Here in the KnowitAll house, Autism Awareness is a daily event.  My son has Aspergers and is on the autism spectrum.  One of the biggest issues he's faced in his life is a problem with sensory integration. We found many years ago that jumping, swinging, bouncing and spinning are things that go beyond normal childhood play--he actually gets better with these activities.  He behaves better; he thinks better; he comprehends better; he focuses better--everything is better! So I'm thrilled to see this freebie pop up from Pump It Up in West Chester:

FREE Sensory Jump Time

Thursday, April 7th 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Children who attend will have the opportunity to jump, slide and play sensory-friendly games within a controlled, safe environment.  This program is open to children on the autism spectrum and their siblings only. Advanced registration is encouraged as this program is not open to the general public in order to provide a safe environment for the children.

 

FREE Open Jump Fundraiser for Autism Speaks

Thursday, April 7th 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Join us on Thursday, April 7th from 6-9 pm for the 3rd annual Great Open Jump and jump for FREE with a donation to Autism Speaks and take advantage of special one night only specials. Money raised with help support children affected by autism, their families and researchers working to find an answer.

 One of the biggest issues we face with getting our son out for these kinds of "normal" childhood experiences is that often the noise level of the other kids--or the behavior of them--is too high or too rough for him to handle.  This not only means that he is deprived of the experience, but also our daughter.  Thank you Pump it Up for this program!! Pump It Up offers the Sensory Jump Time the last Monday of every month, for $8 per child.