable with behaviors of individuals with autism. What Cinema Cafe needs to hear now is how excited the Virginia Beach Autism community is about the idea of a second monthly sensory friendly movie showing. Let us know in the comments if you'd be interested. Comment on the Cinema Cafe Facebook Page. Email or call Cinema Cafe at [email protected] or 757.747.1396. Would you be more likely to attend a showing at Kemps River, Pembroke or Greenbrier?
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Nikki Schwartz,
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