Home Schooling Special Needs Children: A Few Resources We Use

Note:  This post does NOT contain affiliate links.  I'm just putting this post together in hopes of maybe helping someone out during this trying time and maybe point them in a direction they might not have thought of before. 

I have gotten e-mails this last week.  A lot of panicked e-mails, really (and BOY do I understand, trust me).  And I want to thank those who have reached out to me asking for my help.  I am honored and humbled that people would like to ask for my help with anything, let alone on matters of things like cooking with things you might have on hand and having to ration what they have and such.  And then there are the people who suddenly found themselves homeschooling overnight and I have gotten e-mails from people who have found themselves homeschooling their special needs kids and trying to figure out anything to help their kids not lose skills and hopefully help them through this whole crazy time.

I will share my small list of things I'm doing to save money in hopefully the next couple of days, but in the meantime, I wanted to share a few resources and things I've found have really worked for me teaching a non-verbal autistic little man this last school year.

I pray that some of these things might help parents who are just looking for things to try.  I am going to try and keep the items free or at least the price as low as I can get to recommend as I know everyone is panicking with money right now. 

Keep the faith everyone and hang in there.  We are, literally, all in this together, and we will see this through to the other side. 

So, without further ado, here is a list of things that I have found useful and, in some cases, things that I plain can't live without around here!

First up are Apps on the I-Pad.  If you go to the search function and search for these they SHOULD pop up...I hope. 

Apps I Love (I-Pad)

1.  Injini

This was like 35.00 when I purchased it and I can't see what the price is now as it just shows up as purchased on my end, but it is a GREAT package of activities for autistic or special needs children.  There are cause and effect games (shave a sheep, hatch baby chicks, pop colored balloons that then name the color, etc), tracing activities (to practice lines, letters and the like), puzzle activities, matching...it is amazing how much you get with one program.

2.  Write My Name by NC Soft/Injini

I believe this program was free or darn close to it when I got it for the I-pad, but it has been a WONDERFUL resource for tracing words, letters and also name recognition as you can make name tags that your child than uses to trace the names of the people you put into the program.  For instance I have Alvah's name in there so he'll learn to recognize and write his own name, his sister's name (which he hates as it is so long *laugh*), mom and dad.  After we master those I'll move onto grandma and grandpa and cousins and such.  It is an INVALUABLE resource to me and I would not be without it!

3.  Cause and Effect Sensory Bundle/Sensory Light Box/Sensory Sound Box

Guys I can NOT stress how much these little programs have helped with sensory input for my young man and I have had Sensory Light Box for YEARS.  The programs are inexpensive and are worth their weight in gold.  They have different effects that the child can choose from to appear on the screen (which they can control the background of said main screen as well) and each one seems to hit a different sensory need with my little guy.  The sensory sound box, if played at high volume (of which the son only KNOWS high volume on the I-Pad it seems) can drive you a bit loony if you hate hearing things like sirens and things at high volume, but  if anything he loves the sound box more than the light show.

4.  Little Fox Nursery Rhymes

A fun little app that will help you to sing a few nursery rhymes to your kids while letting them manipulate a bunch of fun things on the screen while you do it.  It even has a fun little karaoke room that kids can visit and record their own music in.

5.  Make a Scene 

There are a TON of different types of scene apps you can buy depending on what your child likes.  I own the Under the Sea one as the son loved "Finding Nemo" and still seems to really enjoy the scene.  I also have a Make a Scene farmyard app and the son really likes it.  What I like about them is that the app names the animals and things as the child adds them to the scene so you get a LOT of practice with word association as they play with the app.

6.  First Words Sampler (FW Sampler)

This is a great program to start kids with letter tiles.  It names the letter as you work with said letters to build a word and then repeats the word, complete with a short animation, when the child finishes the words.  My son still loves to play with these games and he started with them a LONG time ago :).

For Kindle:

1.  You can get these on I-Pad as well but the Toca Town series (there are other apps other than Toca Town, but if you type that in it'll pull them up) is really great for kids to basically play pretend in a technology based environment which my son seems more comfortable with. 

2.  Kidlo Beginning Math

I have the "limited" version of the program as it's one of those apps that charge a monthly fee and I do not have the money for that.  But, the addition and subtraction free games are more than enough to help Alvah practice math.  I especially love the Math Wheel game as it makes random math problems so it forces him to learn new math problems as we play it.

Written Materials:

1.  Books!  Lots and lots of books!

A lot of libraries have programs where they will mail you books right now if you take them out online, so there is that option if you have it in your area.  You could get Kindle versions of books if need be and search for free options to not worry about spending too much money.  But, seriously, reading to your child is such a huge benefit to them, and to you.  I know you have heard it all before, but really even if your child sits there and whines the entire time you read, they are getting something out of it.  I have read a ton of books to Alvah this year and he finally found a book he likes for me to read to him, "Clark the Shark" (a great one to read to a kid who tends to have quirks like shrieking at loud volumes, inadvertently wrecking things, eating off of other people's plates and things).  I think Alvah really relates to Clark in the book and it is the first book I've read him he's actively liking me to read.  So, don't give up if they keep acting like they hate what you are reading to them.  It might be a matter of finally finding the right fit :).

2.  Cut and Paste Workbooks

Right at the moment the son and I are working out of, "Cut and Paste Science" (no associate link or anything, I'm just sharing here) and I love working in this method of learning for a lot of different reasons.  One is because it helps Alvah keep the ability to use scissors, which is always a good thing.  Next we have started writing his name at the top of papers when we work with them so he gets name writing in with the lesson as well.  And lastly, and this is a big one, it is helping me to root out what kind of word recognition he actually possesses.  I cut the words out on the horizontal in strips and then I have him cut the vertical lines to cut out all of the words.  I then put them down on the table, read the sentences to him (right now we are doing the plant life cycle) and give him the answer and then ask him where that word is with all of the words cut out on the table.  And he is doing a LOT better than I thought he would, which is great because it is helping me to realize he's further along with reading than I originally thought he was :).

I actually have a math workbook and a few others on order with Amazon and am looking forward to getting them in.

If you don't want to invest in workbooks, there are resources you can use online to buy just a certain worksheet or  you could just try your hand at making your own in a free word processing program like Open Office.  Just a thought :).

3.  Jumbo Coloring Books

I love this Melissa and Doug Coloring Book.  It is huge, so it's easy for the son to work on with markers, the pages are thick so the markers don't bleed through and with it being vehicles the son doesn't mind coloring in the pages.  Get this and a package of markers and you are good to go with some fine motor skills!

4.  United States Coloring Book --  Dover Publishing  We are studying United States geography right now and this coloring book is great for that.  I am throwing the book onto my scanner/copier and making coloring pages to learn from and then going to the state pages to get different facts and coloring pages and things to supplement the lessons.  It's actually rather fun.

Board Games to Play:  

1.  Zingo Games (Original Zingo, Zingo 1,2,3, Zingo Word Builder, Zingo Sight Words)

I got these on recommendation from the son's ABA therapist and I love them!  I have the Original Zingo game and the Zingo 1,2,3 game to help build his math skills and they are awesome!   It is a really simple Bingo based game to play and it is great as multiple members of the family can play with your special needs child and make them feel not excluded (and once they learn to play they get the happy feeling of winning against family members as well).

2.  Learning Resources Mini Motor Math Activity Set

This is a racing game that requires beginning math skills.  I got it because the son loves cars, but I really love it because it makes him do things like roll a dice (which turns out is a hard motor skill to learn) and it motivates him to do basic math skills like number recognition, addition and counting skills.


Other Things You Can Do:

1.  Cook With Your Kids

This one is a hard one for me right now as I am loathe to waste absolutely anything, but I have the kids help where I can.  IF you can find baking mixes that call for like just water to be added or minimal ingredients, those are good ones to work with if you can to get the kids involved in cooking.  The son has been helping me to make banana bread when I find a couple of bananas in the freezer that I want to make sure get used and I let him mix the wet ingredients together and things.  He's been really liking being involved in the process.

2.  Dance with Your Kids

My husband found me Caramelldansen on YouTube and it has been GREAT at getting the kids to move around and exercise via dancing (and yes, we have seen every single language version at this point I think *laugh*).  It's a really simple dance to do and yes, I do it too.  Making a fool out of myself dancing around like an oddball is definitely in the normal right now *laugh*.  We all need a laugh at the moment.

3.  Do what you can to keep active

Play with the kids outside if you can can.  Unfortunately, this doesn't mean with other kids, but just you and your kids.  Do what you can to keep your kids in a good head space and active right now and playing outside is good for that. 

Keeping the kids grounded is important right now (I know I'm singing to the choir here).  For instance, the daughter and I had decided to take this week off for Spring Break versus earlier in the month like the public schools did and even with all of the craziness in the world going on, I kept to that plan as she had earned the time off.  Even though our activities we had planned on doing this week were called off, just having some relaxing time off for the daughter has been priceless for her. 

4.  When all Else Fails:  Get Creative

I've found this is especially important with the son right now.  We spent a good three hours this week one day just watching Leapfrog videos and me counting it as school time.  Watching something educational that your child enjoys watching?  Sometimes that is going to be as good as you can do and that is OK!  Don't beat yourself up and expect your kid to stay focused for six hours or heck to be focused every day period.  Trust me, they don't do that at public school either.  I aim for an hour for the son for actual hard core learning and than we work on little activities (helping mom set the table or helping to clean up a mess, combing our hair, etc) throughout the rest of the day to support our IEP goals and just general life skills types of activities.  It has been working well for us and it really has helped the son focus when we are working on actual school work because he can see the end of it and know that less stressful things are coming down the line. 

Well, there is a list to get you started on this crazy journey all.  If you need a shoulder to lean on, have a question you think I might even conceivably know the answer to or just need someone to talk to, feel free to e-mail me at makedohomemaker (at) gmail (dot) com.

Hang in there all!

Invisible Glass: A Review and a Giveaway

First, a disclaimer:  The makers of Invisible Glass were nice enough to send me a package of products to test out in exchange for this review.  The opinions of said products in this review, however, are 100% mine.

Right, now that the legal stuff is out of the way, as you all know I've been trying really hard to get Spring cleaning done around here.  I've been having mixed success with it, although I am happy to say that shampooing the carpets about fifteen times does seem to actually be helping my son's eczema for a change, so yay!

One of my least favorite, yet most rewarding, tasks this time of year is cleaning all the glass in the house.  You know, windows, doors, deep cleaning with a Q-tip around the frames of mirrored cabinets in the bathroom (seriously if I'm the only one who is anal retentive enough to do this, please don't tell me...the shmutz that builds up just drives me nuts, what can I say?).   So, when Invisible Glass contacted me and asked if I'd like to review their products I jumped at the chance to try out ANY glass cleaning product, let alone one that would supposedly clean up streak free.

I'm taking the following from some of the cleaning tip sheets/attachments they sent me in my e-mail to give you an idea of what Invisible Glass is all about...

"It’s getting warmer and for many of us that means spring cleaning. 80% of people who spring clean will be focused on cleaning windows (http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/assets/1/Page/2013_ACI_Spring_Cleaning_Survey.pdf), but that often means a tedious task involving squeegees, newspapers, vinegar, or unreliable soapy cleaners that leave streaky residues and more attract dust and dirt. Invisible Glass® is working hard to making glass cleaning easier!

An independent study from the Advanced Materials Research Center – the same organization that has tested Corning Glass for the past 30 years – has shown the new Invisible Glass® EZ Grip glass cleaner was the only glass cleaner tested to clean completely streak free!

Many other products clean but can’t leave glass clear. Common cleaners deposit microscopic solids from soaps, scents, and dyes that leave residues on the surface causing streaks. And what’s worse, these residues attract dust and dirt to your glass.

Invisible Glass® is designed specifically for glass surfaces. The ClearDry™ formula is free from soaps, scents, and dyes so it evaporates quickly and completely leaving your windows, doors, tables, mirrors, and other glass surfaces streak-free and clean. "

 When I finally got the products in the mail and opened up my package I looked at the can of spray and knew IMMEDIATELY what I could acid test this product on.

This, my friends, is my son's mirrored closet and it looks like this a lot because he LOVES to smear anything glass, but especially mirrors (and I honestly encourage it as at least it's making him interact with himself in the mirror, thus getting some body recognition practice in).

 I have to say that I was a bit skeptical of the product after reading the directions.  Don't use paper towels because of streaking agents, be sure to use a lint free cloth, etc.  After reading the directions and all I was wondering if perhaps this was just another glass cleaner with a new spin on it to seem more impressive by adding extra directions (okay, so I'm skeptical by nature, what can I say).  But I wanted to give the product a true test so I grabbed one of the home made dish towels I had that I knew was lint free and hadn't been washed in anything that would create streaks (we don't use fabric softener, etc) and got to cleaning.

So what were my reactions to this product?

Well first I noticed a HUGE pro with the EZ Grip Spray.  I know, I know, you can't refill it like you can a traditional spray bottle.  But, I have small hands, like teeny tiny and my pinkies in particular suffer from lack of fluid in my joints, so spray bottles can quickly become like torture devices to me as I'm cleaning.  Even aerosol spray bottles start to hurt my hands pretty quickly as I'm using them.  This bottle was a BREEZE to use, was easy to spray the trigger, wasn't hard to hold said trigger down and because it was basically an aerosol spray you got really good coverage right away when you sprayed it.  I fell in love with the bottle right away when my hands weren't immediately screaming protests to me as I was spraying.

Next I noticed that where I sprayed the spray didn't immediately start running down the closet doors so you're doing that one man race with your cleaning rag to stop it from running down the door and onto your carpet before you can get the spray to stay on your cleaning surface and go where you needed it to go.  Actually I was able to start at the top of the door and work my way down as I went and the spray was waiting for me and not the other way around, which was a really nice change of pace.    And there wasn't the noxious smell of ammonia that is so prevalent with window cleaners and I wasn't smelling that really pungent smell of vinegar either.  This spray, to me, didn't seem to have much of a scent.

The best perk I found was how the spray actually worked on greasy finger prints.  Normally with glass cleaners I'm sitting there scrubbing for what seems to be hours and getting hand cramps spraying the towel, the door/window/mirror and whatever I can so that I might get the majority of the finger prints off the surface I'm working on.  This spray, for lack of a better explanation, seemed to stick to the greasy finger prints and really cut through the grease, so cleaning them off was SO much easier than other cleaning sprays.

Check out the door after cleaning (I actually had to angle so that the panels in the door were completely visible otherwise it really did look like I was just taking a picture of the room...the door came out THAT clean).

I did have to put about three applications of the spray on the door (my son had smeared Vaseline on the door after he'd gotten moisturized a couple of times...it makes for wonderful cleaning duties when I do his closet every week I'll tell you what), but I was able to get the door cleaned and streak free (at least to my discerning eye I couldn't find any) within ten minutes.  THAT to me was the best part.  I've never not been sitting there scrubbing at my son's closet door for less than 20 minutes, so this stuff cut my cleaning time in half!

My husband assures me the cleaning tool works fine as he immediately claimed it to clean the glass in his car  *laugh* and I've used the lens cleaner wipes they sent on my son's I-Pad screen, our TV screen and my glasses and I have to say that I have no complaints on the lens wipes.  They seem to work well, although I don't really have a lot of products to compare the product to as I don't buy lens cleaner wipes, but the product did what it said it would do.

The only cons I can really name with the Invisible Glass is the inability to refill the spray bottle with the EZ Grip bottle (but for me the pros outweigh on the cons on that, especially if you have arthritis or other conditions going on)  and also the cost as I didn't really look to see how much this stuff would normally cost to buy.  But, overall, if the cost is anywhere close to normal window cleaners (honestly, I'd pay a couple of bucks extra to get this stuff for the sake of my poor hands and really I don't see myself having to use as much of this spray as normal window cleaner, so I'm thinking one bottle will last quite a while), I'd definitely buy this as the spray does its job and does it well!

Here's a bit more information about Invisible Glass, once again taken from the attachments the company sent me for the curious :).

"About Invisible Glass:   Invisible Glass® is available at Wal-Mart in a 19oz EZ Grip spray aerosol can. Invisible Glass® is a division of Stoner Inc., a family owned company providing time-saving solutions since 1942 and proudly manufactured in the U.S.A. For more information visit www.invisibleglass.com"

 So, there you are folks.  My test drive of "Invisible Glass".

Would you like to test drive Invisible Glass for yourselves?  The makers of Invisible Glass were also nice enough to offer to sponsor a giveaway of the new Invisible Glass EZ Grip Spray and the Cleaning and Reaching Tool.

Contest Rules:

To enter said contest, all you have to do is leave a comment on the blog here about how you are doing on your Spring Cleaning endeavors.  If you can't make the blog work (common complaint with Blogger, unfortunately) you can enter on Facebook (you can comment after the link to this post or private message me...this contest is in no way sponsored by Facebook just as an additional disclaimer), or if you can't make any other form work, feel free to e-mail me (you can find the e-mail under the "contact" tab up top there).

Open to US residents only.   This contest will run from today 4/20/16 till  4/29/16 when I'll use Random.org to pick a winner.  The winner will then have forty eight hours in which to get back to me with their address or I will pick a new winner.  This product can not be shipped to P.O. Boxes so please keep that in mind when entering.

Good luck!

Thanks to all who participated!  This giveaway is now over!