www.BXTimes.com BRONX WEEKLY March 3, 2019 16
Merlin’s Magic Wand opens in New York area
BY JEAN SHEFF
Merlin’s Magic Wand
Foundation, a public charity
that works to bring
magic into the lives of seriously
ill, disabled, and
disadvantaged children
worked in partnership
with LEGOLAND Discovery
Center Westchester
and ACDS in Scarsdale, a
preschool serving children
with developmental disabilities,
to design and create
a magic room inside ACDS
that is devoted to occupational
therapy for children
with special needs.
“The children have been
anticipating the opening
of the room and are so excited,”
says Michelle Meyerhoffer
an occupational
therapist at ACDS. She was
right. As soon as they entered
the space, 20 students
spotted the 5,000 DUPLO
bricks and started building
with some serious abandon.
“The room meets the
needs of our preschoolers
ages 3 to 5 in developing
fi ne motor tasks,” says Meyerhoffer.
“We are delighted
that it will enable us to facilitate
much-needed therapy
services in an engaging
environment.”
Meyerhoffer pointed
out the tools and features
available to the teachers
and students. A large magnetic
puzzle board mounted
on one wall enhances children’s
vertical grasping
skills, and the large LEGO
pieces help children develop
fi ne and gross motor
skills. Moving partitions
allow teachers to work individually
or in small groups
with more privacy. The
cloud-shaped lighting fi xtures
offer soft lighting and
the bright graphic walls are
inspiring.
Meyerhoffer was delighted
that LEGOLAND
Discovery Center
Westchester asked for input
from the teachers when they
were designing the space.
“It was a wonderful experience,”
she says. Through
their collaboration the seating
was modifi ed. “Seating
is especially important for
our children as they generally
have low muscle tone,”
she added.
General manager of
LEGOLAND Discovery
Center Westchester, Chris
Mines, was pleased to bring
some of the magic of LEGOLAND’s
DUPLO village to
the school. “The space was
designed to give the children
a taste of what they
could experience at LEGOLAND
Westchester in a
sensory-friendly environment,”
he says. “It’s been a
great project to work on. We
are committed to working
with and being an integral
part of the local community.”
Michael M. Smith, executive
director of ACDS,
says the preschool opened
in September 2016 at 963
Scarsdale Road in a school
formerly run by the Archdiocese.
“We had two classes
and 12 children enrolled,”
says Smith. “Now the school
services 145 children in 15
classes.” Children arrive at
ACDS through school district
preschool education
programs. Currently ACDS
serves school districts in
Southern Westchester including
Yonkers, New Rochelle,
Port Chester, and
Mt. Vernon. ACDS employs
some 75 people in Scarsdale
and the school day runs
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday
through Friday, yearround.
While ACDS adheres
to the same holiday and vacation
schedule as the local
school districts, they are
open during the summer
months to prevent learning
backslide for the children.
The school’s main campus
in Plainview, Long Island
opened in 1966. ACDS
(Adults and Children with
Down Syndrome) historically
served the population
affected by Down syndrome,
but they have since
broadened their scope and
now serve those with a wide
variety of disabilities.
It was Megan Lombardo,
a grant writer for ACDS,
who approached Tracie Hogencamp,
Merlin’s Magic
Wand operations manager
USA, with the concept of
a Merlin’s Magic Space in
ACDS. “We are delighted to
be involved in creating this
therapeutic play space,”
says Hogencamp. “This is
the 46th Merlin’s Magic
Space globally, the eighth
in the United States and the
fi rst in the Northeast.”
In addition to creating
Merlin’s Magic Spaces, the
charity works alongside
Merlin Entertainments
throughout the United
States to host Magical Days
Out and community outreach.
“When I fi rst saw the
room the walls were cinder
block and beige – we just
don’t do beige,” says Hogencamp
with a smile.
The LEGOLAND Discovery
Center room at ACDS is
a real partnership,” says
Smith. And it was clear the
involvement on everyone’s
part was heartfelt. Tiana
Jones, whose 2-year-old son
Cooper attends the ACDS
Plainview school, was on
hand to celebrate the new
space. “This space is beyond
my wildest dreams, “
says Jones. “It’s wonderful
to see people focusing on
children’s abilities rather
than their disabilities.” It
appears parents, teachers,
and the children agree.
It’s a joyful, inspiring, and
magical space.
Students at ACDS, a preschool for children with disabilities, enjoy creating with LEGO’s through the
support of Merlin’s Magic Wand and LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester.
Photo courtesy of LEGOLAND
Michelle Meyerhoffer, an occupational therapist, works with students at the opening of the ACDS
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester room. Photo courtesy of LEGOLAND
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