Winter Carnival
The PTA at our elementary school had a truly brilliant idea for a fundraiser. They would open the school on a Saturday when the weather outside was often too brutal to enjoy. They put bounce houses in the gym, local vendors sold pizza in the cafeteria and PTA members volunteered and set up games for the kids to play. The gym teachers even opened what they called the ‘little gym’ which had gymnastics equipment and they volunteered to supervise the kids having free time on the equipment.
This was one of Mikey’s favorite activities. It was a familiar environment, so he felt at ease. There were tons of options for activities and all his friends were there. Community events like this are wonderful because you don’t need to wait to be invited or included…you can just opt in. You can go for a quick visit or stay all day.
We came home with tired, satisfied kids and we’d supported our local schools…what could be better?
Share This Post
About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
Let's Connect
Subscribe to our newsletter for more updates