Adapted Games for Inclusive Play: Candy Land (updated 3/19/24)

Posted on July 26, 2016 by OMazing Kids

Adapted Games for Inclusive Play: Candy Land

[Note 3/19/24: This blog post was originally written in 2016. Sadly some of the websites or blogs linked have disappeared over the years]

I’ve been looking for a way to make the Candy Land game accessible for kids with special needs and found a great solution by combing an app, a specific version of the board game and ideas from an old journal article and a few websites!

Who knew that there has been SO many different versions of this game over the years and that each version has slightly different pictures on the “picture squares” in the game?

Well there has been and I was determined to get the version of the board game that matched up to this app. Could have sworn that I already had the Candy Land board game but looked through my entire stash of materials and couldn’t find it. If I had found it and it wasn’t the right version, my plan was to take screenshots of the pink picture squares from the app and attach them to the game board to make it match.
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After extensive research I finally figured out which version of the Candy Land board game matches this app. I bought “Candy Land – The Kingdom of Sweets Board Game” (2010) on Amazon for $7.49: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000DMF5 and this app for $.99 (Candy Cards by Panther Technology, https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/candy-cards/id554983778?mt=8 , iOS 3.2 or later, Universal app that works on iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch). I was initially leery of the app since it had not been updated since 2012 but at the price of $.99 decided to try it out. I’m pleased to report that it worked fine on my iPad Air (running iOS 9.3.1) and on my iPhone 5 (running iOS 9.3.2). The only quirky thing I noted when using the app on an iPhone is that the app did not adjust to landscape orientation and had a small black band of dead space at the top and bottom of the screen.

Check out all the options in this app’s settings area:

Under “Accessibility” settings:

“Safety Time”: For kids who tend to tap repetitively, you can lock the screen for 2, 3, 5 or 10 seconds after drawing each card.
The “Target” feature can be centered, appear at random places, or even move around the screen if you are wanting to work on “targeted touch”. When “target” is toggled off, you can tap anywhere on the screen to “draw” a card (great for kids with more severe motor impairments).

Under “Play Settings”, you can toggle on/off the background music, the card count, and sound effects and select one of four backgrounds (grey metal, orange, candy stripe and my personal fave… a calming green).

See more about the app on the developer’s website: http://panthertechnology.com/products/panther-candy-cards/

*** Update 3/19/24: Sadly this app by Panther Technology disappeared several years ago. See info about a new free app from a different app developer below ***

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So for the bargain price of $8.48 I now have a version of this classic kids game that is more inclusive of kids of a wide range of abilities and needs. I plan on modifying play further when I am in a group or have parents and/or siblings present by playing as “teams” where one teammate’s job is to “draw” the card using the app and the other teammate’s job is to move the game piece. Another option in a 1-on-1 session would be for you and the child to use it as a “cooperative” game and work together as a team to move one of the game pieces to the castle.

I am also planning on incorporating the ideas for adaptations & task analysis from the journal article “Everyone Can Play!: Adapting the Candy Land Board Game TEACHING Exceptional Children July-August 1996 28: 28-33” (yes I realize the article is 20 years old but the concepts are still valid today). I saved a PDF of the full article out on Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1p1pimgnjmm52wp/Everyone%20Can%20Play%20-%20Adapting%20the%20Candy%20Land%20Board%20Game.pdf?dl=0

{No Prep SLP Tips: Candy Land} https://omazingkidsllc.com/2016/07/28/no-prep-slp-tips-candy-land/

Additional ideas:

http://adaptedcurriculumclassroom.blogspot.com/2011/09/fun-friday-candyland.html
http://www.mydynamictherapy.com/blog/lets-play-board-games-adapting-games-for-children-with-severe-speech-and-physical-impairments
http://www.aacreatively.com/?p=557
http://www.wonderbaby.org/resources/accessible-candy-land (textured adaptation for visual impairments)
http://wheredidthebirdgo.com/2012/10/candy-land-more-than-just-a-game/ (to teach sequencing)

Check out these great Pinterest boards full of game adaptation ideas:

And lots of materials created by SLPs on TPT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/PreK-12-Subject-Area/Speech-Therapy/Search:candy+land. I especially like this self esteem conversation prompts freebie: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Self-Esteem-Prompts-for-Candy-Land-1152578

Oooh… just saw this fun idea to combine Candy Land + the Name That Word Game. Love finding new ways to use materials that I already own! I got my copy of that game several years ago at a back-to-school sale at a teacher supply store but saw that it’s available on Amazon.

http://millionsoffingerprints.blogspot.com/2013/05/today-in-speech-therapywe-played-candy.html

Update 3/19/24: Fishdog.net released their new FREE Candy Cards app today: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/candy-cards/id6478815300, iOS Universal, iOS 12.0 or later + Mac on macOS 10.15 or later + Apple Vision on visionOS 1.0 or later.

It appears to match this version of the Candy Land board game: https://shop.hasbro.com/en-us/product/candy-land-game/C4E461C2-5056-9047-F5F7-F005920A3999

Check out the Ultimate App and Digital Resource Guide for SLPs: https://bit.ly/UltimateAppDigitalResourceGuideSLP & TherAPPy Tools: iPad Apps for Pediatric SLPs (Recorded Webinar & Handouts): https://bit.ly/TherAPPyWebinar

Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.

Looking for more AAC resources? Check out the Resource Links page my blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links

Have a question? The best way to reach me is via Facebook messaging over on my OMazing Kids page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC, OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

• Teachers Pay Teachers Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Omazing-Kids-Aac-Consulting

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4 great FREE iOS apps to foster creativity, language and storytelling… great tools to add to your SLP Toolbox

Posted on July 21, 2016 by OMazing Kids

4 great FREE iOS apps to foster creativity, language and storytelling… great tools to add to your SLP Toolbox:

Our Story for iPad by The Open University
https://appsto.re/us/UTVOO.i
LEGO® Movie Maker by LEGO Systems, Inc
https://appsto.re/us/Z8yWE.i
TeleStory by Launchpad Toys
https://appsto.re/us/kf5J2.i
Toontastic by Launchpad Toys
https://appsto.re/us/IeYhy.i

These apps can be easily customized to incorporate high interest areas of kids with Autism and other special needs and contain in-app voice and/or video recording to encourage verbalizations (most of my patients are VERY motivated to hear themselves on the iPad).
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All 4 of these apps were verified as being free in the USA App Store at the time of this post. But it is always wise to check app prices prior to downloading since app prices can change frequently with no notice. FYI… If you don’t have an iPad yet or don’t have one running the iOS required to download a particular app, you can download that app on iTunes on a computer and have it in your cloud to install later.
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There are several other apps to support sentence building and sentence building with symbol support. Here are screenshots of the apps that I have. Feel free to send me a message on my OMazing Kids Facebook page if you have questions about any of those apps. Most are not free but are well worth the cost. In addition to these apps, you can also use any robust AAC app to model sentence creation. Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789.

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If you are looking for a FREE “non-tech” way to encourage sentence building, check out this printable visual support for building sentences (need Boardmaker to open) http://fdlrsregion3literacyvisuals.wikispaces.com/Fokes+Sentence+Builder
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I have worked with several patients who engaged in almost constant verbal scripting. It is important to understand the function of the scripting. This video is enlightening:

as is the book “Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism“.
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In several cases I have been able to build upon these patient’s high interest areas to build new language scripts through the use of visual supports and apps for sentence building and then other apps to move on to storytelling. This has often resulted in more spontaneous use of functional language.
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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/
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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}

The iPad & the SLP Toolbox

Posted on June 9, 2016 by OMazing Kids

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Super Duper artic flashcards, Fisher Price Puppy’s Home, Fisher Price Piggy Bank, Cranium Cariboo, PlayDoh, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, communication devices, TPT printable products. All very common items in the typical SLP toolbox. Nobody freaks out if you mention them. Nobody asks “Where’s the evidence based data?” for use of the “Cranium Cariboo” game or “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. But mention use of an iPad in therapy and you will likely encounter a very different response.

I feel a need to write this post since I frequently see posts or comments in SLP Facebook groups about how they would “never” use an iPad in therapy (thanks in part to ASHA’s misguided assault on tech use in the past two BHSM campaigns). That’s unfortunate since those SLPs are truly missing an important tool in their toolbox. It would be like a home builder refusing to use an electric nail gun and only building homes by hand with a hammer and nails.

Many high quality apps specifically designed by SLPs for SLPs allow you to do in-app data collection, look at data over time, e-mail reports, and swipe through stimulus cards rapidly which allows you to get in more reps. Plus many kids are highly motivated by anything presented on an iPad. Having most of the major robust AAC apps at my fingertips to try at any moment has been life changing for many of my patients (be watching for a post soon with tips on how to get free access to many AAC apps if you are a SLP that does frequent AAC evals and funding recommendations).

I use apps extensively in my work as a SLP. My iPads with high quality apps are by far one of the best tools in my speechie toolbox! I have seen countless patients who had meltdowns at the sight of traditional flashcards but when shown similar activities on an iPad are immediately engaged. I’ve also had kids who were so impulsive that flashcards were constantly either getting ripped or flying off the table. Of course I’ve also had patients who view the iPad as a “toy” but most learn that my main therapy iPad is for “work” or to be used as a “talker” (AAC device). When needed, I lock it into Guided Access and NEVER let anyone see the secret code to unlock it and almost always have a firm grip on one of the handles of the GripCase (any “builder” would be protective of their costly and important tools… right?). I also never leave my personal iPad laying around in a treatment room. It is always in my possession. By strictly following these “rules”, I have never had a cracked screen or had an iPad stolen. I have a second iPad in a different colored GripCase with high quality kids apps that kids can earn time playing for a couple of minutes at the end.

Of course I still use traditional flashcards, worksheets, toys, crafts, music, books, games, etc. as other “tools” in my well equipped speechie toolbox (my toolbox is overflowing with stuff… see my post on SLP Hoarders). Being a good “builder” of speech & language skills requires making good clinical judgements in selecting the right tools for the job in that moment.

I bought my first iPad in December 2012 with Christmas $$$ and quickly bought a second one the following February with birthday $$$ realizing that I needed one iPad to be an AAC and therapy device and another one with “fun” well designed kids apps that kids could request or work for as reinforcers (not fair to take away the “voice” of a patient while playing in language rich apps). A few months later I won an iPad Mini in a giveaway and it has been a valuable tool to trial AAC apps on a more portable sized “talker”.

Since 2012, I’ve only encountered two patients so far that I could not use the iPad in some way. Both had huge meltdowns over the iPad being locked into Guided Access that. So the iPad was not part of the tools I used with them. But for the hundreds of other patients in that I’ve seen in that timeframe, it has been a very important and highly valuable tool.

Not sure how to find high quality apps? I invite you to join me over on my OMazing Kids Facebook page and in my AppPeeps Facebook group where I post frequently about apps (see links below).

I post most info about apps on Facebook as a picture post in an album specifically for apps. There are currently two of these albums. Feel free to browse through them to see what you may have missed but be aware that prices and availability may have changed.

This older one is “full” (since 1,000 is the max). https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.562317480485928.1073741841.174264525957894&type=3

All new posts are being put in album #2: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1039368119447526.1073741892.174264525957894&type=3

I also typically cross post in the AppPeeps to help insure folks see the posts.

A few tips:

I only post about apps that I have actually downloaded and tried and only post about those that I see as being either helpful in therapy, classroom or to parents of kids with special needs. There are thousands of apps in the App Store so it can be difficult to find ones to best meet our needs as SLPs.
When you see me post about an app being free or on sale, I always verify the price in the USA App Store prior to posting about it. But unless an app developer has shared info about sale dates, I have no way to know how long an app will be free or reduced. So it’s always best to grab apps quickly and to verify the price before downloading. App prices often change at 10:00pm CST but can change at any time with no notice.
App prices vary in other countries depending on the exchange rate compared to the US dollar and apps may not be available in every country.
If you don’t have an iPad yet or don’t have the iOS updated to the level required for a particular app, you can still take advantage of app freebies, sales and giveaways via logging onto the App Store in iTunes on your computer. Those apps will then be available to download later from the cloud.
I only post about iOS apps since I don’t have any Android devices.
Many SLP apps & AAC apps are very large so I always suggest that you get an iPad with the largest memory you can afford. Even with two 128GB iPad Airs, I am still constantly playing the “app shuffle” where I delete apps to make room to install others.
It’s wise to make sure an app is still available in the App Store before you delete it from your iPad since apps occasionally are removed and you would have no way to reinstall it unless you had plugged your iPad into a computer and backed it up to iTunes (a process that I know I should do more frequently).
It’s wise to hold off on updating to the latest iOS until it has been out for awhile and the glitches have been worked out (learned that the hard way after one of my iPads “bricked” and had to be restored to factory settings – wiped clean. The process of reinstalling and organizing apps can be tedious and I lost a couple of apps that had not been backed up).
It’s wise to toggle off the setting to automatically download app updates. I always look first to see what the update entails.
I occasionally receive promo codes to give out in app giveaways. What are app “promo codes”? App developers receive a certain number of promo codes when they release or update an app. They often give these out as a way to help spread the word about their app. If you see a “code drop”, a code is not actually “yours” until you successfully redeem it in the App Store.
How do I redeem a promo code? Open the App Store on your iPad. Tap the ‘Featured’ tab on the bottom navigation bar. Scroll down to the bottom and tap the ‘Redeem’ button. Enter the Promo Code and tap the ‘Redeem’ button.
What is a “Universal” app? Apps with the “+” sign in the corner are Universal meaning they can work on an iPhone, iTouch or iPad. Sometimes older devices are no longer supported and app developers typically indicate that in the app description.
The cool thing about apps is that dependable app developers continue to improve apps over time based on the feedback that they receive from users and release updates to keep apps compatible with the latest iOS operating system. So if you see a glitch in an app or have a suggestion for an improvement, please let that app developer know via e-mail, the contact form on their website or Facebook messaging. Most are very appreciative of feedback from those of use using the product in the trenches. Where else can you purchase something, make suggestions and then get free updates for a product?
I usually avoid apps that have ads and in-app purchases since they are distracting to patients. Be sure to know how to adjust the settings on your iPad to prevent kids from making purchases & how to use it in “airplane mode” to block most ads.
Guided Access: If you will be using the iPad with kids, then Guided Access is your new BFE (Best. Feature. Ever!). It can be used to disable the home button and lock the child into an app. Especially critical if you will be using the iPad as an AAC device or using it in therapy with kids with poor impulse control. Here is the PDF guide that I share with families. It shows how to set it up step by step: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2015/12/30/how-to-use-guided-access-to-prevent-exiting-an-app-best-feature-ever/
How to free up memory on your iPhone or iPad: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2016/11/01/ios-hack-free-up-memory-on-your-iphone-or-ipad/
Game Apps & AAC: why these need to be on separate devices:
https://omazingkidsllc.com/2016/07/31/game-apps-aac-why-these-need-to-be-on-separate-devices/
Some great tips & reminders: http://adventuresinspeechpathology.com/the-slps-ipad-resolutions-for-2017/
AAC apps and tips on how SLPs can get free access to trial them with patients: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2016/06/11/aac-tips-how-slps-can-get-free-access-to-aac-apps-aac-app-user-groups-funding-options-more/
Apps to target core vocabulary: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2016/10/01/appy-aac-awareness-month-favorite-apps-for-teaching-aac-core-vocabulary/
Save tons of time, ink & laminating film by saving PDFs of materials to iBooks. The open the document on your iPad for instant no-prep activities.

Are you an iOS App Developer and would like help beta-testing an app or would like to have your apps featured on OMazing Kids? Feel free to contact me via Facebook Messaging on OMazing Kids (I check it much more frequently than e-mail).

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: http://m.me/OMazingKidsYoga
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} Simple Problem and Solution Puzzle Pairs

Posted on May 28, 2016 by OMazing Kids

Simple Problem and Solution Puzzle Pairs - post

Ever look and look for materials to target a goal for a patient but just not find what you are looking for? Happens to me frequently so that’s why I end up making so many materials. I have a 6 year old patient with Autism who amazes me every week with his progress so I am constantly writing new goals. I recently added a goal for very basic problem solving since the ability to do that ties into the ability to function in social situations. But all the materials I found were way too complex as a starting point. So here is a printable with a set of 12 simple problem and solution puzzle pairs that I made to use with him. I purposefully made the puzzle shapes the same so he can’t just guess based on which ones fit together correctly (yup… I’ve had numerous patients do that with self-correcting puzzle pairs). Sharing it here since I’m sure other SLPs could benefit from having these 🙂

Free 2-page PDF:

simple problem and solution puzzle pairs – free printable — made by Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, OMazing Kids

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} Circles App: Social Boundaries & Relationships by James Stanfield Co., Inc.

Posted on May 22, 2016 by OMazing Kids

{App Review} Circles App: Social Boundaries & Relationships by James Stanfield Co., Inc.

The Circles App™ is an innovative way to teach children that the degree of closeness they have with other people and how they touch them, depends on the kind of relationship they have with them. It is an essential tool for social skills learning, especially for kids, teens, and young adults with special needs, intellectual disabilities, and individuals on the autism spectrum. With a colorful, interactive relationship graph, The Circles App™ teaches:

appropriate social interactions in relation to TOUCH: who gets a hug, who gets high-fives, who gets fist bumps, and more!
intimacy boundaries to help prevent abuse and exploitation
how to recognize and practice boundary limits for healthy mutual relationships

I love how this app breaks this concept down into concrete visual sections! It does a good job of showing the difference between community workers in the red circle vs. other strangers in the red stranger space. I also like how it includes fist bumps and bro hugs as current ways that kids greet each other. This will be a fabulous tool in my toolbox as I work with with patients who have difficulty understanding social boundaries and those who are at high risk for being taken advantage of. The app is easy to customize with pictures that are meaningful to that individual. It is designed to be appropriate for a wide range of ages.

App Store: https://appsto.re/us/6LK58.i, iOS 8.4 or later, iPad only, $24.99

Website: http://circlesapp.com

Tutorial: http://circlesapp.com/circles-app-tutorial/

Download a FREE Circles App User Guide with app instructions, FAQs, and general notes on how you can make the App work for you: http://eepurl.com/bULTWP

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stanfieldcompany
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JSTANFIELDCO
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/stanfieldco/circles-app-intimacy-relationships-social-boundari/
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Disclaimer: I received this app via a promo code from the developer. No compensation was received to review it and my opinions are strictly my own.

{Teaching Prepositions & Spatial Concepts} Free Printable Preposition and Spatial Concept Activity Cards for the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Puppy’s Activity Home and GoTalk Now Plus AAC Template

Posted on May 18, 2016 by OMazing Kids

{Teaching Prepositions & Spatial Concepts} Most of the kids on my caseload have Autism or other special needs that tend to make understanding spatial concepts and using prepositions very challenging. I use a combination of visual supports, real objects, movement, AAC and apps when tackling these goals.

I uploaded a template to the Attainment Company, Inc.‘s GoTalk Now AAC Online Gallery for “Prepositions & Spatial Concepts for the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Puppy’s Activity Home”. Includes front, back, side, in front, behind, beside, through, in & out. Search for “puppy” in the public gallery from within the app to find it.

free printable preposition and spatial concept cards - OMazing Kids

I made a set of 30 two-sided printable activity cards for the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Puppy’s Activity Home inspired by ones in the Positional Words Resource Box by Lakeshore Learning and the Hello Sunshine Game by Think Fun (both are fabulous visual ways to teach kids about prepositions & spatial concepts). The cards are color coded (10 brown for the puppy, 10 purple for the monkey, 5 orange for the car & 5 green for the frog) and the preposition is in that same color to make it stand out from the rest of the text.

Boardmaker version: http://br.boardmakershare.com/Activity/1913675/Puppys-Home-Prepositions-and-Spatial-Concepts-O
PDF version: Puppy’s Home Prepositions and Spatial Concepts – made by Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, OMazing Kids

Tip: Leave the cards attached in the middle, fold on the line, put a tiny dab of glue stick under the edge and then laminate the cards.

I bought my Puppy’s Activity Home during a recent online sale at Toys ‘R Us: http://t.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=30499426 and bought the monkey & car set on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Laugh-Learn-Monkeys-Learning/dp/B00FNMNLD8

I am continuing to share FREE printable resources like this on my blog in the hopes that I inspire other speechies to do the same. There are tons of SLP blogs now but most are primarily geared towards selling their TPT products.

A peek at the apps currently in the “prepositions” folder on my iPad.

I love the Hello Sunshine game. Unfortunately it appears that it is no longer readily available …. definitely worth adding to your list of things to look for at garage sales or thrift shops.

The Positional Words Resource Box is a “must have” for any SLP working with kids. It briefly went off the market so I grabbed mine as soon as I saw it was back.

UPDATE: Head over to this new post for free printable Puppy’s Pronouns & Sentence Building Cards.

‪#‎SLPbloggers‬ ‪#‎BHSM‬ ‪#‎BHSM2016‬

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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
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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}

{Awesome Book} “Social Skills Matter!, Grades PK – 2: Social Narrative Mini-Books” by Christine Schwab & Kasandra S. Flora, M.S., CCC-SLP

Posted on May 12, 2016 by OMazing Kids

Wow! Look what arrived today: “Social Skills Matter!, Grades PK-2: Social Narrative Mini-Books” by Christine Schwab & Kasandra S. Flora, M.S., CCC-SLP.

I’m very impressed with this book full of 84 reproducible social skill mini-books + award certificates. I bought my copy on Amazon for $24.54 with free shipping. That’s a bargain at $.29 per social story. It was co-authored by a SLP and by how well written they are I would guess that she has extensive experience working with kids with Autism. My go-to resources these days are mainly things I can grab and go. Yes I occasionally write my own social stories to fit very specific needs but having a book like this is worth it’s weight in gold for a busy SLP. Can’t wait to use these in OMazing Kids speech-language therapy 🙂

http://www.amazon.com/Social-Skills-Matter-Grades-Mini-Books/dp/1483800156
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See a more extensive peek inside the book on the publisher’s website: http://bit.ly/27igQgh

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Including a few screenshots here from that preview:

It’s very important to be respectful of kids sensory needs when teaching eye contact. I often teach kids how to approximate eye contact by periodically glancing at anything in the facial region to “check in”. Love this illustration from the book:

{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

Posted on April 30, 2016 by OMazing Kids

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!

See this video for more info about this relaxation technique.

Interior page samples from the storybook:

Interior page samples from the coloring book:

See this video for info about the game:

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

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

Website: http://eqtainment.com/

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

2016 Autism Awareness Month: AAC App Sale Roundup & Tips

Posted on March 31, 2016 by OMazing Kids

Here is a round up of the AAC app sales that have been announced so far for Autism Awareness Month. I have been announcing them in individual posts on my OMazing Kids Facebook page but thought a post listing them all might be helpful. AAC app sales are pretty rare. So this is a great opportunity to get an app that you have been considering:

aacorn AAC by aacorn: https://appsto.re/us/dA9PR.i, 50% off, 3/30-4/5/16
Avaz Pro – AAC App for Autism (Augmentative Picture Communication Software for Children with Special Needs) by Avaz, Inc.: https://appsto.re/us/19nrH.i, 52% off, 3/30-4/5/16
ChatAble – symbol and scene based communication app by Therapy Box Limited, https://appsto.re/us/mfo3V.i (50% off, 4/1-4/5/16)
LAMP Words For Life by Prentke Romich Company, https://appsto.re/us/maU2G.i, 50% off, 4/1-4/2/16
Proloquo2Go – Symbol-based AAC by AssistiveWare, https://appsto.re/us/Kmvys.i, 50% off, 4/2-4/4/16
Proloquo4Text – Text-based AAC by AssistiveWare, https://appsto.re/us/KItZS.i, 50% off, 4/2-4/4/16
Scene & Heard – Augmentative Communication by Therapy Box Limited, https://appsto.re/us/uDOpz.i (50% off, 4/1-4/5/16)
Speak for Yourself by Speak for Yourself LLC, https://appsto.re/us/M2NWC.i, 50% off, 4/2-4/4/16
Tobii Dynavox Compass by Tobii Dynavox LLC, https://appsto.re/us/y-lf2.i (According to the the company’s press release, the Compass with PODD, Compass with Gateway, and Compass with Eyetracking are NOT included in the sale), 50% off 4/1-4/3/16
Total Talk by Panther Technology, https://appsto.re/us/Ei-uab.i, special intro pricing 33% off, 3/30-4/4/16

FYI…
* Always verify an app price BEFORE purchasing it. App prices often change at 10:00pm CST (adjust for your time zone) but can change at any time without any notice.
* These app sales and prices will be in the USA App Store. Some apps may be on sale in other countries but I have no means of verifying that since I only have access to the USA App Store.
* If you plan on purchasing an app during a sale, it is wise to get it early in the sale to insure you don’t miss the sale pricing.
* Occasionally app developers decide to start a sale early or extend a sale but you can’t count on that happening.

Additional important info:

* Most app developers have a Facebook group for that app. I highly suggest joining these groups for an incredible amount of support from the app developers as well as other parents, therapists & teachers. Every group has it’s own “culture”. Some are very open to discussing any topic. Others are pretty strict about only posting info or questions directly related to that particular app. Here is a list of the FB groups:

I have suggested to the developers of the GoTalk Now app that a group be started but so far I’ve only seen a parent led one in Swedish. I have also suggested to the developer of the new Total Talk AAC app that they start a group. He was very open to the idea so I hope to see that soon.

There are also numerous other AAC-related Facebook groups. Again each having it’s own culture and dynamic. I’m not going to list all of those here…. but if you are a SLP, I definitely suggest joining the AAC for the SLP group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1539830846285663/.

* All states in the USA are supposed to have an Assistive Technology Lending Library program where parents & professionals can borrow AAC devices, iPads with AAC apps & other AT for short-term trial. It’s a great way to try various options out before making purchasing decisions. There are lots of great AAC apps…. but like anything there is no magical solution that meets every child’s specific needs. That’s why doing a good feature-match and trial of options is critical. I highly suggest an AAC eval with a SLP. The AT Lending Library in your area should know of folks in your area who do them.

Find the AT Lending Library in your state: http://www.ataporg.org/states.html. Also can look on: http://www.resnaprojects.org/allcontacts/statewidecontacts.html

* If you are a parent of a child with special needs and you are either tired of waiting on professionals being the gatekeepers for your child’s AAC options or have decided that don’t want to wait on an AAC evaluation, I still highly suggest doing a little “homework” to help you consider whether or not a particular AAC is a good match for your child before purchasing it. You can make informed purchasing decisions by watching videos of that app in use, reading parent blogs, joining the Facebook groups I listed above, find someone in your area who has the app, etc.

* Before commenting that these AAC apps are “so expensive” even on sale, please consider that “expensive” is a relative term. Compared to traditional AAC devices that cost thousands of dollars, these apps even at full price are a bargain and many parents end up purchasing an app themselves rather than continuing to wait for someone else to meet their child’s needs. The developers of these AAC apps have continued to invest their time and $$$ to add improvements to the app and pay licensing fees for high quality voices and symbol sets so we should not ever expect one of these apps to be free or cheaper than these sale prices. That being said, if the sale price is still out of reach for your budget then you may want to look for funding assistance. The AT lending programs I mentioned above are typically good resources for info about grant options for AT / AAC in that state.

* To find the pricing history of any app in the USA App Store, search for that app on this website, tap on the name of the app and then scroll down to the bottom of the page: http://appshopper.com

* Disclaimer: I do not have a financial relationship with any app developer or AAC company. I am only sharing this info to help spread the word to get more AAC options into the lives of kids who need it. My “favorite” AAC app is the one that has the features that best match that individual child’s needs at that particular point in time.

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There may be other AAC apps go on sale. For the most current info, be sure to “like” my OMazing Kids Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga – see this post for details on adjusting your settings to see all the posts: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2015/12/09/tip-how-to-get-all-the-facebook-posts-from-omazing-kids-and-other-pages/) & join my AppPeeps Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/)
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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}

3 Favorite Toys: Wonder Wheel, Ball Mountain & Ball Drop Tower

Posted on February 21, 2016 by OMazing Kids

As I was organizing my stash of therapy toys I noticed that the last 3 toys I bought all have similar sensory properties. Most of the kids on my caseload have Autism and it is always an adventure to find things to spark their interest enough for them to engage and communicate. With over 25 years experience as a SLP under my belt I’ve gotten pretty good at spotting toys with features that many of my patients with Autism will LOVE 😉

The Wonder Wheel has been great for targeting go/stop, fast/slow, on/off (the suction cup is a little difficult for most kids to remove from the table with out help). It has also been a fave with one of my patients who has a visual impairment. It has a very pleasant sound similar to a rainstick.

The wooden one has been named “ball mountain” by one of my patients. It has been magical to watch his play evolve over several session from self exploration -> tolerating an adult to sit near him -> showing enjoyment with an adult sitting near him -> him imitating inviting an adult to play with him -> him spontaneously inviting an adult to play with him and sustaining several minutes of joint attention during play. The bell has a very pleasant sensory-friendly tone.

The ball drop tower set was quite a bargain when I found one that came with a set of two priced similarly to a single. Great for targeting short/tall, go/stop, on/off, together/apart, more, roll, through, around, down, hole and colors. The balls have tiny balls inside them with a faint rainstick-like sound. This one had so many language opportunities that I made symbols for it for PECS and Aided Language Stimulation. I keep symbols in the container with that toy so they are always available. When a particular patients shows interest in that toy then I add those symbols to their PECS book, AAC app or AAC device.

Here is a PDF of those symbols. The larger symbol is what I put on the outside of the toy storage container: Ball Drop Tower – free printable symbols for PECS or for Aided Language Stimulation – from OMazing Kids

I bought all 3 on Amazon:

Sassy Wonder Wheel Activity Center: http://www.amazon.com/Sassy-Wonder-Wheel-Activity-Center/dp/B004AHMCKA
Hape – Totally Amazing Roller Derby Rolling Maze (“ball mountain”). I got it when it was 50% off: http://www.amazon.com/Hape-Totally-Amazing-Roller-Rolling/dp/B00I6N13AE
Ball Drop Tower: http://www.amazon.com/Drop-Educational-Family-Toddler-higher/dp/B0129RFLDW. At the time of this post it appears that the one I purchased is no longer in stock. But there are several other similar options.

#SLPeeps #over25YearsExperienceWorkingWithKidsWithAutism #LoveShoppingOnAmazon #SLPblogger

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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 25 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. I have no control over ads nor do I profit from them}

OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP. Over 36 years experience in AAC. OMazing Kids AAC and app consulting. Creator of several AAC Feature Matching resources (https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links/). Includes info about unique features to support Gestalt Language Processors

Category Archives: autism