Resources and Activities - (List 1) RDI-able (guided participation)

Seems like a hot topic is RDI-able activities. Families new to RDI(r) want to know WHAT to DO. Today, I'm blogging about some RDI-ables that we have used for referencing, coordinating, co-regulating and being-with. Some of the ideas involve small pieces and balloons -- so use your discretion based on the ages and developmental appropriateness (use at your own risk). I'll call it "List 1" so that I can make more lists along the way.

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Planet Dexter's book, "Pattern Block City," by the editors of Planet Dexter is a 48 page picture book plus a set of 32 pattern blocks. Each picture holds a different scene with a different picture to complete with pattern blocks. If I remember correctly, I ordered it from a Scholastic flyer.

Stomp Rockets - I found a mega-size package of them at a warehouse club

Rocket Balloons - A nearby drug store chain carries them

Write Shop's Story Builders. I was slightly familiar with these little gems before I reviewed them. Here's an example.

Tantrix

Rock Paper Scissors card game

Chairs game

Family Fun magazine. I don't want to subscribe because I stopped all of my magazines because they were piling up. I have attachment issues with magazines. (I have managed to limit new subscriptions to just TWO, and they're homeschooling magazines.) Back to Family Fun magazine: I have a three-ring binder filled with ripped out magazine pages and instructions printed from the web site, stuffed into plastic page protectors, which I pull out from time to time to give me new ideas. The magazine and the web site are non-stop idea generators for arts & crafts, science experiments, and games. When friends and acquaintences asked me how they could help in our autism intervention, I asked for their old Family Fun magazines. The dentist sometimes saves them for me. And I look through them at the library. Many of the magazine ideas are also available on the web site. A subscription is inexpensive, too, if you don't get too attached to your magazines.

Cake, cookie and cupcake decorating. I took a Wilton class at a local craft store and taught my children what I learned. Check your library for cake decorating or cupcake decorationg "how to" books. When my husband and I are going out without the children, (rare, but it happens occasionally), I bake cookies or cupcakes and make icing and set out all the pieces needed for them to decorate them with the sitters.

Taro Gomi coloring books. Google "Doodles" and "Scribbles". Yes, they're worth the price.

We have really enjoyed the artist quality drawing pencils I bought. Splurge on them -- they were worth the spurge.

Craft paint and little wooden cutouts to paint. The craft stores have a variety of little wooden cutouts that are fun to paint. Some are a quarter each. Watch your Sunday sale papers for the paints to go on sale.

Rubber stamping. Look for rubber stamps at yard sales.

Spinner. Okay, we have not played this because my daughter took the pieces and played with them and lost a bunch. We used to play this w/ friends BC (before children), and it is a fun spin on dominoes, and if I could find all the tiles, we'd play it! :)