All posts by Wrts New Orleans

7 Ways We Rock the Spectrum Helps Children with ADHD

We created the We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym (WRTS) franchise with a unique purpose: to provide children with autism and other special needs an inclusive play environment they could enjoy with their peers. At WRTS, children are able to take advantage of sensory play equipment in order to grow and develop the skills they will need later in life. Our inclusive philosophy allows children of all ability levels to play and grow together.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the many conditions where WRTS can help children overcome challenges. Children with ADHD have trouble focusing and often times act without thinking. ADHD symptoms can range widely. These include:

  • Difficulty paying attention to details and tendency to make careless mistakes in school or other activities which produces work that is often messy and careless
  • Easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli, frequently interrupting ongoing tasks to attend to trivial noises or events that are usually ignored by others
  • Inability to sustain attention on tasks or activities
  • Difficulty finishing schoolwork or paperwork or performing tasks that require concentration
  • Frequent shifts from one uncompleted activity to another
  • Forgetfulness in daily activities (for example, missing appointments, forgetting to bring lunch)
  • Failure to complete tasks such as homework or chores
  • Frequent shifts in conversation, not listening to others, not keeping one’s mind on conversations, and not following details or rules of activities in social situations

“Children with ADHD have a hard time self-stimulating,” says Jess Lofland, owner of We Rock the Spectrum ~ Woodland Hills. “This is why the activities inside We Rock the Spectrum are so beneficial to children with ADHD. The safe, stimulating environment gives them what they cannot give themselves – a real focus. The end result is a feeling of capability that will lead to a healthier development.”

We Rock the Spectrum helps children with ADHD in a variety of ways. We’ve listed seven of these below, with an added bonus because we love you ;-)

 

 

1. Body Regulation Assistance
WRTS assists children with ADHD by helping them with body regulation assistance from the sensory equipment. The sensory equipment at WRTS is specially designed to aid children in their development. Children with all types of issues are able to positively react and grow from the use of this sensory equipment.

2. Break from School
Having a release from work after school gives these children the release their bodies need in order to focus and regulate themselves. Before starting their homework, a trip to the gym helps children with ADHD better focus later on. With the after school programs held at WRTS, children can come to the gym and enjoy some play time before diving back into their studies.

3. Compliments Occupational Therapy
Our sensory equipment is meant to compliment Occupational Therapy, not replace it. The sensory equipment offers challenges that can be left out from other therapy and helps stimulate a child’s brain and assists them in overcoming ADHD, giving parents an option that can be more beneficial in the long run than medication. The equipment offers a highly stimulating environment where focus is required. This causes the child with ADHD to narrow their focus and work to figure out various pieces of equipment on their own.

4. Social Skills Enhancement
The fourth way WRTS helps children with ADHD is to assist them with their social skills. Many times we see children with ADHD have trouble making friends or keeping them. With our inclusive approach and a dynamic staff that carries out our philosophy inside every gym, children are able to learn appropriate behaviors that can aid them in making friends while at the gym. These behaviors frequently extend to the school environment, where an increase in friends is also common.

5. Provides a Community for Children and Parents
WRTS is a community for all kids. Our inclusive approach helps children make friends with their peers and our gym becomes a place where friends can congregate together. The same is true with parents. Parents with children diagnosed with ADHD can often feel aligned or left out (which is the case with many parents whose children have been diagnosed with a disorder) and the team and parents of WRTS make up a fantastic support network of like-minded adults who have the goal of assisting their children.

6. The Comfort of “Fidget Toys”
Many children with ADHD, regardless of the severity, can benefit from having a comfort toy they can hold and maneuver in their hands while at school or at home. This helps them remain calm and focused while feeling secure and allows the skills they learn at WRTS to translate to the school environment. We supply an assortment of these toys in each We Rock the Spectrum for this very reason. The use of “fidget toys” offers the necessary distraction for the body while their minds hone in on what is being asked and instructed.

7. A Focused Approach to Creativity
The Arts and Crafts area of WRTS allows children to have a creative outlet and the ability to decompress while staying focused on the item they are creating. Allowing their hands to work and create while their mind does the guiding aids children with ADHD in their ability to focus, along with giving them a unique and new activity to participate in.

BONUS: The Guidance of the WRTS Staff
When the staff notices a child spending a great deal of time on only one activity they work to persuade them to try other things, which helps their minds continually adapt and experience stimulation from this change in activities. Our staff is always monitoring the activities going on inside the gym and will work with children that need the extra attention to grow. This helps children to be allowed to experience a variety of social interactions and which helps to meet the needs of the children with ADHD.

In conclusion, when children are provided with the stimulation from We Rock the Spectrum that they cannot get themselves, they begin to grow. This positive experience makes them feel able and capable in ways they might not feel in other social situations. A confidence is developed as a routine of success is established, and there is a real improvement in a child’s self-esteem.

Do you have a child with ADHD? What other benefits have you seen We Rock the Spectrum provide?  We’d love to hear from you.  Give us a call at 818-996-6620 or email us at info@wrtsfranchise.com.

We Rock the Spectrum is for All Parents!

The team at We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym offers a long list of activities for special needs children to participate in and enjoy with their typically developing peers. This allows parents of special needs children to have a place to take all their children and know they won’t be separated, but instead offered the opportunity to play, grow and develop together. The We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym has a ton of equipment and activities to do with special needs children including sensory-based gym equipment and strength improving equipment as well.

As a result of playing and participating in activities for special needs children offered by We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym, children will be able to improve their attention span, on task behavior, coordination, poster, motor planning, muscle tone, and motor development. This all takes place while the kids are playing and being fully active inside the gym. With a whole list and range of great play equipment to give the staff and parents plenty of activities to do with special needs children and children that are typically developing.

Some of the biggest differences between traditional indoor play gyms and the gym at We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym are the unique style of equipment to use. Most indoor play gyms don’t have the right equipment in place for special needs children. The We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym offers the first gym of its type for children to take advantage of regardless of skill or development level.

The specialized equipment, sensory based toys, arts and crafts area and programs that are set up for kids of all ability levels are designed and perfected to help all children grow and develop, especially children who have special needs. Take a look at what is offered at We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym and find out how they can help your children grow, develop and most of all have fun.

Birthday Parties at We Rock The Spectrum are For All Kids!

Birthday parties are getting bigger and bigger each year with parents trying to find a great way to celebrate the special day for their children. If you are looking for great ideas for kids birthday parties you should check out the facilities at the We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym. Their facility offers four different birthday party packages to choose from in order to celebrate your child’s special day.

The packages offered at We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym start with a package that does not offer any staff assistance, but simply the use of the facility leaving you responsible for the cleanup and works its way up to a fully staffed party where all the children take home some party favors. So far this sounds like a typical party that can be held at a restaurant, club or party hall, but the biggest difference is the staff and facility.

Any party at We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym offers the full use of the equipment included in the gym except for the zip line. This means the party of children can utilize the swings, climbing structures, crash mats and pillows, tunnels, arts and crafts area and small sensory based toys. Kids are able to let loose and be kids during any party at the gym. A party with the staff of We Rock The Spectrum Gym will be even more fun than one without and offers you the opportunity to really enjoy the party without having to be bothered with cleanup and hosting.
As a gym that specializes in helping kids of all ability levels to develop the gym offers a birthday party option that even caters to children of special needs. Let your children have a great time with a party at We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym regardless of their ability, and watch them and the whole party have a great time and make lasting memories.

Fun Activities for Kids with Autism at WRTS

By partnering with many non-profits and companies that are associated with and fully committed to helping children who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the staff at We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym continues to be the leader in the development of children on the Spectrum. Their use of unique and fun equipment, toys, creative activities, and classes has made them a stand out and destination for parents of children on the Spectrum to help children grow and develop beyond the parents’ imagination.

Not only does the We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym team offer programs for children on the Spectrum, but they advertise and fully believe in being an inclusive gym for all kids to enjoy and through this have become a great place for parents to bring their children regardless of their development or ability. By offering programs that begin to work on child development from as early an age as twelve months old, the team helps to begin and keep the growth going and can do so for kids up through age eighteen as well.

The We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym offers a ton of great equipment such as climbing structures, crash mats and pillow, tunnels, swings, sensory toys, and even an arts and crafts area all designed for kids to play and enjoy while they develop. That is truly the key to child development regardless of ability, making it fun while they learn and the children will retain the development better and even want to come back for more and this team really gets and gives that message every single day. With an awesome staff of enthusiastic and caring professionals no parent can ever go wrong by choosing the We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym team. In fact once a family has decided to start attending the gym the only regret they have is not doing so sooner.

Specialized Classes, Programs, and Equipment for Children with Autism

Even though the We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym is an inclusive gym that allows children of all ability levels to be able to play and grow together, they offer specialized classes, programs and equipment for children with autism. This allows the team to offer fantastic autism support services such as their classes that help to develop social and physical skills, sensory play equipment to help develop sensory skills and finer motor skills. And large play equipment to help develop the larger muscle groups as well as the fun and enjoyment that comes from working in a group and playing together.

As the first gym of its kind, We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym is a one of a kind autism support center that allows all family members to be able to play, grow, develop and enjoy a great experience. The gym has on staff specialists who can consult and suggest activities for parents to engage their children with autism to develop their skills no matter which end of the spectrum they are on.

Yes, autism has a spectrum, which means there are many levels and indicators of autism and the staff at We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym has kept this in mind not only when naming their gym, but also when offering their programs and designing their facilities. Because of this forethought this team offers autism support services that can’t be found anywhere else making them a leading autism support center that is based on the west coast and making is way eastward across the United States.

If you have a child who has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, take a ride to your nearest We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym and see what their program has to offer to assist you and your child.

Has Your Child Been Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Has your child been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder? Does your child have other special needs? Are you feeling a bit frustrated with the lack of development from government run programs that mean well, but you know there has to be more to help your special needs child develop? You are in luck, the best place for you to take your special needs child is to the We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym.
Their unique sensory pay equipment is specifically geared toward helping children who are on the Spectrum or have other special needs with their growth and development physically, psychologically, socially, and emotionally. If you are afraid your child may be too young for the gym, don’t fret, the We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym is able to work with children and parents as young as twelve months old and is a great gym for toddlers to play and develop.

As a one of a kind kids fitness gym, the facilities at the We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym offer a wide array of equipment, classes, programs, activities, open play time, birthday parties, and many other opportunities for kids of all ages and abilities to develop together. Their motto of “Finally a Place Where You Never Have to Say I’m Sorry!” is not just a tag line, but words they live by daily at the gym. This gym not only offers programs and facilities for special needs children, but for children of all ability and developmental levels.

This means if you have a child with special needs, and another who is typically developing you can take both children to the We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym and feel confident they will be not only able to play together, but also able to grow and learn with each other. How awesome is that? Not many other locations will offer the opportunity for all children to be together as they play and grow, most locations will offers services for special needs children but leave you to have to find another place to take any children you have that don’t have special needs, making it much less convenient for you and your family.

As an awesome kids fitness gym, the We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym is fully equipped with sensory-based equipment to help children develop their larger muscle groups, sensory skills, fine motor skills, playground and social skills, behavioral skills, and even show off some of their creativity in the arts and crafts area. When you bring your child to this gym the will leave with a smile and be ready to go back for another visit right away. With their great classes and floor play equipment such as tunnel, play mats, hiding areas, crash mats and pillows this is a great gym for toddlers as well as older children.

Bring your children to the We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym and see what they have to offer to help your children grow, develop, improve, and have fun. Stay for an open play time and you can have a lot of fun with them as well.

Indoor Playground Equipment For All Kids

As a parent have you ever heard your children whine about having to go outside to play? “It’s too hot, it’s raining, but Mom I just saw a tornado” are all excuses some kids might use to not want to go outside. Ok the last one was a bit far-fetched and only meant as a bad joke, but the reality is sometimes the weather doesn’t permit kids to be outside and play, but there is a great alternative to being outside, a gym that is full of indoor kids playground equipment would be the perfect place to take kids.

We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym is such a place. They have a building full of kids indoor playground equipment for all kids to enjoy. This gym is one of the best places to take kids of any ability level and let them play and explore to help them use up some of that energy we all wish we had that somehow is found inside kids. The equipment found at We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym ranges from tunnels, hiding places, soft landing areas, climbing structures, suspended swings, sensory-based toys, and even a zip line. All of this great indoor kids playground equipment will have you kids having a great time, growing and developing and leaving with a smile.

We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym was developed to help children of all ability levels grow and learn. Specializing in working with children who have special needs, especially Autism Spectrum Disorder, the team at the gym not only focusses on being able to help children with special needs, but also typically developing children as well. They have found the equipment and programs they offer are not only great for special needs kids, but for kids of all ability levels. Their activities, programs, and staff help to promote the growth of children regarding communication, behavior modification, social interaction, motivation, neurological growth, concentration, self-care, and physical strength which all children can benefit from.

The We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym offers not only great equipment and an attentive and highly trained staff but they also have plenty of classes, open play times and even offer the opportunity to have a birthday party at the gym. How cool would that be for your child to have their birthday party in a place that has an amazing amount of kids indoor playground equipment to use? It would certainly be a lot different than a typical kids birthday party at a restaurant that doesn’t have any fun equipment for the kids to play on.

Bringing your kids to We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym to expel some energy, take part in growing and developing activities, enjoying some open play time, or even scheduling the facility for a birthday party makes this gym an outstanding destination location for you and your kids. Come on down and check them out and see what kind of activities and programs you and your kids will enjoy.

10 Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew By Ellen Notbohrn

The child who lives with Autism may look “normal” but his or her behavior can be perplexing and downright difficult. Today, the citadel of autism, once thought of as an incurable disorder, is cracking around the foundation. Every day, individuals with autism show us they can overcome, compensate for, and otherwise manage many of the condition’s most challenging aspects.
Equipping those around our children with a simple understand of autism’s most basic elements has a tremendous effect on the children’s journey toward productive, independent lives. Autism is an extremely complex disorder, but we can distill it to three critical components:
• Sensory processing difficulties
• Speech/language delays and impairments
• Child/social interaction
Here are 10 things every child with autism wishes you knew.
1. I am a child with autism. I am not autistic. My autism is one aspect of my total character. It does not define me as a person. Are you a person with thoughts, feelings, and many talents, or are you just fat (overweight), myopic (wears glasses), or klutzy (uncoordinated, not good at sports)?
2. My sensory perceptions are disordered. This means the ordinary sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches of everyday life that you may not even notice can be downright painful for me. The very environment in which I have to live often seems hostile. I may appear withdrawn or belligerent to you, but I am really just trying to defend myself. A “simple” trip to the grocery store may be hell for me. My hearing may be acute. Dozens of people are talking all at once. The loudspeaker boom today’s special. Music whines from the sound system, Cash registers beep and cough. A coffee grinder is chugging. The meant cutter screeches, babies wail, carts creak, the fluorescent lighting hums. My brain can’t filter all the input and I’m in overload! My sense of smell may be highly sensitive. The fish at the meat counter isn’t quite fresh, the guy standing next to me hasn’t showered today, the deli is handing out sausage samples, the baby in line ahead of us has a poopy diaper and they are mopping up pickles on Aisle 3 with ammonia. I can’t sort it all out. I am nauseous. Because I am visually oriented, this may be my first sense over- stimulated. The fluorescent light is too bright it makes the room pulsate and hurt my eyes. Sometimes the light bounces off everything and distorts what I’m seeing. The space seems to be constantly changing. There’s a glare from the windows, moving fans on the ceiling, so many bodies in constant motion, too many items for me to focus. I may compensate with tunnel vision. All this affects my vestibular sense, and now I can’t tell where my body is in space. I may stumble, bump into things, or simply lay down to try to regroup.
3. Please remember to distinguish between won’t (I chose not to) and can’t (I’m unable to). Receptive and expressive languages are both difficult for me. It isn’t that I don’t listen to instructions; it’s that I can’t understand you. When you call to me from across the room, I can’t understand you. Instead, come speak to me directly to me in plain words. “Please put your book in your desk. It is time to go to lunch.” This tells me what you want me to do and what is going to happen. Now it’s much easier for me to comply.
4. I am a concrete thinker. I interpret language literally. It’s very confusing for me when you say, “Hold your horses, cowboy!” when what you really mean is “Please stop running.” Don’t tell me is a piece of cake when there is no dessert in sight and what you mean is, “This will be easy for you to do.” Idioms, puns, nuances, double entendres and sarcasm are lost on me.
5. Be patient with my limited vocabulary. It’s hard for me to tell you what I need when I don’t know the words to describe my feelings. I may be hungry, frustrated, frightened, or confused, but right now those words are beyond my ability to express. Be alert for body language, withdrawal, agitation or other signs that something is wrong. There is a flip side to this. I may sound like a little professor or a movie star, rattling off words or whole scripts well beyond my developmental age. There are messages I have memorized from the world around me to compensate for my language deficits because I know I am expected to respond when spoken to. they may come from books, television or the speech of other people. Its echolalia. I don’t necessarily understand the context or the terminology I’m using. I just know it gets me off the hook for coming up with a reply.
6. Because language is difficult for me, I am very visually oriented. Show me how to do something rather than just telling me. And please be prepared to show me many times. Lots of patient repetition helps me learn. A visual schedule is extremely helpful as move through my day. Like your day planner, it relieves me of stress of having to remember what comes next, makes for a smooth transition between activities and helps me manage my time and meet your expectations.
7. Focus and build on what I can do rather than what I can’t do. Like any other human, I can’t learn in an environment where I’m constantly made to feel that I’m not good enough or that I need fixing. Trying anything new I am almost sure to be met with criticism, however constructive, becomes something to be avoided. Look for my strengths and you will find them. There’s more than one way to do things.
8. Help me with social interactions. It may look like I don’t to play with the other kids on the playground, but sometimes I simply don’t know how to start a conversation or enter a play situation. If you can encourage other children to invite me to join them I may be delighted to be included.
9. Try to identify what triggers my meltdowns. This is termed “the antecedent”. Meltdowns, blowups, or tantrums are even more horrid for me than they are for you. They occur because one or more of my senses has gone into overload. If you can figure out why my meltdowns happen, they can be prevented.
10.If you are a family member, please love me unconditionally. Banish thoughts such as, “if he would just…” and “why can’t she…?”. Without your support, my chances of successful, self-reliant adulthood are slim. With your support and guidance, the possibilities are broader than you might think. I promise you I am worth it.
It all comes down to three words- patience, patience, patience.
Work to view my autism as a different ability rather than a disability. Look past what you may see as limitations and see the gifts autism has given me. I may not be good at eye contact or conversation but have you noticed that I don’t lie, cheat at games tattle on my classmates or pass judgment on others?
You are my foundation. Think of the social rules, and if they don’t make sense for me, let them go. be my advocate, be my friend and we’ll see just how far we can go. I probably won’t be the next Michael Jordan, but with my attention to detail and capacity for extraordinary focus. I might be the next Einstein. Or Mozart. Or Van Gogh.
They had autism, too.

Are You Looking for a Great Place for a Special Needs Child to Play?

Are you looking for a great place to take your children to play? Do you have a special needs child or children and aren’t sure where to bring them for a fun environment that will also help them develop their sensory, motor and other skills? We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym in Tarzana, CA is a great place to bring your children. They offer play options for children of all abilities and specializes as a center for autism in Tarzana, CA.

Their unique play equipment help all children develop their motor and sensory skills, especially children who have autism in Tarzana, CA. We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym is equipped with a plethora of equipment for children to enjoy including tunnels, zip lines, crash mats, trampolines, sensory-based toys, arts and crafts, and much more all designed for kids to be able to play, enjoy and learn while parents get to breathe a sigh of relief for having found such a fantastic place to bring their children to learn, play, and grow.

As mentioned, We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym offers play equipment for children of all abilities. If you have a special needs child, and more children who are not classified as special needs, this is the place to bring them all to be able to play and grow together. Their attitude of inclusion allows all children to play together and helps families be able to grow and enjoy play time together without the worry of equipment or an environment that is not friendly to children who have special needs.

Come check out our We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym in Tarzana, CA and see how our staff and equipment can change play time for your family.

Finally a Place Where You Never Have to Say I’m Sorry is Not Just a Slogan!

At We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym, the slogan of “Finally a Place Where You Never Have to Say I’m Sorry” is not just a slogan, but words the staff lives by to create their culture and environment around. As the best kids fitness gym in the area their facility is full of awesome equipment for climbing, running, jumping, lifting, pulling and pushing to help develop the larger muscle groups of children who frequent their gym. But they don’t stop there they also have plenty of stuff to help with problem solving, social development, sensory skills, find motor skills, and creativity. All of this is achieved through a gym that is full of equipment, toys, an arts and crafts area, and the highly attentive and motivated staff that prides themselves on providing an all inclusive environment. Continue reading Finally a Place Where You Never Have to Say I’m Sorry is Not Just a Slogan!