Family Resources: April 2006

Faren, 5 years, Trisomy 18

Noah, 5 months, Partial Trisomy 2p, angel

One of the of the aims of the TRIS project is to raise awareness of rare trisomy conditions and the variety of situations and concerns families encounter. This page is intended to share resources that families can use in their daily lives.

We are now archiving previous months' Family Resources pages.

April Adventures and Activities

April is a great month to begin new adventures and explore new activities.  With new plants starting to grow and the opportunity to be outside again we are able to take in fresh air and explore.  We at TRIS have gathered some activities and adventures you and your child might enjoy this new season of SPRING.

You might begin with these outdoor activities. At the Indian Child web site,   you will find page after page of old fashion games and new games you can play outside. 

Another fun thing you can plan to do with your child is to go to a park near you, if your child has special needs of a walker or wheelchair you will want to see if an easily accessible path is available.   Before you begin to travel down the path or through the woods or park you will say you are going to play an “I Spy” game.  As you go through the area you are looking for something that starts with each letter in the month of April.  You can make it more challenging for your child if you say the items have to be located in order.  You may also want to bring a bag and collect the items you find then take them home later to discuss each item. 

Spring means it is time to watch things grow.  Unfortunately not all of us have room for a garden, but most of us can plant a small garden. At Gardening with Kids, you will find links to all the gardening information you need to get started with different gardens to fit your individual wants. 

At Gayle's Preschool Rainbow, you will find a variety of fun activities for outdoors.  Choose an activity that fits your child’s personality and desires. 

Activities for those Rainy April Days

Don’t forget one of the best things you can do with your child is read.  Below are listed web sites where you can purchase a book of activities.  Reading these books will help you and your child decide together what fun activity you can do outside when it’s not raining.

At Jossey-Bass, you will find the“Complete  Handbook of Indoor and Outdoor Games and Activities for Young Children” by Dr. Jean R. Feldman.  The price seems pretty reasonable especially if you plan to get years of fun with your child from it.

Another book full of activity information can be found at Amazon.com   Backyards and Butterflies: Ways to Include Children With Disabilities in Outdoor Activities by Doreen Greenstien.  This book is only $9.72.  An excellent deal. 

Some great books about spring can be found at your local library or you can go to Barnes and Noble and order them.  Click on the “children’s” tab at the top of the page, enter the word "spring" in the search box to view many different stories about spring.  You may also choose to enter the title of one of the books listed below in the search window.  Some books we found interesting or fun for children ages 1 to 5 were; 

Some books we found interesting or fun for children ages 6 to 12 were;

The EdbyDesign web site has several ideas for activities that can be done inside and outside. Some of the art work can be done outdoors and you can always take a book outside. Explore the site for other fun activities and ideas that can help you help your child excel.