“Therapy” and “fun” may be two words that you do not expect to see in the same sentence, but for participants at a place called A Big Blast, those two words fit together perfectly. Children with special needs who live near the northern suburbs of Illinois now have an opportunity to mix therapy with a big dose of fun. A Big Blast is the first company in the Midwest to offer gymnastics in a standard gymnasium setting to children who require occupational and physical therapy.
“It has been proven that physical activity in children has huge benefits in their development,” said Penzell. “When you combine this physical activity with other therapies, the results are staggering. Our gymnastics training has translated into improved speech, physical abilities on the school playground and improved relationships with parents and friends.”
The fun is not limited to gymnastics, however. A Big Blast introduced cheerleading and dance classes at their Gurnee location. Recently, the Carmel High School Junior Varsity Cheer Squad from Mundelein, Illinois, teamed up with special needs “buddies” from A Big Blast to spend a fun-filled hour each week working on jumps and cheers. After perfecting their routines and a fantastic half-time show, the cheerleaders and their buddies took to the field at a regular season JV football game and even cheered together at the big Homecoming game! The Carmel cheerleaders and their buddies not only had a “big blast” cheering together, but made memories that will last a lifetime.
If you would like additional information on A Big Blast therapies, camps or the Special Olympics team, please contact Sue at A Big Blast at 847-987-3940.
If you know of an organization or individual doing great things for special needs individuals, please consider sharing your information with us for a future issue of the newsletter. Please send your ideas to info@protectedtomorrows.com.