We Rock the Spectrum announces its Developmental Resource Fair — a day for families with children of all abilities to come together in awareness, understanding, and support. The event will be held at 160 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, MD 21146 on Saturday, April 27th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be local special needs vendors, event sponsors, food, ABA & OCT therapists, rockin’ music plus awesome deals & discounts! It will be a wonderful opportunity for families to become educated about what is available and feel the support of an entire community. We Rock the Spectrum is a franchise opportunity that provides sensory-safe play for kids with autism, special needs, and neurotypical development. Each gym features ten pieces of therapeutic equipment. This equipment is specifically designed to work with many of the sensory processing issues that children on the spectrum face, while providing all children with the sensory-diet necessary for improved learning and neurological development. For example, the zip line helps children with …
Every evening, Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin and his wife Nori Abdullah print out the next day’s schedule for their son Timor, detailing all his activities for the entire day. The timetable is illustrated with images and visuals of the following day’s activities. Should there be last minute changes to the schedule, his parents would prepare the 10-year-old for the disruption to his routine ahead of time. Such schedules are crucial in helping Timor maintain a sense of calm and order. Timor has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and, as with many children (and adults) on the spectrum, an adherence to routine is crucial. A sudden interruption to a set routine could make him anxious and lead to tantrums. In the seven years since Timor was clinically diagnosed with autism, Khairy and Nori have had to face the realisation that their child understands the world differently and, as such, needs to be nurtured differently. “Honestly, you never fully come to terms with or understand completely a child …
Autism rates have risen sharply across the United States over the last two decades, but services and support available to those on the spectrum have not kept pace. In this Sound Ideas feature, GLT looks at how families in McLean County seek help for their children with autism and how those kids strive for independence as they become adults. “I’m ready to go Easter Egg hunting,” Kevin Innis of Normal declared. The 6-year-old boy does just that as mother Monica Innis watches. ISU graduate student Alex Berry acts as a sensory-friendly bunny at We Rock the Spectrum’s Easter egg hunt in Bloomington. Credit Becky Clark This, however, is not your typical Easter Egg hunt. A relatively new Bloomington business called We Rock the Spectrum hosted the event with a limited number of children and what’s called a sensory-friendly Easter bunny. It was owner Becky Clark’s idea. “Some bunnies, they have the big heads on them and they are a little bit freaky looking to the …
Normal, Ill. (HOI) – A McLean County gym for kids is making sure Easter is for everyone this week with sensory-friendly egg hunts. We Rock the Spectrum promotes themselves as an inclusive space for all kids to play, including those with special needs. Thursday they hosted their first egg hunt of the week to allow a sensory-friendly Easter celebration with a low-key bunny, snacks, craft and of course eggs! Owner Rebecca Clark says she knows the important of these special events because her son is on the autism spectrum. “That’s the idea behind the sensory-friendly event where it’s not too crazy, not too chaotic but fun and memorable for the families,” said Clark. The egg hunts are done in small groups to allow kids the time and space they need for their search. The next egg hunt is Saturday, April 20th from 9am- 12pm. Click here for their Facebook page. Click here for their website. 17 Fort Jesse Rd, Normal, IL 61761 (309) 808-4058
Children on the autism spectrum can hunt for Easter eggs at a Bloomington gym that specializes in serving children with special needs. We Rock the Spectrum hosted its first Easter egg hunt yesterday and hosts another hunt from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Owner Becky Clark said she limits the number of children to create a safer, more controlled environment and includes a sensory-friendly Easter Bunny. “Some bunnies they have the big heads on them and they are a little but freaky looking to the kids, so we specifically bought a costume for her that did not obscure her face so they can see her and see her eyes,” Clark said. “We just wanted her to be low key and play with the kids.” Parents said it was nice to take their children out without having to say ‘I’m sorry.’ Reece Knipe, 6, was among the dozen children who looked for Easter eggs at a sensory-friendly event Thursday at We Rock the Spectrum in Bloomington. …
BLOOMINGTON, IL. – Exercise for adults is important, but it’s even more crucial for growing children. Saturday, a gym for kids celebrated its grand opening with a developmental resource fair and a day full of fun. We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym is an indoor play-scape that provides a place for children of all ability levels to play and grow together. Bonnie Brown, a parent of a child with autism, said she’s excited that the gym is open and that she can get her child involved because there aren’t many places like it in her community. “I think the earlier you can get your kids involved when they have some type of high functioning autism or autism in general is just going to help them,“ Brown said. The gym is equipped with ten pieces of specialized play equipment. The equipment is specially designed for We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gyms with the developmental needs of children with sensory processing disorders in mind.
A gym in Williamsburg designed for children with special needs has changed hands, and will host its “grand re-opening” on Saturday. We Rock the Spectrum — an indoor gym with 10 sensory-safe pieces of play equipment for children with autism, special needs and neurotypical development — will celebrate the re-opening Saturday, April 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at its facility, 5251 John Tyler Highway, Suite 2, according to a news release from the gym. The event is open to the public. Admission will be $12, 20 percent of which goes to the My Brother Rocks the Spectrum Foundation. We Rock the Spectrum is part of an international gym franchise opened by a Californian mother in 2010. The franchise in Williamsburg was opened in 2017 by Lena and Mike White. The gym has equipment designed to help children with sensory processing issues, a common issue children on the autism spectrum face. The gym has a zipline, trampolines, swings and more. On Feb. 21, the …
If the playground, park and movie routine is getting a little tired, why not do something different with the kids this weekend? From arcade arenas to whale watching, these events will win approval from everyone in the family. Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Playdate Connection is hosting a Paw Patrol Party this Wednesday at The Playroom, an indoor play space for children. The event will include a meet and greet of Chase the Police Dog, balloon animals and temporary tattoos, alongside food and drinks. RSVP before the event to receive a free goodie bag. When: Thursday, January 30, 4 p.m. Where: The Playroom, 14392 Ventura Blvd. Price: $25 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Grab the family and stop by entertainment center Family Arcade, which houses over 200 arcade games, air hockey and more. The deal includes two vouchers — for …
A purpose-built gym designed for children with special needs, with customised equipment including slides, swings and ziplines has opened in the Melbourne suburb of Preston. Equipment in the Australian-first gym, We Rock The Spectrum, a franchise of the USA brand, has been designed by occupational therapists with the aim of aiding the sensory development of children with processing disorders, while providing additional motor skill development. Local mother, Sally Johnson and master franchisor behind the Preston opening and was inspired to bring the concept to Australia after seeing the benefits first-hand. She explained “within my own special needs community, I see the desire families have to connect with one another. “I also see how great families feel when they know their children are benefiting from activities that help them regulate their sensory needs, while having fun.” Johnson’s son Digby was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD at age two, and the pair struggled to find play centres where he felt included. After learning about the We Rock …
Louise Larkin first heard about Logan Camilleri’s birthday party on the radio His mother had called FOX FM in Melbourne to say no one had turned up Mrs Larkin, 34, was inspired by Logan’s story and put together a public party She is planning the third celebration at the end of March for 1,000 children Louise Larkin was driving to work in Melbourne when she heard a little boy’s mother on the radio talking about how no one had showed up to his sixth birthday party. The 34-year-old was so heartbroken by Logan Camilleri’s story that she decided to throw a celebration for all lonely and isolated children in her community to encourage social inclusion. Three years later and Mrs Larkin is preparing to host the third ‘Friend In Me’ party at Seaworks Maritime Precinct, Williamstown, with interpreters and ‘sensory rooms’ available for deaf and autistic children. Her message is simple – no child should be left behind. Louise Larkin (left) was driving to work in …
