Fastnacht Day 2023 | History | What is Fasnacht Day?
Whether you spell it Fastnacht Day or Fasnacht Day, it’s a day to eat donuts! Learn about this PA Dutch Holiday on Fat Tuesday, including a kids’ word search.
Pączki Day 2023 | When is it? What is Pączki Day?
Pączki Day (Fat Tuesday in Poland) is one of my favorite holidays. And, we get to celebrate it twice! Read more about Pączki Day 2023. PDF Word Search for kids, too.
How to Have an Inclusive Valentine’s Day | Special Education Valentine’s Day Activities
10 tips to make your Valentine’s Day inclusive for all students, including some ideas for activities for special education.
10 Doable New Year’s Resolutions for Moms
New Year’s Resolutions for Moms. Pffft. Every year, many Americans set them. Yet, only 8% of us keep them. Crazy, huh? I’m part of the 92%. But then I revisit them, try again. By April or so, I find myself saying, “Oh well, January has come and gone, let’s move on.” So, this year I…
Zero Waste Christmas Ideas and Waste-Free Christmas Gifts for Kids
Zero Waste Christmas Ideas I’m sad that we’re not going to see some family members this Christmas. But I have to admit, I’m a little excited at being able to break some bad habits. Some parts of our family exchange a lot of gifts, and so much of it gets tossed before January 1. I…
Holidays with a Disabled Child | 10 Tips for a Stress Free Season
10 Tips for you to have stress free holidays in your Special Needs Household. Ideas for both moms and kids…and everyone is happy!
Free Printable Christmas Thank You Notes for Kids (Fill in the Blank Templates)
These Christmas thank-you notes are fill-in-the-blank to make it easier for younger kids or those who struggle with reading or writing due to a learning disability.
20 Best Christmas Books for Tweens, Teens, and Middle Schoolers
Best Christmas Books for Teens and Middle Schoolers 20 minutes a day! That has been browbeaten into me ever since I was pregnant. I loved it when they were small. But at this busy time of year, it can be tough to carve out even 20 minutes. That’s why I loved doing a Christmas book…
25 Disabled Elf on the Shelf Ideas (Autism, Wheelchair, Hospital)
Wheelchair and Hospital Elf Ideas I’ll admit, when Elf first came out, I loved him. Then I hated him. Well, not him, but I hated how competitive it was on social media. Seemed like every mom was trying to outdo all her friends with crazy Elf ideas. Now we’re back to loving our Elf on…
50 Easy, Last-Minute Elf on the Shelf Ideas (with pictures)
You’re in bed and you think “I forgot to move the elf!” No worries, here are 50 super simple last-minute Elf on the Shelf Ideas, with photos. And no props!
You’ve Been Booed Poem for Your Neighbors | Boo Poem Printable
The Halloween Boo! tradition is a great way to have fun + celebrate Halloween with your neighbors. Plan now and start it in early October,
25 Best Gifts that Autistic and Disabled Teenagers and Adults Actually Want
Gift for Disabled Teenager and Adults Teens and adults with autism and disabilities can be so hard to buy for! This post was crowd sourced from my friends and from members of our Facebook Group and what I could pull from Twitter. If you are buying a gift for autistic adults or a gift for…
15 Easter Basket and Gift Ideas for Older Kids
Easter Gifts for Older Kids You know, this time of year, it’s lovely to think back to Easter egg hunts and sitting on the Easter Bunny’s lap for photos. (does any kid really like that?) But, there comes an age when any mention of those activities gets you an eye roll. Followed by a “Mo-om,…
Easter Jokes for Kids 🐣 Printable PDF
Easter Jokes for Kids Hey, here’s a fun little freebie for you–printable Easter lunch box jokes. These funny Easter jokes and jokes about the Easter bunny are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Enjoy! Just scroll past the image and you’ll find the pages to print, or just scroll and read them! Print…
Mardi Gras Coloring Pages | Mardi Gras Masks | PDF | Free
Mardi Gras Coloring Pages I honestly just love Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday, even though I’ve never even been to New Orleans or Rio. It’s a fun little holiday that usually happens right at a time when you’re really sick of winter and need a lift. Mardi Gras is so colorful and can be a…
10 St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Kids ☘️ Free ☘️ Printable 🌈
St. Patrick’s Day Activities Growing up, I don’t have great memories of St. Patrick’s Day. My dad would play record albums of Irish Folk Music like the Clancy Brothers and drink too much. Yep, the stereotype. It never occurred to me until I had kids that St. Patrick’s Day Activities for kids existed. I had…
St. Patrick’s Day Color by Number | Free | Printable
Color by Number St. Patrick’s Day I have posted several other St. Patrick’s Day coloring pages, but kept this one separate. That is because the color pages are color by number, but still with a St. Patrick’s Day theme. Color by number can not only be fun for the kids, but can also practice and…
St. Patrick’s Day Preschool Arts and Crafts 🌈 Easy 🌈 Pop Up Card
St. Patrick’s Day Arts and Crafts If you’ve been to a card store lately, you know how expensive they can be. So why spend $5 or $7 on a pop up card, when this St. Patrick’s Day craft is so easy to make? I’ve included photos and step by step instructions. It really can be…
St. Patrick’s Day Word Search ☘️ Word Scramble ☘️ Free PDF
St. Patrick’s Day Word Search Here we go with another fun activity to incorporate all kinds of skills with a fun holiday. This time, I’m sharing two free PDFs-a St. Patrick’s Day word search and a St. Patrick’s Day word scramble. Since my site largely focuses on kids with various learning disabilities, please be mindful…
Free Printable St. Patrick’s Day Bingo Cards ☘️
St. Patrick’s Day Bingo Bingo is one of my family’s favorite things to do. Mind you, I’m a middle aged adult, and I’ve only recently discovered the joy of bingo. Mostly due to my youngest son. For whatever reason, he loved playing any kind of bingo at a very young age. Then, one time we…
Valentine’s Day Word Search 💗 Free 💗 Printable 💗 PDF 💗
Valentine’s Day Word Search Hi there and Happy Valentine’s Day! Sure, it’s a corny holiday. But, a holiday dedicated to celebrating love and friendship? Count me in! This Valentine’s Day Word Search is a free printable in PDF format. Just download it and there you go! If this word search puzzle is either too easy…
☘️ St. Patrick’s Day Coloring Pages ☘️ Free ☘️
Free St. Patrick’s Day Coloring Pages Happy St. Patrick’s Day! These free St. Patrick’s Day coloring pages will keep kids happy and occupied for an afternoon or even longer. Coloring is a great fine motor skill, so why not incorporate some holiday fun? The St. Patrick’s Day coloring pages are all free for you to…
ASL ☘️ St. Patrick’s Day Words ☘️ Worksheets
ASL Signs for St. Patrick’s Day Depending on which set of statistics you look at, ASL or American Sign Language, is the 3rd or 4th most popular used language in this country. Many people are unaware of this. Pretty amazing, huh? While it is predominantly used by the Deaf community, teaching sign language to babies…
Hanukkah Dreidel Game and Rules 🕎 Activities | Free Printables
The Dreidel Game + Hanukkah Activities Happy Hanukkah! I like to teach my kids about all the major holidays and customs, even if we are not that ethnicity or religion. My sons both started playing the dreidel game in preschool and now one still asks for it. Personally, I think it’s just for the chocolate….
ASL Christmas Activities | Christmas Tree Worksheet | Free Printable
ASL Christmas Activities How super cute is this ASL Christmas Tree Worksheet?! This is the best free Christmas printable worksheet you are going to find. Ok, worksheets. Not worksheet. Because it is multiple pages. But what a great way to infuse holiday spirit and teach letter recognition and ASL. You can teach so many skills…
Santa Letter Template | Free Printable Fill in the Blank Santa Letter
Santa Letter Template When your child has a learning disability, they don’t only have the disability from 8-3 on school days. Right? They have it all the time. Sometimes people just don’t understand how a disability can take even what is the most fun and festive of activities, and ruin it. Like writing a letter…
How to Get a Free Letter from Santa Claus by Mail | Ideas | Sample
Free Letters from Santa Claus by Mail Would your child enjoy a free mailed letter from Santa? Who wouldn’t? A letter from Santa can be so fun to receive. And, here’s a secret. It can be a great way to set expectations for your child as far as what is going to be under the…
100 Best and Funniest Fantasy Football Team Names | 2023
Best Fantasy Football Team Names If you play Fantasy Football, you know that one of the highlights is when your league competitors start to reveal their team names. You want your to be unique, clever…and reflect you! You also want a Fantasy Football Team Name that is hip and current, but has the staying power…
8 Christmas Social Stories for Kids | Autism | Santa
Christmas Social Story This list of Christmas Social Stories was compiled by popular request. Every year, I dig up this post and go over a couple of them with my autistic son. Social stories about Christmas are so important. There are many free social stories here on this site. Think about some holiday traditions from…
5 Social Stories for Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Social Skills
Social Stories for Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is almost here! For most of the world, families anticipate and look forward to this time with happiness. Some of us with special needs, maybe not. It can be challenging, to say the least. Sometimes I think that I could use printable social stories for Thanksgiving to help me prepare….
How the Grinch Stole Christmas Musical Review | Why you might want to skip it this year!
{Review} How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. We had so much fun at the Grinch Musical last night! Honestly, I didn’t even think that we’d go. I got an invitation to attend on media night. And a zillion thoughts ran through my head. Should I invite my sister-in-law? My niece? She loves musicals. My…
20 Awesome Teen Advent Calendars
Teen Advent Calendars I am so done with candy. I feel like from Halloween to Easter, it’s a non-stop barrage of candy and junk food. But my son has already asked me if we’re getting “one of those things where you open the doors until Christmas.” So I’m on the hook for an advent calendar….
The Bayberry Candle Tradition | Poem | Christmas | New Year’s Eve
Bayberry Candle Legend Have you ever heard the bayberry candle poem or tradition? Legend has it that a bayberry candle can bring you luck. I love bayberry candles and have always loved the scent. When I learned about the holiday tradition of sharing the prayer or poem with a friend, it became an annual thing…
8 Halloween Social Stories including Trick or Treat
Halloween and Trick or Treat Social Stories With Halloween not that far off, I thought I would gather some Halloween and Trick-or-Treat Social Stories for you. I know from friends and clients that Halloween can be a tough time for kids with autism because so many unexpected things happen. Does your child with autism use…
25 Best Free Christmas Apps for Kids
Free Christmas Apps Are you looking for Christmas apps that are both fun and educational? Well, I was and found it nearly impossible to get a good list. So I went digging and found my own. From Christmas social stories apps, picture identification, vocabulary building, sequencing and so much more. And we have Android devices,…
25 Best Non-Scary Halloween Movies Streaming | Disney+
Streaming Halloween Movies (that aren’t scary!) Do you like scary movies? I like the scary movies if there’s no possible way it could happen in real life. But if there is a real life theme to it, no way. Yeah, I’m a child of the 1970s, so I still get a little nervous swimming in…
How to Host a Trunk-or-Treat
Will Trunk or Treat Save Halloween? Trunk or Treating is a growing trend that has been popping up around the country as a replacement for Trick or Treating. But, it might just be what saves Halloween for our kids during a pandemic. I have already argued that trick or treating can be done safely in…
20 Halloween Costumes with Helmets | Seizure Helmet | Baby
Costumes with Helmets I am so tired today, I have a bad foot. So when I looked in Kevin’s room and saw him relaxing with a book on his bed, I couldn’t resist laying down next to him. He’s wearing a Philadelphia Eagles jersey today. It was my intent to take him with me to…
8 Fun and Easy No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas: Decorations, Paint and Drilling
Hey, let’s face it. Carving pumpkins makes a mess. You can have just as much fun with these, easy no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas.
10 Fun Alternatives to Trick or Treating that Kids will Love
Trick or Treating Alternatives Many kids love to go trick or treating. But, maybe your disabled child does not enjoy it. Or, maybe we’re in the middle of a pandemic, so you don’t feel like you can trick or treat safely. Either way, you need alternative activities to trick or treating, and here is a…
60+ Halloween Things to Do in Philadelphia | Halloween Activities for Kids
Halloween Activities for Kids Pennhurst is one of the Halloween things to do near me. I hate it. For those of you who do not know what I am talking about, Pennhurst is an asylum that was open for decades in suburban Philadelphia. It was closed in the 1980s. Today you can find former residents…
13 Unlucky Facts about Halloween
Halloween Facts Halloween is almost here and as one of the most popular holidays (it ranks above New Year’s and Valentine’s Day), it seems only fitting that we have a little chat about some of the fun facts that you may not know about Halloween, but help to make it what it is. I know…
Allergy Free Candy Options | Halloween | Teal Pumpkin Ideas
Allergy Free Candy for Halloween Have you heard of the Teal Pumpkin Project? Fantastic idea! Tips and treat lists so your house can be a part of a Food Allergy Inclusive Halloween for all kids! Includes where to buy Allergen-Free Halloween Candy. As a parent, I can’t imagine the stress of your child having a…
Best Teacher Appreciation Gifts | Inexpensive | Thoughtful | Useful
Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas Some years, my son’s team is as large as 15 or 16 people. Sure, they’re not all teachers, but I thank them all at the same time. I’m good at knowing when Teacher Appreciation Day is (usually the first week of May) but there’s no way I could keep track of…
Valentine’s Day in Sign Language | Free Printable ASL Valentines
How to Say Happy Valentine’s Day in Sign Language What a cute idea! Valentine’s Day cards in ASL. Did you know that ASL is the 4th most used language in the United States? It is! When I heard that statistic, I was amazed. All the more reason to make the extra effort to include kids…
Mummers Parade in Philadelphia: 3 Stories of Disability Inclusion
Philadelphia Mummers If you live in Philadelphia, you know what a Mummer is. But if you’re not from around here, you are probably wondering, “what the heck is a Mummer?” I’ll get to that in a minute. I was approached locally to share some of the information about the new Mummers parade route. My response…
6 Pretty Cool Things about Parenting a Disabled Child at the Holidays.
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! I just love this time of year, don’t year? And having kids has made it so much better. Being a disability parent certainly has its ups and downs. I try to maintain a positive outlook and “glass half full” mentality about the whole thing, and I think that…
Where to see Fireworks in Chester County, Delaware, Philadelphia.
Chester County, PA Fireworks 2020 Note: I do not think that ANY of the below places are having fireworks this year. Sorry! I looked up every listing and each one has been canceled due to the pandemic. Happy unofficial start to Summer! I know it’s early to be talking about July 4 fireworks, but some…
And the Bruder truck gets to stay….reflections on a wonderful Valentine’s Day.
Last week I was kinda down. Kevin was in the hospital overnight as we struggle to get his seizures under control. The winter blues had set in and our pretty snow from the blizzard is nothing more than a dirty mess at this point. I did a post about the different ways that the special…