Hiding Ira

As Nika wrote a few posts back Ira is very into exploring "hiding games" at the moment. Nearly everyday he will pretend to hide when Dad comes to pick him up - something he seemed to pick up from Edie. Yesterday while outside with Rachel I could hear Ira calling out "RoRo" "RoRo" He was getting louder and louder. I spotted his feet poking out from one of the climbing boxes. Playing along a bit I could yelled out: "Where are you Ira! I can hear you but I can't see you" Ira replied "In here!" We kept the game up for a while me wandering round the playground Ira calling out to me. Rupert came and joined Ira in the box. I finally gave in and came and found him - He was quite insistent that I get in the box with him - however I felt that I was too big! This answer didn't really satisfy Ira - but in the end he was happy to just with Rupert. Here are some photos

Ira and Matt's scooter

Here is a learning story of Ira and his growing interest with motor vehicles. Matt brought his scooter outside for Ira and a few of the other children who wanted to see. Ira was the first one on and was hard to get off he just wanted to take it for a ride!! Hes now wanting to get into my car and go for a ride!!.....

Ira and messy play

I remember when Ira didn't even want to put his hands anywhere near messy play! Here he is getting in and giving it a go. I had mixed powdered paste, water, and dishwashing liquid to create a slimy messy that the children discovered you could make bubbles when you swished it from side to side (this is what Ira is doing in the second video). Ira couldn't really get hold of the spatular at first but kept on trying. It wasn't helping that it was covered in gunk - and very slippery.

Ira dances!

Sorry things have been a bit slow on the Ira blog! It's been full on! But here are some videos I took some weeks back of Ira dancing. It's neat to see him exploring moving his body to music a bit more these days - he has some awesome dance moves!

Ira's learning stories

Here are some learning stories of Ira over the last week or so! playing hide and seek, swinging on the monkey bars and wearing the city kids high heels!! Enjoy :)

Ira sings

As like Rowans post Ira is little bit stage fright when it comes to performing on the camera. Knowing that Ira is very vocal during sleep time i thought I would would try take a video of him singing with out him watching :) here it is!! then he turned his head and spotted me and asked for socks off!! hehe but least you can hear him!
This is a song the older children have been learning at busy tiger time and they as well as the teachers often sing it around the centre. I have been doing it alot with Ira with names in particular Mum, Dad, Edie, Alex, Nika, Rowan, Abbey, Katy, Nikki. He did the Xray one all on his own Heard it for the first time :)

Here is a video of Ira singing one of the songs from Kapa Haka. It is quite hard to get Ira to "perform" when there is a camera in your hand - he seems to get a bit of stage fright. Here he had been singing before and then forgot that I had a camera at all... please excuse my singing at the start of the video! 

Ira helping out!!

Ira dresses up!

Ira on the bike

Here is a video I grabbed this week of Ira on the CK bike. He has come a long way! He is currently mastering his ability to turn corners. He is beginning to understand - but often will get stuck in a corner. Rather than try and go around any obstacle he will rather drop the bike and move on to something else

Here are some photos of Ira exploring the Ipad. He is quite competent at opening and closing applications, flicking through photos and finding various new things to try. Here he was acting as a guide for Jack who has only just started at CK. Ira is a big fan of the "bus" application. He also loves turning on the music, and watching the wonkey donkey on line. He is very capable of asking for what he wants if he can't figure out it himself.

Face Painting

These two Videos of Ira exploring with the face paint. I was cleaning up and Ira moved a chair and stood up on the bench to help me, He then discovered the facepaint tray and started playing with the cotton buds in there. I then asked Ira if he would like to play with the face paint and he said Yes. I moved the face paint onto a table for him to sit down and explore I also grabbed a mirror so that he was able to watch himself in the mirror to see what he was doing.
Since these videos he has loved exploring the face paint and is starting to cover more and more of his face as shown below!

Ira Climbs the ladder!!

Here is A Video of Ira and the ladder which Amanda brought out one late afternoon. Ira and Jaxon each took turns climbing up the ladder. Amanda then challenged them by getting them to take their hands off when the got to the top and to do a wee jump!!
You can see Ira was very pleased with himself!!

Ira writes

Just following up from my conversation with Jacqueline about Ira holding a paint brush as opposed to a pen I found the photo I was wanting to show her. this was taken in June:

Ira writes in his profile book

Ira's Photography Skills

Ira has always loved camera's since he started. Holding on to my camera and saying "cheese" would always bring a big smile. Lately he has managed to start taking photos all by himself.

Here are some examples








I do love the focus on his feet. He has gotten alot better at being bare footed. He used to insist on wearing his shoes or socks at all times but now he is happy to take his socks off a bit more often. Especially in the sleep room where he can turn putting them away under his bed into a bit of a game!

Problem solver

Here is a video of Ira and his mate doing some problem solving. They are spending loads of time together racing round outside with the "buggy" and wheelbarrow. The two have very similar interests: cars, wheelbarrows, making noise and having fun in general! It's been such a pleasure watching this friendship develop.

Ira blowing bubbles!!!!

Here is a Video of Ira outside trying to blow some bubbles!!

Ira on the 'Spinning thing'

Here are some Photos of Ira on the 'Swinging thing' This is a swinging board that goes around and around in a circle depending on where your weight is placed depends on the speed you go around in a circle. Naomi helped support Ira (and kept it slow so that he wouldn't fall off!!!) It will be great for his balance and exploration he just has to remember to hold on!!!

Julies report

Here is Ira on the see saw. He is using loads of language related to what is going on around him - mainly "up" and "down" it is also a great example of the way the children watch out for him. Ben is calmly trying to get him to go around to the other side. After I stopped filming Ira did just that! The other children seem to be ultra aware of his extra needs. They take it as part of daily life.

He has a bit of a crash at the start --- but it doesn't take long for him to get up and going again. cjs

Here is an example of Ira and Alex working together. Watching Ira it is clear he is trying his hardest to follow her instructions. He is desperate to try new things - as long as there is a teacher around to give him a hand!

Ira and the chocolate spoon

Ira has a certain charm over the chef Lydia. Here he managed to get the chocolate spoon of her for a bit of a taste test of afternoon tea - think it was the first time I have seen her hand it over!

Ira certainly had a fun time with it! I wonder how much ended up in his mouth!!!

Jaquelines visit May

Ira the problem solver

Here are some photos Alex took of Ira. As we watched we saw him working really hard on getting the pen lid on, do a bit of drawing and then work equally as hard on putting the pen lid back on. He was thinking very hard about what he was doing and what he needed to make his fingers do in order to get the lid on and off. He had a great strategy of resting the lid on the table and pushing the pen in till it clicked. Great problem solving Ira!

Tasks that use fine motor skills are tricky for any 2 and half year old and with Ira's fused fingers things are a bit more tricky for him to manage. It is great to see him coming up with strategies to get around his extra difficulties.

Peek-a-Boo

while outside I noticed Ira heading for the shell, a short while later he was no longer there when approaching the shell I noticed some movement inside the shell and went for a closer look.. here is a video of spotting Ira inside the shell hiding with all the balls!!

Little Yellow Digger

Here is a video of Ira's newest favorite story. He is working really hard on his language at the same time. Next to Katie is his friend Maanav. They have been spending more and more time together

Jaquelines visit April

Looking forward to seeing the video that goes with it :-)

Shake your grove thing!

I am often amazed with how far Ira has come since starting at City Kids. When we think back he had only started to walk and was still quite unsteady now here is a video of him shaking his grove thing and having a dance like a pro! Go Ira!

Ira's Big Entrance

Thanks for the Photos! As well as putting them in Irie's profile book I thought I would pop them up here. All of the staff loved them! We think they show his personality beautifully!

Jacquelines visit report

We thought we'd have go at scanning Jacquelines report from her visit today, so her observations and ideas are included in this forum also.

Ira and the climbing Wall

There is just no stopping Ira! Here he was determined to get up our new climbing wall - something that is quite tricky for many of our children. He needs quite a lot of support but he makes it!

Sorry it has taken so long - but here is Ira climbing the blue box

Ira acheives another goal!

Ira and the baby bath

Below is a story about Ira and the baby dolls - which he is extremely interested in at the moment. He also loves seeing other childrens baby brothers and sisters come into the centre. He is now much more understanding that he needs to be extremely gentle with them. The other day he gave one baby brother a very nice cuddle! I couldn't help but laugh at his attempts to bath the doll thou - as I wrote in the story I suspect there was a alternative motive! I was talking about his love of water with Alex and she was saying that Mum and Dad take him to the pool - would love to hear how he goes. To keep in mind for future - Karori Pool do some very good private lessons for kids with special needs (Thou my connection who was running them is no longer there. The tend to run them one - on -one so they can tailor them to the children's needs. Maybe when he is a bit taller and a bit more stable on his legs it would be something he would enjoy (thou with the amount he eats I don't think growing is going to something he does slowly)I suspect being in the water allows him to have a rest from using all his muscles to keep his head and body upright. Having worked with older children with physical issues and muscle stiffness they all say that being in the water is something they find extremely relaxing!

Ira on the scooters

Create your own free slideshow design

Ira continues to try new things. At the moment he is very keen to have a go on the scooters all by himself. (I remember when we had to push him everywhere...) If his legs get tired he will sit on the scooter and push with his feet, but I can tell he is very keen to stand and use it like he watches the other children do. I know how determined he is so will continue to watch with interest as he tackles his new interest!

Ira's love for the slide

As a follow on from the story I wrote last week of Ira going down the slide. I managed to get a video of him going down!!
I swear if there weren't other children around that I had to keep an eye on Ira would have me lifting him up onto the big blue box ALL day long so that he could go down the slide!!!

Ira on the slide

Ira is determind more than anything to give everything and anything a try!! He had been watching some of the other children going up and down the slide and going down on their tummies head first!! Ira would normally go down on his tummy but feet first. He was determind to give it a go though. He was trying to climb up the slide (also like the other children were doing) I asked Ira if he wanted to go down the slide "Yip" was his response. He then climbed off the ladder and made his way to the box. "Up" he would say, I then would lift Ira up onto the top of the box and Ira makes his way to the slide. He then reached out his hands to the slide and then got on his tummy and was ready to go. Unsure of how fast he would go down now head first I stood right beside the slide and sure enough he zooooommmmeeeddd down. I quickly stopped him at the bottom or else he would have kept sliding!!! he giggled and quickly said "Aden" (again) and walked to the blue box. We repeated this over and over Ira soon caught on that he could slow himself a bit with his hands and his feet and eventually I was able to step back but still be on alert at the bottom to stop him sliding off. It was really hard to get some photos but here are just two that turned out the best!!!

Ira at Junglerama

Here in no particular order are some photos of Ira on the xmas trip to Junglerama. He had such a great time! It seemed to be an environment really suited to him - except he didn't really like the higher levels. He loved the big soft slide and went down it with Alex, Katy, or me numerous times! He was on the go for the complete two hours -he was so tired he fell asleep on the bus on the way back to city kids and we had to save him some lunch - which he had when he woke up.

Here is a story I wrote about Ira doing some artwork at the end of last year. It was neat to see Ira seek out an art activity - I wonder if it being outside had something to do with it?
Next time I will try and not interrupt him as I want to see how long he will persist at an art activity. The taste of the paint didn't seem to bother him to much - but I wouldn't say he enjoyed it either - oh well it's all a part of learning!