Merlin Day Academy

Happy Fall! 🍂🍁

We've designated September as Therapeutic Assistant and Aide Appreciation Month and we're celebrating our incredible TAs and Aides with spotlights written by their coworkers!

Happy Friday!

Playing Sorry is a fantastic way to build turn-taking, patience, and social skills. Our students learn teamwork, communication, and how to celebrate each other’s wins!

Our sensory sand bin was a big hit on Friday! Through scooping, digging, and sharing, our students built fine motor skills, explored new textures, and practiced teamwork.

Did you know that a bin of rice might be one of the best learning tools in your kitchen? It sounds too simple to be true, but here's the magic: when your child scoops, pours, and squishes, they're building real skills!

—Communication — "More!" "Cold!" "Squishy!" Words bubble up naturally when kids explore something fun.
—Motor skills — Pinching pasta and pouring water strengthen the same little muscles used to hold a pencil or zip a coat.
—Emotional regulation — Calming textures help busy bodies settle and feel safe.

The best part? You don't need anything fancy. Rice, pasta, water, and a few cups from the cabinet are perfect for your child's next big adventure.

Learn more: https://merlindayacademy.com/sensory-play-for-children-with-autism/

Sensory Play for Children with Autism in Chicago You and your child walk into a busy grocery store in downtown Chicago. The lights buzz overhead. A cart rattles past. Someone's shopping bag crinkles loudly. For many kids, this is just background noise. But for your child, it feels like the whole world just turned

We stopped by the local fire department to meet some real community helpers and got to explore the inside of a fire truck! 🚒

Our staff got together for Professional Development earlier this week! In addition to learning new skills and further developing our expertise, we also had a blast with creative teambuilding activities. From building our Merlin bird out of office supplies, to designing our own flags, to snapping some silly group photos, there was no shortage of laughter and teamwork. Huge thanks to our incredible staff for making professional development both educational and fun!

Happy Labor Day! 🌞