CanExplores

Help with a sensory processing disorder and neurodiversity as he becomes a soldier with Lincoln’s army which is listening, staying in line, marching, and moving from side to side, back and forth.

Christian has a conversation with a Vet while at the Soldier’s Memorial Taking time to celebrate Military Vets and visit the Saint Louis Memorial. is a reflection of the men and women who served in our Military. Soldiers live on in the memory and memorial for generations to celebrate their sacrifice to make our country great. Freedom, Reflection, Sacrifice- Traveling Sensory Seeker takes us to Soldiers Memorial Remembering our Military as we take time to reflect on the sacrifice they made to keep our country safe and give us our freedom.

Christian runs over to the Soldiers Memorial after his visit to the Main Library in downtown Saint Louis Missouri. He has a time of reflection, becomes enlisted in Lincoln’s army, works with others to determine the best strategy for our troops, and has a chat with a Vietnam Vet. This Memorial is amazing and detailed. It will take you quite some time to walk through the entire memorial as it is on two floors and on both sides. We only had time to explore the one side you see in this video.

Tip and Treasures: it is open to the public and a good fit for most school-age children. You can take hours exploring the museum As with other History Museums in Saint Louis, it is interactive and child friendly It has a few games for all to enjoy: Christian and others enjoyed dispatching and brainstorming where our troops should be It is free Parking is street parking It is right downtown so this is only one of many attractions in the area and will take time to visit. We ran out of parking time so had to cut our visit short

Christian also spoke with John Stillman and Lori Stillman who wrote the book: Jumping From Helicopters- A memoir of his time in Vietnam. He tries out the replica gun and feels the ammo the author would have used while in Vietnam. John and Lori answered questions Christian had regarding the helicopters, book, and ammo he had displayed. Christian enjoyed his discussion with them and walked away purchasing a book signed by both of them. https://www.amazon.com/Jumping-Helicopters-Vietnam-John-Stillman-ebook/dp/B07K36ZXX3

Christian reported he does not know about the Vietnam war; however, his great uncle was also a paratrooper and his great grandfather served 20 years in the Navy and 3 tours in Vietnam. He also plays on all the equipment and toys they have including tractors, zip lines, and bounce houses. He has his favorite snack -chicken strips! It was an awesome day and he gives it a 2 thumbs up even though we were rained out and did not let our lanterns go or see the fireworks. He puts a call to action to ‘come out next time and Solutes our brave men and women who put their life on the line to make this Nation safe for us saying: Thank you I love you!

Remember to thank a veteran or active military soldier. The Armed Forces event included fireworks and a lantern release; however, it was rained out so we did not see the fireworks display or let out lanterns go in celebration of the men and women who bravely serve out the country. Tips for visiting Heartland Farms:https://www.heartland-farms.com/ Heartland Farms is on Historic Route 66 in Bourbon Missouri and is a family-friendly events venue.

They have a zip line, panning for gold/rocks area, tractors of all sizes for kids to ride, a huge bounce house, playhouses, and animals as a type of petting zoo. You can also shoot corn from a homemade launcher, ride horses, and purchase snacks. The events are open to the public for a small fee- each fee is different depending on the event. The people are friendly, helpful, and fun to be around. They typically have live music playing on a small stage or in the reception area. They have a small gift shop where you can also purchase snack items, sit at tables to eat or just rest, and restrooms.

I would plan to be there a few hours as it is kid and family-friendly with areas to enjoy others who may be new to you or meet up with family and friends to relax and enjoy the entertainment while the kids run and play in a safe secure area. It does get muddy when it has been raining so beware the kids and you may end up muddy! It is a farm area so strollers can be difficult to maneuver Parking is free and doesn’t be concerned you are parking in the field because with larger events the field parking is a must The children’s and play areas do have a restriction for safety: no running, climbing, and regular safety precautions for a park area Occupational Therapy is easy in a place like this.

Christian receives all the sensory input he can handle: he will zip line, climb the bounce house, do backflips on the bounce house, run, jump, and climb in all the fun areas of the kid’s play yard. He will also receive input while peddling tractors, playing in the playhouses, digging in the corn bins, feeding animals, and throwing the balls in the hoops or milk cans. He uses proprioceptive and vestibular movement and exercises that help to regulate and focus without sensory meltdowns or anxiety while in a large public place. As always Christian does not use a weighted vest but he does carry his backpack for grounding.