Watch our Summer Camp movie trailer!

"5 Rules of Learning on the Log"

After hours of processing, reflection, and deliberation, Learning on the Log has come up with 5 great rules/suggestions/guidelines that any staff, parent, volunteer, or counselor in training (CIT) need to follow when on our outings.

1. Our main goal is to INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE.
2. Talk to the kids, not the adults.
3. Talk to the kids at their level. - Adult conversations should be done after the program.
4. Play so that you both have fun. - Find the inner child in you.
5. When in doubt, follow the lead of a Learning on the Log staff.

- Armann Fenger

"Growing Pains" with Katie Franzen

SPIRIT NIGHT/DINE&DONATE 

You can show your support by joining us for one or all of the following Spirit Nights at local restaurants. PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN THESE AREAS TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT LEARNING ON THE LOG

• Chick-fil-A (Sandy Springs) Thursday night NOVEMBER 14 stop in anytime between 5:30PM-7:30PM (You must tell them you are with Learning on the Log---ALL Dine In, Take Out, and Drive Thru orders count)
• Stevie B's Pizza (Johns Creek) Friday night NOVEMBER 22 stop in anytime between 6:30PM-9:00PM (You must tell them you are with Learning on the Log)
• Zaxby's AND American Red Cross (Alpharetta) Saturday DECEMBER 7 stop in anytime between 11:00AM-3:00PM---SAVE THE DATE --- ALL dine in, take out, drive thru order count. And, for your convenience, you can donate blood at the American Red Cross bus that will also be there to support us!!

FREE FAMILY NIGHT

Our next free family event will be on Saturday December 14, 2013. COOKIES WITH SANTA from 12pm-3pm. Bring your family to take a picture with Santa and decorate cookies with your Learning on the Log friends!! ---details to come

CHANGE 4 CHANGE

Don't forget to fill your change jars and bring them in, so you can enter our next raffle. GREAT PRIZES to be won!!!

MOM's Support Group

Next meeting on November 14, 2013 at 7pm. Contact Jen deCastro for more details: jennifer.m.decastro@gmail.com. The meeting will be held at our LOTL facility: 230 Hammond Dr Suite 330 Atlanta GA 30328.

Please contact Katie Franzen with any questions

"When is it a good time?"

When is the best time to INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE with your child? This is a commonly asked question, and understandably so.  We are all very busy in our daily life with work, school, sports, and other extra curricular activities. Many parents spend hours driving their kids from one activity to another, so when can we find time to build meaningful relationships?

The answer is simple... ANYTIME:

Driving around town, INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE

Cooking dinner at home, INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE

Doing yard work on the weekend, INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE

Cleaning the house or garage, INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE

Doing homework at night, INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE

Waiting for siblings to finish, INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE

At Learning on the Log we INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE in every location we visit. It does not matter if we are hiking, swimming, playing sports, rock climbing, or commuting in the van - our goal and focus remains the same. We INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE, we develop relationships that have meaning, and we teach social skills that can be generalized to other areas of a child's life.

- Armann Fenger

"Words = Attitude"

This week I found an old blue bracelet from Autism Speaks. It has the words "Express, Embrace, Engage, Enable, and Expand" engraved in it. These are excellent words to encourage families and professionals to treat children on the Autistic Spectrum in a caring, supportive, and social way.

Autism Speaks' attitude correlates to our mission and goals. Learning on the Log's main words are INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE. It reminds our staff to relentlessly pursue social skills goals above anything else, and help each child develop meaningful relationships with peers and staff. By participating in meaningful activities and interacting within meaningful relationships, the social skills learned here have a greater chance at being generalized to other parts of the child's life.

We continue to emphasize and market our 3 main goals because it is the attitude and philosophy in which our staff approach each session (no matter what the activity is).  It is a proven formula since 2001, and thousands of kids have benefited from it.

Two families agree:

"My husband and I often say to ourselves, we can never leave Atlanta because where on earth will our son find this kind of loving, healthy, aware, amazing community that he has found in Learning on the Log."

"They are doing excellent work, not easy work either, on a daily basis and we can't thank them enough for the sense of belonging, self-esteem, excitement, and love that they've provided for our son for the past 7 years"

- Armann Fenger

"Why Learning on the Log is Different"

Our core principles include INTERACT, RELATE, and COMMUNICATE, but what does that really mean?

It means that participants at Learning on the Log develop social skills in natural situations such as hiking on a trail, playing games in a pool, navigating a playground, climbing on a rock wall, or testing their skills on a sports field.

Through the development of friendships with our staff and other children, each child encounters scenarios that will have a greater meaning to them personally, therefore motivating them to try again. Lessons learned during meaningful interactions, have a greater chance of generalizing to other social situations, such as at home with parents and siblings, and at school with teachers and peers.

We believe that social skills and strategies are learned through spontaneous and organic situations. Our staff works very hard to nurture and support any conflicts (misunderstandings, frustrations, anger, or other challenging feelings) that arise naturally when a group of kids are put together. This emphasis of processing charged social-emotional episodes, sets Learning on the Log apart from other recreational programs who only emphasizes a sensory experience. Any social growth there is incidental. At Learning on the Log, we cultivate lasting social development.

- Armann Fenger

We've had some great events for LOTL families the last couple of weeks! Check out our Facebook for more pictures from these events and much more!

How are you feeling today?

How are you feeling today? Happy!

Learning on the Log is very excited to announce that the Enrichment Pre-K has begun! This week, the major theme is feelings. In learning feelings, it is important for the child to know and understand the different types of feelings that he or she can experience:  happy, sad, angry, surprised, silly, confused, etc. Visuals allow children to see how each feeling differs from the other.  Aside of showing a picture, it is vital for the child to be able to imitate each feeling.  Through imitation, the child can experience and learn what he and others look like when they are feeling a certain way.  

Each morning during circle time, the children are asked how they are feeling that day and point to the picture that goes with their feeling. Through this process, a child learns to be able to first recognize what he is feeling and then be able to communicate and express it to others. This is such a huge part of building relationships with others! Because of this, Learning on the Log helps each child throughout the day to be able to recognize what they are feeling.  For example, if a child is upset a staff  member will make a clear statement to the child:  "You are upset." Such statement allows for the child to hear, process, and recognize what he is feeling which opens the door for communication and interaction with others. And, that is what it's all about--communicating with one another and helping one another!

What do you look like when you are sad?