Did You Know? Grandparents Day

Did you know that Grandparents Day is celebrated on September 10th, 2023? Grandparents are wonderful caregivers that we often get to see at Explore & More, when they bring in their grandkids to experience the power of play!

Being raised by a grandparent has been associated with a number of benefits for children. These include greater stability and safety, the maintenance of relationships with siblings and extended family members, and the continuation of cultural identity and community ties. 

We are celebrating grandparents with a special Sunday of play at Explore & More on September 10th from 10:00 am-3:30 pm. Grandparents will receive free admission and we will have special activities all throughout the museum. It’s sure to be loads of fun!

Did you also know that the museum has a membership level where you can add on a caregiver? For $50, you can add one caregiver (like a grandparent!) to a family membership so the fun in your family can continue no matter who brings the children to play.

Not a member with Explore & More yet?  Check out our membership information, here.

Every “Body” Can Play: Disability Rights-50th Anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act

By Silvia Steele
Access & Inclusion Specialist

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Rehabilitation Act banned exclusion and discrimination of people with disabilities in federally funded programs. This was a historical shift in perspective with the law recognizing that barriers in society are what deny people opportunities, not their disabilities. This law predated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which prevents discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications. (ADA.gov) It is important that adults and children learn about the history of the disability rights movement, and families have conversations about respecting diversity, and human rights.

In the book, Just Ask, author and United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor celebrates the different abilities children (and people of all ages) have. This book is a great conversation starter for children who have questions about disabilities. 

People with disabilities in the U.S. represent all races, classes, and cultures. Yet, many people are unaware of the history of the disability movement. The United States Department of Labor-Office of Disability Policy provides an overview of major milestones in disability history on their website.

Judy Heumann, a disability rights advocate, fought for the passage of the Rehabilitation Act, after years of facing discrimination due to her own disability. Judy contracted polio at the age of two and was never able to walk again. She was initially denied the right to attend school and her family fought to keep her out of an institution. After graduating from college in the 1970’s, the NYS Board of Education refused to give Judy a teaching license because they feared she could not help evacuate students or herself in case of fire. She sued and went on to become the first teacher in the state to use a wheelchair.

Throughout her life, Judy was instrumental in developing and implementing national disability rights legislation. Sadly, she passed away this year, but her legacy lives on. Children can learn about her remarkable life in the books, Rolling Warrior (grades 5-9) and Fighting for Yes (young readers)

Explore Even More: Let’s Snack!

Are you ready for an engaging snack? Let’s go fishing for something yummy in our kitchen. 

What you’ll need: fishy crackers, pretzel sticks, and cream cheese or a sticky substitute like peanut butter. 

Steps: 

  • Step 1: serve half a portion of fishy crackers, half a portion of pretzel sticks and a serving of dip. 
  • Step 2: Dip your pretzel stick into your cream cheese or substitute.
  • Step 3: Dip your pretzel stick into your fishy crackers, how many did you pick up? 
  • Step 4: Munch! 

This snack is delicious, nutritious, and is a fine motor skill activity! You can even incorporate math skills and discuss counting and subtraction. I hope you make the most out this special treat! 

Happy snacking!

Ms. Jackie

Every “Body” Can Play: Back to School

By Silvia Steele

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! Although back to school ads are everywhere, most kids are not ready to think about school just yet. Parents on the other hand, can definitely use this time to start planning for the transition. Verywellfamily.com has back-to-school tips for parents who have children with disabilities. Below are a few highlights and resources.

  • Connect early with your child’s new teacher and service providers to make sure everyone is on the same page with goals and accommodations for the upcoming year. 
  • Make a “home to school” notebook. This is a great way to communicate with your child’s teacher and service providers to proactively address any issues that may arise. It also helps to build a positive relationship with the teaching team.
  • Share tips or tools that were helpful in the past with the new teaching staff. If a visual schedule, sensory fidget, or scripted story was successful last school year, it may be worth utilizing them in a new classroom. 

 Resources

Did You Know? National Left Handers Day

Did you know that August 13, 2023, is National Left Handers Day? Lefties across the globe celebrate the annual event, which was launched in 1992 by the UK-based Left-Handers Club to increase awareness about the left-handed lifestyle.

Here are some interesting facts about left-handedness:

  • On average, 12% of the world is left-handed, 87% right-handed, and 1% ambidextrous. However, the percentage of lefties worldwide is slowly growing as being left-handed becomes more socially accepted.
  • The brain is cross-wired, meaning that the right side controls the left side of the body and vice versa.  The right-hand side of the brain is thought to coordinate the left side of the body and control tasks to do with the arts and creativity.
  • 5 of the last 9 Presidents were left-handed.  Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford were some of our left-handed presidents. Ronald Reagan was born a leftie, but teachers converted him to a righty when he was young.
  • Many sports stars are left-handed like tennis champ Rafael Nadal, golf legend Phil Mickelson and boxing star Oscar de la Hoya.

Check out this neat TED Ed lesson on why some people are left-handed:

No matter what hand you use to draw and write, we would love to have you and your families come create in the Art Studio and Tinkering Tank at Explore & More this summer!

Field trips are back! Please be aware that it will be busier than usual.