Resources
Resource Directory
Most of the people and organizations in this guide were recommended by DSCBA members; those ones are designated with a checkmark.
- Please note that DSCBA as an organization does not formally endorse any of the people or entities in this guide. We have simply compiled a list of resources recommended by our members and similar organizations in our community.
- If you have a provider or program that you would refer to other members or if you have a new category you’d like to see added: Contact Us Here
***This resource directory is continually updated as needed***
You can open this Padlet in a new window by clicking the box/arrow in the top right corner
National Organizations
- National Down Syndrome Society: www.ndss.org
- National Down Syndrome Congress: www.ndsccenter.org
- Global Down Syndrome Foundation: www.globaldownsyndrome.org
- LuMind Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation: www.LuMindIDSC.org
- Down Syndrome Education USA: www.dseusa.org
- Down Syndrome Education International: www.downsed.org
- Special Olympics: www.specialolympics.org
- Best Buddies: www.bestbuddies.org
- Spread the Word to End the Word: www.r-word.org
- Boston Children's Hospital: Down Syndrome Program, Allen C. Crocker Speaker Series
Regional Centers
- California Regional Center Guide and Descriptions: comprehensive list showing what services regional center can provide at the different ages.
- Regional Center of the East Bay: www.rceb.org
- Golden Gate Regional Center: www.ggrc.org
- San Andreas Regional Center: www.sarc.org
- North Bay Regional Center: www.nbrc.net
Bay Area Family Resource Centers
Family Resource Centers provide parent to parent support, outreach, information and referral services to families of children with disabilities and the professionals who serve them. All centers serve families of children from birth to three years of age, and many have enhanced funding which allows them to serve families of children over the age of three and individuals with developmental disabilities.
- Matrix Parent Network & Resource Center, Novato: (415) 884-3535, (800) 578-2592, www.matrixparents.org
- Parents Helping Parents, San Jose: (408) 727-5775, www.php.com
- Family Resource Center, Burlingame: (650) 259-0189, www.communitygatepath.com
- Family Resource Network, Oakland: (510) 547-7322, www.frnoakland.org
- Support for Families of Children With Disabilities, San Francisco: (415) 282-7494, www.supportforfamilies.org
- Care Parent Network, Concord: (925) 313-0999, www.careparentnewtwork.org
- Common Ground Society, Santa Rosa: (707) 865-8040 https://commongroundsociety.org/
Additional Links
- Case Advocacy- A local legal organization providing families with resources and consultations: www.caseadvocacy.org
- Disability Rights California- Protection and advocacy system in California: www.disabilityrightsca.org
- Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund- A local organization providing free resources and advocay: dredf.org
- Parents' perceptions of functional abilities in people with Down syndrome (article)
- Wrightslaw- Accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities: www.wrightslaw.com
- DSCBA’s Recommended List of Communication, Literacy, Math, and Writing Apps
- FREE courses by grade level - The courses provide approximately three hours of learning per day, including writing and research projects, virtual field trips, and geography challenges.
- Special iApps
- Write my name
- The Learning Program for Reading
- So Happy to Learn - a favorite among homeschooling parents who have a child with Down syndrome
- TouchMath Counting - iPad apps for learning early math concepts, used by many homeschooling families who have a child with DS
- TouchMath Addition
- Age of Learning (ABCMouse, Adventure Academy, ReadingIQ) - Use the code LOVEREADING. You can also sign up for ABCmouse and Adventure Academy, or get free access through your school district. Age of Learning is a leading education technology innovator and producer of the multi-award-winning ABCmouse.com® Early Learning Academy, serving millions of children
- Boardmaker Online Community- Account is FREE - Top reasons to sign up for Boardmaker Online Community:
- Share great activities that you have created
- Use powerful search features to find exactly what you need
- Find activities professionally created by the Boardmaker Education Team
- Search for activities aligned to Common Core standards
- Join groups that are specific to your interests
- Homework Choice Board - Downloadable
- Handwriting without tears and other educational apps
- Home School Activites
- Fun in First - FREE Online Learning at Home
- Demme Learning / Kindertown - Find learning activities you can easily do with your child. These learning activities are a great way to engage with your child and learn together at home. Select a subject or an age range and get started!
- Learning for a Purpose: Daily Functional Living Skills
- Short video - Tip about how to incorporate learning into imaginative play activities
- Extra Special English - Video
- School House Rock – The Complete Series
- Folding Laundry - video
- BRAIN POP - FREE animated movies for K-12 students covering many subjects
- Addition Activities for Young Children
- Low Tech Communication Board Library: Communication boards are a great low-tech AAC tool to quickly improve basic communication. These boards can also be utilized as visual supports to help with comprehension and/or following multi step tasks.
- Home Safari - While the Cincinnati Zoo is closed and kids are home from school, let us help make your children’s hiatus from school fun and educational.
- Visual Step By Step Recipes
- Math Scavenger Hunt
- Indoor Activity Bucket List
- Ivy Kids - monthly boxes that combine themed literacy activities with art and games
- Kiwi Co - monthly boxes with age-appropriate hands-on activities for many age groups
- GoNoodle Family - FREE - GoNoodle® engages 14 million kids every month with movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts. Available for free at school, home, and everywhere kids are!
- Short Films - An enjoyable distraction during these stressful times
- Learning Station videos - For fun, interactive, and educational movement to music videos.
- Fun and Cool Ideas - Downloadable
- Games and Activities - Downloadable
- Crayola - Free printable coloring pages
- Read Alouds and Activities - Children's Authors doing online Read Alouds
- Covid-19 - Time capsule
- STARR Institute - Sensory activities to do at home
- STARR Institute: Sensory Balanced Daily Schedules
- Garden Yoga
- Nutrition - My Plate.Gov
- Cosmic Yoga
- A great book with lots of ideas - Gross Motor Skills for Children with Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals by Patricia C. Winders.
- Gross Motor Skills for Children with Down Syndrome - App for iPhone or iPad users
- App with videos for how to do different developmental activities - The app allows you to access a daily program of activities based on your child’s development: Another app with videos for how to do different developmental activities. The app allows you to access a daily program of activities based on your child’s development.
- Activities for Babies with Down Syndrome - A video created by Down Syndrome Education International. It focuses on practical activities to promote development that can be woven into everyday activities.
- Move, Play, Learn, Grow - A Facebook page created by a pediatric physical therapist. It provides resources and ideas to encourage motor development through play and fun.
- Can Do Kiddo - A website created by a pediatric occupational therapist and includes many resources for OT and PT activities
- Music Therapy with Jessica Wood - YouTube Music Channel
- Move It Alphabet - Products to encourage children to learn the alphabet by using their body. Great for body awareness, coordination, and balance
Holidays / Special Events
COVID-19 and Down Syndrome
In light of the COVID-19 crisis and the unique health needs of individuals with Down syndrome, the DSCBA would like to share a Q&A created by our friends at the Global Down Syndrome Foundation.
Considerando la crisis de COVID-19 y las necesidades únicas de salud de las personas con síndrome de Down, a DSCBA le gustaría compartir un cuestionario de preguntas y respuestas correspondientes (Q&A- por su sigla en inglés) creado por nuestros amigos de la Fundación Global de Síndrome de Down..
Click Here for the CDC website
Click here for the CDC Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19
Our Mission
To empower, inspire and support people with Down Syndrome, their families and the community that serves them, while fostering awareness and acceptance in all areas of life.
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Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area
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