Submitted by ambershaw on August 22, 2019 - 3:50pm
Under the Big Top
Week 3 of Discover! Summer took our students on a trip to the circus! The week started with circus-themed movement games and therapeutic activities including everything from parachute games and a ring toss to building your own stilts and circus yoga.
Highlights for the week included learning to juggle and a visit from the Detroit Circus Show. Even though juggling was a hard task to learn, the kids had a blast – and all the hand and eye coordination involved in this therapeutic activity was great for their motor skills. During the interactive Detroit Circus Show, the kids had a chance to help the magicians with some of their magic tricks which required a lot of focus to understand how tricks were done.
Submitted by Communications Team on July 11, 2019 - 12:51pm
Since the Special Tree Discover! Summer program kicked-off on June 17th, the students have enjoyed a range of therapeutic activities ranging from art projects and community outings to cooking meals and building pre-vocational skills training through the Youth Work Program.
Therapeutic Art
Throughout the summer, our students engage in art projects devised by the Recreational Therapy team to help build functional skills such as fine motor skills, visual processing, and more. Each project relates to the theme for the week. For Week 1, themed “Farm to Table”, the kids did Udder Painting and planted a garden; followed by making DIY bouncy balls during Week 2, themed “Let’s Have a Ball.”
Submitted by Communications Team on May 15, 2017 - 12:49pm
To help our clients live as independently as possible, Special Tree’s Occupational Therapists look closely at their living space to make sure it’s safe, functional, and accessible for their needs. But our OTs go one step further in determining what to modify in a home setting. Their goal is to create living spaces that work for everyone through Universal Design.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on October 24, 2014 - 3:41pm

In Michigan, summer is the best time for being outdoors, and earlier this month, Special Tree's Recreational Therapists helped show our clients how outdoor activities can be adapted for anyone to enjoy.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on September 6, 2012 - 1:04pm
The highlight of Discover Summer is always a big road trip to Mackinaw Island that Children’s Services Managers Derica Scribner and Christine Morabito plan for clients. This summer, they decided to surprise the kids with a trip to Niagara Falls, but kept the trip destination a big secret until it was time to hit the road. Looks like this was one surprise worth the wait. As one client put it, “This has been the best trip EVER!” The Discover Summer program wrapped up Friday, August 17th
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on July 26, 2012 - 12:43pm
Check out the cool artwork that students at the Livonia Student Center created on their new Apple iMac desktop computer for the 2012 Discover! Summer t-shirt and activity schedule cover. Even cooler, is that the students raised a big chunk of the money themselves to purchase the iMac. Their interest in getting the computer started when Livonia Job Coach and Team Leader Chris Waterman brought his personal MacBook to help student Daniel B.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 4, 2011 - 3:35pm
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on September 20, 2010 - 1:49pm
From Traumatic Brain Injury to Recovery to Role Model
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on August 25, 2010 - 3:33pm
By Kit Pohl, PT, CBIS
Physical Therapist
Troy Neuro Skills Center
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on August 17, 2010 - 4:41pm
By Carrie Parks, MA, OTR/L, CBIS
Occupational Therapist
Special Tree Rehabilitation System
September 15th is National School Backpack Awareness Day.