CP Activities and Events

The winter can be a difficult time for all parents, and especially for parents of children with special needs. Finding a way to keep children entertained when the weather outside is cold and icy is no small task. As such, we have put together a list of winter activities for children with Cerebral Palsy as an idea-starter for our parents, and we’d welcome any suggestions you might have as well!

November 17^th is World Prematurity Day and the Cerebral Palsy community is as tied to the problems caused by premature birth as any other. Premature delivery is frequently associated with a wide number of issues for babies due to their lack of development, including those conditions such as low oxygen that can ultimately lead to a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis.

By now, you may have the perfect functional Halloween wheelchair costume ready to go. The trick now is finding the right trick-or-treating route for your child that is both accessible and safe. Take the trick out of the night’s experience and join your community in a Trunk or Treat for inclusive trick-or-treating!

Our experience in the world involves constant multisensory stimulation. Involving as many senses as possible into learning activities helps the brain develop in an optimal environment.

With the occasional exception of taste, stimulation of all the senses can be worked into almost any activity for a child with Cerebral Palsy. In developing activities for sensory integration, the goal is to create conversation that focuses the attention on the senses. Some examples are:

Building a costume that incorporates a child’s wheelchair is a fun and clever way to ensure inclusion and acceptance. Halloween is the perfect opportunity for families to get creative with a child and his or her wheelchair.

Sensory play can go a long way towards encouraging development for children with Cerebral Palsy.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! This year’s theme is “Expect. Employ. Empower.”

Every October, NDEAM aims to raise awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities.

Dan Keplinger is an incredible artist, motivational speaker, and subject matter of the Academy Award-winning documentary King Gimp. Born with Cerebral Palsy, Dan creates masterpieces by attaching a paintbrush to a headband. For the month of October, Dan is exhibiting his artwork at Towson Arts Collective in Maryland. 

Born with Cerebral Palsy, actor RJ Mitte has a deep appreciation for Shriner’s Children Hospital and an important message to share with children with Cerebral Palsy.

RJ Mitte, who is best known for his role as Walter Jr. in Breaking Bad, visits Shriners Hospitals for Children every once in a while to say hello to the staff who treated him and to hang out and inspire children who also have Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities.

Are you taking advantage of the Home and Community-Based waiver, or HCBS, initiative? Should you? TASH, an international leader in disability advocacy and inclusive communities, is offering a webinar series to assist interested individuals in understanding the HCBS waiver program. The webinar consists of seven, one-hour webinar sessions scheduled between September 30 to November 18.