“What did you do over the summer?” This is probably the last question on your mind right now that summer has just begun, but it will be the most popular question come August and September.
Remembering past events and talking about the past can be one of the most difficult things for children on the spectrum, with ADHD, with language disorders and language delays. Creating a “My Summer Book” is a fun and easy way to work on this skill throughout your summer as well as to prepare for the question, “What did you do over the summer?”

Apps for iPhones and iPads
We all know that iPhones and iPads are not just for wireless communication. You can use their technology for just about anything. Best of all, iPhones and iPads are great tools to work on pre-literacy, language and social skills. We also know that not all apps are great and many times, when you are trying to decide which ones to download, the descriptions end up being more confusing then helpful.

With all the new fangled gadgets and gizmos, iPhones and iPads and Legos galore, we thought we’d go back to the basics and share with you some of our favorite toys for little ones. The list is endless but we narrowed ours down to a few things that not only we love, but that kiddos love as well. You can facilitate some great communication interactions and also work on some other important skills and your child won’t even realize that they are “working” on their development. Here are a few of our favs and why we love them:
1. Bubbles

With so many books on autism on the market, it can be a challenge to figure out what’s worth purchasing and reading. There are books by celebrities, books by doctors, books by teachers, books by therapists, books by parents and so much more. I can’t tell you how many books I have on my shelf that I thought were going to be great but ended up being not so great. Way too many! We thought we would share our top 12 favorite books and why we love them so much. These books are great for everyone involved in the treatment of your child like parents, grandparents, teachers and therapists.

Leprechauns! Shamrocks! Rainbows! Pots of gold! Green drinks! Green parades! St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. St. Patrick’s Day is a different holiday from what most of our kids are used to. It’s harder to understand but is still a lot of fun! You don’t typically get or give presents. You don’t have an egg hunt. You probably don’t have a big family dinner. As we get older it becomes a more important social holiday. So how do we work on St. Patrick’s Day now so that our kids are ready for all the social implications of St. Patrick’s Day when they are older?

“Point to your nose.”
“Where are your eyes?”
“Show me your feet.”

Candy hearts are not only a fun, yummy and cute way to celebrate Valentine's Day. Their sweet phrases and clever sayings are also great inspiration for a Valentine's game that's sure to make you want to rhyme... all the time!
Candy Heart Memory
Materials:
-Pink construction paper or cardstock
-Scissors
-Lamination sheets
-Dry erase markers

Protesting “no” is a skill that sometimes can be difficult for children with language disorders. Instead of using their words they may:
1. Push objects or people away
2. Throw objects
3. Cry/scream
Here are a few steps you can follow to help your child protest “no”:
Step one: You will need a visual of “no”.

KidSpeak is taking a break from blogging to spend the holidays with our families, to wrap up the rest of the year and prepare for the spring semester. We will be back in January with lots of new ideas and specific ways to work on social communication with your child.