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Welcome to the Handy Handouts® Center!

Super Duper® Publications' Handy Handouts are free, online educational handouts on a variety of special needs and educational topics. Master's level speech-language pathologists and special educators research and write each one. We invite you to download, print, and distribute as many as you like.* We ask that in order to avoid any copyright issues, you do not alter Handy Handouts in any way.

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Handy Handouts - FREE educational handouts for teachers and parents

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Welcome to the Handy Handouts ® Center! Super Duper® Publications' Handy Handouts are free, online educational handouts on a variety of special needs and educational topics. Master's level speech-language pathologists and special educators research and write each one.

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Manage and simply teach lessons from Get Set for School with the Pre-K Interactive Teaching Tool: a one-stop digital teaching platform. Students also get a series of developmentally appropriate apps built for exploration, discovery, and creative expression. These experiences reinforce pre-academic readiness and strengthen learning experiences at home.

Use the Learning and Play Resource for 3-Year-Olds as an extension to the Get Set for School complete curriculum, and find suggestions on how to scale multisensory activities in a developmentally appropriate way for younger learners.

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Get Set for School Pre-K curriculum prepares students for academic success with engaging hands-on lessons that develop foundation skills for kindergarten.

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Jaime's Fantastically Fun Yoga & Mindfulness

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'Cosmic Kids is one of the best things that I've discovered as a parent. It has instilled an early love of exercise and mindfulness in my child.'

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"My goal is to create what my generation didn't have when I was a kid - a fun way of discovering yoga and mindfulness! I want kids to be equipped to look after their mental and physical health so they grow into happy adults."

5 fun maps to guide young yogis through 20 of Jaime's favourite yoga adventures. Includes completion certificate!

5 example class plans for kids yoga teachers. Includes scripts and fun game & craft ideas to match the class theme.

Bite-sized interactive activities designed to nourish your little ones' mental health and can be used year-round.

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Cosmic Kids Yoga | The Home of Positive Screen Time

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Screen Time that gives kids SUPERPOWERS! SUPERPOWERS! SUPERPOWERS! Stream it all on the Cosmic Kids app! Your browser does not support the video tag 99% of parents said... Cosmic Kids has a positive impact on the PHYSICAL and MENTAL health [...]

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Whether you're looking for games to build your baby's language skills, or games to keep the young ones busy, here are some great play ideas for your infant.

Action-Oriented Activities

So Big!

Hold your grandchild on your lap. Ask: How big is (child's name)? Then lift his arms up into the air and say: Sooooo big! Babies love this game and will eventually learn to lift their arms in response to your question.

Wind at Your Back

Place your grandbaby on her tummy on a soft blanket. Billow a light scarf in the air above her and say, Feel the wind! Let the scarf gently fall on her back and then slowly pull it off her. Wave it in front of her and see if she follows it with her eyes. This activity gives your grandchild some fun "tummy time" with you. Spending time on her belly is important for building upper body strength.

Roll and Go

For grandchildren who are crawling, show them a soft ball or interesting toy. Roll it or place it a few feet away and encourage your baby to get it. If your grandchild is cruising along the couch, you can place the toy farther and farther along the couch to motivate him to keep moving.

On Your Feet

Gather several pieces of material with different textures-such as a tea towel, fake fur, felt, a silky scarf. Holding your grandbaby upright (with hands under baby's arms), let her feet touch one of the fabrics. (Or allow crawling babies to crawl on and over the fabric.) Try a few different fabrics to see which textures your grandchild seems to prefer. Games like this enhance a baby's sensory and body awareness.

Quiet Play Activities

Shadow Sharing

Babies have limited vision in their first few months but they are tuned in to contrasts between light and dark. At bedtime or naptime, slowly move a flashlight beam across the wall or ceiling of your grandbaby's room. See if she can follow it with her eyes. As she grows, she will get better and better at following the moving beam-this skill is called "visual tracking."

Make your own "aquarium"

Cut some fish shapes out of clean kitchen sponges and slip them into a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag filled with about a cup of water. For extra fun, squeeze a few drops of blue food coloring into the water and add some glitter or shells. Seal the bag and cover the edge with duct tape to be sure it stays closed. Let your baby squeeze the fish and pat the bag while he is seated in his high chair or on the floor with you.

Create a Leaf "Canopy"

Make a leafy mobile for your grandbaby by placing a few colorful fall leaves between clear contact paper. Cut out the leaf shapes, punch a hole in each, and hang with yarn from a clothes hanger. While your baby is on her back, swing the "mobile" gently to make the leaves flutter. You can even move the mobile gently left, right, and in a slow circle. (Put the mobile out of baby's reach when you are done.) Activities like this enrich your grandbaby's ability to track objects.

How Touching!

Make a texture book for your grandbaby by cutting squares of different kinds of fabric with pinking shears and gluing each one to an index card. Punch a hole in the corner of each card and tie together with yarn. Gently bring your grandbaby's hand to each texture and see how he responds. As you read the book together, you can name the color and texture of the fabric.

Activities That Build Thinking Skills

Wrap It Up

Wrap a ball of waxed paper in a scarf and tie it up. Hold it out for your grandbaby and see if she wants to reach for it, grasp it, squeeze it, or crinkle it. Watch her face to see if she is interested or surprised by the sounds the package makes. You can put into words what you see on her face, "Wow! It crinkles and crackles. What's inside?" Games like this encourage sensory awareness, reaching, grasping, and language development.

Baby in the Mirror

Hold your grandbaby in your arms in front of the mirror. Talk about and point to his body parts-eyes, nose, mouth, arms, etc. Then step away from the mirror and ask, "Where did baby go?" Move back in front of the mirror and say, "There's the baby!" Hide-and-seek games enhance babies' growing sense of body awareness-the knowledge that they are separate from you.

Find It

As your grandchild approaches her first birthday, she might enjoy playing a "find it" game with you. While she is in her high chair or sitting on the floor, show her one of her favorite rattles or another small toy. Then cover it with a washcloth. Wait a moment to see if she reaches to uncover the toy. If she doesn't, show her where to find it. Games like this build babies' thinking and problem-solving skills.

Putting It Together

Between 6 and 12 months, babies begin to understand how different objects work together-what they can do in relationship to the other. To practice this skill, offer your grandchild some small, easy-to-grasp blocks and show him how he can drop them into a bucket, plastic cup, or bowl. Combining the block and the cup shows an early understanding about how things go together.

Activities That Build the Senses

Listen Up!

Show baby a bell and then gently ring it so he can hear. Wait until he focuses on the bell and then slowly bring it behind your back or place a washcloth over it. Then ask, Where did it go? Take it out and ring it from a different location. Wait until your grandbaby has found the bell again with his eyes. This activity enriches your baby's auditory awareness.

Take a Whiff

Give your grandbaby (6 months old and up) an opportunity to use her sense of smell. When you cut an orange, hold it gently under her nose so she can have a sniff. When you take out the cinnamon or cloves for a recipe, do the same thing. You might say, Smell this. We smell with our nose. Then you can point to your nose. Keep in mind, all children process sensory information differently. Some may love it and others may not enjoy it at all. Activities like this help your grandchild connect sensory information to her everyday experiences.

Sound It Out

Gather several different objects that make distinct noises. Jingle, tap, or shake each one for the baby. If he reaches out to grasp one of the instruments, let him hold it and explore it with his hands. Games like this enhance babies' thinking skills and fine (small) muscle development.

Try a Massage

When you get your grandbaby out of the bath, take a moment to gently massage her arms and legs with baby lotion (ask her mom or dad if they have a preferred brand). As you massage, gently bring her legs in and out from her body and gently bring her arms toward her chest and out again. Many babies are soothed and comforted through massage-an activity that helps them learn that touch is soothing and that their bodies are special and belong to them. But of course, follow your grandbaby's cues and stop if it doesn't seem to feel good to her.

Activities That Build Language Skills

Get Out Your Umbrella!

Sing "It's Raining, It's Pouring" to your grandbaby. At the end of the song, drop a handful or two of soft, colorful pompoms over her belly and chest. How does she like this sensation? If she looks interested-widening her eyes, smiling, kicking arms and legs, do it again. If your grandbaby cries, try it again another time. Babies' preferences can change quickly. Singing to your grandbaby is a great way to build language skills. This game also encourages babies' awareness of themselves as an individual, separate from you.

Picture Perfect

Snap photos of friends and family members in your grandbaby's life. Glue each one to an index card and cover with clear contact paper. Show the photos to your little one and name each person. Over time, your grandbaby will begin to point, smile, and maybe reach for the people in the pictures. Activities like this help grow your grandbaby's memory and develop her language skills.

Finger Plays

Sing songs with your grandchild that have hand motions that go along with the lyrics. For example, songs and rhymes like "Patty Cake," "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," "Wheels on the Bus," and "Where Is Thumbkin" all have hand and finger motions to do as you sing. When your grandchild is able to use his hands and fingers, he will start to copy your gestures and-before you know it-he will be singing along!

Hi! Bye!

As your grandchild approaches 6 to 9 months, you can start to play peek-a-boo. Most babies really enjoy this game! When you pop out from behind a towel or your hand, say, "HI!" When you are about to disappear, wave and say, "BYE!" By putting words to your actions, over time your grandbaby will begin to understand their meaning. She might even start saying them herself!

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Play Activities for Birth to 12 Months - ZERO TO THREE

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Whether you're looking for games to build your baby's language skills, or games to keep the young ones busy, here are some great play ideas for your infant. Hold your grandchild on your lap. Ask: How big is (child's name)? Then lift his arms up into the air and say: Sooooo big!

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As a pediatric physical therapist one of my main jobs is to work on gross motor skills. To work on these skills pediatric physical therapists come up with lots of different gross motor activities for kids!

Gross motor activities are a great way to get kids up and moving. Let's talk about activities that help kids work on gross motor skills!

At Pink Oatmeal, we provide you with several different FREE gross motor activities and task cards in the freebie library.

What does Gross Motor mean?

When you hear people say that they are working on gross motor skills or doing gross motor activities they are talking about activities that involve large movements of the body.

Some example of gross motor movements that you do everyday include running, jumping, walking, crawling, and squatting.

So, when someone is talking about gross motor activities they are talking about activities that involve these large movements of the body.

Playground Games

Using games and play is a huge part of working on gross motor skills. Almost all play equipment on a playground allows kids to work on gross motor skills and is a VERY IMPORTANT part of a child's school day.

There are other great games that can be played on the playground and have been for years that don't involve the need for fancy playground equipment.

Hopscotch - Don't forget about this game that has been around forever as it is a great gross motor activity!

Four Square - Another great game to work on so many different gross motor skills!

Tag - This can be in all forms. Traditional tag, freeze tag, TV tag etc.

Gaga Ball - Have you heard of this yet? Many different playgrounds and schools are starting to have gaga pits.

Jump Rope Games - Games like helicopter, snake, and partner jumping are all great ways to work on large motor skills.

Tether Ball - Do you remember playing this game? It consists of a ball attached to a medal pole by a rope. Two players would try to hit the ball around the pole. I don't see it as often on playgrounds anymore but it was/is a great game to work on gross motor skills.

Gross Motor and Learning

Gross motor activities can easily be brought right into learning when you have creative ideas for implementing it. The best part is the kids are having so much fun, getting in much needed physical activity, and learning all at the same time!

Alphabet Yoga- Someone brand new to yoga to the seasoned yogi will love these fun ways to move and learn about the alphabet.

Alphabet Movement - Fast, fun, and effective movements that go with different letters of the alphabet.

Letter Recognition Activities With Movement - Get so many different ideas for adding movement in to letter recognition.

Sight Word Motor Paths - Adding gross motor to sight words can be made easy by creating sight word paths where kids read the sight words as they move through the motor path.

Scavenger Hunts - Making scavenger hunts related to learning topics is an excellent way to work on gross motor skills. Adding in skipping, jumping, galloping, walking backward etc to the scavenger hunt let's you focus on the motor skills you want. Get FREE scavenger hunts in the Pink Oatmeal freebie library.

Themed Movement- Adding movement that goes along with the different themes you are working on is easy when it is already done for you. Are you looking to add movement to your farm theme, circus theme, or space theme? It's all done for you. Browse every themed activity and printable you could ever want in the Pink Oatmeal Shop.

- This is one of the easiest way to add movement. When discussing numbers it is easy to add gross motor activities. For example, calendar time. If the date is the 15th you would have your kids do 15 jumping jacks. Get ready made number gross motor cards.

Shapes Yoga - Have the kiddos make their bodies into different shapes.

Alphabet Magic - Magically turn your body into the different letters of the alphabet.

Gross Motor Activities - With A Ball

Using an exercise ball or small regular ball can be a fun addition to any gross motor game. Kids love all of these different activities and you can vary the challenge based on the age and ability of the kids you are working with!
Wall Climb Trunk Twists Ball Rolls
Foot Pass
Foot Rolls
Sticker Ball Stability Game

Balance Activities

Finding fun ways to work on balance can be achieved with some of these fun gross motor games.
Balance With Blocks Bean Bag Balance Game
Single Foot Cone Taps

Motor Planning

Have you found some ideas that look fun to use? At Pink Oatmeal we have even more to help you with your gross motor activity planning. Check out the entire section of the website dedicated to gross motor planning (and fine motor skills too). This will help make all of your motor planning a breeze!

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Gross Motor Activities For Kids | Pink Oatmeal - Games and Resources

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As a pediatric physical therapist one of my main jobs is to work on gross motor skills. To work on these skills pediatric physical therapists come up with lots of different gross motor activities for kids! Gross motor activities are a great way to get kids up and moving.

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I often get asked how long and how often families should practice speech and language skills at home.

I recently posted an article on my own site on this very topic.

My professional opinion on this matter is based on what I have seen work the best with my own clients from my clinic.

I recommend that families shoot for two 5-minute sessions per day to target your child's speech and language skills.

The research is showing that shorter, more frequent sessions are more effective for learning and retention than longer, less frequent sessions.

(It's kind of like studying for a test for a few weeks instead of cramming the night before).

Five minutes does not give you much time to work on a lot, which is by design. Most children learn best when they are only working on one skill at a time.

By limiting your sessions to five minutes, you will only have time to work on one skill.

Your child's speech therapist will probably have an idea of what one skill would be best for you to work on at home.

Ask him/her for a recommendation. If your child is not currently seeing a speech-language pathologist, you can choose a skill for your child.

Try to choose something that is age-appropriate (other children his age are doing the skill) but that is not too hard for him.

You want to start with some easier skills that he will have success with instead of frustrating him right off the bat.

The key is to take whatever skill your child is missing and break it down to its easiest level.

For example, if you want to teach your child to say /p/ correctly, you should first start by just having your child say the sound by itself, like "p...p...p".

Then, you can make it a little harder by having your child say it in non-sense syllables, like "puh, poh, pah".

Then, you can move up to words, sentences, and conversation.

The same can be done for language skills, just make them as easy as possible to start with and build your way up.

What Do We Do During Our 5 Minutes?

I'm so glad you asked!

The goal of each 5-minute session will be to get your child to practice the skill correctly as many times as possible.

Imagine shooting for 50-100 repetitions of the same skill. You may not always get to that but it's a great goal.

So, if your child is working on saying the "p" sound, you want him to say that sound 50-100 times while you do a quick activity.

Or, if your child is practicing pronouns, you want him to repeat 50-100 sentences that use the pronouns "he" or "she" while doing the activity.

If the skill you're doing takes a little longer to practice, you can reduce the target number of repetitions.

In order to make this happen, you will need an activity that doesn't take a lot of time and won't take away from the goal of the 5 minutes, which is to practice the skill over and over again.

Here are some great ideas of activities you can do while getting your child to practice his skill:

Use a Counter

Go to a sporting goods store and purchase a counter. This is a small, round object with a single button. Each time you push the button, the counter goes up by one.

Set a goal for your child (number of repetitions) and tell him to push the button each time he does the skill correctly. Once he hits the target number, he's done.

Time him and see if he can beat his old score (but he has to say it correctly for it to count, no rushing through and messing up!).

Bankruptcy Game

Put a bunch of plastic coins in a bag but color one of them red. After each repetition, you and your child will both pull out one coin.

If anyone pulls out the red coin, they have to put all of their coins back (bankrupt!).

Whoever has the most coins after 5 minutes wins. (Got this one from www.5minutekids.com , love it!)

Hold Yoga Poses

Look for pictures of yoga poses for kids online. Have your child choose one and hold it while he does his skill.

See how many repetitions he can get in before he loses the pose.

Trace Lines or Shapes

Draw lines or shapes on a piece of paper. Then, laminate that page or put it in a plastic sheet protector.

Have your child trace the lines or shapes with a dry erase marker while repeating his skill. When he's done, erase and use again next time.

Put Blocks on a Tower

Each time your child practices the skill, give him a block to place atop a tower. When the tower falls, take the blocks back and start over.

See how tall he can make it before it falls.

Play Hopscotch

Draw a hopscotch track (or other shapes/numbers) on the ground and have your child do the skill once before each jump or move on the track.

Turtle Race

You need at least 2 people for this but you can be the second person if need be.

Have both people sit on their bottoms with their knees up. Each time your child does the skill, everyone gets to move forward one scoot.

Bottom must stay on the ground, no picking it up and jumping.

Whoever gets the farthest in 5 minutes wins.

Moving Beans or Marbles

Place beans or marbles in a small container. Get a second similar container.

For each repetition, move one bean or marble to the other container. When all the beans/marbles are moved, you're done!

Make Me Jump

Each time your child does the skill, have someone else (you or another adult/child) jump or do another action.

See how many times your child can make that person jump during 5 minutes.

Playdough

Give your child a pinch of playdough (or a similar substance) for every repetition. Once your child has all of the playdough, he can play with it.

Tickle Me

Start with your hand on your child's head or toes.

For each repetition, move slightly closer to his belly. When you get to his belly, tickle him like crazy. Then, start over and repeat until the 5 minutes is up.

Go for a Walk

When you are walking somewhere with your child, have him take one step for every repetition.

Try this one when you're walking to the playground from the car or into the house when you get home.

Stoplight Speech

While you're sitting at a red stoplight, see how many times your child can do the skill correctly before the light turns green.

Playing Cards

Get a playing card for every repetition. When your child has all of the playing cards, you can play the game with him.

Blowing Bubbles

Blow bubbles for every 10 repetitions that your child does.

Puzzle Pieces

Give your child a puzzle piece for every 10 repetitions he does.

Graph Your Results

Count how many correct productions your child can do in 5 minutes.

Graph that on graph paper and see if he can beat it the next time.

Connect Four...Or More!

Drop connect four pieces into the game randomly, one for each repetition. At the end, see if there are any patterns or designs created from where they all landed.

Wind-Up Toys

Wind up a toy and let it go. See how many times your child can do the skill correctly before it runs out of power.

Throw a Ball

Throw a ball back and forth and play catch while your child practices the skill.

There you have it!

Twenty awesome ways to work on speech in five minutes. Make sure that you pay attention to your child's frustration levels.

If your child is getting frustrated with these activities, you will want to either make the skill easier or back off to a shorter time.

You want your child to feel positive about working on speech, it shouldn't be a battle. Thanks so much for reading!

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Twenty 5-Minute Speech Therapy Activities You Can Do at Home

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I often get asked how long and how often families should practice speech and language skills at home. I recently posted an article on my own site on this very topic. My professional opinion on this matter is based on what I have seen work the best with my own clients from my clinic.

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Every parent knows how challenging it can be when the baby is growing, especially in the first few years. It's an age where children are exploring their independence, pushing boundaries, and learning more about the world around them. While this is an essential phase for their growth, it often leads to moments of defiance that ... Read more

As a parent, I'll never forget the day when my four-year-old managed to scale our kitchen counters, raid the cookie jar, and create an art masterpiece on the living room wall, all while I was on a brief 10-minute phone call. That's the unmatched energy of children for you! While I sometimes wish I had ... Read more

Back when I was juggling a full-time job, night classes, and personal commitments, I often found myself running on empty. Every morning, despite having my day planned to the minute, I would wonder why my energy levels were consistently low. I initially chalked it up to just being "busy." It wasn't until a particularly draining ... Read more

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Every parent knows how challenging it can be when the baby is growing, especially in the first few years. It's an age where children are exploring their independence, pushing boundaries, and learning more about the world around them. While this is an essential phase for their growth, it often leads to moments of defiance that ...

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Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners can address many of the common concerns parents have for a child who has autism or sensory processing disorder. The goal of occupational therapy is to promote the highest level of functioning in daily life.

Occupational therapists must be creative when developing activities in order to address underlying issues and keep the child interested and engaged.

To help support the child outside of OT sessions, you can plan activities at home that promote the development of many important life skills!

10 Great OT Activities for Children

1) Make a sensory bin

Sensory bins are a great way to promote a variety of skills. For example, many children with autism or SPD are sensitive to certain textures.

A sensory bin is a playful way to introduce them to a variety of tactile (touch) experiences! This activity can also promote visual perception skills, language skills, and fine-motor skills.

To make a sensory bin, simply gather common household items and place in a plastic container. Items might include cotton balls, uncooked rice or beans, popcorn, cut up paper, coins.

It is important to be aware of your child's unique sensory preferences so they are not overwhelmed, but can also develop important skills. It is also very important not to leave your child alone while playing with items that can be a choking hazard.

2) Target practice using a swing

Swings are a great way to incorporate calming, organizing and sensory input.

For this activity, have your child lay on their stomach on a swing. The Harkla compression swing a great option! Then, place about 6-7 empty containers around the swing, giving enough distance so the child has to move to reach the containers.

Give the child several small balls or bean bags and explain that their goal is to put one ball or bean bag in each container. This activity promotes body awareness, visual perception skills, coordination, and muscle strength.
To learn more about the wonderful benefits of sensory swings, check out this article!
3) Use video clips to address social skills

Children with autism typically have difficulty with social skills. One of the main skills commonly addressed in Occupational Therapy is perspective-taking. Often, it is difficult for them to understand what others might be feeling or thinking.

For this activity, find out what the child's favorite cartoon character is. You can then look up video clips (Youtube is a great resource) from the show. Use this as a motivating way to talk about how the characters might be feeling, what they are doing, or what they might be thinking.

This is an engaging activity and can be a helpful way to introduce emotions and different perspectives.

4) Make play dough

The activity of making playdough is not only enjoyable for kids, but it also addresses numerous important skills.

To make the dough, combine 1 cup of fine salt and 1 cup of flour in a bowl and mix. Once it is mixed well, add ½ cup water and knead and form the dough until it is smooth.
Skills addressed in this activity include:

following directions

exploration of textures

vision skills

even emotion regulation skills, like frustration tolerance

5) Have a straw race

Children with sensory processing difficulties often struggle with oral motor concerns, such as coordinating movements of the mouth or accepting different textures. One way to assist with desensitizing this area is to have a straw race.

For this activity, gather a large plastic container and fill it with water. Then, place two lightweight objects, such as a paper cup in the water. You and your child then use straws to try and blow the paper cups to the other side. Whoever reaches the other side first, wins!

If your child is not ready for competitive games, you can modify the activity and have the child blow the cup as fast as he can. Let him know how many seconds it took. This activity also addresses vision and coordination skills, besides being a great oral exercise.

6) Make a coping skills flipbook

Visual aids are a tool that most children with autism respond very well to. Making a coping skills flip book provides a visual aid for children to use when they are in distress.

Work with your child to come up with 5-7 things they can do when they become frustrated or need a break. Then, take pictures of your child engaging in the activities they identified. Print out these photos, laminate them, and secure with a loop ring. Some examples of coping skills might be reading a book, using a stress ball, going to a quiet space, or talking to an adult.

You can find more great ideas here!

7) Engage in a repetitive activity as a warm-up

Start by engaging your child in an activity that encourages repetition, such as throwing a ball back and forth to one another or tossing bean bags back and forth. Repetitive activities activate the part of the brain involved in regulating our emotions. Starting each session with this type of activity will help your child feel calm, organized, and ready to work.

8) Play OT Simon Says

Simon Says is a classic game children typically learn in school. It can be a great activity to try at home, too! There are many different skills that can be addressed and sensory diet activities that can be incorporated.

For example, crawling through a lycra tunnel (deep pressure) and then jumping five times (body awareness). To add a social skill component, your child can also have a turn directing you! This encourages perspective-taking and creativity.

9) Make an emotion thermometer

Typically, children with autism have trouble identifying different levels of frustration or distress. They can become over-stimulated or frustrated without much warning.

An emotion thermometer can be a helpful visual tool to assist with this. Draw or trace a thermometer on a standard piece of paper and cut it out. Then, work with your child to identify 3-5 levels they experience. For example, a 1 might be completely calm and a 3 might be starting to feel frustrated.

Let your child color or decorate their thermometer for added motivation, fine motor skills, and visual perception skills.
For other strategies to help calm meltdowns, click here!
10) Make-A-Person Activity

For this activity, you'll need a paper plate, four popsicle sticks, and cutouts of different eyes, noses, mouths, and ears. Work with your child to make a person. Let them know they are able to choose the way the face looks by choosing certain eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.

This activity works on body awareness and orientation, vision skills, and can be a way to discuss emotions. Have your child identify how their person might be feeling, depending upon which type of facial features they chose.

Conclusion

Creativity and skill-building are two of the most crucial elements of an occupational therapy session. There are so many different ways to address the necessary skills, but it is always most important to consider each child's unique needs and interests.

Hopefully, the activities described above will provide some inspiration when planning occupational therapy activities to do at home!
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Our 10 Favorite Occupational Therapy Activities

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Occupational therapists need to be able to come up with fun and skill developing activities that not only work during therapy but that parents can take home with them to try. Check out our list of our favorite therapy activities for home or school.

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Ages zero to three are the most important for lifelong mental health and well-being.

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It is important that LEAs leverage their existing distance learning technology platforms as they transition to distance learning environments for the coming weeks and months. This will speed the transition time for both educators and students to be able to engage virtually. If these systems are already in use, administrators and teachers should communicate directly with families to articulate the ways the existing system(s) will support distance learning. If these or similar resources are not in use already, the list of available resources below will provide educators with options for creating a foundation for communication, sharing, and digital learning. Below is a table of contents to navigate these resources effectively.

1. Online Engagement Systems and Platforms

2. State, County Office of Education, and District Resources

3. Teaching Tools: Presentation and Content Supports

4. Supporting Students with Disabilities in Distance Learning

5. Articles to Navigate Distance Learning

6. Pre-K Learning, Games and Activities

7. English Language Development Learning, Games, and Activities

8. Multilingual Resources

9. Current Events and News Outlets for Students

10. Free Educational Resources for Distance Learning

11. Online Learning Resources and Tools

1. Online Engagement Systems and Platforms

A curated list of resources that will support educators and students transition to digital spaces to communicate with students, develop content, and manage student progress

2. State, County Office of Education, and District Resources

A list of resources for administrators and teachers that were created and curated by other California educational agencies for broader use.

3. Teaching Tools: Presentation and Content Supports

A list of resources for teachers to communicate directly with students to share lessons and/or content. The list includes resources that utilize different means of communication (email, video, direct messaging, audio, etc.).

Share My Lesson allows teachers to post and share lessons they have developed.

Remind is an app to connect students and parents with the classroom. Users can share files, links, and other instructional resources from personal devices as attachments, or through a previously-established cloud sharing system such as Google Classroom, Google Drive, Office 365, etc.

Screencastify is a browser plugin allowing teachers to add video and share with students. The plugin allows students to make their voices heard and their thinking visible with fun, interactive videos. A free plan is available but is limited to five minutes.

Socrative is a free online collaboration and assessment tool. There is a free limited option as well as subscription options for educators.

NearPod is an interactive slideshow tool designed to engage students and promote collaboration. Teachers can use Nearpod to give students opportunities for interaction and immediate feedback by having them draw on a map or diagram, respond to a poll question, post a note or image to a collaboration board, or take a multiple-choice quiz. Teachers can also help students review key learning concepts by watching videos, reviewing notes, or taking their own notes. Teachers can also incorporate social and emotional learning (SEL) and digital citizenship skills with pre-created lessons on empathy, cyberbullying, or Internet safety.

Spiral is a digital collaboration and assessment tool reviewed here by Common Sense Media. It is most appropriate for upper elementary and secondary students.

BookBub features limited-time offers for free books in over twenty genres. These free ebooks are available on all devices, including Kindle, Nook, iPad, and Android.

Edmodo is a digital collaboration and assessment tool. Edmodo has launched a Distance Learning Toolkit

Edulastic is a digital assessment tool with a focus on tracking assessment data.

Flipgrid uses interactive slideshows to help teachers create digital assessments and foster student collaboration. The review and setup guide by Common Sense Media can be found here: https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/flipgrid

Open Textbook Library provides a growing catalog of free, peer-reviewed, and openly-licensed textbooks.

Pear Deck is a digital assessment and instructional tool reviewed by Common Sense Media here: https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/pear-deck

Project Gutenberg is a library of over 60,000 free eBooks. Choose among free epub and Kindle eBooks, download them or read them online.

Tes Teach Online Lesson Builder and Assessment Tool The digital tools in Tes Teach allow teachers to create interactive lessons, projects, presentations, assessments and more.

LiveBinders Collaboration and Assessment Tool is an online tool for organizing educational resources. It can be used to create classroom textbooks, eportfolios, and more.

Orange County Department of Education "Developing a Course on Canvas" Guide offers tips and resources for educators and families on continuing learning online in the event of a school closure. Resources are provided for school leaders, including lists of short- and long-term providers of access to WiFi internet hotspots. Resources are also curated for grade spans PK-2, 3-5/6, Middle School, and High School.

4. Supporting Students with Disabilities in Distance Learning

Resources to help support students with disabilities complete tasks and assignments and adjust to new routines in the transition to distance learning.

5. Articles to Navigate Distance Learning

These articles that provide guidance on developing distance learning lessons and units as well as advice specifically related to moving to online instruction as a result of the coronavirus

6. Digital Resources by Content Area

English Language Arts

Online resources to support remote English Language Arts/literacy and reading instruction, including lesson ideas and mobile apps for students and teachers.

Curriculum Associates Free Downloadable Reading Packets Printable at-home activity packs that are designed to provide students with valuable self-directed exercises and practice during extended absences from school. Each pack is designed to reinforce key concepts for a given grade. i-Ready's engaging online lessons can support at-home learning.

Myon a student-centered, personalized literacy environment that gives students access to more than 6,000 enhanced digital books.

Starfall Reading a free public service to teach children to read. It includes language arts and mathematics for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grade. Starfall emphasizes phonemic awareness, systematic sequential phonics, and common sight words in conjunction with audiovisual interactivity.

StoryKit is a simple storybook creation app, with a private online sharing tool. It caters to students in grades 1-4 and above, and allows them opportunities to create stories, add pictures, and infuse recordings of their own voices.

Core Knowledge provides open access to an exemplary curriculum for preschool through eighth grade.

Open Culture allows visitors to download hundreds of free audio books, mostly classics, to your MP3 player or computer. Below, you'll find great works of fiction (http://www.openculture.com/audio_books_fiction), poetry (http://www.openculture.com/audio_books_poetry), and non-fiction (http://www.openculture.com/audio_books_non-fiction), by such authors as Twain, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Orwell, Vonnegut, Nietzsche, Austen, Shakespeare, Asimov, HG Wells & more.

Librivox - Free Public Domain Audiobooks features recordings of books in the public domain (https://librivox.org/pages/public-domain/) read by volunteers from around the world.

CommonLit - Free reading passages in all literacy and nonfiction genres for grades 3-12.

ReadWriteThink Free Mobile Apps helps students engage in literacy learning using tablet devices. No internet connection is required once the apps are downloaded. Offers resources for grade levels K-12.

ReadWorks, driven by cognitive science research, ReadWorks aims to create world-class content, teacher guidance, and integrated tools that improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement. They leverage cognitive-science research to create high-impact instructional materials and tools that are designed for immediate use within the practical realities of current U.S. classrooms.

Mathematics

Online and digital resources for math instruction, assessment, and independent practice, including tutorials and videos.

Writing

Online and digital resources to promote student engagement though creative writing and writing prompts. This list also includes resources for students working on sustained academic writing, including research.

Scholastic Story Starters is a creative writing prompt generator for children in grades K-6.

Independent Reading Response Ideas is a 2-page document with Independent Reading Response Questions.

The Learning Network (New York Times) Each week the Learning Network offers new ways for students to practice reading, writing, and thinking using Times journalism - at no charge. Daily writing prompts for students to respond to are provided, as well as other activities for students, as well as resources for teachers.

StoryBird is a storytelling platform to help students develop their writing.

Purdue Online Writing Lab provides guidance for students writing academic papers, including guides for formatting, citations, analysis, and revising work.

Science

Online and digital resources for science instruction, including tutorials, videos, and online labs.

Physical Education

Resources to promote and maintain physical education curricula in distance-learning environments. Many of these resources are designed for students who are homeschooled but could be used or adapted for use in a distance-learning environment.

History and Social Science

Digital and online resources for teachers to develop lessons, locate primary and secondary source materials, and connect students with resources for research and inquiry-based lessons.

Teaching Tolerance provides free resources to educators-teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners-who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators use our materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and to create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued and welcome participants.

The Library of Congress offers classroom materials and professional development to help teachers effectively use primary sources from the Library's vast digital collections in their teaching.

The Stanford History Education Group is an award-winning research and development group that seeks to improve education by conducting research, working with school districts, and reaching directly into classrooms with free materials for teachers and students. Their current work focuses on how young people evaluate online content. Their Civic Online Reasoning curriculum to help students develop the skills needed to navigate our current digital landscape.

The Smithsonian

Many museums, cultural sites, and historical sites offer virtual tours and livestreaming. Here are a few, but an internet search will reveal many others:

The Zinn Education Project promotes and supports the teaching of people's history in classrooms across the country. They aim to equip students with the analytical tools to make sense of and improve the world today. Their website offers free, downloadable lessons and articles organized by theme (https://www.zinnedproject.org/teaching-materials/explore-by-theme), time period (https://www.zinnedproject.org/teaching-materials/explore-by-time-period), and grade level. The teaching materials emphasize the role of working people, women, people of color, and organized social movements in shaping history: https://www.zinnedproject.org/

World History For Us All is a national collaboration of K-12 teachers, collegiate instructors, and educational technology specialists. This is a great site for middle and high school teachers to locate powerful, innovative model curriculum. World History for Us All helps students understand the past by connecting specific subject matter to larger historical patterns, and draws on up-to-date historical research.

Teaching California offers free online instructional materials to support the California History-Social Science Framework, with an emphasis on primary sources.

The Content, Literacy, Inquiry, and Citizenship (CLIC) Project offers resources for educators to take an inquiry-based approach to learning about various topics including Armenian Genocide, the Bracero Program, Environmental Literacy, and approaches to civic learning (Check with regional leads for additional resources available for online learning).

California History-Social Science Project provides professional learning and free resources such as The History Blueprint and The Source. See links to regional sites for additional information and support.

BBC Bitesize History Bitesize is the BBC's free online study support resource for school-age students in the United Kingdom. It is designed to aid students in both schoolwork and, for older students, exams.

The Stanford History Education Group provides free History and Civic materials including lessons, curriculum, and assessments accessible to teachers and students.

CrashCourse History Channel on YouTube Crash Course believes that high quality educational videos should be available to everyone for free. The Crash Course team has produced more than 15 courses to date, and these videos accompany high school and college level classes ranging from the humanities to the sciences. Crash Course transforms the traditional textbook model by presenting information in a fast-paced format, enhancing the learning experience. With hundreds of millions of views on our YouTube channel, Crash Course has a worldwide audience in and out of classrooms. While the show is an immensely helpful tool for students and teachers, it also has a large viewership of casual learners who seek out online educational content independently. It has changed attitudes towards education by creating a community of learners who are looking for more than just help passing a test.

Oyez is a resource for teaching Supreme Court Cases that includes the case history, relevant precedent, arguments, and the Supreme Court Decision and applicable dissents.

The National Archives features a website that is easy to navigate and includes lots of teacher resources. They feature a daily historical document relating to an event from that day in history. The online catalog can be searched using keywords, and 100 "milestone" documents are identified as significant to American history.

National Archives: Elementary School Distance Learning Programs Free, interactive programs that feature primary sources from the Distance Learning Programs. Each program aligns with National Social Studies Standards and Common Core State Standards. It also provides teacher guides with pre- and post-program lessons.

DocsTeach is full of activities for educators. The documents are organized by different periods in American history. If you're teaching "Civil War and Reconstruction" or "Revolution and the New Nation," just click on the topic to find hundreds of primary source documents. DocsTeach provides audio, video, charts, graphs, maps and more.

Spartacus Educational is a resource for global history. It contains free encyclopedia entries that directly connect to primary source documents, making it a useful tool for educators looking to give students a starting point in their research.

Fordham University is another resource for global history. It organizes primary sources into periods of American history, from the "Reformation" to "Post-World War II Religious Thought." Teachers can find full texts available from Fordham or similar institutions appropriate for the middle school and high school classroom.

Broken down by time period then listed in alphabetical order, the Avalon Project at Yale University offers primary sources for global history teachers. This database starts with ancient and medieval documents and moves into present times. In addition to categories that address specific historical periods, the Avalon Project includes links to human rights documents as part of Project Diana.

USHistory.org Free Online Textbooks provides high school courses for students, teachers, home-schoolers, and history lovers.

Google and Life Magazine have a search engine that lets users search millions of images from the Life Magazine Photo Archive. Users can type in key terms to guide their searches, look through images organized by decade (1860s through 1970s), or significant people, places, events or sports topics.

Electives: The Arts, Music, and Language

Online resources to support remote instruction for electives and enrichment.

The Music Teachers National Association has provided links to websites for kids.

Common Sense Media's Best Arts Education Apps and Websites (article) provides a list of resources for teaching music, some of which are free.

The National Gallery of Art (NGA) and MOMA provide resources for teachers, including lessons and interactives
Duolingo is a free app and website-based system for learning and practicing world languages. Duolingo for Schools is specifically designed for teachers and students.

PBS Learning Media provides resources and activies for

7. Pre-K Learning, Games, and Activities

Free and open-source resources and guidance for fostering early childhood/pre-k learning at home.

Oklahoma Department of Libraries (PK - 6th grade) provides free online resources for kids. Resources are organized by age and area of interest. The Kids Connections site lists additional resources.

Crafting and Art Activities by Happy Hooligans is a popular Canadian blog that features crafts and activities for preschoolers.

US Department of Education Early Childhood Learning Resources includes guidance for parents and families to help them support pre-k learning and development.

PBS Kids Games provides fun, engaging games that foster learning, movement, social-emotional development, collaboration, and creativity.

JumpStart provides free resources and activities appropriate for preschool.

Stream Sesame Street

PBS Learning for Preschoolers offers lessons, interactives, audio, and websites to foster preschool learning and development.

TeacherVision provides free resources for pre-k in multiple subject areas and for many areas of interest, including art and music.

8. English Language Development Learning, Games, and Activities

Online resources to support remote English Language Development instruction, including lesson ideas and mobile apps for students and teachers.

9. Multilingual Resources

10. Current Events and News Outlets for Students

Digital and online resources that provide student-friendly access to current events. Some of these resources also provide reading guides, quizzes, and activities to support student learning.

Newsela has made access to their full suite of products free for teachers through the end of this year to assist with their learning continuity plans.They are also offering frequent professional learning resources to help them develop their mastery of distance learning techniques. Newsela has also created this guide for planning for remote instruction.

Edutopia: 6 Lesson Plans for Teaching Women's History Month (article with digital resources) George Lucas Educational Foundation offers free and easy-to-implement classroom resources to celebrate Women's History Month in March.

Common Sense Media: Best News Websites for Kids is great website for kids. The editors have made it easy with their hand-picked lists of fun, age-appropriate kids' sites and online games. It's a big world on the web, but with lists like theirs, it can be a worthwhile one for your kids.

Edutopia suggests six online resources for primary sources which allow students to read closely, make inferences, cite evidence, analyze arguments and interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text.

11. Free Educational Resources for Distance Learning

Below is a non-comprehensive list of publishers offering free distance learning resources. At the URL listed, users can learn about the specific resources available as publishers continue to expand their offerings. In this list below, educators and parents/guardians may discover the individual resources they want for a particular need.

Applied Educational Systems
Interactive lessons, ready to use projects, and automatically graded assessments.

Big Ideas Learning
Big Ideas Mathprogram

Capstone Publishing
Resources available during school closures; user Name = Engaged; Password = Learning

Carnegie Learning
Math Resources

Carolina Biological
Science resources for learning at home.

Center for Math and Teaching
Math Resources.

Cheng-Tsui
Language Programs

ClassDojo
Instantly communicate and engage with all families and students.

Classroom Champions
Health, safety & curriculum information.

Core Knowledge
Online Core Knowledge Foundation Resources.

Davis Art
Access to digital resources.

Discovery Education
Access to Discovery Education Experience.

Energize Schools
Virtual distance learning resources

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Information and resources to help continue teaching and learning during school closures.

Impact Science
Lessons During School Closures.

Kendall Hunt
Open Educational Resources for Illustrative Mathematics and OpenSciEd.

Lincoln Learning
Videos, games, and samples.

Mastery Education/Measuring Up MyQuest
Adaptive standards-based practice.

Mystery Science
K-5 NGSS science resources.

Opus You
Cinematic broadcast of musical works, lesson plans, and interactive online courses.

Perfection Learning
Programs, e-books, teaching support

Proliteracy/NewReadersPress
Online solutions to assist learning remotely.

Social Studies School Services
Digital platforms through the end of the school year.

Twig Education
Students can access thousands of videos (in English/Spanish), lessons, activities, and visuals wherever they are.

Vista Higher Learning
Resources for K-12

Voyager Sopris
Math, Language, Writing, Professional Development

Wayside Publishing
Language Learning Programs.

Wilson Language Training
Recommendations for Fundations®, Just Words®, and Wilson Reading System® use.

12. Online Learning Resources and Tools

A list of open source resources to support remote teaching and learning.

OER: Searchable Online Educational Resources (all subjects): A searchable public digital library of free teaching and learning materials.

Comprehensive List of Free Online Teaching Resources

NCSSFL Covid-19 Resource Bank is a repository of guidance and resources for K-12 educators, districts, and LEAs in an accessible Google Doc.

Digital Promise's Covid-19 Online Learning Resources and FAQ

Edutopia: Google for Educators (article) These tools from Google for Educators, whether old and familiar or new and improved, will keep teachers and students inspired, inventive, and organized.

PBS/KQED Resources for Teachers - Use these trusted resources to continue to provide meaningful learning experiences for students during school closures.

Additional Online ELA and Math Resources (some may not be free)
(curated by Jason Borgen, Santa Cruz County Office of Education)

Santa Clara COE Digital Badges for Seesaw and Google Classroom (free)
Digital Learning with Seesaw provides modules for learning what online learning and collaborations should look like and how to use Seesaw to provide these learning structures. Users must create an account to access the modules. While there is a core "Seesaw Free" service at no cost, some features require payment. Before creating an account to access the modules, educators should consider reading a review of the app by Common Sense Education (https://www.commonsense.org/education/app/seesaw-the-learning-journal)

Khan Academy offers a variety of content area courses for different grades.

Code.org offers a variety of no cost coding activities and courses for grades K-12.

PBS Learning Media in conjunction with KVIE, has curated FREE, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more just for California teachers.

National Public Radio's guide for Teaching Podcasting provides step-by-step guidance to engage students in creating their own podcasts.

National Geographic for Kids A kid version of National Geographic online, with free games, videos, and educational resources for kids of all ages.

Discovery Education Standards-aligned, digital curriculum resources and easy-to-use technology, including award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, and the largest professional development community of its kind.

TED Under 20 offers TED talks from scientists, musicians, innovators, and activists who are all under the age of 20.

Shmoop provides resources for teachers and students in all subject areas. Resources include summaries, discussion guides, quizzes, and test prep, among other resources.

Common Sense Media: Search for EdTech Tools and Apps (all subjects) Common Sense Media supports educators in teaching students how to thrive in the digital age with free, research-backed lesson plans. The website features resources in Spanish.

WebQuest.org has a searchable collection of WebQuests that provided guidance for students as they research selected topics and questions online. Teachers can also create their own WebQuests using the site.

Questions: California Department of Education | 916-319-0800

Last Reviewed: Wednesday, March 25, 2020

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Resources that Support Distance Learning

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It is important that LEAs leverage their existing distance learning technology platforms as they transition to distance learning environments for the coming weeks and months. This will speed the transition time for both educators and students to be able to engage virtually.

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My name is Juanita Pritchard.My job is to provide support for teachers of students with significant cognitive disabilities, students often classified as Moderate/Severe/Profound.I have been working with this type of student and their teachers for over 30 years.My passion is in helping students and teachers access the materials needed to meet their educational goals.

This blog will be my primary means of sharing information and materials during the school year.Please check this site often for information related to instructional materials, resources, and trainings.

Please register to receive automatic notification of updates or new information to this site.

Juanita.pritchard@cobbk12.org

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Welcome to the Special Student Services Blog. My name is Juanita Pritchard. My job is to provide support for teachers of students with significant cognitive disabilities, students often classified as Moderate/Severe/Profound. I have been working with this type of student...

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Special Education Degrees | Your Guide To A Career In Special Education

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Top 12 Websites For Children With Learning Disabilities | Special Education Degrees

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As many educators, parents, and families know, having a learning disability doesn’t make a child any less smart than his or her peers. In fact, it often means that the child is as smart or smarter but their brain just works differently because it’s neurological process. People with learning disabili…

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The Can Do! page just for kids!!

T he Can Do! Kids page has fun online activities for kids to try out, and interesting can do stories and resources that will help kids realize and appreciate their abilities as they try to accomplish their goals and reach their dreams.

Click on the icons below to try them out yourself!

Who are Can Do! Kids?

C an Do! Kids are kids who focus on what they can do instead of what they can't. Can Do! Kids use their abilities in whatever way is best for them in order to do the things they want... whether it's reading a book, drawing a picture, being a friend, playing a sport, or reaching a goal or dream. The cool thing is, EVERY kid can be a Can Do! Kid!

Even if some things are hard to do,
most people have abilities...
we each have our own "constellation" of abilities.

Take a cyber side-trip by
following this star to learn more about your
constellation of abilities.

*

Can Do! web pages Copyright &copy 1997-2013, Maribeth Bush. All rights reserved.

Artwork by Peter H. Reynolds, Copyright &copy 1997-2013, Peter H. Reynolds. All rights reserved.

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The Can Do! page just for kids!! T he Can Do! Kids page has fun online activities for kids to try out, and interesting can do stories and resources that will help kids realize and appreciate their abilities as they try to accomplish their goals and reach their dreams. Click on the icons below to try them out yourself!

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Check out our list of fun printable activities for kids that promote fine motor, visual motor, and gross motor development. Click on the titles to see each activity and get the printables:

The Butter Making Song: Use this simple farm activity with a printable song as an opportunity to talk to kids about where their food comes from and how it's made.

Make Me a Monster: Kids will have a blast finishing off the faces of the Halloween characters in these free printable activities for kids. A great activity to encourage visual motor skills and attention to detail.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything Cutting Craft: A fun way to practice cutting skills with a printable craft activity that goes right along with a favorite Halloween book!

Pick a Pumpkin Fine Motor Activity: Challenge kids' in-hand manipulation and grasping skills with a fun fall pumpkin picking activity that uses a cute printable pumpkin patch page!

Spooky Scavenger Hunt: A fun printable scavenger hunt activity that kids can do together to get ready for Halloween, using their senses to explore the great Halloween decorations in their neighborhood! Comes with a free printable invitation to give to a neighbor!

Halloween Charades: With this printable game of Halloween charades, children will be having their very own monster mash in no time!

Cranberry Crazy: This fun Thanksgiving gross motor activity with a free printable will have kids up and moving after Thanksgiving dinner!

Wikki Stixy Tom: Get your Super Fingers ready for this one! Meet Wikki Stixy Tom....a printable Thanksgiving fine motor activity created from ! This activity makes a great decoration to stick to a window or a wall.

Printable Table Setting Game: A great game for a small group. Kids will learn where to put the silverware, cup, and plate as they race to see who can be the first to fill their printable place mat!

Holiday Flashlight Walk: A fun winter outdoor activity for kids, this fun printable scavenger hunt is sure to become a tradition in your family! Also comes with a cute printable invitation to invite neighborhood friends along for the fun!

Naughty or Nice: This activity with a free printable enforces the kind of behavior that warrants a visit from Santa and points out the kind of behavior that gets you a lump of coal!

Snow Dance: Introducing an activity with a book provides great context, giving kids a sense of purpose behind what they're doing. This fun activity with printable pictures is the perfect opporutnity for kids to create some one-of-a-kind dance moves to celebrate winter!

Printable Winter Craft: One of our favorite winter crafts for kids because it can be graded to challenge both kids with higher level cutting skills and kids who are just getting the hang of using scissors.

Snowy Word Shakeup: While this winter game isn't necessarily for the youngest kids in the Treehouse, it can be adapted so that anyone can play. How many words can your child find?

An Island in the Sun: The book, An Island in the Sun by Stella Blackstone focuses on rhyming, rhythym, and repetition. This post offers two printable activities for kids: a visual memory and sequencing activity and a fine motor craft activity too!

Sparkly Sensory Starfish: A fun ocean craft for kids with a free printable template. Get those Super Fingers ready for a fine motor workout!

Jumping Hearts: For this activity, we string together a few different gross motor activities that involve jumping - using hearts for our Valentine's Day theme!

Fine Motor Heart Art: There's nothing better than getting flowers as a gift, especially from a child. Your little one will love making this beautiful flower heart art. And with the added benefit of fine motor skills practice, it's the gift that keeps on giving!

3D Circus Stars: All kids benefit from fine motor practice with scissors and glue! With these printable activities for kids, your little one will create a 3-dimensional circus star - a clown, a lion, an elephant, or all 3!

Snacktime at the Circus!: Step right up and get your popcorn or peanuts! Kids will get to decorate their own fun circus snack holder with this free printable!

Bunny Puppet Craft: This printable activity will give your child some fine motor work and some exposure to cutting with scissors as she makes her own puppet that can go "tippy tippy tippy pat, dig scrabble scratch scratch scratch MUNCHA MUNCHA MUNCHA" - just like the book by Candace Fleming!

The Bedtime March: When you think about bedtime for kids, the last thing that comes to mind might be gross motor activities. But this one could go a long way toward helping with the whining, pleading, and general slow motion approach that typically goes along with getting young kids into bed.

All About My Mom: Looking for a great gift for a mom? Print out this adorable fill-in-the-blank poem and have kids fill in their answers!

Printable Seed Collection Templates: Kids will get to learn about seeds, sorting them by type, size, and color with these cute, colorful printables!

Make a Star: Print out the template below to help your child draw a star. Then, read on to get ideas for some creative fine motor practice for your child using his star!

4th of July Poem and Movement Activity: A great way for everyone to experience the fun of fireworks, even if they're a bit afraid of the real thing - perfect for younger kids or kids who are sensitive to loud sounds.

W-Sitting Information Handout: Are you a therapist, teacher, or caregiver that works with kids who are W-Sitters? Print off this informational handout to share with parents and families!

Baby Bumblebee: This classic kids song gets a little sensory and fine motor twist in this fun activity!

Sports Ball Drawing Activity: A fun and challenging drawing exercise where kids have to finish drawing the missing half of a variety of sports balls!

Football Pass Route Tracing: Little football fans will love learning the different passing routes by tracing each one!

Soccer Fine Motor Challenge: Weave your pencil in and out of the cones for a fun and simple sports-themed fine motor drill!

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Check out our list of fun printable activities for kids that promote fine motor, visual motor, and gross motor development. Click on the titles to see each activity and get the printables: The Butter Making Song : Use this simple farm activity with a printable song as an opportunity to talk to kids about where their food comes from and how it's made.

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Reaching Out in These Difficult Times . . . As teachers, therapists, and parents, we are all facing a challenging time with COVID-19. With many schools closing across the world, I wanted to do what I could to help. I am offering several FREE resources (below) for you and your students to use in the coming weeks as many of us shift to online teaching and to providing work to take home. Feel welcome to share these resources with friends, families, and other professionals.

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Pencil Control Packet Designed for younger children, this packet offers several types of writing strokes for practice. Strokes include horizontal, vertical, circles, sideways bumps, up/down bumps, diagonals, and weaving. Ideas for multi-sensory practice are included.

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Basic signs for caregivers of deaf- Spanish

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Basic signs for caregivers of deaf- Spanish

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Señas Básicas para Cuidadores (Basic Sign Language for Caregivers of the Deaf)-Spanish

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Learn sign language with these easy to learn signs, play the quiz, and learn the ASL alphabet.

Get the whole family excited about learning American Sign Language (ASL) by watching other kids sign! The ASL experts in our app are between the ages of 1 and 12, and they teach you common signs from the ASL dictionary and baby sign language. All hand signs, furthermore, are accompanied by a large image and an audio button designed to stimulate speech and hearing.

This free app has all the functionality you can imagine, including quiz games, fingerspelling and 50 free signs. An optional pack of 150+ more signs is available to help you increase your knowledge of ASL.

Important Message for Parents and Teachers
- NO Direct links to social networking websites
- NO ads
- Parents have the option to monitor and control all in-app purchases

If you have an issue, please email us for help at info@asl-kids.com.

Why this app?
When we found out our son had hearing loss, our whole family was eager to learn sign language. That was when we discovered that our kids benefited from interactive visual material. However, it was hard to find suitable apps on signing specifically designed for kids. The next thing we knew, we had decided to design one ourselves.

How do children learn best? By imitating other kids! My son loves this app, and I hope you will too.

How does it work?
The app is kid-proof and was designed to be used without the help of an adult. There are no external links or ads, so no internet connection is needed to work the app. While there is no complex text, kids will have no issues navigating our clear and tappable images.

**** Support ****
We are dedicated to creating and expanding a high-quality app that unlocks your child's learning potential in a fun way.

Looking for more tips for improvement? Go to asl-kids.com and let us know.
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASLkids

**** Features: ****
- Peer role models: How do children learn best? By imitating other kids!
- Intuitive interface: No need to read. Clear tappable images.
- Easy signs: Carefully selected signs that are easy for children to master.
- Fun: Includes an interactive quiz game to test your knowledge of ASL.
- Fingerspelling: Learn your ABC's by swiping through the letters
- No ads or external links: No internet connection required after download.
- Video: Videos can be (re)played by tapping the screen.
- Easy navigation: Simple menu and buttons for easy browsing.
- Audio: Separate audio button to hear how a word is pronounced.
- iPad / iPhone optimized

Download now and learn ASL!

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASLkids
and visit https://asl-kids.com for more information

150 more signs that are free for previous buyers. Improved graphics, audio, and categories.

fix please!

I loved the app in the beginning because it was easy to follow along with and watching the people so it really helped. I do believe you should update the app and add more signs to learn. I have experienced a bug when i tried to watch the kids do it it would load and just stayed the same and froze. I don't know if this has happened to others but please try to fix this bug.

Thanks! Please turn Low Power Mode off to make the videos play. With Low Power mode enabled videos do not play correctly (when low on battery). Go to Settings > Battery.

Love the App, Hope for New Material

This is truly a beautiful app that is simple, kid friendly, very easy to learn and everything I ever hoped for in an app. Its even easy for adults to learn along with the kids. I hope ASL Kids can keep going because this app has lots of potential to be used at home, in school, at daycare, etc.

My critique is if the developers can, update new material more often. My little brother is autistic and he lost interest after learning everything and having no new material to learn. This new update reignited his interest and he looks forward to learning more.

I've recommended it to a friend and her kids love it. I highly recommend it. Thank you ASL Kids for existing, being awesome and I look forward to seeing you grow.

Thank you very much for your support and suggestions Akira!!

Please fix!

We loved the app! My son loves using it to learn sign language and it's so much easier than looking up each individual word to show him a video. HOWEVER, like fluffycatthingymabon said in their review on April 13 , there seems to be a bug. He's been using the app nonstop without any issues for the last 2 weeks, we even bought the extra package for more words. But now when he tries to play the videos, it just shows the child standing there and doesn't actually play. My son is very upset that it has stopped working. I will be more than happy to change my rating to 5 stars once this bug is fixed. I'm really bummed, especially since I paid for the extra words and now none of them are working.

Please turn Low Power Mode off to make the videos play. With Low Power mode enabled videos do not play correctly (when low on battery). Go to Settings > Battery.
This is not a bug but a setting to protect the battery life. Hope this helps.

The developer, New-impulse media, has not provided details about its privacy practices and handling of data to Apple. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy.

No Details Provided

The developer will be required to provide privacy details when they submit their next app update.

Information

Compatibility

iPhone

Requires iOS 8.0 or later.

iPad

Requires iPadOS 8.0 or later.

iPod touch

Requires iOS 8.0 or later.

Mac

Requires macOS 11.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip.

Family Sharing

With Family Sharing set up, up to six family members can use this app.

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‎Get the whole family excited about learning American Sign Language (ASL) by watching other kids sign! The ASL experts in our app are between the ages of 1 and 12, and they teach you common signs from the ASL dictionary and baby sign language. All hand signs, furthermore, are accompanied by a large i...

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i wanted to try and learn sign language over quarantine, and this a really great app for beginners. it shows you the letters, and how to sign them, before giving you words to spell out which is a great way to learn. i also like how the words get harder and longer each level, because you really are learning more each round. the only problem i have with this app is when it gives you words with two letters in a row (example: bee, boo, free). it won't let you type the second letter (so you can only type be, no, and fre) so you can't finish that round and have to start over. it wasn't a huge problem at first because it wasn't giving me a lot of words with two letters in a row, but now that it is, it's kind of frustrating. especially when i will be on a roll with some of the more difficult rounds and i have to start over completely. other than that, the app is really helpful for begginers.

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‎Learn how to receptively and expressively finger-spell using "Hands On ASL"! Our unique, interactive application helps anyone and everyone learn communication-basics using the American Sign Language alphabet. Unlike other applications, "Hands On ASL" uses 3D models, rather than still shots or video...

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100 Free TpT products for Speech Therapy Home Packets

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During the pandemic, our students are faced with uncertainty, disruption to routine, fear of falling ill, and many other stressful factors. It's important to keep our minds healthy now more than ever. Let's help our kiddos practice self-care to ensure their mental well-being is a priority!

This document is full of FREE resources to help your students self-care during the extended break from school. It is editable, so you may make any changes you may need. Please be sure to follow the directions below to give your students access to this resource! I am happy to help with any questions you may have via email or Instagram DM.

Take care and be well!

♡ Jenna May, @fromsept2mrsmay

Looking for more mental health tools? Try out A Year in Colors, a free tool to track your mental well-being.

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Mental Health and Self-Care Tips for Students during COVID-19

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During the pandemic, our students are faced with uncertainty, disruption to routine, fear of falling ill, and many other stressful factors. It's important to keep our minds healthy now more than ever. Let's help our kiddos practice self-care to ensure their mental well-being is a priority! This docu...

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This file includes a document for parents and caregivers who may be struggling with having their kids home during the COVID-19 School Closures. My hope is that this document gives you some peace of mind and structure to a ultimately chaotic time.

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Tips and Tricks for Learning at Home during COVID-19 Closures

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This file includes a document for parents and caregivers who may be struggling with having their kids home during the COVID-19 School Closures. My hope is that this document gives you some peace of mind and structure to a ultimately chaotic time. ...

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Many parents, therapists, and teachers are feeling overwhelmed with school closings. I wanted to give back by making you a fine motor / visual motor chart for daily activities that use common household items for 15 activities / days. You can print and give to parents to use with their students while they are on school closing. This is primarily aimed at younger children (preschool / early elementary) or children who are at this developmental level.
SHARING: Please share this PDF directly with students or families in your classroom or caseload (ie: printing out, email, google classroom, e-platforms) or any ways that directly link to your students/families/caseload/classroom. Please DO NOT post the PDF or screenshots directly to any PUBLIC sharing platform (ie:blog, website, Facebook group, instagram) or other PUBLIC place. Instead, share by posting a link for people to download.
What's included:

ENGLISH:

Page 3: Cover page (print or do not print)

Page 4: Chart with directions to cross off each activity after completion

Page 5: SAME Chart but with directions to have your child circle that they liked the activity :) or did not like the activity :(

Page 6: By request: visual chart. This chart is ONLY SIMPLE visuals for students to use. This does not specifically show how to do the activities but is a visual representation. Please look at the directions on previous pages to understand what you need to do.

SPANISH: THANK YOU to my wonderful co-worker, Giselle Alvarez, MOT, OTR/L for translating this Spanish version!

Page 7: Cover page (print or do not print)

Page 8: Chart with directions to cross off each activity after completion

Page 9: SAME Chart but with directions to have your child circle that they liked the activity :) or did not like the activity :(

Page 10: By request: visual chart. This chart is ONLY SIMPLE visuals for students to use. This does not specifically show how to do the activities but is a visual representation. Please look at the directions on previous pages to understand what you need to do.

If you love this product, please leave me feedback. If you find an error, or have a suggestion, please email me: EmpoweringOT@gmail.com I am happy to work with buyers to make them happy :)

PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE WHO NEEDS IT! However, please direct them to my website to download to their own account. This resource cannot be posted on websites or other areas where multiple people can access this resource. All rights reserved.

Check out my teacher pay teacher store for more resources: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Empowering-Ot-By-Dr-R

This is perfect for RTI / MTSS as an intervention for handwriting skills.This is great for visual scanning, visual perceptual skills, coordination, visual motor integration and fine motor. This is also a perfect activity for occupational therapists OT, teachers, speech pathologists SLP, special education SPED teachers and other school professionals while working on skills!

I am a school occupational therapist who has a doctorate in occupational therapy. I work closely with special education and general education staff adapting material. This is where I get my inspiration for this material. I have used my materials with a variety of children with different disabilities including learning disabilities, dyslexia, autism, sensory processing disorder, ADD, ADHD, visual impairments, deaf/hard of hearing, cerebral palsy, down syndrome and more.

DISCLAIMER: By using this, you agree that this activity is not intended to replace the advice of a physician or occupational therapist. Information provided should not be used for diagnostic or training purposes. Please speak with your physician or OT if you have questions. Stop any activity if you are unsure about a child's reaction or ability.

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Distance Learning 15 days of HOME fine motor CHART OT FREE ENGLISH & SPANISH

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Many parents, therapists, and teachers are feeling overwhelmed with school closings. I wanted to give back by making you a fine motor / visual motor chart for daily activities that use common household items for 15 activities / days. You can print and give to parents to use with their students while...

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I began my career as a Speech Language Pathologist in 1998, after I graduated for California University of Pennsylvania. I Completed my Clinical Fellowship year in a residential facility for children with multi disabilities. I transferred to the public school in 1999, where I still work today.

Creative and functional activities to help promote effective communication skills.

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

Phonological Awareness Fun Park (Super Duper Publications) Grammar Gumballs (Super Duper Publications Grammar Gumballs 2 (Super Duper Publications) Mother of the year (or so my kids say) :-)

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (Bachelors Degree) California University of Pennsylvania (Masters Degree)

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

When I'm not at work, I love to tap dance

English Language Arts, Reading, Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary, Specialty, Arts & Music, Special Education, Drama, EFL - ESL - ELD, Other (ELA), Life Skills, Critical Thinking, Literature, Short Stories, Writing, Oral Communication, Reading Strategies, Holidays/Seasonal, Back to School, Thanksgiving, Christmas/ Chanukah/ Kwanzaa, Autumn, Halloween, Speech Therapy, Winter, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Spring, For All Subjects, Summer, Occupational Therapy, Test Preparation, School Psychology, Phonics, Classroom Community

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I began my career as a Speech Language Pathologist in 1998, after I graduated for California University of Pennsylvania. I Completed my Clinical Fellowship year in a residential facility for children with multi disabilities. I transferred to the public school in 1999, where I still work today.

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Virtual Learning for Severely Disabled Students

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Virtual Learning for Severely Disabled Students

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Over the last few weeks, we have all seen the significant spread of COVID-19, otherwise known as Coronavirus. Due to the rapid spread across the globe, COVID-19 has left many schools and learning facilities scrambling to ensure continuity of education. The CDC has already provided guidance for schools and many districts are already closing or in preparation for possible closures.

Starting today, we are giving users the ability to share materials with parents, 100% free, through July 1st.

Parents will have access to the same Videos, Worksheets, and Games that you would normally use in school.

You can create lists for parents to use on their end and just send the links home for the parents to access.

We're providing a 50% discount to any school district that would like to get up and running with Everyday Speech through the end of this school year.

To sign up, simply go to this page and sign up for an account.

Once you're signed up, you'll be emailed instructions on how to share materials with parents.

We're hosting a free live webinar on how you can use Everyday Speech in a remote learning environment. The webinar will be held on March 18, 2020 at 3:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM PT.

We plan to go over:

Options for remote learning

A brief review of how to use the Social Learning Platform

Clinical advice for teaching during the shutdown or in a remote environment

If you would like to join us in this live webinar, please register here. If you can't make it, still register for the webinar - we'll email you a link to view it once it's over.

We're supporting districts that are looking to implement Everyday Speech as a digital learning solution through the shutdown.

If you think your school district or organization would be interested in using Everyday Speech during a closure or want us to help assist in the transition to remote learning using Everyday Speech, please complete this form to request support for your school district or organization.

From everyone on the Everyday Speech team, please stay safe and healthy. We will pull through this together.

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Over the last few weeks, we have all seen the significant spread of COVID-19, otherwise known as Coronavirus. Due to the rapid spread across the globe, COVID-19 has left many schools and learning facilities scrambling to ensure continuity of education. The CDC has already provided guidance for schools and many districts are already closing or in preparation for possible closures.

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PrAACtical Resources: Online AAC Support for Families During School Closures

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The AAC field is peppered with amazingly dedicated professionals who come up with creative solutions to the day’s latest challenges. In this guest post, SLP Laura Boates, a graduate of McGill…

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AFIRM Modules are designed to help you learn the step-by-step process of planning for, using, and monitoring an evidence-based practice (EBP) with learners on the spectrum from birth to 22 years of age. Supplemental materials and handouts are available for download.

Download an overview of the Components of AFIRM to learn about modules, resources, and professional development options.

Visit the Learn with AFIRM section to find out more.

To learn more about the updated EBPs, check out the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice website.

Introduction to Autism

Selecting an Evidence-Based Practice

AFIRM for Paraprofessionals: Simulated E-Learning

These simulated learning modules include brief overviews, video examples, and activity-based scenarios to learn foundational EBPs.

Reinforcement: Introduction & Practice

Prompting: Introduction & Practice

Supporting Peer Interactions: Introduction & Practice

Time Delay: Introduction & Practice

Visual Cues: Introduction & Practice

AFIRM for Toddlers

AFIRM for Toddlers are a set a of modules developed in collaboration with the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center for early interventionists working with toddlers, families, and early care providers.

AFIRM for Toddlers Introduction

Behavior Supports for Toddlers

Naturalistic Interventions in the Child Care Setting

Parent-Implemented Interventions in the Home Setting

Reinforcement

Prompting

Visual Supports

Available Evidence-Based Practice Modules

The National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP) identified 28 EBPs based upon a systematic review. The EBP modules are designed to help you learn the step-by-step process for planning for, using, and monitoring an EBP with learners with autism from birth to 22 years of age.

Augmentative & Alternative Communication

Antecedent-Based Interventions

Ayres Sensory Integration®

Behavioral Momentum Intervention

Cognitive Behavioral Intervention

Direct Instruction

Differential Reinforcement

Discrete Trial Training

Exercise

Extinction

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Functional Communication Training

Modeling

Music-Mediated Intervention

Naturalistic Intervention

Peer-Mediated Instruction & Intervention

Parent-Implemented Intervention

Prompting

Reinforcement

Response Interruption/ Redirection

Self-Management

Social Narratives

Social Skills Training

Task Analysis

Technology-Aided Instruction & Intervention

Time Delay

Video Modeling

Visual Supports

Available Supplemental Modules

Several EBPs identified in the previous review (Wong et al., 2014) were recategorized or reclassified in the most recent review by the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence & Practice (see Steinbrenner et al., 2020, p. 30 for details). The four modules below will remain available for AFIRM users as supplemental materials:

Picture Exchange Communication System

Pivotal Response Training

Scripting

Structured Play Groups

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AFIRM Modules AFIRM Modules are designed to help you learn the step-by-step process of planning for, using, and monitoring an evidence-based practice (EBP) with learners on the spectrum from birth to 22 years of age. Supplemental materials and handouts are available for download.

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By: Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist; Real-life Skills Program Manager and Coach

COVID-19 was recently declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), and it is quickly becoming a pervasive force that we are all attuned to. As our healthcare providers, scientists and officials focus their energy on social distancing recommendations and public health measures, it seems as if time spent at home with our families - whether self-imposed or mandated - is inevitable. With our hardworking community members and officials focused on large-scale responses and issues, let's take some time to discuss how we can create positive and productive environments in our own homes with our children while so many schools are closed.

Create Routines - Our children thrive on routine. Consider keeping their regular bedtime and morning routines, sitting down for lunch at the same time as they do at school, and writing out a daily schedule so that they know the plan for the day. Keeping these small things consistent can help our kids to feel regulated, calm and make a potentially scary situation feel much more predictable.

Request Work from Classroom Teachers - Most teachers will be sending home classwork to keep children engaged while they are out of the classroom. Make sure to request passwords to online learning sites used at school (raz-kids.com, IXL.com, etc.), have access to books at an appropriate reading level, ask about sites that provide printable worksheets, and, if still in school, bring home worksheets that could be completed during time off.

Schedule Recess/Playtime - While home is often seen as a place to relax and have fun, scheduling recess or play/downtime may help kids to feel like there is more of a routine. An average day at elementary schools fluctuates between time spent on learning, time to process and reflect, and time to have some fun. With an extended stay at home, it may help to touch on all of these activities. Scheduled recess allows for a child to predict when they will have a break to move their bodies and decompress.

Use Screens Wisely - Many parents will no doubt be working from home and have significant to-do lists of their own. While watching movies and favorite TV shows is likely an inevitable - and in many ways beneficial - tool to pass the time, consider exploring some more educational screen-based options as part of your child's day. Resources such as National Geographic Kids, PBS KIDS.org, ScienceDaily.com, educationworld.com, TIME For Kids, Smithsonian Tween Tribune, among others can help to provide more academic content, including Social Studies, Science, Current Events and more. Commonsensemedia.org is also a great resource for finding age appropriate options.

Move Your Body - While getting outside for some fresh air is the ideal way for our children to move their bodies, this may not be an option. Thankfully, there are some creative ways to make sure our kids get in time for gross motor movement. Consider options such as GoNoodle.com, Cosmickids.com and Gaia.com for whole body movement and yoga videos. If you are looking for options other than video-based activities, consider building a pillow fort, keeping balloons off of the ground, having a dance party or setting up a home-made obstacle course.

Bolster Life Skills Education - As Kelley Challen, NESCA's Director of Transition, so aptly explained in her blog post, the process of teaching our kids to become functional adults starts at birth. Consider spending this time teaching some skills in the home: have kids help with the process of doing a whole load of laundry from start to finish, work through a recipe for dinner together or clean surfaces around the house while explaining how to safely use different cleaning products. All of these experiences help a child to understand their future role as independent adults.

Work on the Broader Executive Functioning (EF) Skills - EF includes skills such as problem solving, time management, goal setting and organization. Provide sorting activities, have a child create their own schedule, set a daily goal, practice telling time or play some problem-solving games such as Heads-up, Charades or Guess Who.

About the Author

Dr. Sophie Bellenis is a Licensed Occupational Therapist in Massachusetts, specializing in pediatrics and occupational therapy in the

developing world. Dr. Bellenis joined NESCA in the fall of 2017 to offer community-based skills coaching services as well as social skills coaching as part of NESCA's transition team. Dr. Bellenis graduated from the MGH Institute of Health Professions with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, with a focus on pediatrics and international program evaluation. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, as well as the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. In addition to her work at NESCA, Dr. Bellenis works as a school-based occupational therapist for the city of Salem Public Schools and believes that individual sensory needs, and visual skills must be taken into account to create comprehensive educational programming.

To book an appointment or to learn more about NESCA's Occupational Therapy Services, please fill out our online Intake Form, email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

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Making the Most of COVID-19 School Closures - NESCA

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By: Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L Occupational Therapist; Real-life Skills Program Manager and Coach COVID-19 was recently declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), and it is quickly becoming a pervasive force that we are all attuned to.

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I'm passionate about helping ALL students succeed! I taught special education in a multi-needs classroom, where my students had a range of low incidence abilities functioning anywhere between a PreK to 3rd grade level. I love teaching and creating materials - and then being able to share my ideas and help teachers like you! Read more about my classroom on my blog - Breezy Special Ed Blog and on my facebook page.

Every student can succeed, just in different ways. So I keep trying new things until I find what works for that student!

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

It's all in the little things. When I see something we've been working on for so long finally "click" with a student, when a behavior plan starts to show improvements with a student, when my students say hello unprompted! :)

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

Graduated from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights with a Special Education and Elementary Education BA degree.

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Check out my facebook page for more ideas and notifications of new products/sales!

English Language Arts, Reading, Spelling, Specialty, Math, Science, Earth Sciences, Social Studies - History, Government, U.S. History, Arts & Music, Computer Science - Technology, Special Education, Health, Social Work, Life Skills, School Counseling, Cooking, Writing, Oral Communication, Holidays/Seasonal, Back to School, Thanksgiving, Christmas/ Chanukah/ Kwanzaa, Halloween, Speech Therapy, Winter, Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day, Black History Month, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Spring, Earth Day, Summer, Vocational Education, Early Intervention, Women's History Month

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I'm passionate about helping ALL students succeed! I taught special education in a multi-needs classroom, where my students had a range of low incidence abilities functioning anywhere between a PreK to 3rd grade level. I love teaching and creating materials - and then being able to share my ideas and help teachers like you!

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First - take a deep breath and take the time to gather your thoughts on what you need to do. You have to appear calm, even if your mind is running a thousand miles an hour. What am I going to do with the children all day? How do I get supplies in the house? What if someone gets sick? What if I get sick? What about my work? And what if things fall apart at home?

(While I state child and children in this article, it is intended for children of all ages, even adults, in all the circumstances that are being disrupted at this time.)

What am I going to do with the children all day?

The same thing you do every other day, except, at least initially, it will be more like a weekend day. Some of the strategies you use when you go on vacation can also be used here. Trust me, I know this is not a vacation.

I know this assumes you are or can stay home with your children. That part is covered later.

Take care of yourself first.

If you can, get up before your children to collect your thoughts and plan your day.

Be calm; let everyone know that things are going to be okay. If you're anxious, your children will be anxious.

Be careful how much the children see on television and social media.

Know the symptoms of COVID-19.

Eat well, exercise, and get (plenty of) sleep.

Talk to your children. Explain what is happening in terms your children can understand.

There is a sickness going around and the schools want you to stay home so you don't get sick .

Keep it short and simple.
Things might be a little different around here and I am going to need your help. We will do a little work and have a little fun throughout the day.
Here is a social story you might find helpful: The Coronavirus Free Printable (PDF).

And here are from the National Association of School Psychologists.

Create a schedule, with input from your children if you can. Make it visual. As much as you can, keep the same morning schedule you use for school or work, so that some things are familiar to the person with FXS. Use the schedule to develop a daily routine as much as possible.

Try to incorporate sensory activities throughout the day. Just because your children are home from school does not mean they cannot go outside. Get them moving. Think: heavy work, pushing and pulling, swinging, and rocking.

A sensory diet consists of activities used to attain and maintain appropriate arousal states throughout the day. He re is a link to information on a s ensory diet; if possible, email and work with your child's occupational therapist:

Use this time to teach a new skill - you can incorporate math and reading into most of these:

Start with hygiene: Wash, wash, wash those hands, before/after eating, after going to the bathroom, after being outside; you get the idea. Even if no one is affected in your area, it is a good time to get into the routine now. Remember, you have to do it for 20 seconds - the ABC song, the Happy Birthday song. Practice coughing, sneezing, blowing nose into a tissue - then throw the tissue away. Who can make the most realistic sounding sneeze is a good contest. No more high fives or knuckles! Practice elbow bumps, toe waves, hand waves, head nods - who can come up with the most fun/creative way to say hi without touching each other.

Laundry: Sorting, starting the washer/dryer, hang clothes on a (makeshift) clothesline, putting clothes away.

Dishes: Emptying the dishwasher - or forget the dishwasher and wash the (unbreakable) dishes by hand.

Cooking: Cooking simple items, like pretzels.

Be silly! Have fun!

How do I get supplies in the house?

This might be the time to order supplies/food online. For many grocers, the cost is minimal. You could go pick up the items - they will bring them to your car - or you can have them delivered.

Places like Target or Walmart will gather your list for you and meet you at your car.

That is not an option? Go to the store when the fewest people are there - I have found that to be early in the morning, the earlier the better.

If your child takes medications , call the pharmacy to see if they anticipate any difficulties getting your child's medications. You might ask if you can get some kind of override to have extra medications on hand, should the supply chain be affected. Tell them you need a "vacation override." 😉

What if someone gets sick? What if I get sick?

Call the doctor. Call before you go in.

Maybe you can do your visit or speak with the doctor on your computer - telehealth. Th is is a great time to start this practice , and just know that if your doctor thinks you should come in, you will be able to , but they will be ready for you.

If you have to go into the doctor, find out ahead of time what special steps you will need to take, and let your child know what to expect. Will he or she have to wear a mask? Sit in a separate room? Get to see the usual doctor?

What about my work?

That is going to vary widely from person-to-person, job-to-job. Everything from taking vacation to personal time off (PTO) to applying for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). I hope you can get this to work for you and your family.

And what if things fall apart at home?

Like any breaks from school or changes in routines, there may be a time of transition to the new schedule and routine. Remember the mosey? Allow a little extra time - for everything, and move a little more slowly - for everything.

I think many of us hope for the best but plan for the worst. It doesn't always work out as well as we hoped. I know you cannot always see a meltdown coming, but if you do, clear everyone from the room until your child settles. Just know that this may happen and have your plan in place.

I am happy to help anyone brainstorm ideas for your child or family, feel free to email me.

Bottom Line

Stay home . This is easy for your children to understand.

Socially isolate . (The new term for the year.) This is harder. Here is one idea: Remember "Flat Stanley"? And if you don't, you should get to know him. It is a children's book about Stanley - a bulletin board fell on him and now he is flat. He could be your child's new friend, and you could create your own book about their adventures (indoors) together . You do not have to buy the book - just look up what he is about here.

I want to hear your ideas!

Also, I know that many of you take care of a parent or grandparent and they are in the high-risk category for this virus. And if they are in a nursing or extended care home, you may not be allowed to visit. I know that some of are in the high-risk category. We hope the virus works its way quickly across the country and the world, and that it has minimal impact on you and your family.

I know there are more aspects that I have not covered that are unique to your family. We are here to help in any way we can.

You got this.

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COVID-19 - My child is home from school or work or a day program! What do I do?

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First - take a deep breath and take the time to gather your thoughts on what you need to do. You have to appear calm, even if your mind is running a thousand miles an hour. What am I going to do with the children all day?

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Coronavirus is scary for all of us. For children with comorbid anxiety disorder, school closures and health threats are downright paralyzing. Here are 11 expert tips for talking to your child about COVID-19, navigating the next few weeks at home together, and living with the constant hum of uncertainty in an ADHD household.

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The last week has felt like one long news ticker - spiraling coverage of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), compounded by a steady stream of school closures and event cancellations, video of toilet-paper battles in Costco, and one Presidential address after the other. With so much new, bad information coming to light each hour and so many questions left unanswered, families are feeling on edge - and with good reason.

For families living with ADHD, the impact of coronavirus may be more acute due to the common and serious comorbidity of anxiety disorder. According to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a quarter of children and teens with ADHD also suffer from an anxiety disorder. This comorbidity is a fact that's inescapable to many families at this very moment.

Whether or not your child's school has closed, you are suddenly tasked with the challenge of explaining coronavirus in a way that is factual and serious, yet not overly dire. Your child may have questions about death rates, travel risks, and contagions. You must respect your child's need for information and reassurance, while also weighing how the daily news may cause his or her anxiety to spike. And you'll need to do all of this while managing your own mental health, working from home, and playing endless games of Monopoly.

This is the Olympics of special-needs parenting. As such, we've called in some world-class experts to help us with their time-tested game plans for families living with ADHD and anxiety. Following is their advice for explaining coronavirus to your anxious child and navigating the days and weeks ahead with grace and deep breathing.

"While we all prepare and take precautions like washing our hands," says Lidia Zylowska, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist with expertise in mindfulness-based therapy for ADHD, "a critical part of the preparation is to not let anxiety and worry overtake our families."
[Read This: "We Live in the Upside Down Now. Grace Is Pivotal Here in the Age of Coronavirus."]
#1. Focus on the facts, understand the fear.

"What can help parents to manage anxiety is understanding the concept of intolerance of uncertainty," Zylowska says. "Intolerance of uncertainly can drive worry and anxiety up the wall. It means that when something is uncertain, we tend to see it as dangerous, unsafe, or overwhelming. We can react with fear and avoidance or with frantic efforts to prepare for the unknown.

"In times like these, the question is not how to eradicate uncertainty, but rather how to learn to sit with uncertainty and not overreact. Can we learn to tolerate uncertainty a bit more? Can we imagine that while risks are present, things can be OK even if uncertain, and trust that we will be able to handle whatever comes our way?"

As much as possible, focus on the facts as we know them right now. Don't try to predict the future or share Doom's Day scenarios with your children. Projections aren't helpful when no one knows for certain what's ahead, and trying to guess may cause anxiety to run rampant. At the same time, understand that we are living in uncertain times and that will, naturally, cause justified worry.

"In the end, it is important for parents to acknowledge to themselves and to their children that anxiety, worry and, fear may be present; accept these feelings with compassion, and also learn to step back (at least a bit) from these fearful reactions. Focus on hope more than fear."
[Download This: 9 Truths About ADHD & Intense Emotions]
#2. Acknowledge and manage your own anxiety.

"Children naturally look to parents to understand if they should fear something," Zylowksa says. "Children are very good at picking up parents emotional energy, so it is really important to manage your own fear and anxiety and not amplify your child's fears. This is even more important for parents of children who have an anxious temperament or have significant worry about something.

"Of course, this is easier said than done, especially when a realistic fear like coronavirus is around. I invite parents to check in with their own feelings and if they notice a lot of tension or stress, to do something to bring that down. That can mean relaxing body tension by softening the face and jaw muscles, dropping the shoulders a bit, and taking a few deeper breaths. When we do this, our voice and actions are often less tense and we are more aligned when we ask our children not to worry too much."
[Click To Read: How Deep Breathing Opens Up the ADHD Brain]
#3. Bow out or be quiet when your anxiety spikes.

"We are our own kids' first anxiety defense," says Erina White, Ph.D, a clinical researcher at Boston Children's Hospital and therapist in private practice who specializes in ADHD and anxiety. "They take their cues from us on how worried to be by the tone, pace, pitch, and volume of our voices.

"If you sense your own anxiety rising (or you notice yourself stuffing a million rolls of toilet paper into a closet) try (and I know this is hard) to take a deep breath and bring your own heart rate down. Over the last few days, when my anxiety was heightened, I tried to take frequent walks in nature, forcing myself to hear the birds, pat the animals, and feel the ground under my feet. I also hold my hand on my heart (or on the veins of my wrist) and try to lower the rapidity of the beats. When I'm in a good place I return to my family. If I'm not, I wait."

#4. Start with a question. Follow with facts.

"Ask gently (don't yell or over question) how your child is doing," White says. "Let them tell you if they are worried or scared or have questions about COVID-19. If they do, have a well-informed discussion.

"Go to the CDC website (or another trusted source) and show them what the scientists are saying. Help them to understand that there are experts working on things as we speak and let them learn how to seek this knowledge in a scientific and thoughtful way. Try to discourage them from buying into social media posts, rumors or over-done media outlets."

Note: Fueling many people's anxiety is the spread of misinformation on social media and through unsanctioned videos on YouTube. Experts say the best source of information is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC has a webpage dedicated to Covid-19. Your state's Department of Health is another source of information you can trust.

#5. Limit news exposure.

Remember, bad news is compelling and drives viewership. It drives up ratings, which in turn brings in more advertising dollars. Seeing images of people wearing masks in hospital wards and hearing coronavirus news reports all day long can increase distress in anyone, but especially in those predisposed to anxiety already. Experts say it's a good idea to decrease your viewing time in common family areas of your home. If necessary, read news reports discretely on your phone away from your children. Be mindful of little ears playing nearby that overhear news reports you're watching or hearing.

#6. Don't over-share.

Children may have questions about germs and sickness and, in some case, even death. But unless they ask you directly, try to minimize conversation on the topic of illness. The best thing you can do is reassure them that legions of responsible adults are working hard to keep everyone safe and healthy. You can also point out that the reason so many gatherings are being canceled is that experts say that being at home is the safest place to be. Hearing that home is the safest, healthiest place to be is the most reassuring message your child can hear.

If your child is taking medication for anxiety and feeling more anxious, however, don't hesitate to share your concerns with your psychiatrist or prescribing physician.

#7. Maintain a routine.

Children with ADHD thrive on routine. A sustained school disruption can be extremely upsetting for them. To offset this sudden and enormous change of schedule, try to put in place a reliable daily home routine. Wake at the same time each day; carve out blocks of time for academics, exercise, and entertainment; eat regular meals together, and remember that regularity is calming and reassuring.
[Download This: A Sample Routine for ADHD Families]
#8. Expect non-verbal signs of anxiety.

In young children, anxiety often manifests as behavior that is extra clingy, weepy, or irritable. Keeping diet and sleep routines as normal as possible will give children a sense of security. Extra hugs (and bedtime stories) along with some additional one-on-one attention will go a long way toward making an anxious child feel better.

#9. Try to play - and laugh.

Break out board games, build a house of cards, bake cookies, or take a family hike. Show your children that there's an upside to all the cancellations. If a much-anticipated event or spring break is canceled, try to reschedule it for a later date so that everyone has something to look forward to.

"It is hard sometimes, but try to find the humor in things," White says. "Joke about how all of our hands are rough and raw from hand washing and find some great smelling hand cream to use together. Joke about the reams of toilet paper, massive long lines at the stores, and empty shelves of goods. Try to find some humor in these things that seem so out of the ordinary. If you are especially free-spirited and adventurous pretend that this is 'camping' and set up a tent in the living room or make a game out of the 'bunkered down' house."

#10. Remind your children of the altruistic purpose of self-quarantining.

"Oftentimes when kids understand the higher purpose of things, they can do some 'meaning-making,' which allows them to feel some control over their conditions," White says. "For example, some may say, 'We have to stay home now so that we don't pass on the virus to others. We are going to be OK. Children are not at risk, but if we stay home we can make sure that grandma and grandpa stay healthy too..."

#11. Remember that this, too, shall pass.

"If you lay the foundation correctly, you can make fond memories for your kids about 'that time when mom and dad tried to teach me when they were also doing their job,' White says. "For a kid, this can be just another adventure, especially if we parents can help create this fun narrative. For us, juggling job, home-schooling ("Wait, now I'm a teacher and an employee AND a mom and an entertainer all in one?!") is a daunting task, but if we all make it to the other side in one piece you and your children may be able to reflect back on the time when you self-quarantined to help the elderly and everyone had one long snow day without the shoveling."

Coronavirus Basics

Of course, we would be remiss if we didn't remind parents of the coronavirus basics:

If you have symptoms, reach out to your doctor.

For specific questions regarding individual health, contact your physician. Congestion, fever, and breathing difficulty should be brought to the attention of a healthcare provider. Understand however, that the flu is still a bigger concern than the coronavirus. Be proactive in seeking treatment but keep things in perspective.

Teach proper hand-washing techniques.

Regular and frequent hand washing is the number one way to kill the spread of germs. The CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (two rounds of the " Happy Birthday " song or saying the alphabet twice). If soap and water aren't available hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol is an acceptable substitute. Help your child remember to wash hands before and after eating, after petting cats and dogs, after touching garbage, after using the toilet, and especially after blowing their nose.

Practice good, basic hygiene.

Avoid touching your face with your hands. Demonstrate how to cough or sneeze into a tissue and make tissues readily available throughout the home, especially in bedrooms, bathrooms, and the kitchen. Discourage sharing food and beverages, and remind children to avoid people who are sneezing or coughing. Handshakes are another no-no right now. Instead, greet people with a wave or challenge your family to make up their own healthy version of a no-contact greeting.

Clean and disinfect your home but don't overdo it.

Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting and discard them after each cleaning. Clean surfaces (counters, frequently touched cabinets, and drawers) with mild soap and water. Disinfect with diluted household bleach or alcohol solutions (follow manufacturer's instructions.) Vacuum and dust as you normally would. Clean your cell phone as well, according to its manufacturer's instructions.

Launder with care.

If someone in your home is ill, launder their clothing separately and use disposable gloves - designated for this purpose - when handling their clothes, linens, and towels. Explain to children that this is temporary and special treatment during the next few weeks and that things will go back to normal eventually.

THIS ARTICLE IS PART OF ADDITUDE'S FREE PANDEMIC COVERAGE
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Updated on July 27, 2020

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How to Explain Coronavirus to a Child with Anxiety

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Coronavirus is scary for all of us. For children with comorbid anxiety disorder, school closures and health threats are downright paralyzing. Here are 11 expert tips for talking to your child about COVID-19, navigating the next few weeks at home together, and living with the constant hum of uncertainty in an ADHD household.

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How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus | Parenting Tips & Advice

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With coronavirus being a concern for grown ups, kids might also be worrying. Here's how to talk about COVID-19 with your young children, plus ways to practice healthy habits all year round.

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Like many school districts in the nation, our district has decided to implement a two week hiatus to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Fortunately, our students have the ability to work on their school devices from home to keep up with their mounting school work. Not only is keeping up with their academics important, but it is important to help students keep a healthy routine during this unusual time in our country. Although quarantine is the worst, best case scenario for stopping the virus, health officials recognize quarantine can cause anxiety, confusion, boredom, stress, lack of sleep, fear, and thoughts of suicide for those in isolation. So, if you are one of the school counselors experiencing a mandatory quarantine or possible future quarantine, what can you do to help students stay mentally healthy?

The American School Counselor Association has provided on how to plan for virtual school counseling opportunities during emergencies. Unfortunately, due to our normal busy lives, you may not have any of these procedures in place. However, you may decide to implement a few or many of these suggested guidelines in case you find yourself home for an extended COVID-19 break. Below, I have selected a few practical suggestions from ASCA and some additional sources that may be helpful to our your students.

Online Counseling Strategies During Emergencies

See Resource: 4. Provide information for emergency situations when the school counselor is not available. Here is a helpful post: 5. Consider providing video lessons for students to view on targeted subjects. Clueless where to start, check out this post from The Counseling Geek on
1. Consider updating your website and social media accounts daily with important information that is helpful for students including cancellations, deadlines, and important events.
Covid-19: School Cancellation and Trauma
2. Set up online counseling hours for students to reach out to you whether on an online platform or social media. Make sure you are following your school counseling protocol and informed consent.
3. Create helpful grade level activities for students that meet targeted counseling goals and benchmarks.
Some activities can include:

Self care suggestions
Scholarships sources Free educational games and apps
Test Prep Resources

The # COVID19 outbreak is leaving many feeling anxious, angry, sad, or scared. If you need to talk to someone, text NAMI to 741741 or call the NAMI Helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).
If you find yourself at home to ride out the virus, here are some tips for you to stay active and engaged. Getting Started With YouTube.

1. Join a supportive online school counseling group.

Elementary School Counselor Exchange Caught In The Middle High School Counselors Network Professional School Counselors of Color eorgia School Counselor Network Educator Temporary School Closure for Online Learning
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2. Take an online workshop, webinar, or training.

Check out ASCA University Specialist courses:

4. Don't forget to practice counselor self care!
Finally, check out these additional resources and please feel free to share helpful information with your fellow colleagues in the comments!

Additional Resources:
Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus
Care for Your Coronavirus Anxiety
List of Free Educational Resources for Students
SEL Resources for Parents, Educators, and School Communities Related to COVID-19
COVID-19 and Homelessness
16 Free Resources for Schools Closing Due to the Coronavirus
Student Mental Health and Self Care

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Strategies for School Counselors During a Shutdown

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Like many school districts in the nation, our district has decided to implement a two week hiatus to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Fortunately, our students have the ability to work on their school devices from home to keep up with their mounting school work.

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National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

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Families across the country are adapting to the evolving changes in daily life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most schools, places of public gathering, and nonessential businesses are closed, and parents and other caregivers are faced with helping their families adjust to the new normal. This includes trying to keep children occupied, feeling safe, and attempting to keep up with schoolwork as best as possible. None of this is easy, but it helps to stay focused on what is possible in order to reinforce a sense of control and to reassure children that they are okay, and that the situation will get better.

It is very important to remember that children look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. Acknowledging some level of concern, without panicking, is appropriate and can result in taking the necessary actions that reduce the risk of illness. Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety. This is also a tremendous opportunity for adults to model for children problem-solving, flexibility, and compassion as we all work through adjustting daily schedules, balancing work and other activities, getting creative about how we spend time, processing new information from authorities, and connecting and supporting friends and family members in new ways. The following tips can help.

STAY CALM, LISTEN, AND OFFER REASSURANCE

Be a role model. Children will react to and follow your reactions. They learn from your example.

Be aware of how you talk about COVID-19. Your discussion about COVID-19 can increase or decrease your child's fear. If true, remind your child that your family is healthy, and you are going to do everything within your power to keep loved ones safe and well. Carefully listen or have them draw or write out their thoughts and feelings and respond with truth and reassurance.

Explain social distancing. Children probably don't fully understand why parents/guardians aren't allowing them to be with friends. Tell your child that your family is following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which include social distancing. Social distancing means staying away from others until the risk of contracting COVID-19 is under control. Showing older children the "flatten the curve" charts will help them grasp the significance of social distancing. Explain that while we don't know how long it will take to "flatten the curve" to reduce the number of those infected, we do know that this is a critical time-we must follow the guidelines of health experts to do our part.

Demonstrate deep breathing. Deep breathing is a valuable tool for calming the nervous system. Do breathing exercises with your children.

Focus on the positive. Celebrate having more time to spend as a family. Make it as fun as possible. Do family projects. Organize belongings, create masterpieces. Sing, laugh, and go outside, if possible, to connect with nature and get needed exercise. Allow older children to connect with their friends virtually.

Establish and maintain a daily routine. Keeping a regular schedule provides a sense of control, predictability, calm, and well-being. It also helps children and other family members respect others' need for quiet or uninterrupted time and when they can connect with friends virtually.

Identify projects that might help others. This could include: writing letters to the neighbors or others who might be stuck at home alone or to healthcare workers; sending positive messages over social media; or reading a favorite children's book on a social media platform for younger children to hear.

Offer lots of love and affection.

MONITOR TELEVISION VIEWING AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Parents/guardians should monitor television, internet, and social media viewing-both for themselves and their children. Watching continual updates on COVID-19 may increase fear and anxiety. Developmentally inappropriate information, or information designed for adults, can also cause anxiety or confusion, particularly in young children.

Dispel rumors and inaccurate information. Explain to your child that many stories about COVID-19 on the internet may include rumors and inaccurate information. Older children, in particular, may be accessing a great deal of information online and from friends that contains inaccuracies. Talk to your child about factual disease information.

Provide alternatives. Engage your child in games or other exciting activities instead.

TAKE TIME TO TALK

Let your children's questions guide you. Answer their questions truthfully, but don't offer unnecessary details or facts. Don't avoid giving them the information that experts indicate as crucial to your children's well-being. Often, children and youth do not talk about their concerns because they are confused or don't want to worry loved ones. Younger children absorb scary information in waves. They ask questions, listen, play, and then repeat the cycle. Children always feel empowered if they can control some aspects of their life. A sense of control reduces fear.

BE HONEST AND ACCURATE

Correct misinformation. Children often imagine situations worse than reality; therefore, offering developmentally appropriate facts can reduce fears.

Explain simple safety steps. Tell your child this disease spreads between people who are in close contact with one another, when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or when one touches infected objects or surfaces.

Stay up-to-date on the facts. Go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.htmlfor additional factual information.

KEEP EXPLANATIONS AGE-APPROPRIATE

Early elementary school children. Provide brief, simple information that balances COVID-19 facts with appropriate reassurances that adults are there to help keep them healthy and to take care of them if they do get sick. Give simple examples of the steps people make every day to stop germs and stay healthy, such as washing hands. Use language such as "adults are working hard to keep you safe."

Upper elementary and early middle school children. This age group often is more vocal in asking questions about whether they indeed are safe and what will happen if COVID-19 spreads in their area. They may need assistance separating reality from rumor and fantasy. Discuss the efforts national, state, and community leaders are doing to prevent germs from spreading.

Upper middle and high school students. Issues can be discussed in more depth. Refer them to appropriate sources of COVID-19 facts. Provide honest, accurate, and factual information about the current status of COVID-19. Engage them in decision-making about family plans, scheduling, and helping with chores at home.

For all children, encourage them to verbalize their thoughts and feelings. Be a good listener!

STAY CONNECTED TO SCHOOL

Locate learning resources. Schools' capacity to conduct virtual learning experiences will vary greatly, but most schools are providing lessons and learning activities for children to do. Take advantage of the many companies and online platforms currently offering free learning opportunities.

Identify additional resources. Know if your school or district is providing additional resources, such meals, or technology, such as a laptop or tablet.

Stay in touch. Find out how the school is communicating with families and students. Be sure to read any communications you receive. Check with you children, particularly older ones, as they may be receiving information directly that would be helpful for you to know.

Connect with school staff. Reach out to your child's teacher and other relevant school staff if you have concerns about their coping and keeping up with assignments or activities.

KNOW THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19

According to the CDC, symptoms of fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath appear within 14 days after being exposed to the disease.

For some people, the symptoms are similar to having a cold; for others, they are more severe or even life threatening.

MODEL BASIC HYGIENE AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PRACTICES

Practice daily good hygiene. Encourage your child to practice these simple steps to prevent spreading the virus.

Wash your hands multiple times a day for 20 seconds. Singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" or "Happy Birthday" twice is about 20 seconds.

Compliment your children when they use a Kleenex or sneeze or cough into the bend of their elbow. Teach them the importance of throwing away used tissues immediately after sneezing or coughing.

Sadly, handshakes and hugs need to be limited to immediate family members, at least for now.

Foster a sense of control. Offering guidance on what your child/children can do to prevent infection offers them a greater sense of control, which reduces anxiety.

Build the immune system. Encourage your child to eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly; this will help them develop a robust immune system to fight off illness.

BE AWARE OF YOUR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH

Most children will manage well with the support of parents and other family members, even if showing signs of some anxiety or concerns, such as difficulty sleeping or concentrating. Some children, however, may have risk factors for more intense reactions, including severe anxiety, depression, and suicidal behaviors. Risk factors can include a pre-existing mental health problem, prior traumatic experiences or abuse, family instability, or the loss of a loved one. Parents and caregivers should contact a professional if children exhibit significant changes in behavior or any of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks.

Preschoolers -thumb sucking, bedwetting, clinging to parents, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, fear of the dark, regression in behavior, and withdrawal.

Elementary school children -irritability, aggressiveness, clinginess, nightmares, school avoidance, poor concentration, and withdrawal from activities and friends.

Adolescents -sleeping and eating disturbances, agitation, increase in conflicts, physical complaints, delinquent behavior, and poor concentration.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For more information related to schools and physical and mental health, visit www.nasponline.org and © 2020, National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East Wes t Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301-657-0270 www.nasn.org.
Adapted from, Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource, National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of School Nurses, NASP, 2020.

Contributor: School Psychologist Kathy Sievering

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Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting From COVID-19

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Families across the country are adapting to the evolving changes in daily life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most schools, places of public gathering, and nonessential businesses are closed, and parents and other caregivers are faced with helping their families adjust to the new normal.

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Experts offer advice on how parents can help adolescents get the facts straight and be prepared.

A student received a lesson online in Bareggio, near Milan, Italy, where schools are closed because of the coronavirus. Credit... Yara Nardi/Reuters

What should parents do if their teens and tweens, with easy access to information on their phones and laptops, develop anxiety over what they have heard about the coronavirus?

Here are tips from experts on how to help them.

The psychologist Lisa Damour, author of "Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls," said parents can help lessen their anxiety, and that of their kids, by learning all they can about the new coronavirus and how to protect themselves.

"Reinforce basic stuff kids know and understand: Wash your hands, get a good night's sleep, protect your immune system," Dr. Damour said. "Tell your kids you know what to do to reduce the chances of getting sick."

Other common-sense tips include trying to avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, all routes of viral transmission, and keeping your distance from people who are coughing.

It may be reassuring to some young people to learn that children seem to be less likely to get sick from the virus.

[Stay informed: Sign up for our Coronavirus Briefing newsletter | Be ready: How to Prepare for the Coronavirus]

Daniela Raccanello, an assistant professor of developmental and educational psychology at the University of Verona, Italy, found herself using some of her professional advice with her own 7- and 10-year-old daughters when their school in the Padua region closed last week because of coronavirus.

"It is key to help children continue their lives as normally as possible, but at the same time be aware of what is happening," Dr. Raccanello said. "Keep them busy with their studies, and reassure them that the current situation, like their school being closed, is the best way to keep people safe."

She is part of a group called Hemot, an international organization focusing on emotional preparedness for disasters, which published this pamphlet to help parents talk about coronavirus with their children. She said she used what she had learned from working on it to help ease her daughters' fears that they or someone they know might get sick from the virus.

Wendy Mogel, a clinical psychologist and the author of "Voice Lessons for Parents," noted that the coronavirus has all the makings of a horror movie that will fascinate many older kids.

"The virus's origin, the quick spread around the world, the allure of this novel disease is everywhere," she said. "Turn off the news and really find out what your kids know about the virus."

"Answer their questions, and if you don't know the answer, be honest. You can research the answers together," Dr. Mogel said.

[What scientists know about the virus]

Richard Bromfield, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School and the author of "How to Unspoil Your Child Fast, "agreed. "Kids are exposed to so much information today that they marinate in it," he said. "Manage what your kids see and hear, but have them share with you what they are exposed to so you can discuss it. Try to see it the way they see it, and help correct misinformation and put it in context."

Dr. Bromfield cautions that parents should not falsely reassure kids by saying things like "you'll be fine" or "everyone's going to be fine." Instead, parents should try to understand what their children are feeling.

"Parents should have one leg in the worry and one leg in the place of constructive help, comfort and validation of how hard it is to be experiencing this," Dr. Bromfield said.

He compared it to other recent catastrophes that have been in the news, such as the bush fires in Australia.

"For parents, it is easy to imagine a 3- or 4-year-old crying when they see a koala bear burned and alone," he said. "I think we forget that a 17-year-old still has a little bit of that younger child in them, and they too are frightened and vulnerable."

Dr. Mogel suggested passing along the words one teenager recently used in talking about the virus to her:"She said people with stronger immune systems should take more responsibility to keep people with weaker immune systems well."

She added, "It's also a good opportunity for parents to reinforce what they have always told their kids: Get a good night's sleep, get some sunshine, eat well and make sure you wash your hands."

Give teens the right information about how viruses are transmitted and put it in context, suggested Heather Turgeon, a psychotherapist and co-author of " Now Say This: The Right Words to Solve Every Parenting Dilemma."

"Explain that part of why we take certain precautions, like 20-second hand-washing before snacks and lunch, not sharing food and utensils, and so forth is that we're protecting vulnerable people. It's a community effort," Ms. Turgeon said.

If your emergency preparation plans include stocking up on groceries and toiletries, as you would before a big snowstorm or hurricane, you might invite your kids to go the store with you. Having a stash of their favorite snacks in the pantry could help them feel prepared.

[Advice from NYT Parenting on talking about the virus with preschoolers]

With spring break on the horizon for many schoolchildren, Dr. Damour said that if families decide to cancel trips, it's good to be upfront about it.

"Tell your kids that this year, the risk of traveling isn't worth it, but you will find another way for your family to have fun," Dr. Damour said.

[Should you cancel spring break plans? Advice from NYT Parenting]

"Rather than just react, parents should reflect, think and plan to talk to their child with thoughtfulness, carefulness and steadfastness," Dr. Bromfield said. "That helps your child and you navigate this particular moment and serve as a template, as a way to approach the next one. The implication is that your child will be able to do that in the future on his or her own."

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Talking to Teens and Tweens About Coronavirus

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Experts offer advice on how parents can help adolescents get the facts straight and be prepared. What should parents do if their teens and tweens, with easy access to information on their phones and laptops, develop anxiety over what they have heard about the coronavirus? Here are tips from experts on how to help them.

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Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus

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You may have heard the word “coronavirus” online or on TV. You probably have a lot of questions. Check out our comic to get some answers — and print out a zine version at home.

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Lo sentimos, la página que usted busca no se ha podido encontrar. Puede intentar su búsqueda de nuevo o visitar la lista de temas populares.

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, many parents are wondering how to talk to children about the impacts of the virus in a way that will be reassuring and not make kids more worried than they already may be. Here is some advice from the experts at the Child Mind Institute.

Welcome their questions. With so much up in the air, kids are bound to have questions they might not be asking. They might range from the very serious ("Will Grandma be okay?") to the seemingly silly ("Will my favorite ice cream parlor still be there?"). Encourage them to ask and, whatever the question, try to take your child's concerns seriously. Your goal is to help your children be heard and get fact-based information that is likely more reassuring than whatever they're hearing from their friends or on the news.

Don't avoid questions you can't answer. Given how much uncertainty there is, try to be comfortable saying "I don't know." It's tempting to want to reassure your child that things will be better soon, even when you aren't sure yourself. But teaching children how to tolerate uncertainty is key to reducing anxiety and helping them build resilience.

Set the tone. Look at these conversations as an opportunity not just to convey the facts but set the emotional tone. "You take on the news and you're the person who filters the news to your kid," explains Janine Domingues, PhD, a child psychologist at the Child Mind Institute.

Be developmentally appropriate. Don't volunteer too much information, as this may be overwhelming. Instead, try to answer your child's questions honestly and clearly. It's okay if you can't answer everything; being available to your child is what matters.

Take your cues from your child. Invite your child to tell you anything they may have heard about the coronavirus, and how they feel. Give them ample opportunity to ask questions. You want to be prepared to answer (but not prompt) questions. Your goal is to avoid encouraging frightening fantasies.

Deal with your own anxiety. "When you're feeling most anxious or panicked, that isn't the time to talk to your kids about what's happening with the coronavirus," warns Dr. Domingues. If you've just learned news that's upsetting, or that you worry will upset your child, take some time to calm down before trying to have a conversation or answer your child's questions.

Be reassuring. Children are very egocentric, so hearing about the mounting death toll on the news may make them seriously worry that they'll catch it, especially the coverage of the new syndrome affecting children. It's helpful to reassure your child that very few kids are getting sick, and that they're unlikely to catch it.

Focus on what you're doing to stay safe. An important way to reassure kids is to emphasize the safety precautions that you, and others around you, are taking. Jamie Howard, PhD, a child psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, notes, "Kids feel empowered when they know what to do to keep themselves safe." Remind kids that washing their hands is actually helping everyone by stopping the spread of the virus. Involve them in your family's ongoing safety plan. That could mean letting them choose masks for the family, or coming up with a new 20-second song -we're all a little tired of Happy Birthday!- to sing while you wash your hands.

Keep talking. Tell kids that you will continue to keep them updated as you learn more. "Let them know that the lines of communication are going to be open," says Dr. Domingues. "You can say, 'Even though we don't have the answers to everything right now, know that once we know more, mom or dad will let you know, too.'"

Did you know the Child Mind Institute is offering telehealth services? Learn more about Telehealth.

This article was last reviewed or updated on August 9, 2021.

Rachel Ehmke is a freelance writer and the former managing editor at the Child Mind Institute. She holds a BA ... Read Bio

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Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus Crisis - Child Mind Institute

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What parents and other adults can say to kids about the coronavirus COVID-19. How to answer their questions and keep kids feeling safe.

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Virtual Reality

Take yourself on a real life expedition of Canadian farms and food processing facilities from the comfort of your home. It's a fun, simple and affordable way to educate and engage audiences in workshops, trade shows, classrooms and the like. This can be done through Google Cardboard or Gear VR. Grab one and get started!

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Virtual Reality Take yourself on a real life expedition of Canadian farms and food processing facilities from the comfort of your home. It's a fun, simple and affordable way to educate and engage audiences in workshops, trade shows, classrooms and the like. This can be done through Google Cardboard or Gear VR.

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See elephants, lions and naked mole-rats on animal cams streaming live, 24/7 from the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

Download Animal Cam Bingo Cards (link opens in new window). These activities are designed to engage learners of all ages in looking closely and thinking deeply about animal behavior and habitats. Welcome to the wild side of learning!

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The Zoo's animal webcams are some of the most famous on the internet. Tune in to watch the Zoo's elephants, lions and naked mole-rats - live, 24/7!

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Ready to explore Yellowstone? You don't have to wait for your trip out here. You can start exploring now by virtually touring some of the main attractions around the park. Included with each map-based tour is additional information about visiting in person.

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Virtual Tours - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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International Space Station Tour With Sunita Williams

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Take Your Kids on a Free Virtual Field Trip

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Free virtual field trips can turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary day. Whether it is with your virtual classmates, as part of a distance

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Explore all Collections on Google Arts & Culture.

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Join us for our Virtual Field Trips or watch them on-demand after their premieres. Each no-cost Virtual Field Trip comes with a companion guide packed with standards-aligned, hands-on learning activities! Select one of the options below to register.

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Take students beyond the classroom and into some of the world's most iconic locations with virtual field trips. Learn more!

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coronaviruses; 2019-ncov; covid-19; sars-cov-2; viruses; outbreak; infections; illnesses; epidemic; epidemiology; pandemic; quarantine; wuhan; immune system; pneumonia; germs; vaccines; vaccinations; creative coding; corona virus; corona viruses; carona

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Learn all about the coronavirus that started making people sick in 2019.

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The Coronavirus outbreak has put a stress on teachers and schools to close in order to keep communities safe. For special education teachers, providing at home learning materials can be very difficult. I want to help! I am offering the following for the month of March to ease the pressure and workload placed on teachers and to support students at home during this time period:
+ FREE hand washing life skills center (visuals and task analysis) + FREE visual recipe for Shamrock Mix + FREE Picture Comprehension: Spring + FREE Cut and Paste Worksheets: March + FREE Home visual Schedule + $5 Simple Comprehension: March + At Home Learning Bundle How can you tell parents about these resources?
These resources are print and go. You are welcome to email parents this resource for at home printing ( this is usually not allowed in my terms of use and I am giving a written exception for this case in case it is necessary.)

If you have planning time, print the resources for parents to complete at home and provide an email explaining how to support students while doing so.

What resource will give me week long learning?
Picture comprehension Spring will provide comprehension sheets for daily use of up to one months time.

Simple Comprehension ( March is available for $5 at this time) will give you 4 weeks work of lessons, stories, vocabulary, comprehension, and more. You can print the level appropriate for the student and send home with them.

What if I need more to fill the time out of school?
I recommend only sending print and go materials or loaning your prepped materials to parents. As always, over 70 free downloads in the Simply Free Library Many of these are task boxes that can become simple cut and paste worksheets if sending home.

Need more help? We are brainstorming ideas in my Simply Special Community of special ed teachers on Facebook, join the conversation here.

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5 Resources for at Home Learning - Simply Special Ed

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The Coronavirus outbreak has put a stress on teachers and schools to close in order to keep communities safe. For special education teachers, providing at home learning materials can be very difficult. I want to help! I am offering the following for the month of March to ease the pressure and workload placed on teachers [...]

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Free Downloads for Closed Schools from The Autism Helper

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As Autism Speaks continues to monitor the evolving situation around COVID-19, our sincere hope is that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. The situation is changing rapidly; stay informed by visiting the CDC's information page regularly. In the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it can be difficult to wade through what will be an effective tool to cope with widespread disruptions to the daily lives of autistic children, teens and adults. Autism Speaks is leading the COVID-19 Autism Research Community Task Force to tap the rich knowledge and expertise of autism researchers during the pandemic, and offer the best available evidence-based tools here for your use.
In partnership with the Autism Science Foundation (ASF), working together with the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) and the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), the task force has asked autism researchers to create ready-to-use tools for the range of support needs to help people with autism through this crisis. The task force will rapidly review, assess and distribute these tools to the public, posting them on this page as a quick reference. Tools vetted by the Task Force are indicated with a 💼 symbol.

As COVID-19 vaccines are distributed throughout the country, Autism Speaks hosted the CDC's Georgina Peacock, M.D., and the presidents of the Autism Society of America and Autism Science Foundation on for a webinar about COVID vaccines and autism. Watch it here.

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COVID-19 (coronavirus) information and resources | Autism Speaks

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As Autism Speaks continues to monitor the evolving situation around COVID-19, our sincere hope is that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. The situation is changing rapidly; stay informed by visiting the CDC's information page regularly.

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As a source of coverage for 1 in 5 Americans, Medicaid can play a key role in connecting individuals to testing and treatment for COVID-19. Through Medicaid, states can provide enrollees access to comprehensive benefits with limited out-of-pocket cost and receive federal funding with no pre-set limit to support coverage. States have options available under existing rules to expand access to coverage and facilitate enrollment in coverage for eligible individuals. Further, states can seek federal approval for additional flexibility to expedite access to coverage and care, as has occurred in response to previous disasters and emergencies. Moreover, the federal government could take a range of administrative and legislative actions to enhance state capacity to connect individuals to care through Medicaid.

This brief describes a range of steps states and the federal government could take to use Medicaid to expand coverage and access to care in the context of responding to COVID-19 as a public health crisis. The Appendix lists specific examples of Medicaid authorities available to states in emergencies. The strategies included here are not an exhaustive list of options, and, as with any such efforts, they could involve tradeoffs and may run counter to efforts by the Trump administration and some states to restrict eligibility, limit government spending, promote program integrity, and curb immigrant use of public programs. The Medicaid and CHIP Disaster Preparedness Toolkit for state agencies also specifies strategies states can implement to respond to emergencies and disasters. Moreover, on March 12, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) posted Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to aid state Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program agencies in their response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Medicaid's existing coverage and financing structure enables states to provide access to comprehensive care.

Broad source of coverage for the low-income population. As the nation's public health insurance program for people with low income, Medicaid can be a primary vehicle through which states can connect individuals to testing and treatment for COVID-19, particularly those with significant health needs who are at high risk for experiencing complications from the virus. While most adults on Medicaid are working, the vast majority of enrollees lack access to other affordable health insurance. Medicaid plays a particularly significant role for populations with complex health needs, covering 47% of children with special health care needs, 45% of nonelderly adults with disabilities, and more than six in ten nursing home residents. Unlike other types of insurance, there are no set open enrollment periods for Medicaid, meaning that people can enroll at any time they become eligible, for example, if they experience a decrease in income due to a decline in the economy. Moreover, under law, the program provides retroactive coverage for covered services incurred up to three months prior to an enrollee's application date if the individual would have been eligible at the time they received the service.

Comprehensive benefits. Through Medicaid, states can provide enrollees access to a broad array of services to address testing and treatment needs. States determine their Medicaid benefit package within a set of federal minimum standards and state options. All states offer at least some optional benefits, including prescription drugs. States can choose to add optional services to expand the scope of covered services to address emerging health needs. For example, in recent years, states have added an array of behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment services to address the opioid crisis. In its FAQs, CMS notes that states could expand coverage for telehealth and other services to provide care for individuals who are quarantined or self-isolated. For children, the federal minimum Medicaid benefit package offers access to all necessary services (regardless of whether these services are optional for adults) through the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit, which includes regular screenings, vision, dental, and hearing services and any other medically necessary care. For adults, minimum benefits include physician, inpatient and outpatient hospital, as well as laboratory services. In its FAQs, CMS clarifies that testing for COVID-19 is covered as mandatory laboratory service as long as it is provided in an office or similar facility other than a hospital outpatient department or clinic and furnished by a lab meeting specified standards. It further notes that tests that do not meet these criteria may still be covered under the optional diagnostic benefit.

No or limited out-of-pocket costs. Medicaid provides enrollees access to services with no or limited out of pocket costs. Federal rules do not require states to charge any premiums or cost sharing for Medicaid, and limit the amounts that state can charge given enrollees' limited ability to pay out of pocket costs. As of January 2019, only two states charged copayments for children in Medicaid, but most states charged cost sharing for parents and other adults. Some states have indicated that they are waiving cost sharing associated with COVID-19 testing and/or treatment. States could also broadly eliminate cost sharing for categories of services or eligibility groups. In public statements, federal officials have indicated insurance companies who provide coverage through Medicaid have agreed to cover all COVID-19 testing without cost sharing and to ensure treatment is full covered. However, to date, there is no official guidance on how these policies will be implemented or documenting insurers' agreement to this statement.

Financing structure. Medicaid provides states a guarantee of federal matching payments for covered benefits provided to enrollees with no pre-set limit. The statute sets a formula to determine the share paid by the federal government (that varies based on states' relative per capita income). Special enhanced match rates also are provided for the ACA Medicaid expansion, administration, and other services. This matching structure provides states with resources that automatically adjust for demographic and economic shifts, health care costs, public health emergencies, natural disasters and changing state priorities. As such, federal resources will automatically increase if demands for the program grow in response to COVID-19, for example, if enrollment increases due to income decreases amid an economic decline and/or if additional eligible individuals enroll in the program to access services. Medicaid also provides "disproportionate share hospital" (DSH) payments to hospitals serving many Medicaid and uninsured patients.

States can expand Medicaid eligibility to broaden access to care.

Medicaid expansion. To date, 37 states, including DC, have adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion to adults with incomes up to 138% FPL. In the remaining 14 non-expansion states, eligibility levels for parents remain very low, often below half of poverty, and, with the exception of Wisconsin, other adults are not eligible regardless of their incomes. In these non-expansion states, 2.3 million poor uninsured adults fall into a "coverage gap", with incomes above Medicaid eligibility limits but below the 100% FPL level at which Marketplace premium tax credits become available. Non-expansion states could significantly expand access to care for low-income adults by implementing the expansion and would receive enhanced federal matching dollars (currently at 90%) for this coverage. A substantial body of research shows that the ACA Medicaid expansion has expanded coverage, increased access to care and utilization, and improved various economic measures.

Optional eligibility expansions. Beyond the ACA Medicaid expansion to low-income adults, states have options available under federal rules to increase Medicaid eligibility above the federal minimum income limit of 138% FPL, at regular state match. For example, nearly all states (49) cover children with incomes up to at least 200% FPL through Medicaid and CHIP as of January 2019, including 19 states that cover children at or above 300% FPL. Similarly, the majority of states (47) extend eligibility to pregnant women beyond the federal minimum, including nearly half (22) who extend eligibility to above 200% FPL.

Optional coverage for legal immigrant children and pregnant women. Lawfully residing immigrants may qualify for Medicaid and CHIP but are subject to eligibility restrictions that require many to wait five years before they can enroll. States have an option to eliminate the five-year wait for lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant women. Over half of states had adopted this option for children or pregnant women in Medicaid and/or CHIP. States also have the option to provide prenatal care to women regardless of immigration status by extending CHIP coverage to the unborn child, which 16 states had taken up as of January 2019.

Waivers of eligibility provisions. Currently, a number of states have received approval for and implemented waivers that allow them to operate their programs in way federal rules do not otherwise allow, for example, by charging premiums, imposing coverage lockouts periods, and/or not providing retroactive coverage. Given that such policies may restrict enrollment and access to care, states could suspend these waivers to facilitate access to services to address increased needs arising from COVID-19.

States can conduct outreach and adopt policy options to help get and keep eligible people enrolled in coverage.

Outreach and enrollment assistance. Nationwide, nearly a quarter (24%) of the 27.9 million nonelderly individuals who were uninsured as of 2018 were eligible for Medicaid or CHIP coverage but not enrolled. Previous state experience has illustrated that states can promote enrollment of eligible individuals through a combination of broad mass media outreach campaigns to raise awareness of coverage options as well as targeted local efforts, often in collaboration with community based organizations and/or safety-net providers, to provide direct enrollment assistance.

Presumptive eligibility and eligibility verification. Presumptive eligibility allows states to expedite connections to coverage by authorizing certain qualified entities, like community health centers or schools, to enroll individuals who appear likely eligible for coverage while the state processes the full application. Prior to the ACA, states could utilize this option for children and pregnant women. The ACA allowed states to adopt this option for other eligibility groups. The ACA also required states to allow hospitals to conduct presumptive eligibility determinations regardless of whether the state had otherwise adopted the policy. While most states have adopted this option for pregnant women and children, only a few currently utilize it for parents and other adults. In addition, under existing rules, states can allow for self-attestation for all eligibility criteria, excluding citizenship and immigration status, including on a case-by-case for individuals subject to a disaster when documentation is not available.

12-month continuous eligibility for children. States who elect to use this option can allow a child to remain enrolled for a full year unless the child ages out of coverage, moves out of state, voluntarily withdraws, or does not make premium payments. As such, 12-month continuous eligibility eliminates coverage gaps due to fluctuations in income over the course of the year, promoting stable and continuous access to care. As of January 2019, 32 states provide 12-month continuous eligibility to children in either Medicaid or CHIP. States do not have an option under federal rules to extend 12-month continuous eligibility to groups other than children, but two states (New York and Montana) have obtained waivers to provide 12-month continuous eligibility to adults.

Suspend or delay renewals. Under federal rules, states renew coverage every twelve months. States have existing authority to extend redetermination timelines for current enrollees subject to a disaster to maintain continuity of coverage. Some states have previously delayed or suspended renewals through 1115 waivers in response to emergencies. Moreover, CMS allowed states to delay or suspend renewals as a mitigation strategy when states were implementing the ACA and addressing system challenges and processing a large number of new enrollments under the Medicaid expansion.

Suspend periodic data checks between renewals. Between annual renewal periods, enrollees are required to report changes in circumstances that may affect eligibility, and states may conduct periodic electronic data matches to identify potential changes in circumstances. If a state identifies a change that may affect eligibility, it may request information or documentation from the individual to continue coverage. If the individual does not respond to a request within the required timeframe, the state will disenroll the individual from coverage. Recent reports suggest that these periodic data checks may be leading to coverage losses among eligible individuals because they do not receive or are not able to respond to information requests within required timeframes, which are limited to 10 days in many states conducting these checks. As such, suspending these data checks could help keep enrollees connected to coverage.

States can seek federal approval for additional flexibility to connect people to coverage and care.

Section 1135 waivers. If the President has declared an emergency or disaster and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) has declared a public health emergency, the Secretary can use Section 1135 authority to waive or modify certain Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP requirements to ensure that sufficient health care items and services are available to meet the needs of Medicaid enrollees in affected areas. Examples of items that can be waived through Section 1135 authority include: conditions of participation or other certification requirements for providers; program participation and preapproval requirements for providers; requirements that physicians and other health care professionals be licensed in the state in which they are providing services (as long as they have equivalent licensing in another state for Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP reimbursement only); and the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. The Secretary used Section 1135 to provide hurricane relief to a number of areas affected by storms during 2017. On March 13, President Trump issued a proclamation that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States constitutes a national emergency, beginning March 1, 2020. With this declaration, the administration announced steps to take to address COVID-19 through 1135 waivers.

Section 1115 waivers. Section 1115 waiver authority allows the Secretary of HHS to test new approaches in Medicaid not otherwise allowed under current law, provided the demonstrations meet the objectives of the program. During past emergencies, states obtained Section 1115 waivers to expedite access to coverage and health care services for affected individuals. These included waivers to: expand coverage to individuals not otherwise eligible (including adults who were not eligible for Medicaid prior the ACA), streamline application and eligibility verification processes, temporarily suspend or delay renewals for existing enrollees, waive cost sharing and/or expand benefits for targeted population groups, and address needs for individuals within specific geographic areas of a state. For example:

Approximately 350,000 New Yorkers were covered by Disaster Relief Medicaid in a four-month time period following the September 11th attacks in 2001. DRM allowed for a simplified expedited application process, expanded income eligibility guidelines and adjusted immigrant eligibility rules to make more New Yorkers eligible for coverage in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. It also temporarily suspended annual renewals for many existing enrollees.

Following Hurricane Katrina, the Department of HHS released a waiver initiative to assist states in providing temporary coverage to certain groups of evacuees. Under these waivers, states could get expedited approval to provide up to five months of Medicaid or CHIP coverage to certain evacuees and receive authorization for an "uncompensated care pool" to reimburse providers for the costs of furnishing services to uninsured evacuees and services not otherwise covered under Medicaid or CHIP (including mental health counseling). Similar to Disaster Relief Medicaid in New York, these waivers also streamlined eligibility verification criteria for the temporary coverage period.

In 2016, Michigan received a waiver to expand Medicaid and CHIP eligibility for children and pregnant women affected by the Flint water crises and to waive cost sharing and premiums and expand targeted case management benefits and community support services for these enrollees.

Following Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Texas received approval to allow individuals in the affected service area to receive services beyond their renewal period, suspended certain eligibility verification requirements, and eliminated cost sharing for the waiver period.

The federal government could take action to enhance state capacity to provide access to care through Medicaid.

Administrative Options

Provide guidance and/or a template to facilitate state adoption of policy options. CMS posted a national fact sheet outlining coverage and benefits related to COVID-19 and posted the FAQs to aid states in determining steps they can take to enhance their response. CMS also could issue guidance and/or state plan amendment and waiver templates to facilitate states' implementation of options to enhance access to coverage and care. For example, in 2016, CMS put out an informational bulletin with information related to optional Medicaid benefits states could adopt to help address the Zika virus. In addition, CMS recently issued a waiver template t o encourage states to take up options tied to the new Healthy Adult Opportunity demonstrations.

Suspend pending regulations that would limit financing. CMS is currently reviewing comments related to the Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule. The rule would make changes to what funding states can use for the state share of Medicaid funding and to supplemental payments to providers. The changes could have significant implications for providers and state budgets. While the rule could reduce federal spending on Medicaid, it also creates significant uncertainty for states as they work to address COVID-19.

Suspend administrative actions focused on increasing eligibility verification requirements. As part of program integrity efforts, the Trump Administration has recently increased its focus on oversight of eligibility determinations. It has indicated plans to conduct new audits of state beneficiary eligibility determinations, promoted the use of periodic data matches between renewals, and indicated plans to issue regulatory changes to increase requirements around verification, monitoring of changes in beneficiary circumstances, and eligibility redeterminations. While current and planned administrative efforts might limit instances of ineligible people being enrolled in the program, they could also result in greater enrollment barriers and coverage losses for people who are eligible and add additional administrative burden for state agencies at a time when expediting enrollment in coverage for eligible individuals would help connect them to testing and treatment.

Suspend immigration policies that may be deterring immigrant families from enrolling in coverage and seeking care. Over the past several years, the Trump Administration has implemented a range of immigration policies focusing on restricting immigration, enhancing immigration enforcement, and restricting access to public programs, including Medicaid, for immigrant families. These include recent changes to public charge policies that newly take into account use of Medicaid by non-pregnant adults as part of the public charge test federal officials use to determine whether to grant certain individuals entry into the U.S. or adjustment to legal permanent resident (LPR) status (i.e., receive a green card). A growing set of evidence suggests that families have increased fears of enrolling themselves and their children, who are primarily U.S. citizens, in Medicaid and CHIP due to these policy changes and that some may be avoiding seeking care. The administration could take steps to alleviate these fears by suspending the changes to public charge policies. They also could take steps to assure families that they will not use any information shared to enroll in coverage for immigration enforcement purposes and that enrolling in coverage and/or seeking care will not have negative effects on their immigration status. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued an alert in March 2019, encouraging all individuals with symptoms that resemble COVID-19 to seek necessary medical treatment or preventive services and noted that such treatment or services will not negatively affect future public charge tests.

Legislative Options

Enhance federal financing. During economic downturns, more people qualify and enroll in Medicaid, increasing program spending at the same time that state tax revenues may be stagnating or falling. To mitigate these budget pressures, Congress has twice passed temporary increases in the federal match rate to help support states during economic downturns, most recently in 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). To receive ARRA funds, states could not roll back Medicaid eligibility. These temporary increases in the Medicaid match rate provided states fiscal capacity to address health issues for vulnerable populations through an existing, efficient mechanism. Congress could use such a mechanism to provide additional fiscal capacity for states. In addition, as providers will likely serve individuals who are uninsured or underinsured, Congress could increase funding for Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) to help reimburse hospitals for increased uncompensated care costs.

Increase access to coverage for lawfully present immigrants. As noted, lawfully residing immigrants may qualify for Medicaid and CHIP but are subject to eligibility restrictions that subject many to a five-year waiting period before they may enroll in coverage. These eligibility restrictions have been in place since 1996 under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act. The CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2009 provided states the option to cover lawfully residing immigrant pregnant women and children without a five-year waiting period, but not other groups. Congress could enact legislation to extend this option to parents and other adults.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Legislation enacted on March 19, 2020 will provide coverage for COVID-19 testing with no cost sharing under Medicaid and CHIP (as well as other insurers) and provide 100% federal funding through Medicaid for testing provided to uninsured individuals for the duration of the emergency period associated with COVID-19. The law will also provide states and territories a temporary 6.2 percentage point increase in the federal matching rate for the emergency period. To receive this increase, states will need to meet certain requirements including: not implementing more restrictive eligibility standards or higher premiums than those in place as of January 1, 2020; providing continuous eligibility for enrollees through the end of the month of the emergency period unless an individual asks to be disenrolled or ceases to be a state resident; and not charging any cost sharing for any testing services or treatments for COVID-19, including vaccines, specialized equipment or therapies. The law will also increase federal allotments to the territories.

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How Can Medicaid Enhance State Capacity to Respond to COVID-19?

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As a source of coverage for 1 in 5 Americans, Medicaid can play a key role in connecting individuals to testing and treatment for COVID-19. Through Medicaid, states can provide enrollees access to comprehensive benefits with limited out-of-pocket cost and receive federal funding with no pre-set limit to support coverage.

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Modernize workflows with Zoom's trusted collaboration tools: including video meetings, team chat, VoIP phone, webinars, whiteboard, contact center, and events.

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Xfinity/Comcast will provide free 60 days of internet for low income students.

Here is the number that they can contact: 1-800-934-6489

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INFO FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH ASD MARCH 16 2020 FINAL FINAL.pdf

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Remote Learning: At-Home Teaching Support with i-Ready

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This is a unique year of teaching and learning. As teachers, students, and families navigate different learning contexts and constantly adapt to change, we are here to help.

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TCM is proud to offer these FREE teacher-approved resources that can be used at-home, in-person or in hybrid learning environments!

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In order to use these lessons, you'll first need to sign up for Twig Science Tools and then download the packets using the button below.

We've also provided a set of teaching and research aids, including graphic organizers and advice about working like a scientist to help with distance learning.

NGSS- Aligned Resources for K-5

An award-winning supplemental resource with short videos in English and Spanish, visuals, and hands-on investigative activities.

NGSS- Aligned Resources for 6-12

Twig Secondary provides thousands of award-winning videos and digital resources to help you build amazing units of study.

Twig Science leveled readers-available in English and Spanish-provide a variety of text types that help spark interest in your grade-level phenomena.

NGSS-based magazine-style leveled readers bring ELA and science together using informational, narrative, descriptive, and argumentative text types

Scientists at Imperial College London-one of the world's leading universities and partners with Twig Education-are racing to develop a vaccine for coronavirus.

We'll be keeping you up to date with their latest developments on our blog.

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In order to use these lessons, you'll first need to sign up for Twig Science Tools and then download the packets using the button below. We've also provided a set of teaching and research aids, including graphic organizers and advice about working like a scientist to help with distance learning.

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Raise a reader by getting the best book recommendations, reading tips, and discounts delivered straight to your inbox.

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91 Free Educational Websites for Kids + Companies Offering Free Lesson Plans for Kids

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Today we have an updated version of our massive resource of free educational websites and companies offering free learning opportunities for kids. Over

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No matter where you live, chances are good that the coronavirus has been on your mind. In today's post, we share an interactive graphic with many free downloadable resources that can be used to support the AAC learners in your life.

You can access visual schedules for handwashing, social narratives, videos, educational materials, and more by clicking the links embedded in the graphic below. Use the slider on the right to navigate up and down, or click the image to go to the full-sized version.

This is an evolving resource that will continue to be updated. If you know of things that we should add, please tell us in the comments below.

Stay safe and healthy, AAC friends.

This post was written by Carole Zangari

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PrAACtical Resources: Dealing with the Covid-19 Pandemic

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No matter where you live, chances are good that the coronavirus has been on your mind. In today's post, we share an interactive graphic with many free downloadable resources that can be used ...