Category Archives: Reviews

Reviews of everyday products and services with the disabled child in mind. How they can help their development. Some specialist products too.

Dick Whittington relaxed performance Bristol Hippodrome

Relaxed Performance Panto Dick Whittington – Bristol Hippodrome

Dick Whittington relaxed performance Bristol HippodromeThe Bristol Hippodrome put on their first relaxed performance of a Panto yesterday. The Hippodrome is without a doubt one of the most magical places to experience a Panto and it was so nice that Bristol had gone to the trouble of making those with special needs be included. Dick Whittington relaxed performance Bristol HippodromeThe production was Dick Whittington starring Ashleigh and Pudsey (from Britain’s Got Talent fame), Ben Faulks (aka Mr Bloom), Andy Ford (with a string of credits to his name and his 22nd Panto performance at The Bristol Hippodrome), Brenda Edwards (the last woman standing in the X-Factor finals 2005), Eric Potts (best known for being Diggory Compton in Coronation Street amongst many other amazing accomplishments), Lara Denning, Ben Goodridge and Hayley Jane Goold. The Sensory Seeker was invited along in order to review how the Relaxed Performance was handled.

The Relaxed Performance of Dick Whittington at The Bristol Hippodrome

Dick Whittington relaxed performance Bristol HippodromeFirst of all I cannot express enough how much of a great step in acceptance and inclusion it feels that the Bristol Hippodrome put on a relaxed performance. The Bristol Hippodrome has without a doubt some of the most amazing lights, sounds, costumes, scenery and performers: With the theatre itself is a beauty all on its own. Without any additional support, it was great just knowing that The Sensory Seeker could watch the performance in his own way (getting up, spinning, making noises, clapping his hands) without the judgement (well without the guilt of it disturbing others at least). The Bristol Hippodrome opened at 12:30 – leaving 90 minutes for familiarisation of the building. In this time we could go in the Chill-out room (especially put on for the relaxed performance), visit the toilets and purchase anything we needed from the shop.

Dick Whittington relaxed performance Bristol HippodromeThe chill-out room had several different toys to help The Sensory Seeker. Things he could stretch, squeeze, different colours, shapes, textures – it even encouraged him to interact with other children in the room. The lighting in the room was low and soft and coloured lights were used. There were comfy sofas and bean bags with cushions for the children to sit on. Also in the room was a screen so that if they felt that they had to come out of the performance then they would not miss the show. I was also pleased to see that those in wheelchairs also had access to the performance,as they are quite a few stairs.

Dick Whittington relaxed performance Bristol HippodromeI believe that the levels of light were different for this performance, with mainly the stage being lit up and no lights going across where we were seated. That the overall content of the show was not changed but that sound levels were, that there was also the option to listen to an audio description commentary, and a visual story was available prior to the performance (containing detailed information/photos of the theatre and a Dick Whittington sensory synopsis – detailing all that will happen in terms of sound and light throughout the show). I cannot comment on any of this as we did not receive it. The Sensory Seeker has been to a few different productions now however and so was fine without this support.

The Pantomime of Dick Whittington at The Bristol Hippodrome

Dick Whittington relaxed performance Bristol HippodromeDick Whittington was everything I remember a Panto being as a child, and truly magical. It began the moment we stepped foot in the impressive theatre. It looked so grand and the children instantly wished we had balcony seats (I promised them maybe next time). In front of them was the glitteriest screen with Dick Whittington written on it – with so much detail and bling. There was humour on so many levels and it was great to see my 11 year old laughing at some of the more adult bits (such as guessing what Idle Jack would have said that rhymed with silly!) It was great family fun and none of the lines went too far. The costumes were amazing and in true Panto style The Dame (Sarah the Cook) had a fabulous wardrobe, including a fantastic underwear set!! The story itself flowed really well and it was a lovely twist on the classic.

Ashleigh and Pudsey 9I loved the way they had integrated Pudsey into the story and he indeed was a big hit with The Sensory Seeker; who I am sure is like many others with his difficulties that has a fondness for dogs. The talent was out of this World – Brenda Edwards has the voice of an angel and it was amazing to hear, Ashleigh was also a brilliant singer but the biggest shock was listening to how well Mr Bloom (Ben Faulks) could sing – sorry I mean Dick Whittington of course! The children recognising people they had seen on the television was a treat in itself.

Dick Whittington (Ben Faulks)  Tommy The Cat (Hayley Jane Goold)The choreography was amazing and the dancing flawless. One thing that always amazing me is the young people, and in this case they are referred to as the Juveniles. I am not sure if we had the Red Team or the Blue Team but they did a superb job. The only reason I could tell that they were so young is from their heights, because their performances were just as good as the rest of the cast. Their parents must be so incredibly proud that their children held their own with such talent in The Bristol Hippodrome.

Dick Whittington relaxed performance Bristol HippodromeOf course as well as the amazing use of scenery, textures and lights the added magic to this performance was the inclusion of a very clever 3D underwater scene. This was a great addition to the show and something I have never seen in Panto before. A very modern twist and a great way to demonstrate the technology at The Bristol Hippodrome. All 3D glasses were provided and the children were thrilled that they could take them home.

Conclusion of The Relaxed Performance of Dick Whittington at The Bristol Hippodrome

In terms of inclusion I will repeat again how it is very much appreciated that The Bristol Hippodrome have gone to lengths to include individuals such as The Sensory Seeker (that is those with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, Sensory, learning and communication disorders and other difficulties). Apart from the things stated above it was good to see individuals with these needs invited on stage to take part with the Pantomime (I could be wrong about this as this is an assumption based on my observations). There was a good selection of glowing items to purchase, the theatre was easy to find our way around and the queue to the toilet moved very quickly.

Idle Jack (Andy Ford) and Sarah the Cook (Eric Potts)However, it was really busy. There was no real room to move. and getting up to move out of our seats meant lots of other people having to move too. This was awkward enough in the interval never mind if an individual couldn’t cope during the performance. There was no introduction of the Cast before the performance – but I guess they did not have their faces covered like in The Gruffalo. It was really busy on trying to exit The Bristol Hippodrome, I think this was further heightened by the fact that Andy Ford was in the foyer selling his DVD and photo opportunities were available. I do think this was a really nice touch and the children were excited to be able to get a picture together, but also not very well thought out for those with differing abilities that may have struggled with this scenario.

In conclusion Dick Whittington was an amazing production and I would like to thank everyone involved, especially those who helped turn it into a relaxed performance to make it more inclusive for all.

I received 4 free tickets to the Relaxed Performance and a programme in return for an honest review. All words and opinions are my own.

Sensory Soap: Kids Stuff ® Crazy Soap

Do you have trouble when it comes to keeping your child with Sensory Processing Disorder clean? This may be because they are sensory avoiders and do not like touch, or they may be sensory seekers and always touching things (for more information see my previous post on Sensory Processing Disorder: The Tactile Sense). Either way Kids Stuff ® Crazy Soap might just be the answer you have been looking for.

Kids Stuff ® Crazy Soap Range

Kids Stuff ® Crazy Soap Range

They have a range of bath paints, bubble baths (colour changing/glitter), goo, bath crayons, soaps (that you can mould to make shapes out of!), body paints (let that Sensory seeker go wild whilst actually getting clean!).

Kids Stuff ® Crazy Soap Range

With smells to tingle the senses and fun characters to really appeal to their visual nature – what’s not to love?

And of course it is all soap in one form or another so it is getting them clean at the same time. But the real beauty of it is that it is cleaning itself up!

Kids Stuff ® Crazy Soap Range

I think they’d make an ideal present for their stockings, or to help fulfill the additional sensory needs triggered by the festive season. They also have little characters on the tops of the bottles for an additional tactile feel – and they are designed to be played with in the water.

Sensory Soap: Kids Stuff ® Crazy Soap

I also liked how this developed my Sensory Seeker’s hands as he played with the products – from undoing bottles, to developing his pouring technique (hand-eye co-ordination, estimation of how fast the liquid would pour out, tilting his hand back; then squeezing on the flannels and sponges, to helping his fine motor development with the crayons.

Sensory Soap

Of course soap products are not just suitable for those with Sensory Processing disorder, and are just as much fun for all children, covering such a huge variety of ages.

This can really help other children (friends and family perhaps) get a better understanding of say a sensory seeker – as they join in the fun of covering themselves in soap.

Sensory Soap

I was invited to Hamley’s in London with my youngest 3 children (including my Sensory Seeker) to have a messy play date with Kids Stuff ® Crazy Soap and see their new designs.

Kids Stuff ® Crazy Soap Range

I thought that it was great to see the products being demonstrated without the bath – as this is just perfect for me  as he often wants to touch things (or again if you have a sensory avoider who does not like the bath, this could be a small step in).

Sensory Soap: Kids Stuff ® Crazy Soap

This was achieved by giving the children aprons and goggles for protection. Then there were a number of stations set up – with bowls, flannels, water, the products, and others had white boards to draw on, special bath colouring in books and crayons, flannels, sponges – and all manner of sensory experiences.

I could see this as a great idea for a Sensory soap party.

 

Our travel expenses were paid to attend the event at Hamley’s but I was under no obligation to write this post. I think they are an absolutely marvelous product and they really helped my Sensory Seeker as he was struggling with all the changes (it was Half Term Holidays). I thoroughly recommend them to other parents – both those who are and aren’t having difficulties with Sensory Processing Disorder.

Journey Around and Inside Your Amazing Body

Gold Stars: Journey Around and Inside Your Amazing Body

Journey Around and Inside Your Amazing BodyGold Stars Journey Around and Inside Your Amazing Body is a fantastic educational but fun book. I think a book like this is beneficial to my Sensory Seeker as it helps him make sense of his World, and of his self. It is very visual with lots of facts, puzzles and things to do throughout. There are bite-sized points to remember, fun facts, and quizzes to help consolidate the information. The book is really well structured and has a clear contents, glossary and answer page.

Your Amazing Body – The Contents

The book contains everything you child could want to know about the body. The boys really liked the humorous touches such as the quiz on farts – Do boys fart more than girls? We read the book on a long train journey and it was nice to see that the book catered for all 3 of my youngest boys (ages 5, 7 and 11). We explored the body map and they were all able to point to where the different parts of the body were on their own bodies. When we moved onto the more complex nature of cells my 11 year old was able to expand on the information and tell his younger brothers what he had learnt about cells at school. It was great to hear him relay the information, and consolidate it, as well as building his confidence.

Your Amazing Body – Helping with Health

My Sensory Seeker has little awareness as to why he should eat properly, keep clean, cut his nails, etc, and so I feel that this book really helped with this. Again through colourful cartoon-type images I think it explained this. It started with different types of foods needed, and why; how to have a healthy dinner; the digestive system; the teeth; when food goes wrong; and how the food comes out of the body. There is later a section on hair and nails.

Your Amazing Body – Senses

The section on the nose then had a smell experiment. This may be useful to those sensory avoiders to help build up tolerances to smell, or fulfil the diet of the sensory seeker. This could also help determine which smells the child does and does not like. Tasty talks about the five different tastes picked up the taste buds (sour, salt, bitter and umami/savoury) – again this could be really helpful in determining which foods your child will and will not tolerate. Also I think the section on touch would be really useful to discuss any sensory issues.

My Verdict

The Journey Around and Inside Your Amazing Body is a fantastic book for introducing your children to their biology. There is a lot of information presented in a fun, appealing and interactive way, perfect for engaging children. I think it can be accessed by children of a variety of ages, abilities and would make a lasting resource. With plenty of opportunities to write and draw it was also very useful for fine motor development.

Journey Around and Inside Your Amazing BodyThe only criticisms are that the page on the heart talks of the left and right side of the heart but the right side is on the page on the left, and vice a versa. As it is a Gold Stars book there was the assumption that there would have been Gold Star stickers which would have been nice.

Parragon Books Ltd RRP £7.99

Alphablocks Multi Sensory Reading Programme

Alphablocks Multi Sensory Reading Programme

Alphablocks Multi Sensory Reading ProgrammeOur little Sensory Seeker is doing much better than we imagined at school but is still developmentally far behind his peers in many areas. In fact he only got one tick in the expected box at the end of the Reception year. Although we are not going to worry about it, it is always nice to hear of fun ways we can tap into the way he learns best and give him a helping hand. Therefore when I heard about how Alphablocks magazine had launched a multi-sensory Alphablocks Reading Programme to support foundation stage children develop and progress their reading ability. The programme consists of 15 Alphablocks Reading Programme magazines and Alphablocks resources – including finger puppets, letter tiles, games, pencil and pencil case, flashcards,  stickers and gold stars to reward the achievements. Split into 3 packs that build on each of the stages of development – £39.99 (plus p&p)

Pack 1 is Red and Orange levels (first steps and next steps

Alphablocks: Introducing the alphabet and its sounds

It is important that children learn the correct sounds for each of the letters. If you are Alphablocks Multi Sensory Reading Programmeunsure then visit the website. They may also learn actions to accompany the sounds, to help them better remember. Our Sensory Seeker is in year 1 now as so already has amazed us by learning all his first sounds so this really helped developed his confidence. It made it less of a challenge to encourage him to practise writing these sounds too. Again this is organised progressively and I was able to stop and move onto the next letter when the task became too difficult for him.

Blending

I was worried that our Sensory Seeker wouldn’t get blending. It must be extra hard for him to try to filter out the extra sensory input whilst he remembers the sounds and tries to put them together again. This is really important for his Phonics test at the end of year 1. In this children are given 40 words and nonsense words that can be phonetically sounded out. The children need to use the rules of phonics with the correct sounds even for the nonsense words, to demonstrate that they understand the rules of phonics.

Alphablocks: High Frequency Words

High frequency words are those that cannot be sounded out phonetically (such as THE). To read them then you just have to remember what they say by sight. We have them attached to walls and doors around our house. By the end of the Reception year children should know 45 high frequency words. Our Sensory Seeker could read about 10 when going into Year 1 so I was pleased to see so many fun ways to help him catch up with his peers.

Pack 2: Yellow Level (arriving December 2014)

Alphablocks Multi Sensory Reading ProgrammeAfter the first 2 levels in pack 1, pack 2 moves onto Diagraphs. Diagraphs are when two letters make a team to form one sound – such as ch and sh. They can appear at the beginning, middle and/or end of a word. For example when you think of the word “church” it starts with a “ch” sound not a “c” “h.”

Pack 3: Blue and Green Levels (arriving Easter 2015)

This final stage moves onto words with letter blends, magic E (also known as a split diagraph eg. A_E), and long vowels. The programme concludes with a certificate.

What I thought to the Alphablocks Reading Programme

I liked all the different sensory input for my son. So many different visuals, puppets forAlphablocks Multi Sensory Reading Programme tactile, stickers to help develop his hands – obviously writing and drawing practise, cutting and gluing – all good for fine motor skills. I liked how it is very much focused on fun and that it can be done at our Sensory Seeker’s own pace. It is so straight-forward that many different members of the family have been able to engage him into the activities and games. It was also easy to adapt – we used some bubble wrap to pop when on the popping balloons activity (good for fine motor and tactile stimulation).  I like how the resources include the diagraphs, and hope that the next pack has trigraphs (sounds made with 3 letters).

I’d love to see the series continue onto homophones (words that are pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning, and sometimes also spelling) and other things they will be required to know grammar-wise for their SATs in Year 2. The box was very comprehensively packed with resources so it would have been nice if everything required was readily available (pencil crayons, scissors and glue were still required). All in all though I thought that the pack was absolutely amazing and a fantastic price (think how much you pay for those foreign language courses!) – as well as being a lot of fun.

You may also be interested in my Writing Skills Development post.

We received this programme free in return for an honest review. I will update further when the other 2 packs arrive. All words and opinions are my own.

tree fu tom big spell

Halloween Fun with Tree Fu Tom: Tom’s Big Spell

Tree Fu Tom: Tom’s Big Spell

This Halloween children can be spell-bound with Tree Fu Tom in his new DVD Tom’s Big Spell. Based on the hit CBeebies show the DVD has seven magical stories set in the enchanted world of Treetopolis. The action-packed adventures encourage children to join in with the magic and copy the actions.

tree fu tom big spell

HALLOWEEN FUN WITH TREE FU TOM: TOM’S BIG SPELL

The hit CBeebies show is set in the enchanted world of Treetopolis where movement creates magic and viewers are encouraged to join in the fun and interact with the show through physical actions. Tom appears to be a normal eight-year-old boy but when he puts on his magic belt and performs a special sequence of movements (known as Tree Fu) he transforms into a tiny but mighty, magical super-hero.

tree fu tom big spellIn the DVD Tom is off to the castle for an exciting day at Spell School with Treetog. A drop of Magic Motion Potion brings some familiar objects to life but Tom finds the new spell quite hard to master. A flying book, a naughty broomstick and Zigzoo’s wagon run riot around Treetopolis when they become enchanted. Tom needs you to help him perform Big World Magic to restore calm to Treetopolis.

This was great for my Sensory Seeker who doesn’t like to sit still, and whilst watching tv he is usually upside-down or tapping his feet – so it was great that he had a way to channel this energy. Plus his older brothers (ages 7 and 11) also really enjoyed it and it was lovely to see them all joining in together. As there are seven stories it is easier to manage if our Sensory Seeker is struggling with his attention span: Although so far this has not been a problem as it really held him captive.

Find out more about how the spells have been designed to help children with movement difficulties and conditions such as dyspraxia on the CBeebies Grown-Ups Section.

Certificate: U

For more information about Tree Fu Tom you may also be interested in the Tree Fu Tom Ranger Utility Belt Review.

We received a free DVD of Tree Fu Tom: Tom’s Big Spell  in order to review it. All words and opinions are my own.

Suzie's dressing Up Day

Suzie’s Dressing Up Day

This is a review of the book Suzie’s Dressing Up Day by Charlotte Oslon and illustrated by Nicola Moore.

I love this series of books in the Suzie and Sammy titles. They are just great for my Sensory Seeker because they are very visual and help with every day life. The books are designed to help children cope with these situations by helping them become more familiar with them, in a fun and visual way.

Suzie's dressing Up Day

I like how there’s just a few sentences on each page. This means that there’s not too much to process at once. The words are not just all plainly written – some arch on the page, wiggly, bold, italics – to make them more fun. Or to indicate a different way to emphasis them. There’s plenty of opportunities to discuss things with My Sensory Seeker throughout the book. It gives him chance to think, images to give him cues – and when he was able to answer the questions I am sure this helped boost his self-esteem.

Suzie Dressing up

I think it is great to show children what fun dressing up can be – it’s actually one of my Sensory Seeker’s favourite activities. It is great for his imagination and helps develop his social skills with the use of role play. Beautifully illustrated with examples of how the child can use things when dressing up.

To Buy this book or any of the others in the series visit the Suzie Books website, where you can purchase a PDF or order a hard copy.

I received a free pfd in order to review it. All words and opinions are my own.

sensory seeker in the tactile sense

School holidays and The Sensory Seeker

Work destroyed – torn to pieces and coloured over, head butting, saying inappropriate things, playing with food, not eating favourite foods on an already limited diet, not sleeping, standing on his hand, spinning, attacking his brothers and smearing ice-cream all over his face. Yes this is the first three weeks of the school holidays. But you know what – it is going well!

School holidays and The Sensory Seeker

Ways to cope with The School Holidays and The Sensory Seeker

The fact that I can even list what my 5 year old has done that is a tad bit stressful so far these holidays is real progress. In fact a lot of them were one off incidents instead of daily occurrences. In fact the reason I am even able to write this is that the school holidays are going so well that he has gone off to a summer day football session. It is at his school with a familiar adult but still a massive step forwards. I think that the two key ingredients for me are that I am not letting myself get wound up about them (he can’t help it and it must be worse for him) and trying to ensure he has a sensory diet to lower the risk of him not being able to cope.

Listening to The Sensory Seeker

I have stopped trying to force him to do things because I fear he will become an adult that can never do them. For example we missed seeing The Lost Dinosaur when we went to The Eden Project because he really could not cope with the sensory input anymore. The barefoot trail really helped him but he was really struggling. We have learnt to watch and listen for his cues and act on them. In this case we removed him from the situation and went back to the holiday park.

Diet and The Sensory Seeker

The food thing is so frustrating but actually relaxing about it has been what has worked for me. So what if he has smeared food all over himself before eating it, yes not the most hygienic but it won’t kill him. Surely it is better than him not eating at all. I am careful as to how many foods I give him, make sure they are not touching, something I know he does like. I never expect him to eat anything – even things he does like. I am prepared to barter with him to get him to eat something healthy. He is learning to understand about when he is at school and when he is not. He has shown this by telling us that he can have pancakes on non-school days (they take time to make and wash up after). Just before the holidays ended he decided that he did not like chicken roll – which was the only sandwich filling he would eat before! Now he only wants to eat wraps. There’s no point in making a battle of it I just listen to what he wants.

School holidays and The Sensory Seeker

Things that have really helped with our Sensory Seeker and the School holidays

A paddling pool – we have a big pool outside and he can get in and out when he pleases.

Guns – water and the BOOMCo Madness Rapid Blaster – good for helping with his hand development.

The trampoline – this is an all year round thing that helps but our 14ft trampoline is great for him.

Ice – we made some frozen Lego shapes, great for his sensory needs.

School holidays and The Sensory Seeker

Cardboard boxes – squeezing into a tight cardboard box was good, and he loved that he was able to destroy it afterwards.

School holidays and The Sensory Seeker

Chocolate milkshake – this has been a big bartering tool this summer.

Picnics – I think he prefers cold food and he has loved the variety of a picnic. Plus with it not being hot food he can eat when he wants to. Particularly successful was when we made a last minute decision to take some jelly on a picnic.

School holidays and The Sensory Seeker

Luckily we have a chill factor jelly maker that makes jelly in minutes and not hours. Following on from the success of Character’s Chill Factor Slushy and Ice Cream Makers they have now bought out a Jelly one! Simply leave in the freezer (minimum of 6 hours) and then when you want to make Jelly add your mixture and it is set in minutes! You need to use half the amount of water than normal, and you squeeze, squeeze, and squeeze some more. Then after a few minutes flip it over and leave for another minute to set. The jelly maker is suitable from 5 years (although they will need someone to make the jelly mixture). We found that it was really good for our five year old Sensory Seeker’s hand development. I am always forgetting to make the jelly so this is just perfect for me. Or for my impromptu visits to the park with a jazzed up picnic.

Not worrying about bedtimes – we will suffer later no doubt but whilst the sun is shining late at night and there is no school we have been much more relaxed about what time he (and all the boys) go to bed.

Keeping him active and entertained – using visuals such as alphabet bingo or working through his Gold Stars Starting Maths for the summer gold stars challenge. Children need to keep their education going through the school holidays so they do not forget things. As he is behind his peers I feel that this is particularly important.I picked the lower age book (3-5 years) and think it has been beneficial to both of us to see how easy he seems to be finding it. I feel it has really helped illustrate just how far he has developed in his reception year too (as he is still working towards all but one National curriculum levels and may be moved to P-levels). Each page has a simple activity and it is very visual. It was good for communication as we both discussed things in the book and what was expected of him. He is loving the stickers that he gets as a reward for completing each of the pages too. If he does all 30 then he will receive a certificate too. It has helped me identify that he needs more help/practice with colouring in.

School holidays and The Sensory Seeker

We have also had lots of play, meeting up with others, days out, etc. with much more planned for the rest of the school holidays.

I would love to hear how other people are coping with the school holidays with their child with Sensory Processing disorder. Or any tips/strategies that they use.

We received a free Chill Factor Jelly Maker and Summer Gold Stars Maths book for purposes of review. No other compensation has been given. Words and opinions are my own.

gruffalo live relaxed performance

Gruffalo Live Relaxed Performance Birmingham Town Hall 24th August 2014

Julia Donaldson’s Gruffalo is by far one of the best children’s stories ever written. It was one of the first bedtime stories to really grab our Sensory Seeker’s interest. This wasa lso the start of lengthening his attention span. The Gruffalo is so well written that it appeals to both adults and children. Our Sensory Seeker absolutely loved the Squash and a Squeeze Exhibition, so I just knew he would love to see The Gruffalo Live. The magic of seeing one of his favourite stories coming to life.

gruffalo live relaxed performance

Trouble is with these sorts of performances is that you never know how he will cope. Will he be over stimulated with all the sensory input, will he make too much noise, or annoy people by keep needing to go to the toilet, will the disruption in routine be too much. I know I shouldn’t but I do worry what other people think, and me and my husband would hate to think that our son’s behaviour was disrupting the performance for someone else.  I have taken our Sensory Seeker to a “Sensory Screening” at The Roses Theatre before. This meant that they cut the adverts and the lights wee low. Most importantly for me it meant that he could get out of his seat, make noises, clap his hands – do whatever he felt he needed to do and I did not feel uncomfortable. So when I discovered that there was a Relaxed Performance of The Gruffalo Live at Birmingham Town Hall this summer I knew we had to go.

gruffalo live relaxed performance

Following on from their previous Relaxed Performance of What the Ladybird Heard in January, their Relaxed Performances have been very well thought out and are specially adapted with those on the Autistic Spectrum, with learning disabilities, sensory processing or communication disorders, and those in wheelchairs in mind.

Before you go to the Relaxed Performance of The Gruffalo Live

Preparation can play a key role in how a child copes with a visit – especially if they find change difficult to handle. I know that my son is a very visual learner so I appreciate the time and thought that has gone into the little touches to help him understand where he is going, and what will happen.

 gruffalo live relaxed performance

There is a short film available, which gives a preview of the historic concert hall. This shows what it looks like, and how you can get there, including disabled parking. It answers many questions that may be asked in order to plan the visit, showing things like the seating plan, facilities for those in wheelchairs, toilets, food and the chill out zone.

Closer to the time of the show (dates to be confirmed) there were be a free familiarisation tour of Town Hall to help get to know the venue, facilities and staff ahead of the performance. I am also really impressed with the visual storyboard of the performance to help the children prepare for the performance before and during the visit. This will soon be made available online to download and by mail or email upon request.

The Gruffalo Live Relaxed Performance

During the Relaxed Performance of The Gruffalo Live

There will be small changes made to the light and sound levels, while the attitude to noise and movement in the audience is more relaxed. There are also added wheelchair spaces, in addition to the standard seating plan, a chill-out zone away from the auditorium and they will keep some of the doors open in case people need to come and go during the performance. In planning for the relaxed performance, they have consulted with individuals knowledgeable in the areas of autism and learning disabilities, and will provide specialist training for their front of house staff, and a briefing to cast members.

Town Hall, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B3 3DQ, West Midlands, United Kingdom

£12 plus transaction fee* £2.50 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

This relaxed performance is very kindly supported by the Edward and Dorothy Cadbury Trust, The Eveson Charitable Trust, The Loppylugs and Barbara Morrison Charitable Trust, and The Saintbury Trust.

A relaxed performance is also planned for The Tiger Who Came to Tea (Sunday 11 January 2015).

You may also be interested in The Gruffalo Hunt

I am receiving free tickets to see The Relaxed Performance of The Gruffalo Live. All words and opinions are my own.

tree fu tom ranger utility belt

Tree Fu Tom Ranger Utility Belt

We love Tree Fu Tom in our house so were delighted to be about to review the Tree Fu Tom Ranger Utility Belt Set from Flair.

tree fu tom ranger utility belt

 About the Tree Fu Tom Ranger Utility Belt Set

Two of our boys are in the Scouts (one is a Beaver Scout), but our Sensory Seeker (aged 4) is unlikely to be able to attend Beavers when he turns 6, due to his special needs. He of course wants to be doing what his brothers are up to. I think that this is one of the many reasons that he loved dressing up with the Ranger Utility Bet Set so much, as it comes complete with a scarf and woggle.

tree fu tom ranger utility belt

There is a storage pouch where the Ranger cards and Ranger book can be stored. This can be threaded onto the adjustable belt. The utility belt has a rotating , reflector Sapstone too and spaces to clip on the Ranger badges, microscope and compass (the older brothers enjoyed explaining to their younger brother about the compass).

The Ranger Utility Belt Set is aimed at those over the age of three years so that even young adventurers can have fun. Although I would say that even at its tightest the belt is fairly lose, and feels like it could do with tightening up a bit, but this does make it easier to spin it around.

tree fu tom ranger utility belt

 Tree Fu Ranger Utility Belt in the Back Garden

 This is the perfect time of year for the Ranger Utility Belt set. There are many beautiful things in nature to go off to explore and observe under the microscope. Of course the first place we went with the Tree Fu Tom Ranger Utility Belt on was into the back garden. It is inside a tree in Tom’s back garden where there is an enchanted kingdom called Treetopolis. We were looking for Tom’s best friend and side-kick Twigs, (a silly and energetic acorn-sprite), and his other friends the Treelings. We soon found Squirmtum, who is an odd-job woodlouse with a heart of gold.

tree fu tom ranger utility belt

Our Sensory Seeker excitedly told me that Squirmtum looked the same as on his Ranger card. Our Sensory Seeker enjoyed looking through his microscope, telling me that it made things bigger.

tree fu tom ranger utility belt

 We did not find the other Treelings –  Ariela (a beautiful but rough-and-tumble ranch-running butterfly); Treetog ((a Tree Fu Master and wise teacher), or Zigzoo, (a bubbly, eccentric tree frog inventor). However, we did find a ladybird. Our Sensory Seeker was so excited that after dinner we all decided to go off and try to find some frog spawn. We were unsuccessful but are going to look again at the weekend (when the sun is up). Then we can utilise the microscope and record what we see in the Ranger book.

tree fu tom ranger utility belt

 Sensory Processing Disorder and Tree Fu Tom

 Our Sensory Seeker has problems with his gross motor skills. He is currently seeing the occupational therapist at school for this (the fizzy programme I believe) but we like to help him develop at home as much as we can. What we liked about Tree Fu Tom is that it gives him Sensory rewards for making movements.

 The Tree Fu Spells were designed with children with Dyspraxia, and other movement difficulties and disorders, in mind. The spells encourage and guide children to teach and practise the movements in many of the key areas needed for everyday activities. This can then benefit them in areas such as eating, dressing, writing, sports, games and so on. Tree Fu Tom is aimed at children who are developmentally at an important time for their growth. This belt was particularly good for our Sensory Seeker to help with his hand development – having to squeeze the clips and badges to get them on and off the belt. I think this is beneficial as the occupational therapist feels he has hypermobile hands.

tree fu tom ranger utility belt

 Tree Fu Tom is developmentally in other ways (for children with or without Special needs). Tom is a born leader using his Big World Magic to save the day against impending disasters, whilst up against the mischievous Mushas (siblings Stink and Puffy, the foolish fungi). Making the audience Superheroes as they help with the magic is very empowering, good for their confidence and helping to boost self-esteem.  The lessons in friendship are good for social and emotional development.

I would definitely recommend this product.

Spring Carnival

I was sent a free Tree Fu Tom Ranger Utility Belt Set from Flair for purposes of review. They are available from Smyths Toys. All words and opinions are my own.

Personalisation in Practice

Personalisation in Practice – Supporting Young People with Disabilities through the Transition to Adulthood

Personalisation in Practice – Supporting Young People with Disabilities through the Transition to Adulthood

Personalisation in Practice is a book that describes how the right support into adulthood made the difference to Jennie, a young person with Autism and learning difficulties. Personalisation in Practice tells of the benefits of person-centred planning which ultimately led to Jennie making the transition from living with parents to living in her own flat. The author, Suzie Franklin who is Jennie’s mother, describes the early years, and the struggles to come to a diagnosis, before explaining exactly what person-centred planning is. Suzie Franklin talks us through Person-Centred Reviews, Circle of support and other steps that were made to ensure Jennie had an easy transition into adulthood.

 Personalisation in Practice

Personalisation in Practice really provides insights and questions to think about in how people can help guide the journey of someone with disabilities into adulthood. It reassured me about some of the things that I have already done (for both my teen and youngest son).

What my sons with disabilities futures are going to be like, and how they are going to cope, have always been things I think about. Any help on what things can be done to help this transition into adulthood are always welcome, and Personalisation in Practice provides this. Our oldest son has Asperger’s Syndrome and is seventeen years old. He is doing very well academically, he has a part time job (in a familiar place) and is even beginning to socialise with friends. The biggest breakthrough for us is that his hygiene standards have improved, and a lot of his behaviours we are more and more attributing to his age as opposed to his disability. It provides us with so much hope for the future of our youngest and we hope that he is on the same path. Personalisation in Practice also has a lot of resources for advice for families, schools, providers and local authorities at the end of the book.

Disabilities and the transition into adulthood

There are lot of personal touches to the book as Suzie Franklin lets us into their lives in order to help support others. I think that parents with children like Jennie will nod understandingly throughout the book. Such as Jennie being “honest” and saying what she thinks, not worrying what other people think. Some parts will touch their pain, their fears, and other parts will make them smile and give them hope for the future. I loved how positively Jennie was described, loving life despite any difficulties she may face.

ISBN: 9781849054430

Jessica Kingsley Publishers

I received a free copy of Personalisation in Practice for purposes of review. All words and opinions are my own.

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