{Product Review} Q’s Race to the Top Bundle: Boardgame, On the Go Pack, Read-Along Storybook & CD, Coloring & Activity Book, and Q-Time Buddy weighted plush doll

OMazing Kids Review - Q's Race to the Top Bundle

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I am SUPER excited to have these amazing products to use in  OMazing Kids speech-language therapy and kids yoga classes! EQtainment generously sent me the Q Toys Bundle to try out and review. They have been a HUGE hit with my patients. The bundle includes the Q’s Race to the Top Boardgame, Q’s Race on the Go Pack, Q’s Wild Ride Read-Along Storybook & CD, Q’s Coloring & Activity Book, and the Q-Time Buddy weighted plush doll. [price: $59.99 (an $8.00 savings over purchasing all of the items separately): http://shop.eqtainment.com/products/q-toys-bundle].

Here’s what I LOVE about these amazing products:

  • The Q’s Race to the Top Boardgame has an oversized dice and game pieces (both nice for younger kids or for those with fine motor challenges) and a sturdy colorful game board that is easy to understand and short enough to get to the end within a typical speech-language therapy session.
  • The cards in the game have a wide degree of difficulty and social skills targeted. The game was designed and tested with kids ages 3-12 years old. Younger kids or those with special needs may need the therapist or parent to preselect cards before the start of the game to best suit their kids needs. The adult could also simplify the wording as they read the cards. The “Do” cards contain a mix of physical actions ranging from simple to pretty challenging. Some also incorporate emotions and facial expressions. Again I would suggest preselecting the ones that will best suit your kids physical abilities and developmental level. The adult may need to simplify these activities or modify them for kids with special needs. For kids that need a visual support to help them understand what the motion would look like, I will incorporate video modeling and pictures. The selfie camera mode on my iPad will also come in handy.
  • The Q’s Wild Ride book included with the game is fun to read to introduce kids to the loveable yet quirky character Q before playing the game. (Q is “a dusky leaf monkey”…. thanks for including the specifics! The first question my patient with ASD asked was “what kind of monkey is that?”). The Read-Along Storybook & CD is exactly the same story but  in a larger book format and includes a CD with two tracks (with and without page turn signals). The narration and sound effects are very well done in the CD and the illustrations in the book depict emotions well through exaggerated facial expressions and body language. I took a couple of pics of interior pages since none seemed to be available online and this will help folks make purchasing decisions.
  • The Q’s Race to the Top – On the Go Pack are the same cards as contained in the board game but are sized a little smaller and are in a durable metal tin.
  • The Q-Time Buddy weighted plush doll is super soft, is wearing a cute green hoodie and is the perfect weight and size to be used in belly breathing. I had several patients who immediately relaxed, closed their eyes and began belly breathing when laying on their back with the Q-Time Buddy on their belly. The instructions are printed on the back of the box. My only suggestion for improvement would be to include a separate card with the belly breathing instructions since most folks usually don’t keep the box when they get a stuffed animal. I am including some pics below that I found on the Kohl’s website so I will be able to share the instructions with parents later.
  • The Q’s Coloring & Activity Book is filled with great tie-ins to the book & game. It also includes several pages that are unique to just the coloring book and also includes fun activity pages (dot-to-dot, finish the picture, maze, find the same, drawing emotions on faces, etc…). I scanned a couple of interior pages since none seemed to be available online and this will help folks make purchasing decisions.
  • All of the products are very well designed and of high quality materials. Is is very obvious that a lot of thought went into the design of these products. I love that they offer them as individual items so parents and therapists can pick and choose the ones to best fit their needs or get the entire set as bundle.

These are definitely destined to become “faves” in OMazing Kids speech-language therapy and my kids yoga classes!

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Q's game board with book set

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Q's game board

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q-time buddy

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Breathing activity instructions for Q-Time Buddy plush doll

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Q-Time belly breathing pic (from the Kohl's website)

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See this video for more info about this relaxation technique.

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Interior page samples from the storybook:

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Interior page samples from the coloring book:

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See this video for info about the game:

 

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Where can I purchase these amazing products? (plus a discount code!)

All of the products are available for purchase on their website at: http://shop.eqtainment.com/ & they are offering a 20% off discount for OMazing Kids fans (the discount is only available only when purchasing directly through their website. Enter “QFRIEND20” when you checkout on their website. This discount code is set to expire one month from this post. Please contact the company directly with any questions you may have about the discount code: http://eqtainment.com/contact-us/ or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/eqtainment/)

A few additional purchasing options:

I’m including links from Amazon.com for those who like to take advantage of free shipping through their Amazon Prime membership and for Kohl’s for those who may have some Kohl’s cash they’d like to spend…..

Board game with book:

http://www.amazon.com/Race-Educational-Board-Game-Book/dp/B00NH9E4LW

http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-2465260/qs-race-to-the-top-board-game.jsp

Q-time weighted plush buddy:

http://www.amazon.com/Q-Time-developing-attention-emotional-control/dp/B00ZQ2J9M2

http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-2466048/q-time-buddy-plush-monkey.jsp

Coloring book:

http://www.amazon.com/Qs-Coloring-Activity-Book-behavior/dp/B00ZPYAK3S

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teach EQ

For more ideas for fostering emotional intelligence and teaching social skills, be sure to check out their social media sites:

Website: http://eqtainment.com/

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Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review. Opinions expressed are my own.

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

 

{FREE printable} Story props for The Squeaky, Creaky Bed

The Squeaky, Creaky Bed - free printable story props from OMazing Kids

 

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I love using books with great repeated lines & funny sounds in OMazing Kids speech therapy so I couldn’t resist a great deal on a used copy of The Squeaky, Creaky Bed by Pat Thomson on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Squeaky-Creaky-Bed-Pat-Thomson/dp/038574630X.

I was surprised that I couldn’t find any free story props for the book online. So I made some and am sharing them with you for FREE ’cause that’s how this SLP rolls. {I guess I come from an era before TPT when SLPs shared things more freely with each other.}

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3-page PDF:

The Squeaky, Creaky Bed story props – free printable from OMazing Kids

Click to access the-squeaky-creaky-bed-story-props-free-printable-from-omazing-kids.pdf

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

{App Review} My PlayHome: Hospital

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Totally LOVE this new app from My PlayHome! So many areas to explore: reception desk, wheelchairs, elevator, gift shop, waiting area with a TV & vending machine, treatment area with oxygen masks, vital signs monitors, syringes, saline and blood bags, privacy screens and a computer with realistic typing and clicking. In the private patient rooms the curtains can be shut to darken the room. The doctor’s office has a functioning stethoscope to hear the heartbeat. The X-ray area is amazing. Love how the X-ray machine responds accurately to the part of the body being scanned and then you can “print” a copy and view it.

Love the arrows that make it clear how to navigate to other areas. Also love the intuitive way that the apps in the series link to each other and it’s especially cool that you can drive the ambulance from the hospital to the school, stores and home. The sound effects are very realistic. Unless you press the “tidy the hospital” button on the opening screen, the items & people remain where they are the next time you open the app.

Only a few wishes for a future app update to make the app even more accurate: it would be nice to be able to change the TVs to a couple of different channels, when a tray is placed in the sink in the upstairs break area it partially shows through in an odd way, the soda in the bottle from the vending machine needs to disappear as it’s being consumed, the characters need to be able to hold the phone to their ear, it would be cool to have an overhead paging system microphone at the reception desk and the doctor’s office needs a biohazard disposal can for the needles. Being a SLP, it would be super cool to see an option added to the X-ray area to do a dysphagiagram (swallow study).

See the App Trailer: http://youtu.be/v91tMkFAFPc

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This app is a bargain for only $2.99: My PlayHome Hospital by PlayHome Software Ltd
https://appsto.re/us/FAksbb.i

I highly recommend SLPs have all the apps in this series. Lots of opportunities for language, following directions, spatial concepts, etc. plus this particular app could be used as part of a social story to help prepare a child for an upcoming medical procedure or hospital stay.
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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

{FREE Printable} 24 verbs for the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Piggy Bank

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Since so many folks were excited about the {FREE Printable} 60 early vocabulary cards for the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Piggy Bank, I decided to make a few verb picture cards.  

Don’t have Boardmaker? Here are the PDF versions:

Data collection sheet: 24 Verbs for the Fisher Price Piggy Bank – Data Collection Sheet

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I am NOT planning on attaching these to the plastic coins that come with the piggy bank. That would be fun but would require several extra sets of those coins and would not fit well to the rapid pace I often use to keep kids with Autism, ADHD and other special needs engaged. These are sized to fit the slot at the top of the original version of this toy….. (see more details on the original post with a free printable for 60 nouns: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2016/04/20/free-printable-60-early-vocabulary-cards-for-the-fisher-price-laugh-learn-piggy-bank/).

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A word about using props like this in therapy….. Of course I don’t want kids to only name pics in the context of having a specific toy or prop present. So I may use a variety of props and then have a well thought out plan for how I will fade out the props. This is especially important when working with kids with Autism. It is also important to teach a variety of examples. For verbs this could include using video clips & acting out actions.

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

{FREE Printable} 60 early vocabulary cards for the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Piggy Bank

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I have several patients who have meltdowns at the sight of typical flashcards but magically participate in naming pics as we feed them into the Fisher Price Piggy Bank. So I made these in Boardmaker today so I’ll have an easy grab-and-go set of early vocabulary cards / coins without having to dig through the materials closet at work. I saved them out on Boardmaker Share so they are free for anyone who has Boardmaker to download as a free printable:

Don’t have Boardmaker? Here are PDF versions:

Here is the data collection sheet that I made:

I am NOT planning on attaching these to the plastic coins that come with the piggy bank. That would be fun but would require several extra sets of those coins and would not fit well to the rapid pace I often use to keep kids with Autism, ADHD and other special needs engaged. These are sized to fit the slot at the top of the original version of this toy. Not sure why Fisher Price keeps messing with restyling this toy…. The original version is nice and sturdy. I’ve had mine about 10 years and it has withstood constant use with patients with pretty extreme behaviors. Definitely worth looking for at garage sales or thrift shops.

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UPDATE: Head over to this new post for 24 verb cards: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2016/04/23/free-printable-24-verbs-for-the-fisher-price-laugh-learn-piggy-bank/

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Don’t have the Fisher Price Piggy Bank? You could really use any toy that has a large enough slot or opening.  I also have a Fisher Price Cookie Jar and call the cards “cookies” when I use it. There is a vintage Playskool mailbox still hanging around in the toy closet at work. When I’ve used it, I call the cards “letters”. And the Woozle from the Feed the Woozle game is fun to use with older kids. Be creative. You likely already have old toys that you can re-purpose to entice kids into participating 🙂

repurpose other toys

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https://omazingkidsllc.com/2013/07/13/woozles-galore-romping-into-speech-language-kids-yoga-with-the-feed-the-woozle-game-by-peaceable-kingdom/

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A word about using props like this in therapy….. Of course I don’t want kids to only name pics in the context of having a specific toy or prop present. So I may use a variety of props and then have a well thought out plan for how I will fade out the props. This is especially important when working with kids with Autism. It is also important to use a variety of examples. So these would not be the only pictures I would use to teach this vocabulary.
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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

{OMazing Kids Book Review} “Hoot and Peep” by Lita Judge

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I’m a huge fan of Lita’s books so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review this new one. Here’s what I LOVE about it:
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  • Gorgeous rich illustrations in deep calming colors.
  • Great message of learning to see things from another point of view and experiencing the joy of new adventures. While this book depicts a sibling relationship it could be easily expanded to topics on friendships.
  • Large easy to read text on each 2-page spread. I love that some pages have minimal text so the focus can be on the details in the illustrations.
  • Peep’s sounds are fun for kids to attempt to imitate (schweep, schweeepty peep, schweepity peep oooo ding dong boing, dingity dong, slippity slap, etc…).
  • The facial expressions and body language of Hoot and Peep lend themselves well to use in speech therapy sessions targeting social skills, feelings & inferencing.
  • As an added bonus, there are a few opportunities for kids yoga activities based on the illustrations and text: owl, rooftop partners, cross crawl hike, crescent moon, bell mindfulness activity, bird, mouse, gargoyle (dragon breath), up dog, bridge.
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About the book: In the night skies above Paris, an adorable young owl teaches her older brother about the power of imagination—and the unconditional love between siblings. Hoot the owl is very excited for his little sister, Peep, to join him on the cathedral rooftops. She’s finally old enough to learn all his big brother owly wisdom: First, owls say hooo. Second, they always say hooo. Lastly, they ONLY say hooo! But why would Peep say hooo when she could say schweeepty peep or dingity dong? Why would she speak when she could sing? As she explores the breathtaking Parisian cityscape, Peep discovers so many inspiring sights and sounds—the ring of cathedral bells, the slap of waves on stone—that she can’t help but be swept up in the magic of it all. Hoot doesn’t understand Peep’s awe, until he takes a pause to listen . . . and realizes that you’re never too old to learn a little something new.

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Dial Books (March 1, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0525428372
ISBN-13: 978-0525428374
Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 0.2 x 10.2 inches
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Here are a few pics to show you a sneak peek inside the book:

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See more at: http://www.litajudge.net/hoot-and-peep/
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Get 3 free printable coloring pages in this PDF on the author’s website: http://www.litajudge.net/_downloads/HP_ColoringPages.pdf
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Another free coloring page:

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See the story behind the making of the book: https://vimeo.com/130139656

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Author’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lita.judge

Available for purchase on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hoot-Peep-Lita-Judge/dp/0525428372/. Other purchasing option links on the author’s website.
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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}