Whoopie! I hit the Jackpot :)

What I Bought from an Online Yard Sale!

    I just posted this picture on Facebook,

Do you see all that?  Button pushing, bead popping, block stacking, small motor manipulation heaven!  And all for $25.00.  There is no way you can get that much "stuff" with the money given to you each year for your classroom, especially since you have to buy it from catalogs :(.  It can take you up to 7 years to sufficiently build up the things needed in a classroom like mine, never mind the very specific items needed for specific students.  This doesn't count things like paper and paint, special brushes and scissors. 

I also spend money perusing the dollar store for craft ideas, and the grocery stores for adapted style forks, spoons, cups and bowls.  It seems like the newest craze has been to make these items for "regular" (pardon the term) babies much more like the adapted items I might find in special needs catalogs, but much cheaper.  I do searches online for "honey bear cups" (if you don't what they are, please ask me:) and have found them for about $8.00 a piece, if I really look.  Luckily, some people at school are bringing me their used honey bear containers and by adding some fish tank tubing, I can make my own (thanks A.M., you know who you are :).

I also ask my parents for paper towels, tissues and wipes for bums and faces.  Especially in the winter, little faces get chapped from runny noses and the cold and the wipes make it much easier to wipe them gently.  My parents have always been good about complying when asked.

So next time you are cleaning out your playroom, think about any special education teachers you might know.  Most of us would be happy to take some of your old stuff off of your hands.