Jennifer Cook - The Asperkids Game Plan: Extraordinary Minds, Purposeful Play... Ordinary Stuff

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The biggest thank you goes to my own kids, who ignored the cameras in their faces and, even when they had already done the very crafts, activities and games featured in this book, helped recreate what Mom had badly photographed or managed to delete from iPhoto.

Thank you, Maura, Sean and Gavin, for knowing that Id play every game with you a hundred times over even if no one else noticed or cared.

To Kristen Giuliano, photographer, thank you for helping to make the fun possible.

Thanks to Toni Schulken, MS, OTR/L, Founder of Pathways for Learning, for identifying and bullet pointing the skill sets being practiced by the Game Plan .

Thanks to my mom, as always, for the practicalitiespick-ups and grocery trips and everything in-between that gave me the time for all the craziness herein.

And always the Grand Finale, to John, my husband and teammate. May we, too, remember to take the time to laugh and play as we travel this crazy road together. I love you, John, and always, always will.

Appendix 1

TRIANGLE CHALLENGES

Try These Star Challenges!

Construct a four-pointed star with four triangles.

Construct a six-pointed star with six triangles.

Construct a 12-pointed star with 12 triangles.

Use six triangles for a hexagon (with a hexagonal opening in the center).

Use 12 triangles to form an open 12-pointed star with a dodecagon (12-sided polygon) in the center. Remove one star at a timethe dodecagon will become other polygonssee if you can name them!

Tangram Puzzlers

Tangrams are seven-piece puzzles that originated in ancient China. By rearranging the pieces into different formations, players can create an almost endless stream of shapes and picturesas well as deepening understanding of geometry, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Plus, they are really fun! Try these challenges, then see what your Asperkids can create on their own.

Use two (then three, four, five and six) pieces to form a triangle.

Use seven pieces to make a trapezoid, then a rhombus.

How many ways can you build a square? A rectangle?

Copy these pictures and build a house, then a boat.

Printable tangram puzzles are available from the Museum of Play at www.museumofplay.org/flash-games/tangrams/tangram_grid.pdf and endless other websites. Just google tangram and see where it leads you!

Appendix 2

CAST-A-NET PAPER SHAPE TEMPLATES

TEMPLATE 1

TEMPLATE 2

TEMPLATE 3

TEMPLATE 4

TEMPLATE 5

by the same author

The Asperkids (Secret) Book of Social Rules

The Handbook of Not-So-Obvious Social Guidelines for Tweens and Teens with Asperger Syndrome

Jennifer Cook OToole

Illustrated by Brian Bojanowski

ISBN 978 1 84905 915 2

eISBN 978 0 85700 685 1

Asperkids

An Insiders Guide to Loving, Understanding and Teaching Children with Asperger Syndrome

Jennifer Cook OToole

Foreword by Liane Holliday Willey

ISBN 978 1 84905 902 2

eISBN 978 0 85700 647 9

The Asperkids Launch Pad

Home Design to Empower Everyday Superheroes

Jennifer Cook OToole

ISBN 978 1 84905 931 2

eISBN 978 0 85700 727 8

The Asperkids Not-Your-Average-Coloring-Book

Jennifer Cook OToole

ISBN 978 1 84905 958 9

CONCLUSION

Everything that is right and natural about learning and wonder and curiosity and peace is already inside our children. All of them. Its just up to us to make sure they feel safe enough and invested enough to let their natural aptitudes take over.

Spectrum kids may not progress through development as smoothly or predictably as typical children, or they may sail through one aspect and get stuck on another. A sort of growing-up jet lag. But our children most certainly do require the same sense of physical peace and self-sufficiency in order to build psychological calm and confidence.

Above all, Asperkidslike all kidswant the joy of learning that they are capable, important, relevant human beings. Yes, there are countless practical, academic, physical, social and emotional skills that we MUST demonstrate, explain and repeat. But they deserve to learn those lessons while having FUN.

Whether you are an educator, a parent or a clinician, teach as you would want to learn. Make it interesting. Make it fun. Our success, and our kids success, depend on how well we respect their individual dignity and empower their natural gifts.

Play, its been said, is the brains favorite way of learning. While play looks different for different people, wonder, kindness and joy are universal. So, we have carefully woven wit, humor and discovery into this Asperkids Game Plan . Weve made room for both facts and feelings. For trial and triumph. For everything and for everyone. Within our fun, there isand will always bea never-ending celebration of the possible and of the amazing kids who will dream it into being.

Illustrations on reproduced from Cook OToole 2012 with kind permission from Brian Bojanowski.

Photograph on .

First published in 2014

by Jessica Kingsley Publishers

73 Collier Street

London N1 9BE, UK

and

400 Market Street, Suite 400

Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

www.jkp.com

Copyright Jennifer Cook OToole 2014

Photographs copyright Kristen Giuliano and Jennifer Cook OToole 2014

Front cover images source: Kristen Giuliano

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