Publisher Description

A resource of fun games for parents or teachers to help young children learn social and motor skills Barbara Sher, an expert occupational therapist and teacher, has written a handy resource filled with games to play with young children who have Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or other sensory processing disorders (SPD). The games are designed to help children feel comfortable in social situations and teach other basic lessons including beginning and end, spatial relationships, hand-eye coordination, and more. Games can also be used in regular classrooms to encourage inclusion. A collection of fun, simple games that can improve the lives of children with ASD or other SPDs.Games can be played by parents or teachers and with individual children or groups.Games are designed to make children more comfortable in social situations and to develop motor and language skillsAlso included are a variety of interactive games to play in water, whether in a backyard kiddie pool, community swimming pool, or lakeAll the games are easy-to-do, utilizing common, inexpensive materials, and include several variations and modifications

Back Cover

Early Intervention Games Children identified with Autism Spectrum or Sensory Processing Disorders are often perceived as needing to be "fixed." However, recent research suggests that what we need to do instead is play with them and help them find the joy in interacting with others. In Early Intervention Games , expert occupational therapist Barbara Sher provides a wide selection of fun and novel games to do at home or in the classroom, including a variety of games to play in water. This indispensable resource can help these unique children enhance and increase their social, motor, and sensory skills. Each game explains the lessons playfully learned and ways of modifying the games so that everyone, regardless of skill level and sensibility, can play along. Neuroscientists now know that playing is a profound biological process that shapes and enlarges the brain; but from the children's view, it just feels good to have fun. Enjoy the positive interaction with the children in your life that you'll discover in Early Intervention Games . Praise for Early Intervention Games " Early Intervention Games brims with sparkling ideas to help children learn the pleasures of engaging in back and forth play. Barbara's warm advice and cool activities invite us to dive right in!" --Carol Kranowitz, author of The Out-of-Sync Child "Barbara Sher is gifted in her ability to weave therapy into play while deeply respecting the strengths and uniqueness of each child. In this book, she artfully explains how everyone can support challenged children through brilliantly creative yet practical, low-budget games. Her gentle, welcoming ways pull out the best in children as she shows us how to playfully play." --Mary Sue Williams, co-author of How Does Your Engine Run?

Flap

Early Intervention Games Children identified with Autism Spectrum or Sensory Processing Disorders are often perceived as needing to be "fixed." However, recent research suggests that what we need to do instead is play with them and help them find the joy in interacting with others. In Early Intervention Games , expert occupational therapist Barbara Sher provides a wide selection of fun and novel games to do at home or in the classroom, including a variety of games to play in water. This indispensable resource can help these unique children enhance and increase their social, motor, and sensory skills. Each game explains the lessons playfully learned and ways of modifying the games so that everyone, regardless of skill level and sensibility, can play along. Neuroscientists now know that playing is a profound biological process that shapes and enlarges the brain; but from the children's view, it just feels good to have fun. Enjoy the positive interaction with the children in your life that you'll discover in Early Intervention Games . Praise for Early Intervention Games " Early Intervention Games brims with sparkling ideas to help children learn the pleasures of engaging in back and forth play. Barbara's warm advice and cool activities invite us to dive right in!" --Carol Kranowitz, author of The Out-of-Sync Child "Barbara Sher is gifted in her ability to weave therapy into play while deeply respecting the strengths and uniqueness of each child. In this book, she artfully explains how everyone can support challenged children through brilliantly creative yet practical, low-budget games. Her gentle, welcoming ways pull out the best in children as she shows us how to playfully play." --Mary Sue Williams, co-author of How Does Your Engine Run?

Author Biography

Barbara Sher, M.A., O.T.R., has more than 30 years experience as a teacher and occupational therapist, specializing in pediatrics. She conducts workshops for parents, teachers, therapists, and children around the world, and is the author of nine books, including Attention Games, Self-Esteem Games, and Extraordinary Play with Ordinary Things, which have been translated into eight languages.

Table of Contents

Preface xiii Acknowledgments xv Introduction 1 CHAPTER 1 Understanding Sensory Processing Issues 9 CHAPTER 2 How the Games Help Sensory Processing Challenges 19 CHAPTER 3 Social Gross Motor Games 51 A Kid Sandwich 51 Are You My Mummy? 54 Balloon Baseball 55 Blanket Ride 57 Boat Ride 59 Box Ride 61 Going Through the Tunnel of Legs 63 Hammock Swing 65 Hit the Homemade Piñata 67  "I'm Here!" 69 Jump to Colors 71 Leap the Shoes 73 Massages 75 Name Game 77 Obstacle Course 79 Races 82 Rolling Children 83 RurRurRurRurRUN! 85 Sausage Roll (or Sushi Wrap, Hot Dog,Burrito . . . ) 86 Scarf Toss 89 Shape Targets 90 Stack the Cans 92 Stop and Go 94 Target Games 96 Throw the Balls into the Box 98 Throwing into the Tubes 101 Throwing Through the Tube 103 Tug-of-War 105 Walk with Rhythm 106 We Are Rocking 109 Who Is This? 111 Who's in the Box? 112 Wiggling Snake 114 CHAPTER 4 Social Fine Motor Games 117 Bingo Game 117 Bubble Blowing 119 Cereal Box Puzzles 121 Cereal Necklace 123 Colored Slots 125 Drawing Faces 127 Dump and Fill 128 Eyedropper Squirts 130 Feather Blowing 132 Listening Game 134 Lost in Rice 135 Penny Flick 137 Point to the Cup 139 Pudding Party 141 Secret Message 142 Sink the Boat 144 Smelling Game 146 Sound Makers 147 Straw Sucking 149 Styrofoam Hammering 151 Tile Painting 153 Toothpick Treats 155 What's in the Sock? 156 Yes-No Game 158 CHAPTER 5 Water Games 161 Blow Bubbles and Hum 162 Boogie Board Ride 164 Bury the Body 165 Catch a Fish 167 Choo-Choo Train 169 Fill the Bucket 171 Floating on Your Back 174 Gecko Walking 176 In and Out Crash 178 Into the Hole 179 The Kids in the Water Go Splashy Clap 182 The Little Dutch Boy 185 Little Jumps, Big Jumps 186 London Bridge 188 Make a Pond 190 Monkey Walking 192 One, Two, Three—Change 194 Parallel Swim 196 Ping-Pong Play 198 Ready? Set. Jump! 200 Riding the Horse Noodles 202 Ring-Around-a-Rosy 203 Save Your Life 205 Shark Attack 207 The Sponge Pass 209 The Squirting Game 212 Tug the Tube 214 Wa-Wa-Wa-Water! 215 Appendix I Index of Games by Sensory System or Skill Stimulated 219 Appendix II Additional Resources 227 The Author 231 Bibliography 233  

Long Description

Early Intervention Games Children identified with Autism Spectrum or Sensory Processing Disorders are often perceived as needing to be "fixed." However, recent research suggests that what we need to do instead is play with them and help them find the joy in interacting with others. In Early Intervention Games , expert occupational therapist Barbara Sher provides a wide selection of fun and novel games to do at home or in the classroom, including a variety of games to play in water. This indispensable resource can help these unique children enhance and increase their social, motor, and sensory skills. Each game explains the lessons playfully learned and ways of modifying the games so that everyone, regardless of skill level and sensibility, can play along. Neuroscientists now know that playing is a profound biological process that shapes and enlarges the brain; but from the children's view, it just feels good to have fun. Enjoy the positive interaction with the children in your life that you'll discover in Early Intervention Games. Praise for Early Intervention Games " Early Intervention Games brims with sparkling ideas to help children learn the pleasures of engaging in back and forth play. Barbara's warm advice and cool activities invite us to dive right in!" Carol Kranowitz , author of The Out-of-Sync Child "Barbara Sher is gifted in her ability to weave therapy into play while deeply respecting the strengths and uniqueness of each child. In this book, she artfully explains how everyone can support challenged children through brilliantly creative yet practical, low-budget games. Her gentle, welcoming ways pull out the best in children as she shows us how to playfully play." Mary Sue Williams , co-author of How Does Your Engine Run?

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