New great iPad apps

I have found some great new apps for the iPad great educational apps for kids with Autism or not.

ABC house






What is nice about this app is that is not the regular boring pictures for ABC it opens a full board with the alphabet and each letter has many videos  that letter or sometimes some kind of interaction life F has Fireplace and you have to light up the fireplace. Sometimes it has video like the refrigerator has pictures and   has a video showing a refrigerator. So it makes really a surprise to each letter and the child doesn't know what to expect and makes it fun. For S has a video with a song for washing our hands with soap and also the kid can swipe the sofa to show a dog on the sofa. Really fun.


Another great and Free one is





It has the Mickey Mouse clubshouse song and Mickey interact with the user you have to answer it has a mic that waits for your answer than after the songs and after the intro many activities and each activity starts with nice songs or interactions for the inpatients  like my son the introductions can be long but  for free just the fact that he gets so happy with the songs is enough but again it's free and it's worth the try.




And for the Thomas lovers Thomas activities is a favorite so far here, specially because my son loves puzzles, the app is free and comes with a free package of activities but than if you want more you have to buy other packages.
Every package comes with puzzles each have 2 levels and coloring sheets and matching games.
The puzzles have 2 levels easy and hard. And they show a video after completion which my son enjoys a lot. I just wish we could print the coloring sheets as well. But it's a great one for Thomas' lovers.

Podcast 2 Catalogs

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Today I'm talking about how we can help our kids and learn more about what toy is educational and good for our kids with Catalogs as a research tool.

Links:

Beyond Play

Pocket Full Of Therapy

Lakeshore

Learning Resources

Guide Craft

Beckers School Supplies

Abilitations & Integrations


Thanks
Jana

Trying to Find Exciting Toys Post EI era

Recently I'm changing all my son's toys and re thinking and re planning what will work for us in the post Early Intervention phase. I' ve been noticing that many toys we used are just not tolerable for him. At least to work with me he has been showing some resistance which I think it's normal, some things just reminds him of the "work" we used to do.

The relationship now has to change between me and him and toys and he and his father. We have to try to be more sneaky still teaching him but trying to find now things that goes with the flow and things
we can play together and we can teach him that it's fun to play but not forcing him to say words or that kind of pressure.

Autistic kids have a hard time enjoying toys, that's a fact. I've heard parents that said well my kid never liked toys so he had a computer since young and things like that. Well yes these gadgets are more interesting for them but will I give up on him learning how to play with toys: NO.
I think this is some us as parents of Autistic children have to continue to try, even though the hunt is so hard, money spent many times in things we think they will enjoy and they don't like it at all, but it's part of the process.

But why we should keep trying?!

• Because is a form of engagement and socialization with them. 
• It teaches them to socialize and rules of social interactions.
• It teaches taking turns
• It teaches  Speech
• Overall shows them to have fun !! Toys are fun!!

Anyway, then it came the Hex bugs I came across them searching on Amazon. And got this:

This is the travel set which is supper convenient because it folds and I have even taken this to friends house. But it just comes with 1 bug and I got some more they are so inexpensive I buy on Amazon because Targets always  they are sold out.

The nice thing also you can attach other hex bugs hives in this one. Like this is on my wish list:




He loves spirals and to see this bugs go around will be very fun .
At first I thought he was going to be scared but now he actually likes to grab and put them in certain places and going down the little slide. What are things they can help?

• Eye coordination
• Sensory issues because the bugs vibrate
• Speech: bugs, go, your turn, my turn, say the colors of the bugs  yellow bug, black bug, go down, turning, go fast, go up and so on.
• Fine motor skills

Another one that seems fun is this one:

Does he play for a long time? Of course not but the point is no matter how long he plays he is engaged.

Jana