Video Models and Walking in the Springtime

Two topics - One Blog post.  Here goes:

Our therapists have been creating video models of how to play certain games.  Examples are: how to play with Mister Potato Head, car ramp, coloring, etc.  It gives Jonathan an example of the appropriate ways to play something, which is often lost on him.  We've had video models recorded and put on DVDs for us in the past.  But thanks to technology, we are now able to download them directly to his iPad.  This past week during therapy, he can watch one of the videos and then try to play that activity.

This has been working.  Working so well in fact, that all weekend, he has been imitating the video models to a tee.  He recreates the scene, by playing the games in the exact locations they were filmed in our home, the same sequence, even some of the same words used.   While I know this plays on his imitation, my hope is that after he gets that down, he can expand on his own within the activity.

But it has been really sweet watching him.  So I have filmed him doing these video models so he can watch them too

Here is an example.  The first video is Ali playing with spelling cards.  (I did get Ali's permission to post this video).  Next is Jonathan doing the same activity.  (it is only a portion of the whole video, but you get the picture).  It really makes me smile.

Now for the second topic - Walking in Springtime

It is an AMAZING Sunday here today.  We decided to take a family walk around the block.  However Jonathan wanted to keep going.  We ended up taking a 2 mile walk around our neighborhood.  He kept up and was excited to walk, without his wagon!  Almost every time we walked by a light pole, stop sign or street marker, he would open his arms out wide.  I wasn't sure what he was doing.  It was almost like he wanted to hug them.  He did in fact hug one pole, but otherwise he kept walking.

We passed a group of little boys playing baseball in their yard.  One of the boys looked up and yelled, "Hi Jonathan!"  It was a boy from his school.  So we stopped, and I told Jonathan to say HI, and he did.  I waved to the parents, and we were on our way.  I was so glad that one of his classmates was happy to see him, and that Jonathan, with a prompt, could respond back.

As Jonathan and I strolled, hand in hand, I thought how nice this was.  We didn't have to talk.  We didn't have to do anything except walk and enjoy each other.  I didn't want to be anywhere else, or with anyone else.  My buddy and me, taking a walk in the Springtime.  It was perfect.