SpecialKids Magazine

03/26/2020

Fun afternoon diversion

Do you remember the sloth bear born at the Philadelphia Zoo in December? You can watch it (they don't know the s*x yet) make its live debut at 2pm.
Go here for a link to that and a bunch of other animal cams at zoos and aquariums: http://www.metrokids.com/Watch-Live-Cams-at-Zoos-Across-the-Country/

And here's the original sloth story: http://www.metrokids.com/MetroKids/Home-Life/Online-Entertainment-Ideas-for-Parents/

03/25/2020

Did you know is making kids books available for free while they are stuck at home?

Keep the kids busy with these online alternatives that include a dash of education and enrichment.

03/24/2020

This can be a frightening and disorienting time. Here are ways to calm your child. And yourself

Here are ways to comfort and entertain children with special needs during what can be a frightening time.

03/23/2020

There is something for almost every interest

Online activities to keep the busy and learning while they are social distancing from the coronavirus.

03/20/2020

Have a kid who loves animals?

If your kids love visiting the zoo, don't let social distancing from coronavirus keep them from seeing their favorite animals. Zoos around Philly and the country have live cams that let you take a virtual visit.

03/19/2020

Parents of children with special needs will want to pay attention to this.

A requirement that all students have equal access to online instruction has kept some school districts in Pennsylvania and elsewhere from implementing cyber lessons.

03/18/2020

Philadelphia schools have apparently decided that it can't offer remote instruction since it can't make it available for all students, including those with disabilities. Not sure what other districts are doing. What have you seen?

Because the district cannot ensure equal access to technology among students, it’s barring individual schools from providing any virtual instruction.

03/17/2020

Includes information about students with special needs

With schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware closed, parents have many questions about what's going to happen with their child's education.

03/16/2020

Let us know what we can add

How to keep your family healthy and happy.

03/13/2020

Lower Merion said two students and a staff member may have been exposed to COVID-19 at CHOP in King of Prussia. In Cheltenham, a parent and child are in quarantine in a separate exposure.

03/13/2020

If you are near Wilmington AND have symptoms.

03/11/2020

Lisa Lightner, of ADayInOurShoes.com -- IEP assistance, support, parenting & more, shows you what to do if the school wants to exclude your child from a field trip.

Students with special needs should be allowed on school field trips with the same accommodations given in the classroom, says Lisa Lightner.

03/11/2020

Need a place to go where you can relax with the kids?

Local wildlife preserves where families can go hiking, fishing and birding

03/09/2020

This weather has us thinking about egg hunts.

Where and when are the Easter egg hunts near you? Find out with this great list of 2020 Easter events, hunts, breakfasts with the Easter Bunny, in Philadelphia, its suburbs, South New Jersey, Delaware.

03/05/2020

Kids aren't always good at telling you when their shoes fit well.

Kids need new sneaks for spring? This survey found most are wearing the wrong size.https://www.blitzresults.com/files/blitzresults_study_small_childrenshoes_2020.pdf

Here are more tips on how to fit kids' shoes properly.
http://www.metrokids.com/MetroKids/Health/How-to-Correctly-Fit-Your-Kids-Shoes/

03/04/2020

The federal government proposed last month banning Emotional Support Animals from airplanes.

There is a proposal to keep Emotional Support Animals off of airplanes. Service dogs would still be allowed.

03/04/2020

In the past, it's been in September.

Get tickets for free admission on April 4 to nearly two dozen local museums in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware County, South Jersey, and Delaware. See the list here.

03/02/2020

Coronavirus appears to be very mild in children, at least to date. This year's flu, however, has been harder on kids.

02/27/2020

Have a kid fascinated with calendars and dates?

Fun facts for children about leap years and Feb. 29th.

02/25/2020

Last year’s measles outbreaks in the U.S. led summer camps to review their rules about vaccines and immunizations.

02/24/2020

Did someone say free?

Adventure Aquarium announced a new kids' pass today where ages 2 to 5 get unlimited free visits for a year. Find out how to get your kids a pass here >>> https://www.adventureaquarium.com/Aquarium-Admission/Memberships/Pre-K

02/20/2020

Do you have a kid who hates to wear a coat?

Going outside in the winter without a coat won't give you a cold, but it could make you more susceptible to one.

02/19/2020

This message might resonate with your younger, smaller family members.

A new exhibit at the Academy of Natural Sciences shows the survival benefits of life in the slow lane.

02/18/2020

Influenza B is the dominant flu strain this year for the first time in nearly 30 years. It is more common among children and has been reported in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware in 2020.

02/17/2020

Her parents believe the school overreacted.

Tredyffrin-Easttown officials acknowledge the 6-year-old meant no harm, the girl's mother says, but that its policy required them to contact police.

02/17/2020

The Can-Do Playground, pictured below, is fully accessible for children with special needs.

These jumbo playgrounds in Philly and the suburbs, South Jersey and Delaware will have the kids sliding, climbing and jumping all day. Find out what features that have and which are accessible to children with special needs

02/14/2020

Agree?

It's rudimentary and insulting to think that a chronically ill child will get to school just on the promise of a slice of pizza. Perfect Attendance Prizes don't work, here's the data.

02/13/2020

Montgomery County Community College is sponsoring a conference in April for parents of high school students with autism and other special needs. Representatives from Temple University, Ursinus College, and Gwynedd Mercy University will also be there. Details in the story below.

Students with autism can get admitted and succeed in college, especially since more schools have support programs to help them. We talk with representatives from several Philadelphia-area colleges to learn about the options.

02/12/2020

Yippee!

You can now vote by mail in Pennsylvania and you don't need to give a reason why. It starts with the presidential primary on April 28, 2020.

02/10/2020

"Gottsagen received a standing ovation at the Dolby Theatre, and considering he made history as the first presenter with Down Syndrome at the ceremony, it was much-deserved."

Shia LaBeouf made headlines on Sunday night.

02/07/2020

Did you know there's a summer camp in the Poconos sponsored by The Stuttering Association for the Young?

Ways for parents to help their children articulate their thoughts if they have stuttering problems.

02/06/2020

And here's a related article on how grandparents can help families with special needs. http://www.metrokids.com/MetroKids/SpecialKids/Grandparents-Can-Be-a-Big-Help-In-Families-with-Special-Needs/

Grandmothers helped their grandchildren, especially the babies, survive in a dangerous world. They still have an important role to play today.

02/04/2020

It is the first food-allergy pill. Maybe more to come?

The FDA last week approved Palforzia, which was shown to lessen kids' allergic reaction to peanuts during clinical trials, including at CHOP.

01/31/2020

Really like coffee? Dunkin' is giving away a year's worth of java to the first 100 customers at its newly remodeled store at 1002 S. College Ave. in Newark, DE starting at 9am tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 1). Tell us if you snag one. https://www.facebook.com/DunkinNewarkDE331295/

01/30/2020

Pretend it's summer for an afternoon.

The Fairmount Park Horticulture Center is bringing back its pop-up summer oasis, Getaway at the Greenhouse, starting Feb. 1 through Feb. 16 with kid friendly activities during the day and adult beverages at night.

01/29/2020

Experts in several special needs areas recommend especially beneficial extracurricular activities.

01/28/2020

Frontier flew out of Delaware for two years before it left in 2015.

Frontier's Kids Fly Free program lets one child fly free with each adult. Frontier flies out of Philadelphia and will start flights out of Wilmington, DE to Orlando in May 2020.

01/27/2020

Includes advice for children with special needs.

​VIDEO - The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages parents, teachers, child care providers, and others who work closely with children to filter information about the crisis and present it in a way that their child can accommodate, adjust to, and cope with.