No Is Not A Dirty Word
Don’t be afraid of the word “no.” Use it as a clear, loving boundary to keep your students safe and help them grow into resilient, emotionally intelligent little people.
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Special Occasion Toys
If a child sees the same toy every single day, their brain eventually tunes it out and stops paying attention to it. However, research shows that if you “rest” a toy by hiding it for a while, the child will be super excited to see it again when you finally bring it back.
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DIY Bag of Tricks for Sensory Input
Car rides were a particular struggle. Over time, we found that giving his hands a “something to do” made these moments of stillness much easier. We developed what we called our “Bag of Tricks”—an old cosmetic zipper pouch filled with a rotating selection of toys to keep him engaged.
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Sensory Strategy: Pulling A Heavy Wagon
By the third or fourth trip, he was no longer waiting for us to ask. He was seeking out the wagon on his own. Pulling that massive weight seemed to wear out the “chaos” in his system, leaving him noticeably more calm and agreeable afterward.
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Sensory Strategy: Climbing Up The Slide
If you know a child who is a “sensory seeker” and needs intense input to feel regulated, climbing the slide can be a powerful tool for their development, provided it does not interfere with the safety or play of others.
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Sensory Strategies: Spinning Chair
If you work with children who seem to be constantly seeking movement, you don’t always need specialized therapy equipment. You can include vestibular input in daily play using what you have:
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Sensory Strategy: The Calm Down Cocoon
Combining this pressure with an enclosed space adds another layer of benefit. For children who struggle with body awareness or proprioception—the sense of where their body is in space—a small, contained area like a laundry basket or a box provides clear physical boundaries. This “mini-sensory room” helps the brain process where the body ends and…
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Three Principles to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
When we sit on a living room floor and coach a parent on how to engage in “serve and return” play, we are supporting responsive relationships. When we help a family establish routines or break down big developmental goals into small, manageable steps, we are strengthening core skills. And perhaps most importantly, by being…
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The Sit and Watch Procedure for Behavior Management
I’ve been fortunate enough to attend several conferences where Dr. Robin McWilliam shared his insights on early intervention and child development. At one session, he discussed a technique called the “Sit and Watch” procedure, designed for preschool settings. The concept immediately resonated with me. For years, I mentioned this strategy to parents and teachers, but…
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Simple Tools in Early Intervention: Linking Rings
Linking rings really are the unsung heroes of on-the-go parenting, serving double duty as a useful parenting tool and as a open-ended toy for early intervention.
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Transform Everyday Moments into Cumulative Storytelling
As an early childhood educator, I have always loved the sweet rhythm and pace of Audrey Wood’s The Napping House. This story is based on a true Saturday morning at our home. While it started with everyone cozy and dreaming, a single wagging tail set off a chain reaction that brought our “sleeping house” to…
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Family Playtime
Building a strong, loving family bond doesn’t require elaborate vacations; it starts with simple, positive activities and intentional time spent together. Whether you are looking to boost your child’s development or simply reduce household stress, establishing a regular family game night or dinner tradition can make an almost instant difference.
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Behavior Charts: Pros and Cons
When I was in school, the system for managing behavior was simple, if harsh: write your name on the chalkboard, and check marks and a possible paddling would follow. Later, when I became a mother, my child’s kindergarten classroom (as well as everyone else’s) employed a color-coded traffic light chart. Everyone seemed to love this…
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Down Syndrome Resources
My intent is to add more as I go. Do you have any other resources for Down Syndrome you’d like me to add? Are you blogging about your child with Down Syndrome? Let me know in the comments.
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Strategy for Challenging Behavior— Baby Proofing
If you are a working with young children with difficult behaviors, right away my piece of advice is simple: stop wasting your energy disciplining minor issues like “stay out of the fridge,” “don’t touch the garbage,” or “get down from there.”
That energy is better spent meeting the developmental needs and teaching appropriate behavior. In…
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Songs with a Purpose: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
When I need a high-motivation, movement-based activity for teaching the ability to follow simple one step verbal instructions, I turn to an old classic: “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn Around!” When I start singing the song, the children know exactly what to do. It’s a joyful, musical cue that instantly gets them moving.
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Managing Germs in a Houseful of Children: Lessons Learned
This experience forced a complete reassessment of our health protocols to move from general hygiene to strategic infection control. “Germs” is a non-medical term for microscopic organisms—bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa—that cause disease. Children under seven are particularly vulnerable because they have immature immune systems and a natural tendency to put their hands and toys…
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Walking on Eggshells: Parenting an Explosive Child
It is important to clarify that a child with violent behavior due to neurological or sensory disorders is not intentionally abusing their parent. However, the emotional and psychological impact on the caregiver is strikingly similar to that of victims of intimate partner violence.
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Throw This, Not That
Some children just love to throw stuff, and it’s a powerful developmental drive. We don’t want to hurt people or break stuff, but constantly fighting a toddler with that impulse often leads to frustration for both the adult and the child. Our immediate, instinct is to say, “Stop throwing stuff!” But what if we paused…
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DIY Light Box for Early Intervention
A DIY Light Table for Sensory Seekers I know what it feels like to be out of ideas. When our foster son entered our lives, he was a vibrant, intense sensory seeker. He needed high-octane input, often chewing on non-food items, bumping, crashing, and constantly moving. He struggled to settle and focus on quiet activities.…
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