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*Today's contest has ended! Thanks to all who participated! The correct answer is "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and the winner is Cindi H.*
Come back tomorrow for Day #8 of our Pinks & Blues Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Days!
Today is the seventh day of our Pinks & Blues Stocking Stuffers Giveaway Days!
Today's Stocking Stuffer giveaway is for:
* An adorable Victoria's Secret long-sleeved Nightgown – Cupcake design, size small (retail value – $28.00)
This contest will be open for 12 hours today, December 10th, from 7 AM – 7 PM EST.
To join the fun and enter to win, tell us what holiday song or poem comes to mind when you see today's Stocking Stuffer and consider these hints:
* When you go to sleep in this nightgown, you will bid to all a good night
* Picture yourself all snug in your bed with this comfy nightgown
* This nightgown is the perfect attire for a long winter's nap
Email us at pinksandblues [at] gmail [dot] com with your answer! (Comments for this post are turned off so no one gives the answer away!)
We will randomly choose a winner from participants with the correct answer, and will contact the winner at 7 PM EST!
Happy Guessing!
* And don't forget to get all your holiday gift-giving ideas at our
2007 Pinks & Blues Holiday Gift Guide – and enter our contest for a Dooney & Bourke handbag!*


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My wife doesn't understand tailgating. I'm not talking about following closely behind the car in front of you. I'm talking about the gathering of a bunch of rabid fans in the parking lot of a football stadium before kickoff. I think the combination of grilled meats, cold pavement, refreshing beverages, and toxic exhaust from passing […]
does typepad hate me?
January 23, 2006 | 4 Comments
In the past few days, I've tried to post a comment on the blogs of both Bob Hyatt and Jason Clark. Both of these fine gents use TypePad. Neither blog has let me post a comment. It says that my URL — http://www.somestrangeideas.com — is invalid. It looks valid enough to me. For those who […]
theohacks #6: jj goes to hollywood
January 23, 2006 | Leave a comment
The latest release of the TheoHacks podcast that I do with Zach Lind has been posted: JJ Goes to Hollywood. For our first interview, we dialogue with JJ Peterson, a friend of ours who is trying to explore what it means to be one who follows Jesus in Hollywood.
January 23, 2006 | Leave a comment
Nooma 012: Matthew is now available on the Nooma website.
savoring god's word
January 22, 2006 | Leave a comment
I just finished reading Savoring God's Word, by Jan Johnson, for a class I'm taking. It was really worthwhile, and is the kind of book anyone who longs to understand the role that the Bible could play in their life sould read. I've had these two concurrent views of Scripture forming in my head in […]
fifteen minutes
January 22, 2006 | 5 Comments
Today was my fifteen minutes of fame. The Denver Post ran a story about Broncos fans who live out of the state, and I was mentioned because of a Broncos fan site I've been running for the last five years. The picture that accompanies this post was not included with the article, but was featured […]
January 21, 2006 | Leave a comment
I've been aware of two urban villages being built within a few miles of our house. Yesterday as we were out driving around, we ran across two more. I'm not sure if urban village is the correct technical term, but it seems suitable. These are developments that are combining condos/townhouses with commercial areas that include […]
January 21, 2006 | 11 Comments
I've had a few conversations recently with people who have joined myspace.com (note that I'm not even providing a courtesy link to them) or invited me to do so. Myspace is pretty much the ghetto of the internet and I'm happily keeping my distance. The owners, however, are living far from the ghetto thanks to […]
January 17, 2006 | 12 Comments
I sat down last night and watched the first few episodes of 24. I made it about halfway through the third episode before I got tired and turned it off. I have to say I haven't been very interested in finishing it, so for me, this season might be 2.4 instead of 24. I don't […]
January 15, 2006 | 8 Comments
blonde joke
January 12, 2006 | 7 Comments
I'm not usually inclined to pass along blonde jokes, but Rudy has the best blonde joke ever.
theohacks #5: polihacks
January 11, 2006 | 1 Comment
The latest release of the TheoHacks podcast that I do with Zach Lind has been posted: PoliHacks. This week, we dive into a discussion in which we might be even more hack worthy than theology — politics. If religion and politics are two of the most polarizing topics, how can we try to navigate through […]
January 10, 2006 | 1 Comment
Craig and Mike might have to open an Apple division of XXXChurch and start going to MacWorld. The new MacBook Pro is causing me to lust in ways that I'm almost embarassed to admit.
the kingdom of god is now, but not yet
January 7, 2006 | Leave a comment
I've spent a lot of time revamping my understanding of the kingdom of God in recent years. Dallas Willard blew my socks off in The Divine Conspiracy as he stated that the kingdom of God is not a place called heaven that we long for after we die. It is present. It is now. I've […]
stetzer on the emerging church
January 6, 2006 | 8 Comments
Steve McCoy has posted a link to an article by Ed Stetzer entitled Understanding the emerging church. There has been a lot of attention thrown toward the idea of emerging churches in this past year, much of it negative. It almost seems that anyone trying to do church differently than Willow Creek (Axis not included) […]
TheoHacks #4: Rhino and the Madman's Reading Review
January 5, 2006 | 1 Comment
The fourth episode of the theohacks podcast that I do with Zach Lind has been posted: Rhino and the Madman's Reading Review.
marsedit test
January 2, 2006 | Leave a comment
And this is a test from MarsEdit. I think Ecto was a little more appealing for me from first impressions.
January 2, 2006 | 2 Comments
I'm playing around with Ecto, a desktop blogging client, and this is a test post. It seems pretty slick, but I'm not sure I understand the benefits of using this over the built-in editor in WordPress at this point. At least I get a 21 day trial to play around with it…
how to fold a shirt
January 1, 2006 | 1 Comment
I've watched this new fangled way to fold a shirt about 3 or 4 times, and I still don't have a clue what happened. I guess I could never work at the Gap.

subset: commoncrawl


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I don't know if many of you remember that quote or know where it is from, so let me refresh your memory.
This quote is from the early part of the movie Friday Night Lights, one of my all time favorite movies. It comes from the locker room before the first practice of the season starts in the sweltering Texas heat at Odessa Permian High School. Boobie Miles is talking to his backup and says, Water Boy you got the wrong shoes, as for me, Bobbie Miles is gonna knock em out with black nikes on his feet ain't that right preacher.
Ivory then responds I can knock you out with flip flops.
So why am I spending time going over a quote from a movie, and a quote about shoes?
Recently at Beaverdam I have been leading a study on Ephesians, and in preparation I have reached the passage about the armor of God, in particular I found that Ephesians 6:15 in the Harper Collins, NRSV has a very interesting translation. Here is how it reads:
"As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the
gospel of peace."
So, in reading this it is not like the other translations that say fit your feet with the gospel of peace, instead it makes the point that the writer was trying to make. That is, preach the gospel, no matter how, it must be done. Like Bobbie Miles said he was going to play with black nikes, and Ivory said he could do it in flip flops, whatever you need to make you ready to run to others to spread the Gospel put it on.
Some practical ways you can prepare to run to spread the Gospel are prayer, and study. We need to remember that we must preach educated and not simply brow beat those who have not heard. Like our shoes give us support and help us run smoothly, cut better and hold our ankles in place, that it what study of the Word will do. It will support us, it will keep us in place, and it will help us see the holes we need to run through, the smallest opening to preach the Gospel.
Like we have heard so many times, this is a battle between those of God, and those under the oppression of the evil one and his army. We must prepare, and we must be ready to stand and fight. So no matter how, use whatever makes you able to proclaim the Gospel to all around you.
I think I might use some Under Armour's because when they hear the click clack it's too late, or maybe some Nike Air Zoom Flights. But know that I am getting ready, and preparing in the Word for all the openings Jesus will ask me to run through.


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Air conditioner thefts leaving property owners hot
When Rod Thorson discovered one June morning that thieves stole three air conditioners from his commercial property in Urbancrest, he joined the growing ranks of crime victims of metal theft.
"It's a hassle," Thorson said. "It's a huge waste of time for a business. It's frustrating."
But Thorson, who developed the Centerpoint Business Plaza office and warehouse complex along Interstate 71, also considers himself somewhat lucky.
Next door the same June morning, the building owner was missing seven air conditioning units. A week later, the replacement units were stolen, with the copper wire likely sold to a scrap metal recycler for a fraction of the equipment loss.
Determined not to get hit twice, Thorson arranged for metal cages to be welded around the new units – and hired a security guard to sit in a car overnight until the cages were installed.
A friend at a property management company in Columbus gave him advice: Hire a young, entrepreneurial welder to install metal cages on the new and old units.
"We stay busy," said David Stewart, the 35-year-old owner of Columbus Mobile Welding, which installed cages for Thorson's air conditioning units, allowing the property owner to dismiss the security-guard service.
Stewart's two-employee company has found a niche responding to the misery and anger of crime victims. For $269, he installs metal cages around air conditioning units. His customer base is evenly split between residential and commercial customers.
After launching his product nearly two years ago, he tried to sell commercial property managers on proactively installing cages on their units. The pitch didn't work – until some became crime victims.
"It's always after a theft," Stewart said about cage orders. "All of the property managers know each other and share the same problem. I get a lot of referrals."
Hot topic
Police say metal thieves increasingly are targeting commercial property for larger and often multiple air conditioning units, compared with the smaller payout in residential thievery. Commercial property also is at risk for its lack of occupancy at night and on weekends.
Criminals haul away or tear apart the units to retrieve the copper wiring. Sold for salvage, the copper enters a commodity market where the metal is sold to industrializing countries such as China and India.
Copper's high price also increases demand for solutions to air conditioning theft as business losses mount. In Columbus alone, reports of air conditioner theft averaged about 50 per month between January 2011 and mid-2012 and accounted for about 20 percent of all reports of metal theft, according to the Columbus Division of Police. Many reports include multiple air conditioners.
"When it happens in the summer, the inconvenience can be a nightmare," said Mary Bonelli, senior vice president for public information at the Ohio Insurance Institute. "If it's at a church, for example, it can affect the attendance, and then the weekly income drops. It has a trickle-down effect."
In a May report, the National Insurance Crime Bureau said Ohio leads the nation in metal theft, with business and homeowners filing 3,228 claims from 2010 through 2012, outpacing claims in second-place Texas by 23 percent.
Those affected by theft joined forces to push for Senate Bill 193, adopted last year. The measure creates a new electronic database of individuals selling scrap metal and the recyclers who buy it that is set to launch in January, replacing the current paper-based system. It builds on a 2008 law requiring dealers to make copies of sellers' photo IDs and other information available to law enforcement.
The new law aims to give law enforcement more information in an easier format and increases penalties for thieves.
Copper for Heroin
Scrap yard dealers are actively engaged in the solution to metal theft, including theft involving air conditioning units, said Commander Robert Meader, head of the Property Crimes Bureau of the Columbus police department.
Meader said police meet monthly with all 19 metal recyclers in Franklin County to share and gather information about criminal activity.
"The metal thieves have taken a legitimate business and caused their owners to become fences for stolen goods, through no fault of their own," Meader said. "It is the thief who has turned them into a fence."
Wiley and often desperate, thieves respond to law enforcement restrictions on their trade with new tactics. They've managed to thwart the impact of having their names among 17,000 banned from selling scrap metal at local scrap yards due to previous theft convictions.
"We're now seeing an increase in women scrapping," Meader said. "They may be the girlfriends or wives of the thieves."
Heroin addiction plays a key role in metal theft.
"I've had the opportunity to speak with a lot of addicts who steal," said Sgt. Richard Curry, responsible for property recovery efforts by the Columbus police. "They tell me of the extreme sickness they feel and how they are very motivated to steal to get the money to buy heroin."
For property owners and managers, air conditioning theft leaves a big bill and a lot of extra work.
"Now, someone sits in a car all night. I'm paying for security, I'm paying for the deductibles," Thorson said. "It's raw. It really hurts."
Kathy Hoke is a freelance writer.


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The beginning of the end for Dave Rennie will be all about breaking an unwanted habit.
Approaching his final season as Chiefs coach, Rennie's men will kick off their campaign in Dunedin tonight, hoping to edge the Highlanders for the first time in three years.
The southern side have won six straight matches across that period, earning victory by an average margin of 11.2 points.
But Rennie said he was "not sure that counts for much", pointing out his side held their own four-game winning streak in the rivalry before the Highlanders took charge.
"What it highlights is they're a really strong side. They've been in the playoffs the last three years and won the title a couple of years ago," Rennie told Radio Sport.
"So they're a tough side. They've normally got a gnarly pack and a pretty impressive backline, so it should be a big challenge."
Emphasising the exact size of that challenge is another statistic that will make the Chiefs wince.
That All Black-laden backline Rennie mentioned is built to excel in the friendly confines of Forsyth Barr Stadium, helping the Highlanders win 11 of their past 12 games at home.
But the Chiefs - no strangers to electric attacking play themselves - should also enjoy the perfect pitch and dry ball Dunedin provides, with Rennie reminiscing fondly about the conditions the last time the Chiefs beat the Highlanders there.
"We opened the season with the Highlanders in 2013 and, looking back on my time at the Chiefs, that's one of the best games I've been involved in. We won it [41-27] but the Highlanders were superb that night," said Rennie.
"And I think you may get a similar contest [tonight]. We're guaranteed a dry ball and it won't be muggy like it was in Brisbane [for the Global Tens tournament]. It makes for a hell of a game."


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Getty Images
The San Francisco 49ers have reached an agreement on a deal with fourth-round running back Joe Williams according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today.
Williams is the first player from the 2017 draft class to reportedly reach a deal with the team that selected them.
Williams was the 121st overall selection in the draft last weekend. He rushed for 1,407 yards and 10 touchdowns for Utah last season in just nine games for the Utes. Williams veraged 99.2 yards rushing in his career and is Utah's career-leader for single-game rushing yards (332) and single-season rushing average (156.3). He also had eight 100-yard rushing games in 19 total career games played.
One down. 252 more to go.


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VVOLs and DataSphere Make a Perfect Match
Posted in tech
We have recently discussed how DataSphere can accelerate VVOL adoption and simplify VVOL (Virtual Volume) environments. However, DataSphere also increases scalability and simplifies management. Let's examine each of these benefits in more detail.
A Smarter, More Scalable Architecture
Today's VVOL environments require that each provider registers with vCenter. Over time, the enterprise will be managing many datastores to get the capabilities they need, often from multiple vendors. While initial deployments may be simple, the environment will become harder and harder to scale as arrays and their associated datastores proliferate.
DataSphere presents a single VVOL datastore compromised of multiple storage types, including server flash, SAN and NAS storage and the cloud, and is vendor-agnostic, so enterprises can use the hardware of their choice. Scaling storage becomes a simple exercise of adding a device of a given type to a global pool. DataSphere also provides investment protection by allowing enterprises to use VVOLs on existing hardware, instead of purchasing new VVOL-capable hardware.
Seamless Storage Management
In traditional VVOL environments, enterprises must dedicate capacity on arrays to meet a VM's peak expected storage requirements. This means that enterprises are always over-purchasing storage. Since this data is rarely moved until VM retirement, these costs aggregate. The management burden is continual, as Virtual Infrastructure Administrators have to think about the best array to provision VMDKs on, and track their location.
DataSphere monitors VMDK activity and transparently moves data to the best storage type based on vSphere Storage Policy Based Management (SPBM), fully automating VMDK management through vCenter. For example, VM Storage Polices can have DataSphere automatically move VMDKs that have not been used in 30 days to colder storage or move a VMDK that suddenly becomes hot to flash.
Supercharge Your VVOL Environment with DataSphere
DataSphere significantly enhance VVOL environments. This gives IT the ability to add multiple vendor arrays of nearly any storage type to a single VVOL datastore that is automatically remediated by VM Storage Policies. Better still, it enables the enterprise to save money and accelerates deployment by using VVOLs with their existing hardware.


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See and acquire film Eyes in the Night On-line Streaming in High definition format. We are always up-date with all the new best motion pictures that a entire friends and familyn will delight in. Eyes in the Night is (Mystery) genre release on: 1942-10-16 from L, M.
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Electric blue? Yes please… Sergio Rossi SS2012 wedgesLeave a comment
When the weather gets better …the wedges come out. Not full summer yet as toes are covered, comfortable shoe to wear with a zillion combinations…and the fact that it is electric blue makes us fall in love even more. Also optional – paint over the Sergio Rossi logo – but it's so small it can't be seen unless you are looking at it with magnifying glass.


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I have issues with idle time. If I'm not moving, I'm making and creating. Sitting still is not an option- unless I'm meditating, but that's not sitting still.
I had thought that I'd have no problem keeping busy on the weekends. I figured I'd spend time with friends catching up on the times and making new memories. Thing is, people around here seem to be pretty habitual. Boxed in. Comfortable. Set. I feel like the Kool-Aid Man – barging into the scene, completely inappropriate. The awkward turtle is in the corner starting a slow applause, ever so awkwardly with his flippers. A pink elephant coughs. My friends are no where to be found. Silence reverberates off the walls as I make my retreat. So far, weekends in the US have been exercises in profound solitude.
Rather than embracing the sad panda moping about my peripheral vision (Go away and snack on some bamboo or sneeze or something!), I've switched tactics, changed gears. I found the reset button and hit it. Many, many times. So now my weekends are booked solid through to the day I leave for Costa Rica! This weekend I'm getting my inner warrior on and running the Warrior Dash followed by a 15000 ft skydive! (Yay for social media
steals deals!) Then, there's the US Half Marathon in San Francisco. That should be fun- running across the Golden Gate Bridge and all that jazz. Lastly, I'm taking a bartending course for the final two weekends- I don't drink, but other people do! I'll be sure to meet a few interesting people in all this self imposed chaos. Maybe I'll find a co-adventurer or two!
I've created a few new digital pieces, gotten settled and sorted, made a mess, cleaned up, and teetered on the fringes of domestication over the past month. Old place. New territory. It's a scary place to be in these strange times. The horizon calls- but I don't pick up the phone. I'm running for it! Will you be running with me?


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Did a nice 50km epic along the Grand River today, lots of singletrack and city trails. Fall colors are in full swing.
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Online Switch Activities
Priory Woods School Switch Videos
Priory Woods School and Art College is a community special school in Middlesbrough. They provide educational support and provisions for pupils with severe learning difficulties and those who have profound and multiple needs.
Their range of switch videos is extremely popular for use within their own classrooms but as an open resource parents and teachers of children around the world can enjoy the switch accessible videos provided by the school. It's a great resource for entertainment and education, with a wide range of different videos available.
Introduction to Priory Woods School Switch Videos
Priory Woods School switch videos are designed to be used with a single switch but can also be accessed via touchscreen. As more individuals have started to use touchscreens there has been a need to update the technology available to different users. However, there are users who still prefer to use switches or find it easier to do so.
The range of videos include classic nursery rhymes, popular songs, TV shows and films.
Key Features
There are 61 different videos in the range available through Priory Woods School and they come in a range of different styles. Many are simple cartoon versions of nursery rhymes such as There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly whilst others use photographs of pop singers such as Kylie Minogue and TV shows including Balamory.
There are also a range of videos based on songs from movies including Billy Elliot and the Dreamworks movie Madagascar.
The team at Priory Woods have gone to great efforts to make their videos as accessible as possible. They can be viewed on the website, downloaded for Mac users or downloaded for Windows users. If there are any problems with the downloading of the videos won't play the school will also send out CD copies of their video collection. You simply need to send them a stamped and addressed envelope as well as a blank CD.
The videos are designed to be fun and entertaining but they are also educational as they help users understand cause and effect. Some of the videos are animated whilst others are slideshows and some such as The Singing Moose and Farting Dinosaurs have a real comedy element.
The range of resources available via Priory Woods is limited to videos and slideshows but they are completely accessible through a range of methods. Switches of many different types can be used to activate the videos from simple plate switches to blow switches or others which allow for an action to be completed with a single movement.
Priory Woods Switch Videos are a great resource and can provide hours of entertainment. The range of different videos includes so many different artists, styles and stories that there is bound to be something for almost every type of user.
The range of videos can be accessed in many different ways, using different types of switch or touchscreen, making them even more user friendly and accessible.
If you have enjoyed this post on switch activities, please take a look at our Top Ten Switch Activity Websites list, which includes Lego Bricks and more and the CBeebies website.
Fun Music-Based Switch Apps
If your child is especially motivated by music, you may be interested in these music-related switch apps we have found for iPad. The first two apps are switch compatible and designed for use with children who have special educational needs – and all are guaranteed to entertain young music fans!
RadSounds is a simple cause and effect game that will really appeal to children who love music. RadSounds includes a library of tracks to choose from, however, you can also use MP3s from your personal library or even sing directly into the iPad. Once a track has been chosen, there are two switch modes: Momentary Mode enables audio to be played only when the switch is held-down, and Timed Mode where music will play for a number of seconds after the switch has been pressed, after-which it will stop until activated again. Once music is activated via switch, the user will be entertained with images of people dancing to accompany the sound. The RadSounds app has quite a dated appearance, however if your child loves music, it is possible that the entertainment value will overcome the dated graphics!
Five Little Rock Stars
Five Little Rock Stars app combines musical fun with helping children to learn counting to five. This app features bright and modern graphics and is designed especially for use with a switch. The main activity is to promote understanding of cause and effect by using the switch to prompt the next section of song and animation, whilst also learning about the numbers 1 – 5. Once your child has progressed through the 5 Little Rock Stars game, there are a selection of simple number activities that include full and clear audio support, to further promote understanding of the numbers 1-5.
Bebot – Robot Synth
Bebot Robot Synth is a modern and fresh music app which is not specifically switch accessible, however is easy to play using touch screen if your child is comfortable doing so. We've included it in this section because it has been recommended by the Drake Music Project as one of their top iPad music-making apps, and we think it looks like brilliant fun for young music fans. Bebot is a charming little robot in a tuxedo, who can be programmed with a whole multitude of synth sounds. These sounds can be easily activated using the iPad's touch screen, and children will delight in seeing Bebot sing along to produce the sounds. Bebot needs no previous experience or understanding of music and is guaranteed to provide hours of fun and musical possibilities for little ones who love to make sound.
Take a look at the video below to see Bebot in action:
Shiny Learning Online Switch Games
Shiny Learning is another one of our top ten websites for online switch activities and it specialises in simple multi-accessible games. The switch games available through Shiny Learning are fun, bright and offer users a range of ways of access including through switches, touch screens and regular keyboard use.
Introduction to Shiny Learning Switch Games
Shiny Learning switch games are part of a product which can be purchased but they also have a small range of free games and demos, giving everybody the opportunity to try the games before buying. The range of demo and free games is currently at 12 and includes a range of what Shiny Learning offers in their larger package, which you can read more about in their price list.
Shiny Learning is also committed to making their games as accessible as possible through different operating systems so have launched a number of games in app for including Make a Noise and Balloon Bang, which can be found for Android and Apple devices.
Key Features
Shiny Learning offers 12 games for all users without purchase. These games can be enjoyed using a switch, a mouse, a keyboard or a touchscreen. They can also be played using an interactive whiteboard. Like many of the other switch games and activities featured in our series of online switch activities posts, they are a way of learning about cause and effect as well as having fun.
Many of the games involve making a choice through single clicks or timing your click to win a game, as in the Crazy Chicken game pictured where a combination of scanning and single clicks ensures the chicken drops her eggs into the basket and not onto the floor.
Balloon Bang is another of the games which involves single clicks and fun sound effects as the balloon blows up and is popped, as this video shows:
Users can also enjoy a demo video of the Mouse Click application which is available through paid versions of Shiny Learning. Mouse Click has a range of different options within and once again focuses on cause and effect at its heart.
Many elements of Shiny Learning can only be enjoyed if purchased which is not always possible for every user. In educational environments it is possible to buy different subscription levels based on the number of computers which will use the software. This can help make the product more affordable.
The games themselves are fun and entertaining and keep users engaged as well as developing important switch and computer skills.
Shiny Learning provides a great introduction to its wide range of switch games and exercises. The different themed games provide fun and entertainment as well as exercising useful motor and developmental skills.
Shiny Learning is designed for use in the classroom like many of the other sites in the list. However, it can be enjoyed from home or in any environment where a switch user is setup to play and enjoy the games available.
Switch Accessible Gaming Apps
If you are interested in switch games that can be played on tablets and phones rather than desktop computers, have a look below as we review some exciting and fun games that are fully switch accessible. These games are for children looking to move-on from preschool themes, and are aimed at children 4 years and above.
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is designed specifically for use with a switch, and is aimed at children four years and above. This app offers children the opportunity to explore an island map, discovering hidden objects such as pirate's treasure, parrots and even dancing skeletons! The graphics are bold and bright, and the targeting boxes are large and clear making this app ideal for children with learning difficulties and those who wish to further their switch-skills. With full audio support and fun character design, the Treasure Island app is a brilliant step-up for children wishing to move-on from preschool themed switch games.
Space Shooter
Much like the classic arcade game Space Invaders, Space Shooter offers a high-contrast, easy to play switch compatible version of the game. This "blast from the past" provides an exciting gaming alternative to switch games with preschool-centric content, whilst also helping your child hone their targeting skills and learning about cause and effect. Space Shooter features a number of difficulty levels, including a very basic setting where aliens can be zapped with a single switch press anywhere on the screen.
Racing Cars
Racing Cars is a simple yet fun-filled racing game that has been especially designed for use with a switch. Let your child choose from one of three cars, and then pit them against two other opponents to provide an exciting game experience! The Racing Cars app features bold and clear graphics on a black background, making it ideal for those with visual impairments, and the simplified switch control and large targets allow children of all skill levels to play.
If you enjoyed this post about online switch activities, why not take a look at our posts on the Special Bites website and the Northern Grid SEN Switcher website?
Lego Bricks & More Switch Games
Lego Bricks & More is one of the top ten websites for online switch activities. Here we're taking a closer look at its benefits and capabilities for entertaining and educating switch users.
Lego Bricks & More is accessible through the Lego Creative website. Lego Bricks & More offers four separate games based upon different ranges within the physical Bricks & More construction sets. The Lego website interface is bright and vibrant and all four of the games are accessible via switches as they require the pressing of a single button. A couple of the games require a little more hand-eye coordination and the button may need to be held in and pressed but not in every instance.
Introduction to Lego Bricks & More Games
There are four Lego Bricks & More online games:
All four games require the pressing or holding of the space button when using a regular computer and the switch interface can allow for a single input switch such as a plate switch or squeeze switch.
Key Features
The key features of Lego Bricks & More are the four games to choose from, each has a unique theme and allows the user to practice slightly different skills.
In Fire Truck the name of the game is putting fires out. The player needs to be able to press and hold the button to allow the water to flow and they also need to be able to press the button at the same time as the fire truck is level with the fire.
In Princess the user is controlling the horse and by pressing their switch the horse will jump to catch a carrot. The switch only needs a simple quick click and the horse will jump. Of course timing is key in this game as you need to be sure the horse jumps at the same time a carrot is being thrown by the princess in the castle – she does throw other items too!
In Gas Station there is a need to press and hold much like the Fire Truck game. The user needs to press and hold until the car engine is full up and then the car will be able to drive off. If the tank isn't full enough the driver will jump out a little angrily. Timing is the key feature of this game, as well as the need to be able to press and hold the switch down.
For the final game Monster Truck we have a quick video. It's the simplest of the lot as it simply involves a simple switch press. The aim of the game is to keep the truck out of the way of road blocks and as you press the switch it moves from lane to lane. Here's the video showing exactly how it works:
The limitations of Bricks & More are mainly that there are just four main games to play. They're all great fun but it might be interesting to add a couple more. There is also a Bricks & More 4+ App which can be used with a range of devices including iPads and Android powered devices. This could be a good choice for someone who uses a tablet as well as their switch powered computer.
Lego Bricks & More is fun and has a strong recognisable brand image which many users will be familiar with and enjoy. The games are simple but also involve the need to combine hand eye coordination skills with timing skills. The games lend themselves very well to switch users as they require the pressing and holding of a single button once setup.
Educational Activity Suite Apps – Part 2
In addition to the fantastic online switch activities we are covering in our Top Ten list, we have also picked-out some of the best touch screen apps that are switch compatible. In part two we review Chooseit! Numeracy – an expansive educational suite app that is switch-accessible and designed especially for SEN.
Chooseit! Numeracy
Chooseit! Numeracy is an award winning educational suite, that centres on learning about maths. It features over 230 activities, which incorporate over 3000 pages of simple and educational multiple choice activities.
Designed with accessibility and special educational needs in mind, the Chooseit! Numeracy app can be navigated using both touch screen and switch, and its concise and consistent layout ensures children can concentrate easily without distraction. The clutter-free design of the Chooseit! Numeracy app is strengthened by the use of straight-forward, clear language, full audio support and also allows parents to monitor progress and performance via a report section.
The app covers all major areas of mathematics, with each section boasting graded activities – allowing your child to progress on to the next level at a rate they feel comfortable with.
The sections covered in the Chooseit! Numeracy app are as follows:
Foundation Shape, Space and Measure – 25 basic activities that promote an understanding of shapes, dimensions, opposites, positioning and time.
Key Stage 1 Shape, Space and Measure – this section includes 21 activities that expand-upon the basics of foundation stage, and includes counting sides, weight, length, capacity and general geometry.
Early Number – here you are presented with 32 activities that focus on the numbers 1 to 3.
Number 0 to 5 and 5 to 10 – 44 separate activities that are split into two sections, concentrating on quantity, rote counting, counting back, numeral recognition and matching numbers.
Number 0 to 100 – this section starts to prepare children for multiplication, covering more than and less than, counting in 2s, 5s and 10s, along with simple doubling of numbers.
Money – a very useful section that helps children understand currency and its uses, includes enhanced photographs of coins that are accessible for visually impaired children.
Time – 24 activities to aid children in learning about time, counting segments of time and also dates. Children can learn using either an analogue or digital clock-face.
If you have found our review of the Chooseit! Numeracy app helpful, have a look at our other Chooseit! educational suite reviews available – Chooseit! Science is reviewed as part of our SEN Switcher post, and the Chooseit! Literacy app is reviewed on our Ginger Tiger post.
Northern Grid SEN Switcher Switch Games
SEN Switcher is a specifically designed website which offers a range of switch accessible games designed to help teach basic ICT skills through cause and effect methods. The range of games is simple and designed by the team at Northern Grid.
Northern Grid SEN Switcher games and activities can be used to help build up basic IT knowledge and can be accessed via single switch or keyboard.
Introduction to SEN Switcher
Northern Grid is a small team of education specialists based in the North East of England. They specialise in providing support and solutions for schools and local authorities in their local area and SEN Switcher is one of their products which is accessible to all and free to use.
SEN Switcher has been described as a progressive teaching and assessment tool and there are also notes provided for use by teachers or carers. SEN Switcher is regularly used in school and education environments as well as home and there are also assessment records and checklists. SEN Switcher can be accessed online or downloaded.
Key Features
SEN Switcher features 15 different switch activities. There are seven different sections into which these activities are split:
- Experiential (Level 1 and Level 2)
- 1 Press (Level 1 Patterns and Level 2 Objects)
- 3 Press (Level 1 Patterns and Level 2 Objects)
- 5 Press (Level 1 Linear Patterns, Level 2 Tunnelling Patterns and Level 3 Scenes)
- Popup (Shape/Animals with Sounds, Shapes and Animals)
- Targeting (Shapes/Objects and Scenes)
- Scanning
Each of these sections of games has different complexities, allowing the user or their teacher or carer to select games of the right difficulty. The games are designed to help develop ICT skills and utilise a range of sensory and switch skills including basic clicking, row scanning and also timed targeting.
SEN Switcher can also be customised, once the panel is opened, to utilise different colours. Colours can be setup to support users who are visually impaired or may have difficulties with specific colours as this video shows:
SEN Switcher uses a range of different graphics from simple lines and shapes to more familiar objects and animals. There are sound effects as well as images and the Targeting and 5 Press sections of the suite also involves some scenes, placing objects in context.
SEN Switcher is a far reaching and well developed suite which offers games with a progressive feel, allowing users to graduate from one activity to the next as their skill set develops. All the games teach simple but important cause and effect skills.
SEN Switcher is a highly educational switch activity suite which is also entertaining and enjoyable. It can be used in a classroom environment but many people also enjoy the games at home. The related notes and additional materials give teachers and parents the opportunity to track progress and help understand the development the skills that the games are designed to work on.
Northern Grid SEN Switcher has been designed to ensure a wide range of different people with different abilities can develop their basic ICT schools in a straightforward and fun way. These switch games are designed with switch use in mind, although they can be accessed via computer keyboard.
Educational Activity Suite Apps – Part 1
If you child is comfortable using touchscreen devices such as iPads, we've found a collection of expansive, high quality educations suites that can teach a number of subjects using a range of simple activities that are all switch compatible.
Chooseit! Science
First in the range of Chooseit! activity suites is Science – an award-winning app that hosts over 160 different activities related to learning about science. The concise and simple to navigate activities are especially designed for those with disabilities and special educational needs. There are over 3000 simple multiple choice activities to choose from, and the entire app is brimming with accessible features that allow everyone to enjoy learning more about science.
The app has been created in cooperation with experienced teachers who truly understand the needs and obstacles that can sometimes be encountered by children with special needs in an educational setting. The app supports touch navigation, along with single or two switch scanning, and the full audio support provides clearly spoken questions that are presented in straight forward language.
Chooseit! Science features bright and appealing graphics that will instantly appeal to children, and the layout of the app is consistent and clutter-free, helping to keep distraction to a minimum so children can concentrate on learning.
Chooseit! Science covers four key areas of learning, which include:
Foundation Living Things – a simple introduction into the exploration of the world around us, including humans, plants and animals.
Living Things – a more challenging look at the world for those who have comfortably completed the first section.
Forces and Electricity – 30 graded activities that take a look at electricity and physics.
Materials – 30 activities that helps children study familiar materials and their properties.
Light, Sound and Space – Space is a popular area of study for children, and often a great place to start if you want to pique their interest in the sciences. This section includes 31 activities that look into the basics of Earth, space, sound and light.
Interested in more educational activity suite apps? We review the Chooseit! Numeracy app as part of our Lego Bricks & More post, and the Chooseit! Literacy app as part of our Ginger Tiger switch activities post.
Ginger Tiger Online Switch Games
Ginger Tiger online is one of the biggest provider's switch accessible games. Ginger Tiger can be accessed on a wide range of platforms furthering the inclusive nature of the games and activities available. It is a subscription based service but users can enjoy 14 days free and it is also possible to play a range of demo games.
Introduction to Ginger Tiger Switch Games
Ginger Tiger is a well-developed online learning environment for special needs users. They cater for a wide range of technologies ensuring all their games can be enjoyed by switch users as well as those who use EyeGaze devices and touchscreens.
Ginger Tiger is always growing and offering new games to add more to their range. This video is a quick advertisement they put together to show off what their site can do:
Key Features
Ginger Tiger is a well organised online switch games provider which separates its games into different categories. The categories are as follows:
Cause and Effect
Simple games which help learners understand the simple connection between cause and effect. The games are bright and exciting and have many different themes from Puzzle to Touch & Go and Musical Instruments.
There are demos available for each game section. From the Cause and Effect section, we suggest trying out People Puzzle and Box.
Basic Skills
As the name would suggest the basic skills section is about helping learners understand some basic concepts. These include colours, matching and odd one out. Once again the games are bright and vibrant with a mixture of cartoon and photo based options.
From the Basic Skills section, why not have a quick go on the demos of the Dress Up and Match games.
The Math section of the website can be used by older learners who are looking to expand their numerical skills. The variety includes bright graphics once more such as animals and sports and there are maths games which involve adding and subtracting, memorising series of numbers and basic counting.
Two maths demos from the section that make counting and addition fun are Animals and Number Lines.
Language Arts
The language arts section is designed for more expression and creativity. There is the chance to practice basic spelling, enjoy Alphabet Flowers and learning letters. There is also the opportunity to play the My Story game where different items can be placed on a landscape and simple works of art can be created.
Speech and Language
Speech and language games are designed to encourage conversation, verbalisation and interaction. Games such as Sounds are based on listening skills and choosing a graphic based on what you hear.
There are a large number of games under each heading so there's no possibility of getting bored. All of the games can be played with switches and some involve the need to utilise scanning and timing techniques too.
Ginger Tiger is a paid subscription software suite. You can enjoy a maximum of 14 days free access to the full service and then you have to pay. The full service costs £30 per year for a single use license with a single logon or £186 per year for a site license, to be used in a school or similar environment with multiple logons.
The benefits of the paid versions outweigh the limitations as new games are made available every month and there is a high level of technical customer support.
Ginger Tiger is so far reaching that it offers something to suit the needs of almost every type of user. It has an inclusive atmosphere and invites users of all abilities and experiences to try out the games available.
This is the last of our The Top Ten Websites for Switch Activities posts, we hope the series has been informative and useful for you and you have plenty more resources to try.
Educational Activity Suite Apps – Part 3
In our previous Top Ten posts, we have additionally covered the Chooseit! range of educational suites, including Numeracy and Science. Below we review the Chooseit! Literacy educational suite app – a high-quality, expansive app that has been specifically designed for SEN and children with disabilities.
Chooseit! Literacy
The Chooseit! Literacy app is an educational suite that features 250 activities and 5000 multiple choice pages that are all switch compatible, enabling your child to access learning about language via either touch screen or switch.
Designed with SEN in mind, each app from the Chooseit! range has been created in cooperation with special needs teachers, and is brimming with inclusive and accessible features which include clear and concise wording, uncluttered navigation and full audio support. All sections of the Literacy app are graded, allowing children to progress at a rate they feel comfortable with.
The Chooseit! Literacy app features the following sections:
Listening Skills – Helps children to practise identifying familiar everyday sounds, instruments, instructions and more.
Initial Sounds – Provides activities based-around the letters of the alphabet, when both spoken individually and at the beginning of words.
Initial Letters – This section concentrates on recognition of written letters of the alphabet.
Initial Blends: Sounds – An activity set that covers the 26 most common initial consonant blends – includes activities for ch, sh, th, qu and tr.
Initial Blends: Letters – This section covers the visual/written recognition of the most common blends.
Tricky High Frequency Words – A section of over 600 multiple-choice activities that help children learn about the most common yet particularly tricky-t0-read and spell words.
Alphabet – This section helps children move-on from phonics use, and provides 40 activities that focus on learning the names of the letters of the alphabet. It also includes upper and lowercase letters and the BSL (British Sign Language) alphabet.
Everyday Words – A useful section of 550 activity pages that enables children to practise hearing, recognising, matching, reading and spelling many everyday words related to colours, numbers, days and seasons.
To download the Chooseit! Literacy app from the iTunes store please click here. Also available in the fantastic Chooseit! range of educational apps are Chooseit! Science and Chooseit! Numeracy.
Papunet Switch Games
Here we are looking at the next website in the top ten list of websites offering online switch games. Unlike others in our list Papunet Games are almost entirely accessible via switch users rather than adapted from a range of regular games. Papunet is one of the few sites that specialises in switch games.
The website is mainly in Finnish so it can be hard to work out what's what but the games themselves are entirely functional and there are a wide range to choose from.
Introduction to Papunet Games
Papunet is a Finnish website which offers a small amount of AAC information in English but it is essentially a Finnish website through which you can access a range of 33 games and exercises, almost all of which can be enjoyed using switches.
As well as standard games the Papunet website has a range of exercises including time and number exercises, word exercises and colours and shapes exercises. Like with our previous posts, including HelpKidzLearn and CBeebies, there is a video showing off some of the games within the Papunet website:
Key Features
Papunet is brilliant resource with a wide range of different games. Some are simply for fun whilst others allow for a degree of learning as well as fun. Some of the fun games require the ability to press and hold as well as click the switch and some games require scanning as well as clicking. There are games which can be played with two switches or a range of switches rather a single click and there are also games which can be played using an Eye Gaze device.
The games section of the Papunet website is split into several sections:
Games of Precision
These games involve coordination and timing skills. They include the Snail Game and Papupult. They are brightly drawn in cartoon style and are reliant on the user being able to press a single switch at the right time or hold the switch down and release. They are amongst the simplest games available through the website.
The Sudoku section can also be used by switch users though the process of clicking from square to square make take some time. Sudoku with numbers, colours and pictures are available and they are known for their neurological stimulation.
The domino games have the same functionality of the Sudoku and can be enjoyed by users of all ages able to click through and select, using a two-switch system as keyboard users need to use the space bar and return key.
Memory Games
Memory Games once again work along the same lines as the Sudoku and dominoes games with numbers, pictures and colour and shape options. As with the other similar games using two switches is the most effective way to enjoy memory games at Papunet.
First Games
Papunet first games once again allow for single switch use. They are simple, fun and appeal to users of all ages. Games include Find the Animal, Follow the Animal and Identify the Animal and the only input that is needed is single switch clicks. The games are bright and have an audio accompaniment which can be turned on and off easily.
The main drawback with Papunet is the lack of English instructions and direction, though there are simple instructions it would be useful to have a better guide for some of the games to see how to play them properly with a switch or even with a keyboard.
Papunet is different than many of the other sites on our list as it specialises in switch gaming and activities, rather adapting to them. The range of 33 games and exercises offers something for people with different interests and hobbies and there are games of varying difficulties to offer something challenging and enjoyable to a wide audience.
Switch Accessible Apps
If you are looking for switch accessible apps for the iPad rather than PC-use, below we have listed a selection of great turn-taking apps that are perfect for younger children.
Turn Taking App
The Turn Taking range of apps and additional content from the iTunes store are a brilliant way to entertain children whilst also helping them to understand waiting, turn-taking and patience. These switch games are ideal for all children with additional needs, and especially useful for helping children with autism further understand social etiquette. Each game in the Turn Taking range is both touch and switch accessible, and includes 12 different activities per "bundle".
The Turn Taking app is a two player game, where players must take turns pressing the screen or their switch to reveal a piece of a hidden picture. With team work, the players can eventually reveal the whole image, helping to promote patience and an understanding of waiting. When finally fully revealed, the players will be rewarded with a video presentation related to the original image.
When a player incorrectly presses their button out-of-turn, they will receive both a visual and audio prompt – both of which can be chosen by the caregiver to appeal specifically to the individual, further motivating the idea of "waiting your turn".
There are five game bundles available for the Turn Taking app, which include the following visuals:
Bundle #1 includes Jet Plane, Balloon Game, Basketball, Candy Apples, Cows, Planet Earth, Blue Fish, Water Flume, Carousel, Seahorses, Guitar and Penguins.
Bundle #2 includes Baseball, Bicycle, Bulldozer, Dog, Fireman, Yellow Fish, Jellyfish, Logs, Parachute, Quarters, Dropper Ride and Skateboard.
Bundle #3 includes Boat, Bowling, Bus, Elephant, Fireworks, Hammerhead Shark, Jet, Meteor, Racing Car, Ferris Wheel, Soccer Ball and Wrecking Ball.
Bundle #4 includes Dance, Drums, Football, Gorilla, Helicopter, Radio City, Shark, Skiing, Taxi, Volcano, Water Tube and Roller Coaster.
Finally, Bundle #5 includes Falling Balls, Harp, Race Horse, Juggler, Kayak, Motorcycle, Rocket Ride, Swings Ride, Stingray, Train, Turtle and Waterfall.
As you can see from the above bundle lists, there are a huge variety of images available per game download, making it perfect to pick a motivating topic of interest for your child, such as animals, fish, vehicles and sports etc.
CBeebies Switch Games
This is the third of our posts looking at the Top Ten Websites for Online Switch Activities. Please check out our previous post about the HelpKidzLearn range of switch games and apps.
This post is looking at the range of games available through the CBeebies website which have been designed for switch users as well as some other games which can be accessed via switches. Someone will be needed to setup the CBeebies game for access but once it's been launched it can be played freely through switches.
Introduction to CBeebies Switch Games
CBeebies offers four distinct switch compatible games at present, the website allows these games to be located through a specific category search. There are other games which can be used by switch users but they need to be sought out as they don't appear in the category.
CBeebies characters are bright, exciting and popular. Many of the games are educational as well as entertaining and many of the games are designed to be as simple as possible, to ensure no high level of mouse or keyboard skill is needed and a switch or a pair of switches can be used in isolation.
This video shows off some of the features of the games in the CBeebies range and how they can be accessed via switch:
Key Features
The four games currently listed under the CBeebies switch compatible system are:
- Teletubbies Peek-a-Boo Game
- Something Special Out and About
- Star-tastic Captain Jake
- Tiny Tumble Bubble Art
Some of these games such as Something Special Out and About will also make use of a webcam or microphone for some games, allowing the user to use bodily movements rather than a switch for some games such as Pop the Bubbles. Tumble Faces within this game is also simple and fun as it uses a single click to make Mr Tumble pull a funny face.
Peek-a-Boo is equally simple and uses single switch presses whilst Star-tastic Captain Jake requires a degree of scanning, but only through the use of a single switch. The rocket will move across the screen and the user needs to press their switch at the right moment.
Tiny Tumble Bubble Art is another game which uses the webcam. Users paint pictures with Tiny Tumble through popping bubbles through movements of any size. As the bubbles pop they spread paint across the screen.
A number of games in the CBeebies range can be adapted for switch use but there isn't any information to find them and they aren't included in the category. As in the video above there are a wider choice of games than those made available through selected the right category.
Many of the games also rely upon webcam technology which is great as it is interactive and entertaining but doesn't necessarily mean the game is switch accessible.
CBeebies has a wide range of recognisable characters which make their games popular. The fun interactive elements and the ability to play games and see your own face on the screen is a great addition which may appeal to a wide range of players.
Within some of the games available there are further choices and therefore the range is wider than it may initially seem.
Touch-Screen CBeebies Apps
There is also a growing-range of CBeebies apps available for both Apple and Android, and although many do not cater specifically for switch use, they are ideal for children who are comfortable using touch-screen devices such as tablets and iPhones. We've picked out a few below that will really appeal to children who love the various characters on the CBeebies channel:
In the Night Garden
The wonderful, colourful world of the Night Garden is now available for your children to explore with this simple yet fun-filled app. In the Night Garden app has tons of interactive and familiar scenes that will provide hours of fun – each character has their own sub-game, and the app's high-quality audio and HD graphics are visually stirring and immersive.
The official Waybuloo app really does have something for everyone – it includes a fun music scene where children can interactive with Yojojo to make him play instruments. There is also a gardening scene, where children can help De Li to plant flowers and fruit, to then water them and watch them grow! The app also includes a very simple art studio and the classic "Peeka" game.
Woolly and Tig
There's a real charm to the story of Woolly and Tig, and this app brings Woolly to life for children to play with. There are 10 motivating activities that children can take-part in, which include brushing Woolly's teeth (great for kids who might struggle with routines such as this) and fun-filled activities such as Dress-up Woolly and Play in the Rain! Lovely, lush graphics, and a-must for any fans of the CBeebies series.
The Dipdap app is a drawing game that promotes expression and creativity, without forcing children to be too structured with their creativity. Ideal for developing puzzle-solving and motor skills, Dipdap is full of imaginative interactive scenes that are high-contrast in colour by nature. Dipdap invites your child to draw in a familiar scene, which is then animated before their eyes and can be shared with friends and family.
HelpKidzLearn Online Switch Activities
HelpKidzLearn is one of the biggest online resources for switch activities. The range is expansive and covers a number of different types of activity as well as a range of different input methods. HelpKidzLearn can be used for simple cause and effect exercises or it can be used for two switch application with additional timing and scanning and other skills.
HelpKidzLearn is a paid subscription and it costs £39 per year for a single user with additional prices for more users or a site subscription. It is also possible to enjoy a 10 activity free user subscription. This is a good way of trying it out before committing to purchase.
Introduction to HelpKidzLearn Switch Activities
HelpKidzLearn is a huge collection of software to play online. It is designed for young children and people with learning disabilities. The activities and games are switch accessible and can be used with a wide range of different switches.
HelpKidzLearn is part of the Inclusive Technology Ltd group, a company which produces a wide range of hardware and software for the assistive technology and education market. This means that there are many hardware options including the HelpKidzLearn EasySwitch which are designed with the activities on this site in mind. These items aren't a prerequisite but they are designed to create the best possible user experience, ensuring full accessibility to the games.
This webinar offers an in depth look at HelpKidzLearn:
Key Features
HelpKidzLearn requires the user to login and then they can enjoy a wide range of different switch activities and games. The current collection has over 87 titles and new ones are constantly being developed to provide special education environments with an invaluable tool. HelpKidzLearn is split into five broad sections.
Early Years
Early learning activities such as Rockets and Mystery Egg. Each game is bright and vibrant and the majority are simple cause and effect programmes which help develop basic keyboard or switch skills. Touchscreen users can also benefit from these games.
Games is the most popular section of the site and offers hours of fun and entertainment. Games include BrickOut, Space Shooter and Memory Pairs and can once again be accessed via switch and touchscreen, with some games more advanced with the need for two switches, scanning and timing.
The stories section of the website brings together a range of classic stories and songs. Activities include counting songs and encourage learners to join in and count along. They can be activated with a simple switch click.
This section is great for those with a bit of artistic flair. Build sandcastles, play with train tracks or simply practice Early Mouse Movements. There are also music based games.
Find Out
This section of the HelpKidzLearn website is all about exploration and learning. Explore a wide range of things from facial expressions to keyboard skills and other concepts from telling the time to shopping lists. Here's the chance to enjoy simple education games including Load the Truck (scanning with one to two switches) and Talking Parrot (speaking and listening skills).
HelpKidzLearn offers something for users with different skills who utilise different input devices. There are apps available as well as the desktop-based use and all the activities available are switch accessible. There is a lot of hardware which can be bought to use with HelpKidzLearn but none of it is necessary if you already have your switch, interface and mount in place.
HelpKidzLearn is a must have for switch users who want to enjoy the widest possible range of educational and entertaining games. The expansive range of switch activities available offer different levels of complexity, allowing for wider inclusivity and accessibility.
If you found this post helpful, please take a look at our Top Ten Switch Activity Websites list, which includes CBeebies interactive games and the Owlieboo switch website.
HelpKidzLearn Apps
In addition to the HelpKidzLearn range of computer-based switch games, they also offer a number of fun and educational apps for both Apple and Android.
Sensory Room
Sensory Room is a fun and free app that features an imaginary sensory room full of lots of interesting images to touch and interact with. Lots of cause and effect features allow your child to experiment with bubble tubes and disco lights, just like a real sensory room!
Touch to Jump
Touch to Jump is a simple cause and effect game, where your child must touch the musician to make them move towards the spotlight – and once they do, they will be entertained by a whole host of music and colours that are guaranteed to delight!
Big Bang Patterns
This app has been developed in conjunction with specialist visual impairment teachers, and each activity has been especially created for children with low vision and complex educational needs. Big Bang Patterns is a feast of visuals and music, that will really appeal to your child's senses!
Big Bang Pictures
Much like the Big Bang Patterns app, however Big Bang Pictures features clear, high contrast images of familiar objects, animals and activities with accompanying sound effects. Allows you to choose from a number of background and foreground colours, and is an ideal tool for assessment of picture recognition.
Specialbites Online Switch Activities
Specialbites is a constantly developing website which is home to a wide range of inclusive online switch activities and games. They are all designed to be educational and fun. They began by offering games to download for switch users. Now they also offer online switch activities and iPad apps. They were designed with the inclusive classroom in mind but can be used by anybody in any environment.
Introduction to Specialbites Online Switch Activities
Specialbites is dedicated to ensuring as many resources as possible are inclusive. They offer a wide range of tutorials so teachers and parents can work to make the internet accessible to all. Their range of tutorials has a wide number of features including how to turn any YouTube video into a switch accessible application through Specialbites, as shown below:
This feature is especially useful for adult switch users. Many switch games are cartoon based or child-focused which isn't always what an older user is looking for. Specialbites is classroom-focused but the development and application of their technology appeals to a wider audience.
Key Features
Specialbites has been designed to offer something for switch users and those who use touch screens. Many of their games are important for the learning of early mouse skills and there is even the scope for users to create their own accessible, age appropriate games, thanks to the tutorials available.
The range of games available is split into a number of categories:
There are also free videos with fun, musical and talent show video options. Many of the games are designed with a range of complexities so users can test and develop their skills. Angry Pig games for example have a fun, familiar theme and there are four different levels with growing complexity, all of which can be accessed using a single press switch and all of which teach the basics of cause and effect. This is just one of the many games in the huge Specialbites range. There are 11 different sets of online, non-download games as well as four different categories of iPad switch app and five sets of downloadable games.
There is a paid element to Specialbites and when you join there are a range of subscription options. Each payment is a one off annual subscription and is no more than $50 (with this price bracket for a whole school). Many of the accessible games and downloads are great without paying but there is even more available if you do choose to pay. The cheapest subscriptions option for a single user is just $6.
Specialbites takes accessibility and inclusive technology beyond most other sites. As well as their innovative range of online switch activities, it also adds further functionality to other sites such as YouTube. It is accessible through a range of devices, including those with touchscreens and can be customised and personalised with a little work.
This is the seventh post in our top ten websites for online switch activities series, check out the main menu for more information about the others in the list.
Cause and Effect Switch Accessible iPad Apps
Further to our above post, we have taken the time to find some exciting and fun cause and effect iPad apps that can be accessed using a switch or can be played via touch screen.
Sights and Sounds Series
The Sights and Sounds Series of iPad apps have been especially created to allow switch users of all ages to learn more about cause and effect. There are several apps available in the series, each one with a different theme. These simple yet fun apps provide bright graphics along with clear animation and high quality sound, and the range of themes available allow you to pick an app that will appeal specifically to your child's interests. The apps also feature a number of switch modes that include press and hold and latching, so you can choose a mode your child feels comfortable with.
Sights and Sounds: Fireworks – Brightly coloured fireworks fill the night sky above a cityscape, with complimentary sound effects which can be set to random, or chosen specifically.
Sights and Sounds: Flowers – Rainbow-coloured blooms fill the screen when activated via switch, providing a beautiful and bright visual experience. This app also includes audio and a range of switch modes.
Sights and Sounds: Cars – All types of car, from sports to truck, fill an empty car park when activated by a switch. This colourful car game is ideal for children who love vehicles, and includes a range of fun noises to accompany the graphics.
Sights and Sounds: Popcorn – This delicious app features realistic popcorn graphics with fun, silly sound effects that are guaranteed to entertain!
If your child enjoys these switch compatible apps, why not check out our Papunet post – including a number of free-to-play online switch games, and information on a brilliant "turn taking" app designed specifically for switch users and children with special educational needs.
Owlie Boo Switch Games
This is the second of our Top Ten Websites for Online Switch Activities post. We're looking in depth at Owlie Boo, which offers a range of switch games.
Owlie Boo is a website which was designed by tech savvy parents who wanted to teach their young son how to use computers in a fun and entertaining way. It is packed with a range of educational games designed initially for young children but many of the games are ideal for switch users because of the simplicity of their design. Many of the games are activated through pressing any button on a keyboard.
Introduction to Owlie Boo Games
Owlie Boo games offer a combination of entertainment and educational. Their range of games is expansive and they also have a range different apps for Android and iOs use specific to different games in their range:
- Owlie Boo Animals
- Owlie Boo 1 (69p cost)
- Owlie Boo 2 (69p cost)
- Owlie Boo 3 (69p cost)
- Owlie Boo 4 (69p cost)
The games are ideal for switch users as many of them involve only the pressing of a single key, any key, which means once they've been setup (as cursor use is necessary to setup the game) they can be enjoyed through a single switch. Many of the Owlie Boo switch games are also available to work with Eye Gaze technology.
This video gives a quick overview of how the games work for a switch user:
Key Features
PC or Mac based Owlie Boo games are broken into three key sections:
- Pressing Keys
- Moving the Mouse
- Clicking and Dragging
The games in the pressing keys section are the simplest and easiest to access via switch technology. There are 12 bright, vibrantly coloured games to choose from including Shells, Dolphin, Crazy Monkey and Animals and they are all accessed by simple clicking a button on the keyboard or a single press of a plate switch or similar device. Pressing the switch will cause the animation on the screen to react in some way be that through animation or sound.
The other two groups of games aren't designed for switch gamers and involve the use of more sophisticated controls. Some users may be able to configure a switch system that works with them but most users recommend sticking to the twelve Pressing Keys games.
Owlie Boo has advertisements and doesn't play in full screen mode which may be problematic for visually impaired gamers. It is possible to purchase a subscription to Owlie Boo without advertisements and larger game interface on three different plans: $5 a month for three months, $12 a year or $25 for an institution subscription for up to 30 devices.
We also suggest investing in the apps – these are ad-free, fullscreen and are available at a one-off cost, rather than subscription.
The Owlie Boo apps currently available are:
Owlie Boo 1 (includes Animals, Jungle, Leaps and Egg)
Owlie Boo 2 (includes Marine, Flying, Shells and Hidden)
Owlie Boo 3 (includes Crazy Monkey, Frog, Dolphin and Dog)
Owlie Boo 4 (includes Bugs, Deep, Bubbles and Kids)
The educational element of Owlie Boo makes it especially popular as the games have a purpose as well as being fun. The interface is simple and the games work quickly and seamlessly. The wide range of games is another plus point as it means users can play for longer and try a range of games before getting bored or moving on.
Owlie Boo is a great choice for encouraging further activities and learning. The games are simply cause and effect but there is scope to discuss what happens and even what we think might happen before the switch is pressed.
For further reading, please have a look at our reviews of the Shiny Learning switch games website and the Special Bites online activities website.


text:
Saturday, August 13, 2011
with the gang
after a tiring day in the office it's nice to have fun with your friends.. had dinner and do some chitchat moments relaxing!!!:) we just ate dinner @chickboy (rice all u can) hahah!!! ordered:lechon sisig, lechon cebu and kangkong :)
here's my gang:
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text:
Theme: clothes
Queen Catherine Parr, sixth wife of King Henry VIII. (Formerly identified as Jane Seymour.) National Portrait Gallery, London. From Tudor History
Hans Holbein, Portrait of an Unknown Young Man at his Office Desk. 1541. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. From Olga's Gallery.
Albrecht Durer, Portrait of the Artist's Mother. 1514. Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin. From Olga's Gallery
December 8th -- birth of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542)
December 13th -- Francis Drake sails from Plymouth to attempt circumnavigation of the globe (1577)
December 16th -- birth of Catherine of Aragon (1485)
The Christmas holidays ushered in the "greatest concentration" of Days of Estate, those feast days of the Church which were also marked by elaborate ceremony at court. The royal family heard Mass, dined in public, and wore their most splendid clothes on these days. The sumptuous look of portraits of the time, showing upper class men and women in rich velvets, furs, brocades, and jewels, might make us forget the one comfort that almost all Tudors lacked -- cheap and easily washed cotton clothing, especially cotton underwear. Cotton came (if at all) from the fabulous east, from Egypt and India, and the labor required to make cotton into thread and then cloth rendered the finished product as expensve as fur. Wool was the fabric of necessity for ordinary people, and wool clothes were absolutely precious enough to be bequeathed in wills. The Western world would have to wait for a combination of factors to come together - among them the slave trade, the opening up of the American South to cotton planting, and Eli Whitney's cotton gin -- before really comfortable and hygienic clothing became a norm in life.
George Edwin Fussell, The English Rural Labourer: His Home, Furniture, Clothing, and Food from Tudor to Victorian Times. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1975. Originally published by the Batchworth Press, London, 1949, pp. 14-16.
David Starkey, Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII. New York: Harper Collins, 2003, p. 233.
Monday, December 1, 2008
The Tudor Year: December
Posted by Nancy Wilschke at 7:00 AM
Labels: history, non-fiction, Tudor calendar
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text: Bathed in the warm glow of the city lights we sat and I held you close. Your hair hung heavy across my chest and you wept. The sun sat low on the horizon and you wept. You begged me to let go and held on tight so I never could. I cried then and we both slept in that place, together.


text:
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Stamping 411 SS - Challenge 140
I've used white Bazzill card stock for the base. I've used 120 lb watercolour paper for the bottom rose and 140 lb. Arches watercolour paper for the top rose, both of which I've cut out as carefully as my wobbly hands would allow :o)
Once the rose was stamped on the paper with Colour Box white chalk ink then embossed with clear embossing powder, I watercoloured the petals and leaves with my aqua-painter and placed the darker rose on pop dots to give dimension ~ and best of all, had lots of fun doing it :o)
17 comments:
- Selene Kempton said...
your roses look perfect! I love the detail. Your cutting looks perfect, you did an amazing job. Lookout hallmark!
- February 27, 2010 at 9:35 PM
- Dallas said...
Thanks!! Your last comment made me chuckle out loud :o)
- February 28, 2010 at 12:15 AM
- jaydee said...
Beautiful. I love the clean, modern lines and your coloring of the flowers was beautiful.
thanks for sharing
- February 28, 2010 at 12:53 AM
- Dotty Jo said...
Dallas, this is so beautiful! You have such a delicate and sweet style. Gorgeous and delightful as always! Jo x
- February 28, 2010 at 6:51 AM
- Dallas said...
Thanks for the kind words!
- February 28, 2010 at 2:32 PM
- Dallas said...
How sweet of you ~ you have been a real encouragement for me ever since I found your blog :o)
- February 28, 2010 at 2:33 PM
- Crafting Clare said...
The roses have been coloured and cut out beautifully and they work so well with that gorgeous textured cardstock. I agree with you - fun is definitely NOT optional!
- February 28, 2010 at 7:47 PM
- Dallas said...
Thanks! Agreed 100% ~ fun is definitely NOT optional :o)
- February 28, 2010 at 9:19 PM
- Amanda said...
Dallas, Your roses are perfect! Love the colors and the simplicity of the card. It is very effective.
Thanks for your kind comment on my blog! Much appreciated.
Have a wonderful and blessed day!
- March 1, 2010 at 1:32 AM
- Robin Merriman said...
Beautiful job - those flowers are fabulous! Glad you played along this week!
- March 1, 2010 at 2:53 PM
- Patti Chesky said...
The textured white base card is the perfect backdrop for the stunning roses. Gorgeous!!
- March 2, 2010 at 5:19 PM
- Connie said...
Beautiful roses...WOW! Thanks for playing along this week!
- March 3, 2010 at 12:03 AM
- Tiffany Bauer said...
What beautiful roses!! Thanks for playing along with us at the Stamping 411 Blog this week!!
- March 3, 2010 at 1:36 PM
- Hi, I'm Lee Conrey! said...
Super beautiful job of water coloring. Just beautiful!!
- March 4, 2010 at 8:48 AM
- Dallas said...
Thanks for your sweet comments ~ YOU have been such an inspiration to me!!
- March 4, 2010 at 1:00 PM
- Dallas said...
To the lovely ladies at Stampin 411 --
Thanks for those wonderful words of encouragement which mean so much to me, a 1 year *newbie* at all of this!
- March 4, 2010 at 1:01 PM
- gbarron56 said...
Your roses are just beautiful! Excellent job with this week's sketch. Thanks for playing along with the Stamping 411 Operators! Blessings, Gretchen
- March 4, 2010 at 9:59 PM


text:
A friend of mine with four children once gave me her definition of torture. She said it is to give an intelligent, capable adult a certain number of tasks to complete in a day, and then interrupting her every five minutes as she tries to complete them. This was said in response to her husband, who questioned her about why she never seemed to get anything done even though she was home all day.
Being a writer compounds that torture, although thankfully I have only one child to deal with, because the interruption is not every five minutes, but rather a constant stream of narrative in my head. It goes something like this...
"Oooh, look at that photo of a mountain on that magazine cover. That would make a great setting for that part of my story where they climb up to discover the... NO! Focus. What was I doing? Why am I standing here holding dirty clothes? Oh yes, going to the basement... "
(I go down the steps, passing the bookshelf.)
"Hey, vacation photos over there. Don't we have some great shots of the Alps? And that castle we visited, I should see what the sleeping chambers were like. But that was a later castle, a Victorian fake, really. What century would my story be comparable to? Do they use gunpowder, for example?... NO! STOP! FOCUS! Should I do whites or colors first? What are we doing tomorrow? What clothes does my son need? I can't remember!"
(I go back upstairs to look at the calendar, clothing still in hand.)
Yesterday I made a field trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to look at armor. What a fiasco! Because of the Welcome America activities, I didn't drive for fear of getting stuck in hellish traffic and took the train from New Jersey instead. I had to drive 20 minutes to the train station, catch the PATCO train across the river to Philly, then transfer to the subway, get off at City Hall and trek seven diagonal blocks up the Ben Franklin Parkway to the Art Museum. I left my house at 1:00 and arrived at 2:50. I couldn't believe it! I kept looking at my watch trying to calculate how the minute hand could have possibly gone around two full rotations since I left the house. I had to be home at six. So I gave myself exactly an hour and twenty minutes in the museum.
What I found when I went to the armour room is that princes and dukes and such could afford really, really nice armor. They even had - get this - armpit protectors. Their horses had nice armor too. The collection at the museum is mainly presentation armor. It looks really nice and is highly decorative, but is not very useful for helping me figure out how the average foot soldier kept himself from getting chopped to pieces on the battlefield, or what he did his own chopping with. I did find out however what a brigandine is. Basically, it's like high fashion Kevlar - a coat of mail with a decorative fabric covering. Those were cool. And they had a bunch of helmets (though they weren't call helmets but some fancy French name that I can't use because my story doesn't take place in France) that looked like long pointy bicycle helmets worn backwards. Anyone wearing one of those would look like a bird. Or an orc.
By this time I was feeling dehydrated and in great need of a place to sit down, so I hiked another couple of blocks through the museum, from the second floor of one wing to the basement of the other wing to the cafe, had a salad and a Frappachino (my first - what a wonderful thing Starbucks has invented!) and then hiked back up to the European collections with a little quick detour through the American furniture and pottery (my favorite part). I then made a very quick circuit through the period rooms - peeking into the Tudor room, the German kitchen and the Dutch room with the bed in the wall behind a red velvet curtain - and looked at a few paintings to see what the soldiers were wearing in the battle scenes. Not much armour, mostly just helmets and breastplates. Then I started the long trek home, about fourteen dollars poorer but not much richer in knowledge than when I started out.
At least I got some exercise! But I was so tired this morning I woke up late and didn't do any writing, and now my day has taken off again, barging through the hours like a stampeding elephant with lists of things to do and an essay to write before my education class tonight. C'est la vie! Or perhaps I should say, as my heroine Elinor would, "Gryphon feathers!"
Monday, July 2, 2007
Posted by Christine Hardy at 8:34 AM
2 comments:
- Michelle Gregory said...
I get some of my best ideas when I'm doing laundry or dishes. I think our minds can wander when we're doing mindless tasks. And I'm always getting distracted with pictures - "How would this person/setting/object work in my book?" It's all part of being a writer.
What drives me crazy is all the dialog that goes on in my head, even when I'm not working on a story.
- July 2, 2007 at 10:47 AM
- Donetta said...
I think often of the cottage days and what the wheel wright must of been seeing and grinding sounded so promisingly.
- July 2, 2007 at 11:13 PM
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text:
Russia let Ukrainian officials inspect an aid convoy while it was still on Russian soil Friday and agreed that the Red Cross can distribute the goods in Ukraine's rebel-held city of Luhansk. The twin moves aimed to dispel Ukrainian fears that the operation was a ruse to get military help to the pro-Russian separatists.
Violating an earlier deal, Russia had sent the convoy of roughly 200 aid trucks toward a border crossing under the control of pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine, raising the prospect that it could enter Ukraine without being inspected by Ukraine or the Red Cross.
Ukraine had vowed to use all means necessary to block the convoy in such a scenario, leading to fears of an escalation in the fighting that has ravaged eastern Ukraine since April.
Adding to the tensions, a dozen Russian armoured personnel carriers appeared early Friday near where the trucks were parked for the night, 28 kilometres (17 miles) from the border. Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for Ukraine's security council, said some Russian military vehicles crossed into Ukraine — a charge that Russia denied. Lysenko did not specify the source of his information.
Despite mutual distrust, the two sides reached an agreement early Friday and 41 Ukrainian border guards and 18 customs officials began inspecting the Russian aid in the Russian field, defence officials in Kyiv said.
Sergei Astakhov, an assistant to the deputy head of Ukraine's border guard service, said Red Cross representatives would observe the inspections. Both sides also said the aid deliveries themselves would be carried out exclusively by the Red Cross.
Laurent Corbaz, the International Committee of the Red Cross' director of operations in Europe, described a tentative plan in which the trucks would enter Ukraine with a single Russian driver each — as opposed to the current crew of several people in each truck — accompanied by a Red Cross worker. In line with Red Cross policy, there would be no military escort, he said.
Corbaz said the plan foresees the aid being delivered to a central point in rebel-held territory, then distributed through the region.
It was unclear how long the operation might last but "it's not going to be solved in one week," he said.
Corbaz said the Red Cross still had not received the security guarantees it needs to proceed in rebel territory.
The presence of aid distribution points in the city of Luhansk and other rebel-held areas could dampen the military operation by Ukrainian government troops to recapture all of eastern Ukraine from the rebels.


text:
I just had a beautiful brisk walk with my friend Heather, and we did over 3 miles in under an hour. I imagine we were at about 3.5 miles an hour speed for most of it.
The range road behind my property is very hilly, so we were both huffing pretty nicely, but able to carry on a conversation.
According to what I've read, if you can walk that speed for just half an hour without becomming too winded, you're ready to learn to run.
I feel great! I'm going to shower and go to bed, and I'll be putting on my shoes again tomorrow.


text:
Sunday, 29 September 2013
Camera love...
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
I've been lusting after the Nikon 1 series for a couple of years now, thinking I'd never be able to afford one. However when I started to do my camera research I discovered they've come down a lot in price for the older models, which tbh are just as suited to my needs as the newer versions that have been released.
I got this baby on Saturday and I'm so excited for getting out to use it!
Schools out for summer!
Monday, 15 July 2013
Back to blogging...
Saturday, 11 May 2013
Well hello! Long time no blog! This last year has been crazy busy but over the past few weeks I've been getting back into reading blogs, and want to start doing some blogging of my own again!
Lets have a quick photo run down...
We went to Paris for new year.
We went there as boyfriend and girlfriend, but while in Disney, this happened!!!
We had such a good trip, I loved getting a Disney fix, and Robert enjoyed disney more than he thought he would :)
I didn't have the blues too much when I got back because I had a wedding to plan woohoo!!
Within a few weeks we had set a date, July 5th 2014 :) I'm so in love with our gorgeous venue!
We also won an engagement photo shoot, I think il save those pics for a separate post but here's a sneaky peek...
In March we had an engagement party with all our family and friends. It was so awesome and everyone was so generous with gifts. We were so overwhelmed!
My induction year has gone sooo fast and as of 26th June I may be unemployed. Currently firing job applications off left, right and center so hopefully something will come up. Luckily as a teacher there's always supply work to fall back on.
I plan to be sharing some more of my wedding planning here on the blog so I'm hoping to have lots of exciting stuff to share soon :D and maybe some everyday stuff too :)
Its good to be back :)


text:
To all,
MEETING#1: we are having a meeting this evening Friday, 22nd, 6pm Taylor A31 (sorry for posting this so late!). So do come. The first part will actually be rather official though: we'll mainly have to discuss some issues about our current format as a university society and community project and some changes that might or might not occur in the future; come up and sign an official constitution and elect new committee members. We need your input and ideas!
BUT THEN! we'll have plenty of food and drinks and watch B:I:K:E on one of them awesome university projectors — http://www.bike-films.com/ HOPE TO SEE Y'ALL TONIGHT.
MEETING#2: "AREN'T WE SO FUCKING GREAT BBQ" tomorrow night, Saturday, 23rd, 9.30pm (or so) @ the north beach by the mouth of Don, we'll have a bonfire and bbq. SO COME COME COME!
peeeeeeeace yo,
the secretary
Agenda for tonight's meeting is below.
Please forward any comments or late additions (will be considered, no guarantee of inclusion) to r.parker.04 [eht] aberdeen.ac.uk
Proposed Agenda for Becycle AGM:
Annual Reports (10mins)
– President's report on the year. (Hannah)
– Treasurer's financial report. (Lucie)
– Health and Safety Report. (Seb)
– Committee elections for next year (10mins)
(Please email if you are interested in a committee position and didn't yet express an interest)
– President
– Treasurer
– Workshop co-ordinator/secretary
– Health and Safety officer
– anyone else???
– Becycle's future status (20mins)
-report on investigation to become charity etc (Daniel)
-reports on future within Student Association (Robin)
-Conclusion and decision on how to procede over summer
Constitution (15mins)
-A constitution for Becycle needs to be agreed in near future.
-suggestions for inclusions?
-How to procede? Nominations for someone(s) to write it.
Other Discussion points: (20mins)
– What else needs to be done over summer?
– Freshers Fayre
– More frequent meetings?
– How to make the workshop more accessible for new and other people?
– Training sessions?
Form filling (5mins)
7.30pm ->
Movie: B.I.K.E (89mins)


text:
Vision & Mission
"Immanuel" literally means "God with us". We believe that God has empowered us with his presence FOR HIS GLORY, FOR THE WORLD, FOR THIS CITY, AND FOR YOU. As Christ-followers we are called to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that [Jesus] commanded" (Matt. 28:19-20). Our aim is to be a people who are actively pointing others to Jesus with all that we are. What this means is that we are compelled to take the message of the Gospel with us wherever we go, because we are "not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).
Although the "style" of our ministry may look different than others, it is merely the expression of essential truths to which we cling. Our church has a unique DNA, and we believe God has strategically equipped us to reach the people He has called us to most effectively.
At the end of the day, our main goal is to worship God and love people. We want you to come exactly as you are (physically, emotionally, and spiritually). You may feel like a mess, and that's alright. We serve a God who mends and heals.
Our hope is that, above all else, you would encounter Jesus Christ firsthand at Immanuel, because He is the center of everything we do.
Quick Contact Information
Immanuel Baptist Church
4020 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, Texas 79762
Weekly Schedule
9:00am Bible Study
10:30am Worship
9:00am Mother's Day Out
7:00pm Precept Bible Study
9:00am Mother's Day Out
6:30pm AWANA (Children's)
6:30pm Replenish (Adults)
6:30pm Thrive (Students)