Our Story

My name is Lynne and I'm a pediatric occupational therapist. Over the past decade or so, I've worked with all sorts of incredible kids in a range of settings to help them learn and re-learn the skills that make life meaningful for them.

The inspiration for the Extraordinary Kids Project came from a little boy I met while working in intensive rehabilitation. He was recovering after the amputation of his leg and we were working with him to prepare for a prosthetic. This little boy LOVED to color and would work his absolute hardest in therapy if you could find a way to throw in some markers and crayons.

One day before a session with him, I searched online for a coloring page featuring an awesome amputee…maybe a superhero or an amputee scaling a mountain…something empowering and creative.

What I found was really disappointing. There were so few images out there of kids with disabilities, and the ones that did exist just did not embody the spirit of this little boy, or countless others.

I decided to take a leap of faith (with a hearty push from my husband!) and hire an illustrator to create a few sample images. When I saw what she created, it was game over. I knew I had to take the plunge.

In March, 2021, I launched a Kickstarter campaign with the goal of raising $3000 to fund illustration, printing, and the donation of 500 books to children’s hospitals and organizations. With the generosity of a lot of incredible people, we far exceeded this goal, enabling us to create the book and donate 10,000 coloring books all across the country, shattering my wildest dreams of what this little idea could become. Now, the sky’s the limit!

The Book

"Extraordinary Kids" is a coloring book starring kids with disabilities and complex medical needs. The book contains 20 original scenes featuring extraordinary kids and the equipment they use - mobility aids, medical devices, inclusion with imagination!

Where We’ve Donated

 

Riley Hospital for Children

Indianapolis, Indiana

 

Boston Ability Center

Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts

The Painted Turtle

Santa Monica, California

 

No Limits Cafe

Red Bank, New Jersey

Steel Magnolia Moms

Katy, Texas

 

Carrie Tingley Hospital

Albuquerque, New Mexico

 
 

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Point Pleasant Borough Board of Education

Point Pleasant Boro, New Jersey

 

TAAF 4 Kids

San Francisco, California

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Chicago, Illinois

Cooper University Hospital

Camden, New Jersey

 

Boston Children’s Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts

St. Mary’s Hospital for Children

Bayside, Queens

Columbia University Medical Center

New York, New York

Wolfson Children’s Rehabilitation

Fleming Island, Florida

 

Blythedale Children’s Hospital

Valhalla, New York

Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center

Yonkers, New York

Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital

New York, New York

Center for Children (Hospital for Joint Diseases)

New York, New York

 

School for Children with Hidden Intelligence

Lakewood, New Jersey

RWJBarnabas Health

West Orange, New Jersey

Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital

Memphis, Tennesee

PG Chambers School

Cedar Knolls, New Jersey

 

CI Pediatric Therapy Centers

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Down syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Spectrum360

West Orange, New Jersey

1p36 Deletion Support & Awareness

Cornelius, North Carolina

 

Illinois Spina Bifida Association

Chicago, Illinois

Montclair Speech Therapy

Montclair, New Jersey

Meeting Street

Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Donation Sites

Riley Hospital for Children

Indianapolis, Indiana

The Painted Turtle

Santa Monica, California

Steel Magnolia Moms (Katy, Texas)

  • Children’s Hospital of Montefiore (Bronx, New York)

  • Boston Ability Center (Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts)

  • No Limits Cafe (Red Bank, New Jersey)

  • Carrie Tingley Hospital (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

  • Special Care Clinic at Children’s Hospital Colorado (Aurora, Colorado)

  • Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta - Center for Advanced Pediatrics (Atlanta, Georgia)

  • Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital (Grand Rapids, Michigan)

  • Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital (New York, NY)

  • Point Pleasant Borough Board of Education (Point Pleasant Boro, New Jersey)

  • TAAF 4 Kids (Tacoma, Washington)

  • Cooper University Hospital (Camden, New Jersey)

  • Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (Chicago, Illinois)

  • University of Virginia Children’s Hospital (Charlottesville, VA)

  • Boston Children’s Hospital (Boston, Massachusetts)

  • Wolfson Children’s Rehabilitation (Fleming Island, Flordia)

  • St. Mary’s Hospital for Children (Bayside, New York)

  • Columbia University Medical Center (New York, New York)

  • Blythedale Children’s Hospital (Valhalla, New York)

  • Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center (Yonkers, New York)

  • Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital (NYU) (New York, New York)

  • Center for Children (Hospital for Joint Diseases (New York, New York)

  • School for Children with Hidden Intelligence (Lakewood, New Jersey)

  • RWJBarnabas Health (West Orange, New Jersey)

  • Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital (Memphis, Tennessee)

  • PG Chambers School (Cedar Knolls, New Jersey)

  • CI Pediatric Therapy Centers (Sun Prarie, Wisconsin)

  • 1p36 Deletion Support & Awareness (Cornelius, North Carolina)

  • Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

  • Spectrum360 (West Orange, New Jersey)

  • Illinois Spina Bifida Association (Chicago, Illinois)

  • Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital (Grand Rapids, Michigan)

  • Montclair Speech Therapy (Montclair, New Jersey)

  • Meeting Street (Dartmouth, Massachusetts)

  • Natividad Medical Center - Therapy Services Department (Salina, California)

  • Augmentative Communication Program - Boston Children’s Hospital (Waltham, Massachusetts)

  • CI Pediatric Therapy Centers (Middleton, Wisconsin)

  • CTC Academy (Oakland, New Jersey)

  • Pacific School (Manhattan Beach, California)

  • Baldwinsville Girl Scouts Service Unit #116 (Baldwinsville, New York)

  • Lockhurst Drive Elementary School (Westlake Village, California)

  • Wesley K-12 Special Needs School (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

  • Honorable Luis Munoz-Marin Elementary School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

  • Fisher Early Learning Center (Denver, Colorado)

  • Campbell Elementary School (Metuchen, New Jersey)

  • Whole Children/Milestones (Hadley, Massachusetts)

  • ChildServe (Des Moines, Iowa)

  • Sparta Alpine School (Sparta, New Jersey)

  • Atrium Health MDA Clinic (Charlotte, North Carolina)

  • The Arc Southern Maryland (Prince Frederick, Maryland)

  • North Jersey Elks Developmental Disabilities Agency HS (Clifton, NJ)

  • Bridge Program at Talbot Community Center (Portland, Maine)

  • Roosevelt School District (Phoenix, Arizona)

  • Huntsman Mental Health Institute (Salt Lake City, Utah)

  • Genesee Valley Rotary Camp (Avon, New York)

  • The Children’s SPOT Inc. (Columbia, Maryland)

  • School of Health Professionals at St. Bonaventure University (St. Bonaventure, New York)

  • Brooks Ave Church of Christ (Garner, North Carolina)

  • SMILES Integrative Therapy Services (Loveland, Ohio)

  • Adult Down Syndrome Center (Park Ridge, Illinois)

  • Northwood Technical College (New Richmond, Wisconsin)

  • Hackensack Meridian Health (Hackensack, New Jersey)

  • Imagine Me Shine (Ossining, New York)

  • Valley Hospital (Ridgewood, New Jersey)

  • Bergen County Special Services (Bergen County, New Jersey)