Yesterday was Mackenzie's first day of therapy, but we're calling it school. It's really just like and hour and a half of school except that parents are there the whole time.
Tuesday starts at 10:30. When we first get there, they have table time. They play with puzzles and all kinds of toys from 10:30 to 10:45. 10:45 until 11 they have hello circle where they play and dance and have kids songs play. 11-11:10 the have group activity. Yesterday it was music time. They sang the itsy bitsy spider with the hand movements and a couple other songs. I could tell you what they were, but I have a very stubborn daughter who likes to do her own thing. She was reading and playing with other toys :) 11:10-11:20 they have snack and story time. 11:20-11:45 they have center play. It's really sensory play. This week the art center was hand prints with finger paint! That was the first time Mackenzie painted and she loved it. She wanted to keep doing it! She also played with Playdoh, which was the first time for that too. The last thing she played with was Mr. Potato Head. Although she didn't know what to do with it! Finally, 11:45-12 is goodbye circle where they read another story and sing the good-bye song. They sing to every kid in the class individually. When we got to Mackenzie, she was still in the middle of playing (go figure, no sitting down singing for her) and she just looked at everyone like "how do you know my name, I don't know you guys." It was quite funny. By the time we got out it was lunch and nap time. She was so exhausted.
They even do things like you would in school. Papers got sent home. They have a different theme every month. This month is "All about me." They also have projects. We have to bring pictures with us to school in 2 weeks because they are making photo books. We need pictures of her playing with toys, with family, brushing her teeth, brushing her hair, eating some favorite foods. All kinds of things that she does every day. They say having a book like this is a good way to get children talking and using words that are a part of everyday life. I've never heard of that, but if it works, great! If not, it'll still be cool for her to have something like that. And I'm such a geeky mom, I can't wait to get her dry hand prints back next week and hang it on the refrigerator. It's her first art project!
All in all, I think it went pretty well for the first time. Mackenzie is one of the youngest in there and the oldest are a set of twins who will be 3 next month. There's obviously not a lot of sharing going on, so that led to some fights with other kids and a lot of crying from Mackenzie. Once she learns a bit better about sharing, and she gets more used to it, there should be fewer break downs. She does, however, love the 2 "teachers" in her class. She was able to meet them a couple times when they came to our house to evaluate her. She sat on both of their laps a couple times, which is not normal for her. I am very proud of her.
Tomorrow is her second day with a smaller group of kids. I'm hoping that one will be a little easier on her since there won't be as must stimulation.
Great job Mackenzie!!!
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