Don't Miss it! Special Event for Kids with Autism at the Childrens Discovery Museum of San Jose

Don't miss PLAY YOUR WAY! This special event for kids with Autism ages 2-15 this Saturday January 21st from 5:30-8:00 PM at the Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose.  Register for the event!

The Museum writes: The Have fun exploring interactive exhibits in an outing that is enjoyable for the whole family. Play Your Way provides a judgment-free environment where children on the autism spectrum, along with their siblings, parents, and caregivers, play and learn together. Register for the event!

Children's museums offer parents a great opportunity for learning and play. Sometimes kids with Autism have a hard time thinking flexibly, anticipating what will happen and knowing how to deal with unexpected situations. That's where social stories come in. A social story can is one with word, pictures or both that describes a specific situation, skill, or concept in terms and also provides a child with explicit examples of social cues, perspectives, and common answers.

For example, if a child has consistently had difficulty putting on and sitting with his seatbelt in the car, a social story for sitting in the car with a seatbelt might say:

I'm getting into the car soon. 

I know my mom will put on my seatbelt. 

I don't like how it feels. 

But my mom says it's important for driving safe. 

I will try to keep my seatbelt on. It's important. 

I will tell my mom if the seatbelt is bothering me but I wont take it off.

Did you know that the Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose has a social story for a visit to the museum? See the social story here. You can read the text to your child and show him or her the pictures of the different exhibits and what to expect. For example, this social story talks about the Rainbow Market exhibit:

I can pretend to make pizza. I can find a fabric crust and plastic fruit and vegetables that no one is using. 

You might have to explain what "pretend" means. And did you notice that the story is explicit about saying that you can use fruit and vegetables that "no one is using?" That's a great opportunity to talk about not grabbing, how it grabbing a toy makes another person feel and the right way to ask for a toy.

Have a great time!
Michelle Lachman
Schedule your free consultation today: 1.408.365.4423 / mlachman.speech@gmail.com