2 Amazing “Must Have” Books for Teaching Kids Self-Regulation Skills

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I absolutely LOVE both of these books! Great for teaching kids self-regulation skills. I love the illustrations, kid-friendly language and analogies used to make the concepts easy to understand and to implement. The concepts are therapeutically sound. I highly recommend both books as “must haves” in the library of anyone working with kids with special needs.

I bought my copies on Amazon. Check out the reviews for yourself…. 100% 5-star rave reviews:

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* The Kids’ Guide to Staying Awesome and In Control: Simple Stuff to Help Children Regulate their Emotions and Senses

Hardcover – July 22, 2014

About the book:
Packed with simple ideas to regulate the emotions and senses, this book will help children tackle difficult feelings head-on and feel awesome and in control!
From breathing exercises, pressure holds and finger pulls, to fidgets, noise-reducing headphones and gum, the book is brimming with fun stuff to help kids feel cool, calm and collected. They will learn how to label difficult feelings, choose the perfect strategies and tools to tackle them, and use these correctly whether at home or at school. The strategies and tools are accompanied by cartoon-style illustrations, and the author includes useful tips for parents and teachers as well as handy visual charts and checklists to track learning and progress.

Armed with this book, kids will be well on their way to managing difficult emotions and feeling just right in whatever situation life throws at them! Suitable for children with emotional and sensory processing difficulties aged approximately 7 to 14 years. (Note: With modifications I’ve used the strategies with kids as young as 4 1/2 years old)

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Free printables from the book:
https://bit.ly/3OMG9BI

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* How to Be a Superhero Called Self-Control!: Super Powers to Help Younger Children to Regulate their Emotions and Senses

Hardcover – November 21, 2015

About the book:
Meet Self-Control, a superhero who wants to teach young children his super powers of self-control! Anxiety, frustration, anger, and other difficult feelings won’t stand a chance against their new-found powers.

Self-Control teaches children with emotional and sensory regulation difficulties aged approximately 4-7 how to calm themselves using self-massage, deep pressure, breathing exercises, and activities such as making an imaginary list and finding their own peaceful place. This illustrated book also features an appendix with photocopiable super power charts, reinforcers, and reminder tools to ensure that parents, teachers, and other professionals can support children in upholding superhero strategies even after the book has been read.

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Free printables from the book:
https://bit.ly/3yGeQU0
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The author, Lauren Brukner, is a pediatric OT: https://twitter.com/brukner_lauren?s=21&t=JN4N-ms77XgvaxEmobXCEQ

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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
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
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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 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 a kids book reviewer with a focus on great picture books, a kids toy / product reviewer with a focus on those that are helpful for kids with special needs & an iOS app beta tester for educational and therapeutic app developers. She loves sharing info about great things to use with kids of all abilities.

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{Note: please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I have no control over the ads nor do I make any profit from them}

{OMazing Kids Book Review & Book Bundle Giveaway} “Love for Logan” & “Leah’s Voice” by Lori DeMonia

 Book Bundle Giveaway pic

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Love for Logan is the lovely sequel to Leah’s Voice and is another wonderful addition to my special needs acceptance & awareness library! I love how the story unfolds, the message of the power of love and understanding and that it is inspired by the author’s daughters. The book gives insight into Sensory Processing Disorder & Autism.

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Here are a couple of pics of interior pages to give you a feel for the book:

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About the book: Love for Logan is an inspirational story based on actual events. A young girl learns to better understand why day to day life can be challenging for her older sister. While sharing a special night, the story embraces how one girl’s love for her sister empowers her to overcome one of life’s obstacles. This beautifully illustrated, kid friendly picture book, told through the eyes of a sibling, will help children understand others’ sensory difficulties, and explain sensory processing disorder.  Sensory Processing Disorder occurs when the nervous system’s messages received from sensory signals are not organized into appropriate responses. This limits a person’s ability to correctly interpret sensory information and can make even routine, daily events extremely challenging.

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  • Age Range: 6 and up
  • Hardcover: 26 pages
  • Publisher: Halo Publishing International (May 18, 2015)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1612443621
  • ISBN-13: 978-1612443621
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.2 x 8.5 inches

Available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Logan-Lori-DeMonia/dp/1612443621

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Website: http://www.autismkidsbooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Leahsvoice

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See this post for my review on the first book, Leah’s Voice: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2015/07/11/omazing-kids-book-review-leahs-voice-by-lori-demonia/.

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A hardcover copy of both books will be included in the book bundle giveaway. 

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Leah's Voice

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  • Age Range: 6 – 8 years
  • Hardcover: 28 pages
  • Publisher: Halo Publishing International (October 31, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1612442404
  • ISBN-13: 978-1612442402
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.2 x 8.5 inches

Available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Leahs-Voice-Lori-Demonia/dp/1612440894.

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See Leah’s art: http://www.kindtree.org/marketplace/artists/leah-demonia

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See this post for a peek inside my special needs acceptance & awareness library at OMazing Kids. I just updated that post to add this new book: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2015/07/11/a-peek-inside-my-my-special-needs-acceptance-awareness-library/

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Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own. Starting in 2013, a new component of reviews & giveaways hosted on OMazing Kids is that a review will be added on Amazon.com (for products sold on that site). See my Amazon profile at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1JKVLELLSX7FD?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_aya_bb_pdp.

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giveaway .

This giveaway is CLOSED. Congratulations to the winner Kristy Austin in Oklahoma. 

Only USA entries are allowed for this giveaway due to shipping costs.  

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Easy Entry Form:

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  • Only entries with all required information will be valid. The info comes to me directly via e-mail & is ONLY used for the purposes of selecting winners and distributing prizes.

  • Helpful Info & Tips: Folks had requested a simpler entry option. I tried Rafflecopter but most folks did not enter an address so now I’m trying this online contact form instead. I will be hand selecting winners to insure products end up in the hands of folks who will put them to the best use. Briefly tell me how winning this would help you & the kids. I take the time to read each entry so details count. It doesn’t have to be lengthy…. just heart-felt.
  • If you experience any problems with the entry form in this blog post, please e-mail me specific details so I can attempt to fix it. E-mail to: amoorad1@juno.com . The entry deadline may be extended at the sole discretion of OMazing Kids in the event of prolonged entry problems.
  • Each “giveaway” is handled separately on OMazing Kids. So there are no rules prohibiting previous winners from entering this or future giveaways. I really do read every entry in every giveaway carefully to insure that the products end up in the best hands to impact kids lives.

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on July 20, 2015.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • One entry per person.
  • Only USA entries are allowed for this giveaway. 
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Comments submitted via entries may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • Only entries with all required information will be valid.
  • The winner will be chosen from valid entries on July 21, 2015.

1 winner will win a bundle of 1 hardcover copy of each of the 2 books described above.

  • The winner will be notified via e-mail, their name will be posted on the blog post & will be posted on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. The company offering the prize may also post the winner’s name on their website, blog, Facebook page and/or other social media sites at their discretion.
  • The prize will be mailed to the winner using the address submitted in the entry form. OMazing Kids is not responsible for items lost in the mail or for inaccuracies in the mailing address or phone number. I copy & paste the info directly from what you submit << so PLEASE proof read your entry for accuracy before submitting it…. in the era of iPhone auto correction these errors happen pretty frequently>>
  • The winner’s address & phone number will be forwarded to the company and they will be mailing the prizes directly to the winners.  
  • After I e-mail the winner’s info to the company, it is their responsibility to mail out prizes. Please contact them first if you are concerned about not receiving a prize. If that does not resolve the problem, then feel free to e-mail me and I will glad to assist in whatever way I can.
  • Prize Value: $33.90 ($16.95 for each book)

Other Legal Stuff: I know they are just kids books  but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff… This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to OMazing Kids, LLC and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for our internal purposes in relation to the administration of the giveaway. Your information will NOT be sold to any outside parties. Indemnification/Hold Harmless: By participating, entrants agree: (a) to the decisions of OMazing Kids, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids, LLC and its respective representatives and agents from all liability, injuries, losses or damages of any kind to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse or use of a prize, or from participation in and/or entry into the Contest or any Contest-related activity and for acceptance, delivery, or use of any prize; (c) that the foregoing parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guaranty, expressed or implied, in fact or in law,

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 This giveaway is part of the 8K 8Day Giveaway series to celebrate 8,000+ fans on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. See this album for details on other giveaways: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.972147469502925.1073741891.174264525957894&type=3

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/174264525957894

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/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

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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OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. 

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{OMazing Kids Book Review} “Leah’s Voice” by Lori DeMonia

Leah's Voice

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Leah’s Voice is a wonderful addition to my special needs acceptance & awareness library! I love how the story unfolds, the message of treating everyone with kindness and that it is inspired by the author’s daughters.

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Here are a couple of pics of interior pages to give you a feel for the book:

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About the book:

Leah’s Voice is a fictional story inspired by two sisters. It touches on the difficulties children encounter when they meet a child with special needs such as autism. Siblings may find it difficult to explain to their friends, or feel disappointed when their friends aren’t more understanding. Leah’s Voice tells the story of two sisters facing these challenges. Through her kindness and devotion, one sister teaches by example the importance of including everyone and showing acceptance.

  • 2014 Dr. Temple Grandin Outstanding Literary Work of the Year Award Presented by the Autism Society
  • Mom’s Choice Award Winner
  • New York Book Festival 2013 Honorable Mention Award
  • Readers’ Favorite Book Award Finalist 2013
  • London Book Festival 2013 Honorable Mention Award

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Available on Amazon: 

http://www.amazon.com/Leahs-Voice-Lori-Demonia/dp/1612440894.

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Website: http://leahsvoicethebook.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Leahsvoice

Free printables for the book: http://www.leahsvoicethebook.com/#printablesPage

New website: http://autismkidsbooks.com

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See the story behind the book: http://geekclubbooks.com/2014/05/autism-story-leahs-voice/

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See Leah’s art: http://www.kindtree.org/marketplace/artists/leah-demonia

 

 

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/174264525957894

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/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

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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OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. 

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Review & A Way To Give Giveaway: Body Songs & Stories for Children with Special Needs – Vol. 1 DVD

body songs - A way to give giveaway

Product Description:  Body Songs & Stories™ was created by Stephanie Gottlob & Yuji Oka to help children with special needs including Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, Down Syndrome & other developmental delays or emotional challenges.  Using easy-to-learn video instructions, parents, caregivers, teachers & therapists can learn how to perform different hand textures to accompany each body songs.  It is designed to foster emotional & physical communication between children & their caregivers. There are 5 original Body Songs on the Vol. 1 DVD.

This DVD features Welcome & Intro sections with fabulous info about setting up a positive environment & safety tips. There are 5 Body Songs included in both “Practice Mode” (the music & lyrics in karaoke style) & “Experiential Mode” (videos of Stephanie demonstrating doing each Body Song and the touch movements on kids while singing the songs).

  • 1-2-3 Song
  • Zoo Song
  • Seasons Song
  • Birthday Song
  • Up In The Hill Song

The 14-page DVD Booklet features:

  • Authors’ Note
  • Getting Started
  • Descriptions of the 6 hand textures movements (tapping, pounding, deep pressure, brushing, rocking & scratching)
  • Do’s and Don’t’s
  • Learning Body Songs
  • How to Use the DVD
  • When to Use Body Songs

The DVD also contains a 13 page PDF file that can be opened on a computer. It contains sheet music for each Body Song with lyrics & motions. Here’s a screenshot of the two pages for the Zoo Song:
zoo song sheet music
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Here is a “sneek-peek” at a few screenshots from the DVD:
Bodysongs intro
Be sure to watch the Welcome section & Getting Started (parts 1 & 2) for great info:
body songs welcome
body songs 3
From the 1-2-3 Song:
body songs 123
From the Zoo Song:
body songs zoo
From the Seasons Song:
body songs - seasons
From the Birthday Song:
body songs - birthday 2
From the Up In the Hills Song:
body songs - up in the hills
The “Meet the Parents & Kids Like You” section is powerful!
body songs parents & kids

Here’s what I love about the DVD:

  • Stephanie & Yuji’s passion for helping kids with special needs shines through! Even though I’ve never met them in person, I feel a connection with these kindred spirits. This DVD is definitely being added to my short list of “must have” faves for folks wanting to do adapted yoga / adapted movement with kids with special needs. They have more products in the works which I can’t wait to see!
  • The DVD is presented in a very easy to understand format.
  • The Body Songs & hand texture movements are easy to learn. These techniques will be great to incorporate into my OMazing Kids yoga classes & my work as a Speech-Language Pathologist!
  • The DVD booklet & intro section of the DVD provide info for creative use of each hand texture movement (ex: “deep press” to simulate elephants, stones or other heavy objects)
  • They provide very clear info about being sensitive to each child’s unique sensory needs and the sensory aspects of each hand texture movement.
  • They provide clear info about setting up a positive environment & safety precautions before getting started.
  • They encourage you to practice on another adult & have an adult practice on you before trying it out with kids. “The quality of your touch conveys the image of the song”.
  • While the DVD is designed for kids ages 2-9 years old, from my experience it would also be appropriate with older kids who are functioning at a lower developmental level.
  • The “Meet the Parents & Kids Like You” section is powerful! Hear stories from four parents about how using these techniques impacted their child’s motor planning, body awareness, self awareness, confidence, social skills, connections to siblings (& even pets), relaxation & more.

See a preview on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1kdf6L8zA0

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Purchase: Available on the company’s website:   http://movementforkidswithspecialneeds.org/home/teaching-aids/. Also available on the Playtime Yoga website: http://www.playtimeyoga.com/bodysongsstories.html (** Note: they have an intro price sale on it through 12:00am PDT on July 6, 2013).

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spiral-Praxis/173082326070416

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/spiralmovementcenter

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own.Starting in 2013, a new component of reviews & giveaways hosted on OMazing Kids is that a review will be added on Amazon.com (for products sold on that site). See my Amazon profile at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1JKVLELLSX7FD?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_aya_bb_pdp.

A Way to Give - Giveaway

How to enter the A Way to Give – Giveaway:

  • Required Entry Method: Enter via the “Giveaways” tab on the OMazing Kids – Contests & Giveaways Facebook page (http://a.pgtb.me/plpbTf) & mention why this DVD would be helpful to you. Also nominate a friend, relative, teacher, therapist, school, clinic, library, etc… it can be any individual (other than yourself) or setting that you feel could benefit from having the DVD & tell us why they would benefit from having it (details will count in selecting the winner). Only entries that include a nomination will be valid…. so take the time to think of someone besides yourself who would benefit from having this. (comments must be in English; must include full first & last name; must use respectful people-first language, 1 entry per person).
  • Bonus Entry Options:
    1. Invite some friends to “like” the OMazing Kids Facebook page (comment here on this blog post to let me know you did)
    2. Share this review on Facebook & include a @OMazing Kids to tag my page – (comment here on this blog post to let me know you did)
  • Helpful Info & Tips: I use the “Giveaways” tab because it saves me the step having to obtain your mailing address – the info you complete on the tab comes directly to me via an e-mail. FYI…. I use a free app from Shortstack for that tab and have no control over technical difficulties either on their end or on Facebook. The Facebook tab may not work on a cell phone. If you experience that, try again on a computer. Make sure you are logged in as yourself (not a page) when using the tab. In the event that you experience difficulties with the FB entry tab, please e-mail me specific details so I can attempt to fix it. E-mail to: amoorad1@juno.com . The entry deadline may be extended at the sole discretion of OMazing Kids in the event of prolonged entry tab problems
  • Each “giveaway” is handled separately on OMazing Kids. So there are no rules prohibiting previous winners from entering this or future giveaways. I really do read every entry in every giveaway carefully to insure that the products end up in the best hands to impact kids lives.

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on June 26, 2013.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • International entries are being allowed for this particular giveaway.
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Comments submitted via the Enter Giveaways Here…. tab on Facebook may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • The winner will be chosen from valid entries on June 27, 2013.

The winner & the person/place they nominate will each receive 1 copy of the DVD.

 (I know this is a bit out-of-the box & different than most typical giveaways where the person who enters wins all the “stuff”.  This is the new “A Way To Give” portion of giveaways on OMazing Kids. I was inspired to make giveaways more meaningful after this experience. Think of it as a way to plant some seeds.)

  • The winners will be notified via e-mail, will be posted on the blog post & will be posted on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. The company offering the prize may also post the winner’s name on their website, blog, Facebook page and/or other social media sites at their discretion.
  • The winner’s address will be forwarded to the company and they will be mailing the prizes directly to the winners. Any questions about the prize should be directed to the company.
  • Prize Value: $18.00 for each DVD

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a DVD but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff…

This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to OMazing Kids, LLC and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for our internal purposes in relation to the administration of the giveaway. Your information will NOT be sold to any outside parties.

Indemnification/Hold Harmless: By participating, entrants agree: (a) to the decisions of OMazing Kids, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids, LLC and its respective representatives and agents from all liability, injuries, losses or damages of any kind to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse or use of a prize, or from participation in and/or entry into the Contest or any Contest-related activity and for acceptance, delivery, or use of any prize; (c) that the foregoing parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guaranty, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relating to any prize.

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

Contests & Giveaways on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsContestsandGiveaways

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741

Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

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Review & Giveaway: This is Gabriel: Making Sense of School – 2nd Edition: A Book about Sensory Processing Disorder

This is Gabriel: Making Sense of School – 2nd Edition: A Book about Sensory Processing Disorder

I love that this book is written from the perspective of a child with Sensory Processing Disorder and describes each of the senses in a way that most kids, parents, teachers & therapists can understand. It is a great intro to SPD and would be a great way to explain SPD to a parent & child who is newly diagnosed, provide info a teacher who will be having a child with SPD in her/his classroom, etc…. This book does a great job of providing a brief easy to understand overview of SPD and provides links at the end where readers can find more in-depth info and resources.

Product Description:

This is Gabriel Making Sense of School provides an insight into the challenges children with sensory issues face every day at school. This beautifully illustrated picture book gives us all a better understanding of our eight senses, how they are affected, and what kids of accommodations are necessary to help children become learning sensations!
  • Publication Date: May 1, 2012
  • Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  • Paperback: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Sensory World; Second Edition, Revised edition (May 1, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1935567349
  • ISBN-13: 978-1935567349
  • Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches
Back Cover:
A sneek-peek inside the book. Each of the 8 senses is shown on a 2-page spread. None of the websites selling the book gave any “preview” inside the book. Since I always like to see a preview before I decide to purchase a book online I took a couple of pics:

Price at the time of this post: $12.95 list price (several great deals online…. do a search on Google to find the best price in your area. Too many deals to list here.) 

Where to purchase the book:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/This-Gabriel-Edition-Processing-Disorder/dp/1935567349/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-is-gabriel-making-sense-of-school-hartley-steiner/1110931730

Walmart: http://www.walmart.com/ip/17685059  [I’m not a big fan of Wallyworld but it was cool to see that they are offering this book on their website…… the more people who have access to info about SPD the better 🙂 ]

Publisher Sensory World’s website: http://www.sensoryworld.com/OurProducts/tabid/210/product/91/Default.aspx (Sensory World & Future Horizons on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sensory-World/293890725713 & http://www.facebook.com/futurehorizons)

There are many other places to purchase it online. Do a Google search to find the best deal in you area….. my advice is to stick with websites that you have used before or are well-known/trusted. You could also check with your local independent bookstore to see if they have this book or could order it for you. The 2nd edition of this book was just released in May so it may be too new to be available in your public library…. but it’s worth looking for 🙂

More info:

Author’s Blog: http://www.hartleysboys.com/p/this-is-gabriel-making-sense-of-school.htmlFacebook:  http://www.facebook.com/hartleysboys & Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/ParentingSPD  (@ParentingSPD)

She is also the Founder/Editor of the SPD Blogger Network: http://www.spdbloggernetwork.com/, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SPDBN & Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/spdbn (@spdbn).

8 Sensory Systems (info from the SPD Blogger Network – http://www.spdbloggernetwork.com/the-8-senses/)

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

How to enter the giveaway:

  1. Enter via the “Giveaways” tab on the OMazing Kids FB page (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga?v=app_197602066931325) & mention how you would be using this book.  (comments must be in English; must include full first & last name; 1 entry per Facebook account).
  2. For one additional entry, leave a comment on this blog post. Must mention how you would be using this book. If you only enter via blog post comment, you must also send me an e-mail with your mailing address (send to amoorad1@juno.comYou will not need to do this if you also entered via the Enter Giveaways Here…. tab on Facebook since your address will be provided on that entry (comments must be in English; 1 entry per person; must have a valid e-mail address)
  3. Helpful Info & Tips: You increase your odds of winning by entering via both methods. Entering via the “Giveaways” tab will save you the step of e-mailing me your mailing address – the info you complete on the tab comes directly to me via an e-mail. FYI…. I use a free app from Shortstack for that tab and have no control over technical difficulties either on their end or on Facebook. In the event that you experience difficulties with the tab you can submit an entry via e-mail providing your full name, e-mail address, mailing address, how you would be using the book. E-mail to: amoorad1@juno.com. Unfortunately Facebook rules prohibit me from accepting entries directly from posts or comments on Facebook.

Entry Deadline: Enter by any of the methods listed above by 11:59pm CST on July 8, 2012.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • Only USA entries are being allowed for this particular giveaway.
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Comments submitted via the Enter Giveaways Here…. tab on Facebook or e-mail may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • One (1) winner will be chosen via a random drawing of valid entries on July 9, 2012.
  • The winner will receive one (1) copy of the book.
  • The winner will be notified via e-mail and will be posted on the blog post.
  • The winner’s address will be forwarded to the publishing company and they will be mailing the prize directly to the winner.
  • Prize Value: $12.95

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a book but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff…

This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to OMazing Kids, LLC and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for our internal purposes in relation to the administration of the giveaway. Your information will NOT be sold to any outside parties.

Indemnification/Hold Harmless: By participating, entrants agree: (a) to the decisions of OMazing Kids, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids, LLC and its respective representatives and agents from all liability, injuries, losses or damages of any kind to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse or use of a prize, or from participation in and/or entry into the Contest or any Contest-related activity and for acceptance, delivery, or use of any prize; (c) that the foregoing parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guaranty, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relating to any prize.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

Using Visual Supports in Yoga Groups for Kids & Teens – being inclusive of learning styles

Looking for ways to include kids & teens with different learning styles in your yoga groups? Want to use positive ways to support participation and reduce problematic behaviors? Then you might want to consider using “visual supports”.

Many of the kids I work with in OMazing Kids Yoga have difficulty understanding & following verbal instructions. This can be due to a difference in learning style (visual vs. auditory learner), difficulty maintaining attention (ex: ADD/ADHD), difficulty tuning out extra sensory input to be able to attend (ex: Sensory Processing Disorders), focusing in too much on an area of high interest to the point that the child has difficulty attending to other information (ex: Autism Spectrum Disorders), specific learning disabilities, etc…

Regardless of “why” the child is having difficulty understanding & following instructions, this will make it difficult for them to participate in a meaningful way in activities, including a kids yoga class.

Adding “visual supports” (ex: pictures of the poses, pictures to depict the sequence of activities that will occur in the group, pictures to show the “steps” within an activity, showing “first ____ / then _______”, etc…) can make a BIG difference for many kids.

Here are a few examples of visual supports I created to use in OMazing Kids Yoga:

Some kids do well with a “Social Story” describing the expected behavior and how that makes other feel:

Some kids do well with a left-to-right schedule showing what will happen in the group (other kids do better with a top-to-bottom type schedule):

(this file is saved out on Boardmaker Share at: http://www.boardmakerachieve.com/Activity/1865866)

Some kids need extra visual cues to help them understand concepts:

(Note: These are just a few examples of the many different visual supports I use. Every child is unique so I often modify things or make new visual supports to meet those unique needs. Some kids do better with photos, black & white symbols or just words.)

Looking for PDF printable versions of some visual supports?  Here are a few: yoga breathing visual support (flower and candle), Social Story “Good Behavior in Yoga Group” with picture symbols, Peace Tree – guided visualization.

 How Do I Make These Visual Supports?  I use a combination of Boardmaker, MS Word, MS Paint, Google Images and the “snipping tool” in Windows 7. Boardmaker is a software program commonly used by Special Education teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists and other therapists to make communication boards, educational materials & visual supports for kids with special needs. Mayer Johnson offers a 30-day free trial of the program (http://www.mayer-johnson.com/downloads/trials/) and free online trainings on how to use it (http://www.mayer-johnson.com/training/recorded/details/id/2189/).

More About Visual Supports

Visual supports help many children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other special needs understand their world better.

Just as many adults need calendars, to-do lists, shopping lists and planners to remind them of their activities for the day, many children need visual schedules and other visual supports.

Visual supports enhance understanding of what is going to happen and clarify expectations during that specific time period or activity.

In addition, visual supports often help the child move from one activity to the next with less frustration and reduced behavioral outbursts because the symbols turn the unknown into something the child understands.

The consistency provided by a visual support is crucial in establishing an atmosphere of trust and
security. Visual supports can also provide motivation for the child to work through a less preferred activity knowing a preferred/reinforcing activity is coming soon.

The type of symbols used, number of activities and amount of time shown on a visual schedule depend on the individual child’s needs.

If you want even more info about “visual supports”, check out these websites:

http://www.autism4teachers.com/autism4teachers_028.htm

http://www.autism4teachers.com/autism4teachers_020.htm

http://cdd.unm.edu/swan/autism_course/modules/environ/visualschedule/index.htm

http://card.ufl.edu/content/visual.html

http://www.polyxo.com/visualsupport/

http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/content/visual-supports

http://www.usevisualstrategies.com/VisualStrategiesInformation.aspx

http://visualaidsforlearning.com/

http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/visual-supports.pdf 

NOTE:  Please ignore any ads that appear below the blue divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma
Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2
E-mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Blog: https://omazingkidsyoga.wordpress.com