Category: Education

There are some incredible special education teachers out there.  I taught general education (pre-K through 2nd) for fifteen years and some of the teachers I most admired were these.  The wild amount of stress they are under, the boatload of paperwork and individualizing everything for every student is mind boggling.  But sometimes, they are so loaded down that they can’t think outside the box.  Case in point – recently, my son’s teacher told me that they don’t use playdough with him in the classroom.  Why?  He eats it.  

My son probably wouldn’t care whether he got to play with playdough or not.  However, since he is weak in OT (occupational therapy, activities that use his hands) it is important to give him every opportunity to do this kind of work.  That’s where I come in.  Think his mama is going to let him miss out?  No way!  Let’s make some edible manipulatives.

For those new to the scene, a manipulative is anything that you can use with your hands to learn concepts in a developmentally appropriate way. This applies to typical or atypical children (so steal for your typical kids!).  Take a look at the National Association for the Education of Young Children Website to get a better idea of why playdough and other manipulatives are so important. Here’s the link:

https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/playdough-power

You can, of course, make these and use them at home but they really are too good not to share.

The first one will be, of course, the playdough.  The following recipe has been around for ages.  I have no idea who first created it or I would attribute it to them.  If you know, let me know so I can give credit where it is due.  It certainly wasn’t created by me.  This recipe is cheap, cooks up quickly and although it doesn’t taste good, it is completely edible.

Cooked Playdough
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar (find this with spices at the store)
1 cup water
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. food coloring
Combine flour, salt and cream of tartar in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in the water, the oil and the food coloring. Cook over medium to high heat stirring constantly until a ball forms. Remove from heat, allow to cool a bit and then knead it until smooth. You can store this in an airtight container but I find that a Ziplock bag works just fine.
Other options – add a packet of UNSWEETENED KOOL-AID OR UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER for amazing scented dough; double or triple the recipe so the whole class can use it
*Note: This playdough lasts for up to SIX MONTHS if you keep it in the container or bag when not in use. It is the softest, best playdough ever!!!

Now, how would it be if I walked into my son’s classroom with a big bag of this edible playdough and set it down on her desk and said something like, “I know how insanely busy you are so since my son isn’t able to use the regular playdough, I brought this for the whole class to use.” How about you looking like a superstar special needs parent for a couple of dollars and about 20 minutes of work? (I advise you to make extra, Superstar, because you are going to want to play with it too)

Let’s move right on to the next edible manipulative.  Want your child to fingerpaint in the classroom but they don’t allow it because your child eats the paint?  Problem solved.

Cool Whip Fingerpaint
1 tub Cool Whip
Food coloring to desired color.
Allow cool whip to defrost in refrigerator. Open. Mix in food coloring until desired color is reached. You can also spoon into individual bowls and make different colors.

This, of course, will taste way better than the playdough, although the goal is not to eat it.  It can be used to squish between fingers, paint on paper, write letters using your fingers or the end of an unsharpened pencil or marker with the cap on.  If the child doesn’t like to get his hands dirty, spoon some in a Ziplock, seal, tape the zipper part down on the desk and invite the child to squish through the bag.  Another instance where thinking outside the box turns can’t into can.

Bring the teacher this recipe and, perhaps, the two ingredients.  She may put down her pounds of data just to give you a hug.

This next one is a replacement for bead stringing.  A great way to develop fine motor skills is to have the child string larger beads onto laces.  Sometimes the child just isn’t interested in doing it because it is difficult for them due to weak fine motor skills (that’s hand work for the newbies).  Also, big clunky wooden beads, so what?  So, let’s replace them.  What can we string?

I have seen cereal work with mixed results.  Many kids enjoy Fruit Loops or Cheerios.  The problem is that some may not be ready to string something so small.  So you could offer this as an option but maybe your child needs to start with something bigger.  Enter the Gummy Ring.

What is a gummy ring?  It is like a gummy bear but in the shape of a ring.  The hole is considerably larger than the holes found in cereal and this makes it easier to string.  Also, they are delightfully squishy to hold. After they string them, they can wear them like necklaces, suck on the rings and make a delicious mess, all in the name of improving hand coordination. Does your kid need to work on this skill?  Bring a bag of gummy rings and either some yarn or laces to the classroom. Show the teacher the outside the box alternative to beads.  Can you say best student parent ever?

Finally, when you very sweetly (please be nice about it while you lead the Special Ed teacher to think outside the box) offer the instructions and/or supplies for these projects, remind her to take pictures. While the memories are lovely, gently remind the teacher that they can also be used as proof of a performance assessment.  This is when the teacher can gather data to form either grades or show progress on the IEP.  

What are some ways that you think outside the box when it comes to your child?  Please share in the comments below.

Imagine this. Your neurotypical child, about 6 years old, is at a pumpkin patch. After going on a hay ride, listening to a story, taking pictures, doing arts and crafts and checking out the pumpkins, it is time for a break. Your child decides to try candy corn for the first time. He likes it. You and your spouse smile at each other and watch him eat three more pieces. You now know that he likes candy corn. In the future, you might offer him some again. You finish your break and go back to your activities.

Now imagine this. Your neuro-atypical child, about 6 years old, is at a pumpkin patch. He does all of the above activities, with assistance. It is time for a break. His older, typical sister gets some candy corn. You do not bother to get a whole package for him, because it is very unlikely that he will try it. But you snag one of sister’s and hold it out in front of his mouth and say, “Eat?” He eyeballs it and you wait for the rejection. But, to your surprise, he leans over and bites the white tip off! He chews it and thinks it over. Your mouth is hanging open, chin stretching toward the ground. Not only has he not rejected it, he leans over and eats the rest of that piece and three more as well. You and your spouse lock eyes and practially jump up and down. Both of you are smiling from ear to ear and you race back to get him his own package of candy corn. You tell the woman giving out the candy corn that your son has just tried it for the first time! It is amazing! You tell three more people along the way, strangers all. Feeling like you and your spouse have just won the lottery, no one is putting a pin in this balloon, even when he refuses any more candy and moves on. You call people. You post it on Facebook. It is an incredible day to remember. You call the grandparents. You make a scene and tell your boy how incredible he is for eating the candy corn. How proud you are. How you knew he could do it. Your son does a little happy dance. People all around are watching. And, you’ve got to know, that some of them are thinking – what’s the deal? It’s candy corn. He ate. He’s obviously eaten before, he’s about 6 and still here. Why is she going so nuts?

It is the journey. It’s the history of every miniscule step that got us to this moment – the moment when he ate candy corn.

When you look at your son taking that bite of candy corn, you remember when.

You remember the ENTIRE YEAR when he choked at every single meal on pureed baby food and needed you to intervene with the hook method. It was your responsibility to save him from choking, to save his life EVERY SINGLE DAY, multiple times a day, for an entire year.

You remember that he didn’t even taste birthday cake (or any cake) until he was three years old – and that you cried with joy when he did.

You remember that just last week you were out with him, STILL FEEDING HIM BABY FOOD IN PUBLIC at the age of 6. Because, for some reason, even though he has (thankfully) stopped choking, he is incredibly reluctant to move on from purees.

Watching him eat candy corn, you think of all of his therapists over the years. Of the time he refused to cooperate and snapped a sign language “no,” at a therapist, causing you to splutter with laughter, even though you knew it wasn’t appropriate. You think of when he did feeding therapy, dragging his feet the whole time, eyeballing you with the “are you kidding me?” expression that showed that he didn’t want to eat anything that wasn’t baby food, no matter how it was presented. You think of all the foods he has rejected. All the foods he wouldn’t even taste. You think of all the times it was supposed to be a win that he let a therapist force food past his lips and touch his closed teeth, even though in reality, it really wasn’t much of a win. Because that food was never going past his teeth. Not if he had anything to say about it. Like, ever.

And then you think of all the other wins over the years. The first time he walked at the age of 22 months after months of therapy. The first time he walked up and down stairs (again, after months of therapy). The first time he spoke a word (after months of speech). You think of the Herculean effort your son has put into everything that he has achieved, things that just come naturally to every other typical child. And how, with every small increment of progress, there is an entire team of family, school personnel and professionals who are taking these steps forward with him.

He ate a bite of candy corn. Then he finished that piece and ate three more. Parents of neurotypical kids see this and smile. They think, “How nice.”

But why is the special needs parent so effusive?

If you only knew the back story. Wouldn’t you be?

What achievement has your special needs child made that has absolutely made you swoon? Please share in the comments below.