I am a pediatric Physical Therapist with over 25 years experience working with children with special needs.  I LOVE MY JOB! I have worked with children from ages birth to 21 years old in a variety of settings. I specialize in the severe/profound population and the birth to three population. I work in peoples homes, in school settings, and have worked in outpatient facilities. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a child discover and play at their own pace. I always say children are little scientists, and they just want to explore and have fun! Meeting them where they are can be the challenge. Kids with disabilities can be difficult to shop for because the “rated age” on the packaging does not always meet the developmental level the child is currently at. Over the years, many parents asked for toys ideas for their special kiddos. Holiday gift giving, birthdays… relatives and parents ask “what can I buy?” I have created this blog to list some of my favorite toys I have found over the years. I will list developmental areas each toy can help with, and talk about how  these toys can promote development and learning. I hope this blog will be a good resource for family and friends when looking for a birthday gift, a holiday gift, or any other celebration! When possible, I will use links to make finding these toys online easier so you don’t have to go out and search the stores.

I have recently moved back to the US after living and working in Europe for almost 3 years, contracting for the U.S. military.  My dog Lucy is registered with Therapy Dogs International, and we both loved going to Library Dog Day at the base library every month. I recently adopted another dog Rosie (find her on Instagram #BigLittleRosie). I have two horses; my 15 year old Holsteiner, Montana, and my young mare Allora. I used to own and run a Therapeutic Riding program, and I hope to return to this in my future!