His knees pattered back and forth as he crawled more than 20 feet in the span of a few seconds. 

His grandma jogged over to keep an eye on him. 

Using his right hand first and then his left, he slowly pulled his body upright and balanced himself against a wooden ledge. For at least the dozenth time in an hour, he had criss-crossed the museum floor and pulled himself up to standing. 

Breathing heavily but excitedly, he scanned his surroundings and took in the scene around him. 

To his left was a large indoor playset complete with a green tube slide. Two boys were moving foam toys from the floor to the upper level using a pulley system. A toddler who typically uses a walker to get around was exploring the toys underneath. 

Miles (left) is an 18-month-old from Hillsboro who receives Early Intervention services from Northwest Regional Education Service District. In collaboration with the FLIP Museum in downtown Hillsboro, the program hosted a community outing that encouraged young children of all abilities to play and learn together with their therapists, educators, and community peers in an inclusive setting. Photos by Tracey Goldner. 

Another toddler with a shock of white hair and navy glasses was playing with a blue balance table and an expandable fidget. 

His mom Kimberly was standing nearby observing him. Just 14 months ago, Miles wasn’t able to participate in tummy time. Now, she’s marveling at his progress. 

Back then, he couldn’t lift his head and had weak muscles. She worried he was missing a vital milestone and remembered reading in a Facebook parenting group about an agency that provides services to children with delays. 

She visited Northwest Regional Education Service District’s website and requested an evaluation for her son. 

A virtual evaluation determined he was eligible for services from a physical therapist. 

His therapist Alyson Kinzler says he’s made a lot of progress and is close to walking on his own without the specialized walker he has been using to get around. 

“It was wonderful to see him at the museum engaging with peers, smiling and enjoying himself," Alyson says. 

A year later, Kimberly says he’s getting more confident every day. 

Sara holds up an orange bowl she found in the museum’s play kitchen. Sara attended the FLIP event with her parents and older siblings. She is a two-year-old who receives Early Intervention services. 

“It is what it is,” she says of his delays. “You have to work around it.” Like any new parent, she tries not to over worry and celebrates every new accomplishment. She’s looking forward to helping him learn how to talk. 

He recently started receiving speech services from the Early Intervention team and his therapist explained the babbling noises he was making were actually words for various toys and objects. 

The museum outing meant a lot to her. “It makes me feel proud to see him out and about and see him growing,” she says. 

She encourages other parents who might be wondering whether their children have disabilities or delays to skip the nerves. She says NWRESD specialists, which include early childhood education specialists, physical and occupational therapists, nurses, speech-language pathologists, teachers of the deaf, vision specialists and school psychologists, are there to help. 

The program serves about 700 babies and toddlers in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties. 

“You can’t beat specialists coming to your house with free services to help your child,” she says. 

Another parent named Randi agrees. Her daughter, Brooke — whom the family calls Brookie — says she was excited to be invited to the FLIP Museum. She enjoys getting out of the house and says having a child with a disability can be a lonely experience. 

Brookie, who will be one soon, interacted with several children her age who also have disabilities or medical issues like her. Randi was hoping they would both make new friends at the event. 

“It’s an opportunity to learn how to play with other kids,” she says. 

Brookie looks at children playing on the slide at the FLIP Museum. “It’s nice to have programs like this,” says her mom, Randi. She values her daughter having the chance to play with other kids who also have medical issues.  

Asha was hoping for the same. Her daughter, Prisha, spent nearly a month in the neonatal intensive care unit after a traumatic birth experience, and the past few years have been busy and similarly isolating. 

After such a challenging start, they worried about her development and whether she would have delays or disabilities in a range of areas including her ability to move her body, form words, think and process information and interact with other people. 

“Early Intervention not only helped me understand what she is supposed to do but also reassured me and helped me as a parent,” Asha says. 

It was their visit to the museum, and she was excited for the opportunity to bring Prisha to a new place that would be safe and comfortable for her. She visited with Erin Dupuis, her occupational therapist, who introduced Prisha to new activities like burying toy animals in the sand at the sensory table and then exploring together to find them. 

Prisha plays with blocks during a visit to the FLIP Museum on Oct. 24. Thanks to the FLIP Museum’s support, 50 families were able to participate in a free morning at the museum. Prisha’s mom, Asha, was especially interested in watching her interact with other kids. Soon, she hopes her daughter will transition from playing alongside other children to playing with them. 

Erin says Prisha has really blossomed over the past year. Her interests range from books to toy cars. 

Prisha is now approaching a crucial developmental milestone: pretend play, which will help her develop her language, engage in problem-solving and learn how to express her feelings. 

Her mom is hoping she won’t need her quite as much as Prisha gains more independence and learns how to play with other children rather than just playing alongside them. 

“We just learn so much every day,” she says of her experience with Early Intervention. 

Thank you to the FLIP Museum for hosting this free event for families receiving Early Intervention services from Northwest Regional Education Service District. Any family who visits the museum with their ESD service provider this year, can come for free. Learn more about our partnership with the FLIP Museum.