Inside Six Flags' Efforts To Make Its Parks More Inclusive

 The company has taken major steps recently to make its parks more welcoming for people with disabilities mirroring a broader movement toward accessibility in the entertainment industry. Read More >

New 'Sesame Street' Theme Park To Be Sensory Friendly

 A new theme park designed to bring the iconic show "Sesame Street" to life will have a host of accommodations in place to welcome children with disabilities when it opens soon. Read More >

How to create playful experiences remotely

Play is a critical part of learning for young children, and teachers should strive to facilitate playful experiences during this period of remote instruction, writes kindergarten teacher Madeleine Rogin. In this blog post, Rogin suggests encouraging families to prioritize unstructured playtime and scheduling one-on-one time with students to learn how they play at home.

Playground Offers Kids With ASD A Space Of Their Own

It may look like a regular playground, but an outdoor play area debuting this week is one of less than a dozen in the country designed specifically for children with autism. Read More ;

Five Imaginative Ways to Make Indoor Play Exciting

Summer is here and being outdoors is on everybody’s mind, but what if you cannot get outside? Some summer days have dangerous heat indexes, and many kids with disabilities are especially at risk in high temperatures. Thunderstorms may be particularly unsettling to kids with sensory issues, and unbearable humidity is no fun for anyone. You may wind up inside for a rainy day, or your child may be feeling a little under the weather (no pun intended). On days like these, you’ll have to get creative to make indoor play as exciting as outdoor. Fortunately, the possibilities are endless when you and your child…   Read in browser »

7 Low-Cost Ways to Create Developmentally Valuable Play

We’ve all heard the phrase, “It’s priceless.” When we play with our children, it’s priceless. When we watch them move with joy, it’s priceless. When we laugh with them, it’s priceless. While play, joy, and laughter are priceless, parents know that paying for toys can be costly. But enriching, joyful, and inclusive play doesn’t have to be a financial burden. Even if you don’t have access to a Lekotek toy lending library, you can create a world of developmental play with a little ingenuity, imagination, and some common household items. As experts in inclusive and accessible play, Lekotek knows the importance of play in a…  Read in browser »

18 Balls and 15 Ball-Playing Activities for Children with Special Needs

Children love toys, and children with special needs especially love toys that offer them a great sensory experience. When choosing toys for your children, be sure to consider the items in this list! Sometimes when it comes to toys, less is more. That’s how we came up with the ball. It is the simplest toy there is.
http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2016/03/15/18-balls-and-15-ball-playing-activities-for-children-with-special-needs/

Open Letter to IEP Team on Play

By Penina Rybak,  From Friendship Circle Blog
For this post I wanted to do something a little different. Here is a letter to an IEP team about play. It comes from the perspective of a child with autism.  http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2014/03/19/from-a-child-with-autism-an-open-letter-to-the-iep-team-about-play/?utm_source=Friendship+Circle+Blog&utm_campaign=976790c21a-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3ec270b4ae-976790c21a-199142745