Monday, January 23, 2017

Discovery Skills Kits

two shelves of blue Discovery Skills Kit backpacks and photo guide

What is a Discovery Skills Kit? It is an all-in-one kit promoting the development of a particular life skill or comprehension of a concept. These backpacks (from Janway), contain 4 - 8 books, small toys/games and other manipulatives. With funding from the Friends of the Bloomfield Township Public Library, I assembled these multi-sensory kits with especially visual and tactile learners in mind. Youth with autism, cognitive impairments, intellectual disabilities, specific learning difficulties and English Language Learners (ELL) can have difficulty learning key concepts and other essential topics via written and auditory instruction. Different learners can really benefit from these hands-on assistive learning tools. Many of the kit topics were suggested by our Accessibility Services Focus Group and special education professionals in our local school district. The backpacks have two zipper pulls, allowing us to attach zip ties that are removed upon check-out. A new zip tie is secured upon check-in before kits are placed back on the shelves. There is a photo guide with content lists located on the shelves so patrons can view the materials before checking out.
Shelf Photo Guide

We currently have 21 kits in the collection:
Alphabet
Human Body
Cause & Effect
Colors
Community
Counting
Daily Living
Expressions / Emotions
Focus / Self-Regulation
Getting Dressed
Measurement
Money
Opposites
Rhythm & Music
Seasons
Sensory Awareness
Shapes
Social Skills
Spatial Relationships
Time
Safety


Cause & Effect Kit

Book: The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Noble
Book: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
Book: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Book: The Napping House by Audrey Wood
Card Set: Cause and Effect
Card Set: ColorCards Cause & Effect
Toy: Caterpillar Gear Board
Toy: Cause & Effect Alpine Adventure Game
Toy: Smart Pal Frog (with optional capability switch)
Toy: Mini Wiggly Giggly Ball



Focus / Self-Regulation kit

Book: My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook
Book: The Worst Day of My Life Ever! by Julia Cook
Book: Mrs. Gorski, I Think I have the Wiggle Fidgets by Barbara Esham
Book: AD/HD Homework Challenges Transformed! by Harriet Green
Book: Take the Time: Mindfulness for Kids by Maud Roegiers
CD Set: The Mozart Effect: Music for Children
Card Set: Conditional Following
Card Set: Yoga Pretzels
Toy: Clear Schedule Strip and Visual Schedule Resources Insert
Toy: Bug-Out Bob
Toy: Busy Fingers Fidget Lap Pad
Toy: Find It Activity Tube
Toy: Perplexus
Toy: Spot It! and Spot It, Jr. games
Toy: Time Tracker Mini


Social Skills kit

Book: How to Be a Friend by Laurie Brown
Book: I Can't Believe You Said That! by Julia Cook
Book: Personal Space Camp by Julia Cook
Book: Well, I Can Top That! by Julia Cook
Book: Social Rules for Kids by Susan Diamond
Card Set: All About You, All About Me Fun Deck
Card Set: Hooray for Play!
Card Set: Hooked on Friendship
Card Set: Learn to Respond Appropriately
Card Set: Reactivity game
Toy: Puppet-On-a-Stick (2)


Spatial Relationships kit

Book: Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres
Book: Over, Under & Through by Tana Hoban
Book: Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins
Book: Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch by Mary Peterson
Card Set: Pigs & Pals
Card Set: Pirates & Pals
Toy: Hape Play Blocks
Toy: Hello Sunshine game
Toy: Positional Words Resource Box game





Getting Dressed Discovery Skills Kit backpack and photo guide on top of library shelf

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