A Saturday Morning at the Legoland Discovery Center

Disclaimer: I was provided with complimentary tickets to the Legoland Discovery Center. No compensation was received, all opinions are my own. 

We're regular shoppers at the Ridgehill Mall in Westchester. And The Boy loves eating at Bonefish and Yardhouse. And of course, we frequent the Lego Store but we never had the chance to check out the Legoland Discovery Center until a few weeks ago. 

The Boy was super excited when we told him we were finally going! We heard that it gets really crowded by mid afternoon and from experience we know that these kind of activities are best for The Boy when we go early in the morning. So we arrived shortly after they opened. There was a little bit of a line but it was manageable.

What I especially loved was that it wasn't too big and it wasn't too small. It was a good size without being too overwhelming for The Boy. While I was in awe of MINILAND (New York’s skyline come to miniature life made from nearly 1.5 million LEGO bricks, with moving airships and trains), The Boy's favorite was the LEGO Fire Academy (a giant colorful jungle gym, with a climbing wall and slide). The LEGO Fire Academy is ideal for sensory seeking kids like mine! The Husband enjoyed the LEGO Racers: Build & Test - he had more fun building his race car than The Boy - it was cute. The Boy liked building his car too and it's perfect for fine motor skills.     

But we all loved the LEGO 4D Cinema! I was a little nervous about how The Boy would do. We've tried 4D movies in the past and it hasn't gone so well. But since The Boy's doing better watching 3D movies, we figured he could sit through a 12 minute 4D movie. The Boy really loved the movie - he laughed, kept trying to reach out to grab the images coming at us and he loved the bubbles.

We spent about 2 hours at the Legoland Discovery Center and by the time we were ready to leave, it was starting to get crowded. Going at 1o am on a Saturday morning was perfect for us and we'd definitely go back again. I think it's a  great family fun option especially during the cold winter months.       

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester 

• Take part in children’s activities with the Master Model Builder.
• See MINILAND, New York’s top attractions made from LEGO.
• Soft play area, rides, 4D cinema and more!

What You Need to Know Before You Go

Attraction Hours of Operation:

• Sunday - Thursday: 10am – 7pm (last ticket sold at 5pm)
• Friday - Saturday: 10am – 9pm (last ticket sold at 7pm)

Ticket Prices:
Adult (13+)   $22.00
Child (3-12)  $18.00
Child (0-2)    free

Tickets may be purchased on site and on line. Includes admission to LEGOLAND® Discovery Center and unlimited access to all of the attractions. Once inside, you may stay as long as you wish, subject to opening times.

GPS address: 

1 Ridge Hill Boulevard, Yonkers, NY 10710

Map & Overview of Legoland Discovery Center

Disclaimer: I was provided with complimentary tickets for myself and my family. No compensation was received, all opinions are my own. 

Going Out To Eat When Your Kid Has Autism

Julia Child once said, “Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal.” Julia may be right but dining out with a special needs kid may not be so delightful.

The years before and after my son, Norrin, was diagnosed with autism, dining out was practically impossible. I couldn’t understand how some families could make it look so easy, when we were having such a difficult time.

Once I started to understand the diagnosis and after working with different therapists, I learned that things that come so easily for others, are challenging for children with autism. There were several socialization scenarios Norrin needed to be taught – including dining out in public. I realized that I didn’t want to keep Norrin from having that social experience.

To read how we got Norrin used to dining out, check out my post on Babble: Dining Out with Special Needs Kids - http://www.babble.com/kid/dining-out-with-special-needs-kids/

AND if you'd like to venture out to eat with your special needs kid but not sure where to go,  check out our 6 favorite KID-FRIENDLY Restaurants - http://www.babble.com/kid/kids-welcome-our-6-favorite-kid-friendly-restaurants/

Sleep Issues, Bedtime Routines and Special Needs

Best of the Best, Edition 8: Sleep Issues & Bedtime and Special Needs 

"Over 20 bloggers have shared their personal experiences, provided sleep resources, and outlined tips for helping children, teens, and parents find sleep. This incredible group of bloggers have experience with many different invisible special needs, such as ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, and autism. There’s something for everyone!" 

I have to say this is my favorite edition so far.   I loved reading everyone's experiences, especially the older kids.  It gave me an idea of what's in store.  I also picked up some great tips and techniques.  Not sure if it will work but it's all about trial and error with our kids.  

Hope you all have a good night's sleep tonight!

Lisa Quinones-Fontanez presents This Bed Ain’t Big Enough for 3 posted at Autism Wonderland. Prior to becoming a parent, Lisa had many ideas, “One of my ideas was: I would not let my child sleep in our bed.” Discover why Lisa has changed her belief on this idea and what her evenings often look like.

101 Ways to Say "Good Job"

Because sometimes, saying "Good Job" gets old.  

1. OK!
2. GREAT!
3. WOW!
4. FINE!
5. PERFECT!
6. EXCELLENT!
7. WONDERFUL!
8. OUTSTANDING!
9. FANTASTIC!
10. SUPERB!
11. TREMENDOUS!
12. MARVELOUS!
13. CLEAVER!
14. TERRIFIC!
15. GOOD WORK!
16. THAT’S IT!
17. Congratulations!
18. I knew you could do it.
19. That’s quite an improvement.
20. Not bad.
21. Good for you!
22. You make it look easy.
23. That’s the way!
24. Nice going.
25. Keep up the good work.
26. You just did it!
27. That’s better.
28. Way to go.
29. Much better!
30. Right on!
31. Keep it up!
32. You’re doing fine.
33. Keep on trying!
34. Good for you!
35. I like that.
36. Good going!
37. That’s really nice.
38. You’re right!
39. That’s great.
40. That’s it.
41. Way to go.
42. Well, look at you go!
43. That’s right!
44. That’s GOOD!
45. Now you’ve figured it out!
46. Now you have it.
47. You are learning fast.
48. That’s the best ever.
49. Good thinking!
50. You remembered.
51. You’re doing a good job.
52. That’s quite an improvement.
53. You really make my job fun.
54. That’s not half bad!
55. You haven’t missed a thing.
56. Nothing can stop you now!
57. That’s first class work.
58. You’re really going to town.
59. Now you have the hang of it.
60. Congratulations! You got it right.
61. Now that’s what I call a fine job!
62. You did that very well.
63. You must have been practicing!
64. You’re doing beautifully.
65. You’re really improving.
66. You’ve got that down pat!
67. You are really learning a lot.
68. I’m very proud of you.
69. You’ve got it made.
70. You are very good at that.
71. That’s coming along nicely.
72. I’m happy to see you working like that.
73. That’s the way to do it.
74. I’m proud of the way you worked today.
75. You’ve just about got it.
76. That’s the best you have ever done.
77. I knew you could do it.
78. You are doing that much better today.
79. Keep working on it, you’re getting better.
80. Couldn’t have done it better myself.
81. That’s the right way to do it.
82. One more time and you’ll have it.
83. You’re getting better every day.
84. You did it that time!
85. Now you’ve figured it out.
86. You’ve got your brain in gear today.
87. You’ve just about mastered that.
88. That’s better than ever.
89. Good remembering!
90. You did a lot of work today!
91. You certainly did well today.
92. You outdid yourself today.
93. I’ve never seen anyone do it better.
94. I think you’ve got it now.
95. You figured that out fast.
96. It’s a pleasure to teach when you work like that.
97. That makes me feel good.
98. You’re on the right track now!
99. That’s much better!
100. You’re really working hard today
101. Cool!