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Emily Rose clothing and furniture is generally recommended for ages 6 – 12. But I would like to tell you a story about a very special two-year old and her Emily Rose Wish Table and Chairs.

Taylor has Down’s Syndrome, and she has to be taught skills that other children may be able to learn on their own. One of these important skills is imaginary play. Taylor’s mom, Cyndi, saw my table and chairs and thought they would be perfect for Taylor to use for tea parties with her bears and other stuffed animals. I must admit that I was a little skeptical about how practical the furniture would be for a two-year old, but I accepted the order and delivered the table and chairs right before Christmas.

On Christmas morning I received a text from Cyndi saying that Taylor loved the table and chairs and was happily playing with them. I asked her a few weeks later how things were going. To my delight Cyndi told me that Taylor played with her table and chairs all the time. The table is the perfect height for her to stand next to, and she likes to stack her blocks and other toys on it. Her therapist uses the table and chairs to help Taylor practice imaginary play, like feeding her baby doll or stuffed animals and having tea parties with them. Once the table got something sticky on it and Taylor saw her mom wiping it off. Later she got a rag and practiced cleaning the table herself, which was the first time she had imitated that kind of behavior.

Taylor likes that the set is “hers” and doesn’t belong to anyone else in the family. Cyndi likes how durable the furniture is, holding up to Taylor sitting in the chairs, flipping over the table, and even throwing the chairs across the room on more than one occasion. (I don’t recommend that you try that last one at home!)

As a retired special education teacher, I thought sharing an Emily Rose @Home business with my two daughters, ages 9 and 11, would be a great way for us to learn, work and play together. I never imagined that it could also be a way for me to continue helping “special” children like Taylor.

Donna lives with her two daughters, 3 cats and 2 dogs in St. Louis, MO, and would love to “bring the fun home” by helping you to host an Emily Rose @Home Party.
Click here to sign up for a party or special offers!