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December, 2012
Welcome to s2s Insights! Welcome to the Steps to Socialization newsletter s2s Insights. Each month 'Social Thoughts' contains a theme article on a relevant social topic. Informative articles or books related to the theme can be found in 'News and Reviews'. The 'Tips and Tools' section contains social thinking tips and activities. 'In the Neighborhood' covers related events and programs.
Happy Holidays to all!!! Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa this is a good time of year to reinforce all the skills your child has been working on. ________________________________
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Social Thoughts
What would like for the holidays? This is the question on every child's mind around this time of the year. We often ask our kids to make a list of the gifts they would like to receive. We can make this a teachable moment by having them help to make a list of gifts that family and friends might like to receive.
Use the information in our 'friendship files' to figure what someone might like. We use our knowledge of the person and think about the occasions when we have been with the person. What did we do? Where did we go? What do they like? We think about all of these things before we start the gift list or go shopping.
This is the perfect opportunity to spend some fun time with your child and share the holiday planning. We start thinking about what we need to do weeks before the celebration. We make both mental and physical lists: What do I need to get out of storage? What do I need to buy? Which stores do I need to go to? What gifts do I need to get? Where are we going to celebrate? What do I need to the holiday dinner? Enlist your child's help in organizing and planning the many aspects of the holiday season. Discuss all the plans. Have them think through the steps involved and the order to do them.
Just as many adults find this to be a stressful time of year, so do many of our children. To decrease the social anxiety have a discussion about what they can expect during the holidays. What will you be doing, where will you be going, who will be there, what they can do when they get there.
Most of all have a very happy holiday season.
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Tips and Tools
Looking for ideas for gifts for the kids? Here's a list of some of the games we use at Steps to Socialization.
Hedbanz asking questions and guessing what/who you are.
Spot It use your eyes to find the object that's the same on each card
Story Cubes
use your imagination to make up stories
Tell Tale
Stay on topic when you make up these picture stories
Hit or Miss
A favorite at s2s. Do you think someone else wrote your answer.
Likewise
Another favorite. What do you think others will say.
Boo Who!
Keeping track of your piece is not as easy as you think - use those eyes
Apples to Apples
Think flexibly as you make up some wacky definitions and explanations
Fib or Not
Is this a true story your telling or a fib - see if you can figure it out
Should I or Shouldn't I
What would you do in that situation?
Question Challenge Card Game
What's the best solution for that problem.
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See you next month! In the meantime, please visit us on the web.
Evelyn and Lisa |
