Starfish Updates
Blog: Check out our most recent blog posts!
Small Business Saturday:
 | | My Business Story: Starfish Therapies |
We created a 'My Business Story' video in support of Small Business Saturday. Please check it out and support other local small businesses!
Motor Smart Kids: We have started our first group for movement, dance and tumbling and our first class on 11/8 went off without a hitch! The class is for 6 weeks on Tuesdays at 2:45 for 45 minutes and has a great intro price of $60 (can be prorated if you still want to participate). There are a few slots left if you are interested in having your child participate!
In the new year we will be doing a 6 week kids sports/games class to work on group games and participation using gross motor skills, organized activity and socialization. Please contact Corinne if you are interested.
Pepsi Refresh Project: Kids we work with are part of the San Jose Rockets who are in the running for a $25k grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project. Please support this great wheelchair soccer team and help them get the funds they need for equipment and travel. All you have to do is vote daily and pass it on to others you know! For those of you who are local they will be giving a demo at the Abilities Expo on Satruday 11/19 from 2-3 so stop by and check them out!
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Out and About
The Abilities Expo is coming to San Jose November 18-20. Using words directly from their website its described as "Abilities Expo is the trusted source where people with disabilities, their families, seniors, vets, caregivers and healthcare professionals gain knowledge and empowerment (and have a little fun!).For more than 30 years, Abilities Expo has also provided an excellent forum for companies with disability products and services to reach out and enhance the lives of this Community." If you are local to the Bay Area please come check out this great event and if not please check their website because they have events throughout the country.
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Just For Fun
Speakaboos: I just discovered this great website that has amazing books for free being narrated by some famous voices such as Kevin Bacon and John Krasinski.
Monster at the End of the Book: Relive this favorite childhood story by watching and listening to Grover narrate the story. Its available as an app on your iphone or ipad and it is interactive and shows the words so your child can follow along with the narration. I have laughed every time I have watched it and hopefully you and your child will too!
Duck Duck Moose: There are several new products out by this great group. The newest app is Puzzle Pop which provides animated puzzles for kids. They have also released music from their apps! |
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Greetings!
Welcome back! We know you must be busy preparing for the holidays so we appreciate you taking the time to ready this month. Enjoy! |
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Making Meaningful Books
 It is important that children have access to a lot of good books. Some children have limited interest in books that are available to them. Other children may have difficulty holding a book or turning book pages and may require adaptations in order to focus on the print instead of the motor aspects of the activity. Sometimes the fastest way to get books that are meaningful and accessible to a child with a disability is to make them. Here are some tips for creating books for children that may have difficulty with book handling as well as some pointers for making personalized and engaging books. - To make turning pages easier, place temporary foam "fluffers" on the corner of each page. Fluffers can be made out of cardstock, scraps of paper or cut-up make-up pads. The material can be clipped to the corner of each page in order to increase the space between pages .
- Clear packing tape can be used to reconstruct books, bind book pages and quickly laminate ripped pages.
- Create an engaging book out of food boxes: Save the boxes from the child's favorite cereals, cookies, and crackers. Create a book by flattening the pages and using clear packaging tape to bind the boxes together.
- Sensory books: Fill re-sealable freezer bags about halfway with items such as dried macaroni or oatmeal. Then remove the excess air from the bag, and seal the bag with clear packaging tape. Finally, bind the pages ( zip lock baggies) with more clear packaging tape.
- Making themed zip lock bag books is a great way to increase engagement in reading. Some theme examples: food books (uncooked macaroni, cereal, oatmeal, dried peas, flour, salt); nature book ( dirt, different plastic bugs, sticks, leaves, rocks); pet food books (dog food, cat food, birdseed, fish food).
- Personal experience books: Make a "my day" book to chronicles key events in the child's day (i.e. I eat breakfast). Take pictures of the events and mount them in a small picture book.
Happy bookmaking! 
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Prematurity Awareness Month
 November is Prematuriy Awareness month. Every year, more than half a million, or 1 in 8, babies are born prematurely in the United States. The rate of premature birth has risen by 30 percent since 1981 and it is the leading cause of newborn death worldwide. Even babies born just a few weeks too soon face serious health challenges and are at risk for lifelong disabilities. The March of Dimes launched the Prematurity Campaign in 2003 to raise awareness about this issue, invest in educating moms-to-be to increase the chance of having a healthy, full term baby, and to support medical research. Since the campaign launched, there has been a 3 percent decline in premature births. To find out more about this cause or to make a donation click here. To learn more specifics about premature birth, why it occurs and who is at increased risk, click here.  |
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We hope you enjoyed this months issue! Have a happy start to the holidays and we will see you next month!
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Sincerely,
Your Friends at
Starfish Therapies
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