Skill Builders

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween from Skill Builders! 🎃🕷️👻

10/28/2025

🫧 Jamie C. shared a fun sensory activity using water, food coloring, dish soap, a silly straw, and paper!

🫧 They are working on self-regulation via deep breathing (breathing in through the nose and slowly out through a thin straw), breath control to make sure their mouth is not on the straw while breathing in, executive functioning to gather the materials and plan their bubble art stamp on the paper.

🫧 “How to” at home: blowing air through straws or blowing bubbles are great ways to provide a fun alternative for teaching breath control and modeling self-regulation! The bubbles provide kids with a visual as well, which can be a calming visual input.

10/21/2025

🖍️ Ms. Thais and her client focused on the imitation of the core word “down” while having fun drawing on the chalkboard. Core words are frequently used words, such as “go,” “more,” “help,” and “eat,” that make up most of what we say every day.

🏡 At home, model these words during daily routine routines, like meal time, playtime, bathtime, or getting dressed to promote early language skills. For example, if your child is playing with cars, model “go car” and “stop car” to describe their actions.

10/15/2025

10/14/2025

This Sunday! The Young Men’s Service League of Oakton is hosting a Special Olympics young athletes clinic.

At YMSL, mothers and their teenage sons volunteer together with local philanthropies to serve our local community. This Sunday, October 19th, they are partnering with Special Olympics to hold a free Young Athlete’s clinic at the Vienna Community Center from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. This event is open to all children ages 2-7, with and without intellectual disabilities, and introduces them to basic sports skills such as running, kicking and throwing.

10/11/2025

10/08/2025

🍂 Sensory-Friendly Family Trick-or-Treat!
A celebration for kids all abilities to enjoy in a more calm and inclusive environment. Costumes welcome but are not required.

Sunday, Oct 19, 1-6 pm
Clemyjontri Park, 6317 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101

🔗 Buy tickets online: https://bit.ly/46zqml3

09/30/2025

YouToo Tennis is back again at the Potomac School, partnering with , to play and learn tennis. No experience required; all are welcome!

Upcoming dates:
October 5th from 3-4pm
October 19th from 3-4pm
October 26th from 3-4pm
November 2nd from 3-4pm

YouToo tennis is completely free, and they will provide equipment (feel free to bring your own if you’d like)!

09/29/2025

09/28/2025

This Saturday, our AAC Parent Support Group enjoyed learning about Virginia’s new AAC training law for IEP teams. A big thank you to Toby and Lindsay Latham, parents and disability rights activists, for sharing information on the bill with us! To learn more about AAC Parent Group, or to join, email jane@skillbuildersllc.com.

09/19/2025

Join us on Monday, September 22, at 1pm EST for “School Troubles: Refusal, Resistance & Sources of Stress” - a FREE parent support and discussion group led by Dr. Dan Shapiro, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician.

👉🏽 Register for this free discussion at http://shorturl.at/bemHZ .

This week in our free Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Parent Support Group, we will explore:

🧑‍🏫 the challenges of school avoidance

📚 resistance to academic work

🏫 struggles with the social complexities of school

These difficulties can arise for many different reasons—ranging from ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, and self-control challenges, to inappropriate academic demands, poor school fit, or insufficient supports.

Together, we will discuss how to understand the underlying “why,” share strategies for addressing both emotional and academic needs, and brainstorm individualized approaches tailored to each child’s strengths and challenges.

The focus will be on fostering collaboration with your child and their school team, building hope, and working toward solutions that help children feel capable, supported, and ready to learn.

Join other parents and Dr. Dan by Zoom for a participant-led discussion.

Different themes are selected by the group each week.

Share experiences and ideas. Support each other. Brainstorm solutions.

You are not alone.

07/11/2025