Thursday, May 24, 2012

Road Trips With Kids


Recently I was sent a link to an article and then found the same article posted to Pinterest by a friend and co-worker of mine. The article has 70+ tips and tricks for taking road trips with children with special needs. Some of the topics covered: car safety, food, medical equipment, preparing your child, seating arrangements, frequent stops, paperwork and protection, knowing your limits, over and under stimulation. Here is the opening paragraph from the article:

It’s road trip season.  If you have a child with special needs, as I do, then you know it will take extra planning — and you have no idea if your best-laid plans will be successful until you actually go.
Travel always involves some risks for a child with medical needs or sensory issues.  But there are also significant benefits for traveling by car, such as:
  • Being able to bring medical equipment or comforting items from home
  • Freedom to make as many stops as necessary and to customize your itinerary
  • Being up close and personal with your family for long periods of bonding
  • Changing your daily routine and exploring new environments to learn life skills
  • Developing emotional regulation
  • Stimulating speech and language development with constantly changing scenery
My husband and I have spent years finding ways to balance the risks and benefits of a road trip, and we’ve asked for input from other families in our situation.  These are the considerations that guide every road trip for our family.
This same website also has a great article for airports and special needs travel.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Playgrounds in the Area

My daughter and I are going to explore the playgrounds in the area. By that I mean locally: Rosemount, Farmington, Lakeville, Apple Valley, Burnsville, and Eagan; as well as a little farther out there: Highland Park, Plymoth, Mendota Heights, Minneapolis, St Paul, etc. I found a couple of  websites that locates many parks that look fun. (links 3, 4, and 5 are good but not all are public playgrounds, the map is sponsored by Rainbow Play systems so some are in backyards but if you look through them you'll find some good public playgrounds)
  1. http://playspacefinder.kaboom.org/ , http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/LeisureRecreation/CountyParks/Activities/ChildrenPlayground.htm
  2. http://www.ci.lakeville.mn.us/departments/departmentspdf/parkfacilities.pdf
  3. Lakeville playgrounds  http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&prmd=imvnsz&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1024&bih=585&wrapid=tlif133701513584410&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Lakeville+city+playgrounds&fb=1&gl=us&hq=playgrounds&hnear=0x87f637bff0610147:0xa27e54424bdb4bf4,Lakeville,+MN&ei=YjuxT7LZJtGdgQe4qNSGDg&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&ved=0CA0QtgM&iwloc=cids:718728124803080195
  4. Burnsville playgrounds  http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&prmd=imvnsz&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1024&bih=585&wrapid=tlif133701513584410&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Lakeville+city+playgrounds&fb=1&gl=us&hq=playgrounds&hnear=0x87f637bff0610147:0xa27e54424bdb4bf4,Lakeville,+MN&ei=YjuxT7LZJtGdgQe4qNSGDg&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&ved=0CA0QtgM&iwloc=cids:718728124803080195
  5. Apple Valley playgrounds  http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&prmd=imvnsz&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1024&bih=585&wrapid=tlif133701513584410&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Lakeville+city+playgrounds&fb=1&gl=us&hq=playgrounds&hnear=0x87f637bff0610147:0xa27e54424bdb4bf4,Lakeville,+MN&ei=YjuxT7LZJtGdgQe4qNSGDg&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&ved=0CA0QtgM&iwloc=cids:718728124803080195