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These are challenging times for your children and for you.
This padlet is full of information advice and practical support  to help you and yours through the lock-down.
If you can't find what you are looking for here, give me a call or email swatson@wyvil.org.uk and I'm happy to help.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Take Care and see you soon
Suzannah

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Feelings of well-being are essential to the overall health of us all. When our children are well emotionally and physically they are better able overcome difficulties and achieve what they want.
Your child's well-being will be affected by your well-being so, it is essential that all parents take time for themselves in this respect.

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Here's some general information and some links you can follow to help at home.

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Autism Parenting Magazine has some useful tips for you during lock-down. Take a look here.

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Excellent advice from Temple Grandin, PhD and Debra Moore, PhD, on managing your family during quarantine and how to best prepare for childcare in the event a parent suddenly becomes ill.

1. Routines: maintain the old, create the new

This is the time to maintain usual routines as much as possible, supplemented by new ones created, so your child's day has structure. Even though usual schedules have been disrupted, there are other daily rituals you can stick to.

Get yourself and your children up at regular times each morning, even though they are not at school, and you may not be at work. Get out of PJs and into regular clothes right after breakfast. Take a shower. Keep up your hygiene routines.

Consider playing music to help start the morning. If you have Alexa, ask her to play "Good Morning." You should get a fun, child-friendly, call-and-response song (try it yourself first to be sure you get the right song).

Do schoolwork in the morning when your child is fresh. Give breaks, including breaks for alone time. Have lunch together at regular times each day. Afternoons can be times for your child to read, draw, explore the internet (suggestions provided below), or do small projects with you or siblings.

If your child usually goes to a workshop or other day program, try to incorporate some of his/her usual activities at that site into each day. For example, if your child was learning to fold laundry there, that can be done at home too.

2. Minimize surprises

This is a time of great uncertainty. Do not add to it by throwing surprises at your kids. Surprises scare. They are hard for kids on the spectrum under any circumstances, but they're especially tough when stress levels are already high. For example, if you have to leave the house, give everyone advance notice. If you are getting more deliveries than usual, let the kids know when you're expecting them.

3. Offer simple explanations

Tailor explanations to the needs of your child. Don't let your anxiety drive how much you share. If a child doesn't seem anxious, you don't have to explain about the virus. If he/she has questions, answer them honestly, directly, and without elaboration. You can ask your child if he/she has other questions instead of assuming more information is needed. Keep your explanations appropriate to the child's age and ability to comprehend.

4. Practice good self-care

Your child will pick up on your mood and stress level. Monitor both and take steps to stay focused, positive, and productive. The most basic stress reducer is taking several deep belly breaths at regular intervals during the day. You can set your phone alarm to remind you to do this every hour. Regular stretches are also helpful. You can take free yoga classes online.

Try to eat healthy without too many carbs and sugars, and don't let yourself develop new patterns of alcohol use.

5. Plan each day and use a simple schedule

Replace disrupted routines with new ones. Write out a simple schedule for everyone to see and put it in a highly trafficked area of the house. Include getting up, having breakfast, morning activities and breaks, lunch, afternoon activities and breaks, dinner, evening activities, downtime, and bedtime. Gear it to your child's age-the younger, the simpler.

Consider specifying TV, movie, and online time. If your child is into video games, he/she may want to spend all day playing them. If he/she wants to be online, there are lots of other options. Zoom chats are fine. Online schoolwork or anything where your child is learning is not "screen time." See the end of this post for a list of options and links to websites with fun activities.

Try to get your kids outside for at least part of the day. They can still take walks or ride their bikes. Take them on a "search mission." Write down things you think they will see during your walk and have them check them off. If you're in a city, maybe you write down "store, garbage can, stoplight," things like that. If you live in the country, take a walk in the woods and try to find things like "bird, insect, bush, rock."

Dogs think they've died and gone to heaven during this time! Let your kid join you in walking the dog. Consider teaching other pet care tasks now, like grooming and feeding.

Evenings are times for family dinners and shared clean up. You can designate one evening a week for TV or movie night. Each family member gets to select the movie (or maybe two episodes of a TV series) for everyone to watch. Parents will have to endure some Disney movies and make choices appropriate for kids to watch. When your kids get to choose, they practice empathy and turn-taking by figuring out what other family members might enjoy too.

Don't miss out on our special offer.
Click here to find out more

6. Reach out to others to keep your kids connected

Your family still needs to communicate with others, just from a distance. You can call relatives and friends, or use any of the online forums for sharing audio or video connections. FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom are the most common platforms people are using. If your kid is into computers, let him/her learn how to use these apps, and then let him/her teach you. Your kids can visit with their friends or relatives, and even play games over Zoom or the other platforms.

If you have neighbors, you can still talk to them from a distance of seven feet or more. You can even have lunch "together" if each family brings their own food and drink, and you sit far enough apart, preferably outside, or in a room where there is good ventilation.

7. Beware of sensory assaults

If you are using hand sanitizer, Lysol, bleach, or other cleaning products more than usual, you could be creating discomfort for your child. Keep rooms aired out as much as possible. Use masking scents if they help. Some kids, for example, love the smell of a little vanilla on a cotton ball. They can keep these in their pockets to sniff as needed. It has a calming effect on many children.

You can also teach children about spices and flavors by doing "sniff experiments" to determine favorites. Just keep the sniffs small, not peppery, and not too close. Some kids love this exercise. If your kid is a compulsive sniffer, this might help channel the obsession into a productive interest in food or cooking, or it could reinforce inappropriate, generalized sniffing. You know your child, so use your judgment.

The thing that helps kids the most is to have some control over sensory input. For example, let them take the cap off the hand sanitizer and put it back on after you've used it. Let them plug in the vacuum cleaner. Having control of some steps helps desensitize kids.

8. Limit stress exposure

Don't have the TV news on constantly. Don't spend all day on your computer compulsively checking the news. Don't let your kids do it either. Be mindful of conversations your children overhear. If you need to vent your stress or anxiety, do it out of earshot of vulnerable children.

9. Increase calming exercises

You already know what calms your child. Use these strategies proactively during this period. Don't wait for a meltdown. Schedule calming activities each day and put them on the calendar. Examples might include deep massage, music, stretching, or playing with a favorite toy.

10. Show your kids positive images

Find positive images and stories to share with your child. This is easy to look up using Google. There are many examples of people helping each other through this difficult time. Find them and share them. Consider creating some yourself. For instance, you and your child can write notes or draw pictures for relatives or friends.

You Need A Plan in Case You Become Sick

While you might want to avoid this, you need to make a plan now in case you become ill.

You need to know who would care for your children and how your children would get into their care. Talk now to the person you would want to watch your children if you are suddenly unable. Make a list of what items your child would want or need to take if he/she had to go to someone else's house. Would he/she have to take any specific food items? Medicines? Give the person a copy of the list now.

Write up an agreement and email it to this person now. Have the person send it back to you with a statement that he/she agrees to it. Make sure to date to the agreement. You do not want strangers caring for your children, even for a brief period. This could happen if you were suddenly incapacitated.

Resources for Family Activities

YouTube: Use the search function and find videos related to your child's special interest (as long as that interest is positive and productive, of course).

Temple's book Calling All Minds: How to Think and Create Like an Inventor lets your child read about famous inventors and has lots of projects for families. You can order the book or read it online.

https://chatterpack.net Go to their blogs and find: "A list of free, online, boredom-busting resources."

https://www.northshoremums.com.au/fun-home-activities-with-kids Search for 115 Fun Activities to do at Home with Kids While Self-Isolating.

http://pandemicdistractions.com This includes links to books, art, videos, museums, zoos, exercises, online volunteer projects, and more.

To see how others handle living in a confined space, you can watch the astronauts on the international space station. Your child will learn how important routines are and how vital hygiene and cleaning is. There are lots of videos from the space station out there. Just Google "life on the international space station."

For kids who love math or computer science, try wolfram.com

For visual thinkers who love science, go to Google and search "protein symmetry" and specifically opt to search images.

Others:

kahnacademy.org. has video lessons for math, art, computer programming, and much more.

https://www.coursera.org/ has classes for older children on all things computer, technical, coding and more.

code.org has fun projects - 78 million! - grouped by age (usually eight years old and up).
Debra Moore, PhD, is a psychologist who worked extensively with children, teens, and adults on the autism spectrum. She facilitates the LinkedIn group Autism Spectrum Across the Lifespan and the Facebook page The Loving Push. Debra contributed two chapters (one co-authored with Dr. Temple Grandin) to The Nine Degrees of Autism (Routledge, 2015). She wrote the chapter Internet and Gaming Addiction in Youth on the Autism Spectrum: A Particularly Vulnerable Population in Internet Addiction in Children and Adolescents (Springer Publishers, 2017). She resides in rural Northern Virginia.
If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it on social media or linking to it from your website to help other parents. You may also want to check out our other resources on coping strategies for autism and COVID-19.

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Top 10 Tips to Support Autism Families During the Pandemic - Autism Parenting Magazine

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Excellent advice from Temple Grandin, PhD and Debra Moore, PhD, on managing your family during quarantine and how to best prepare for childcare in the event a parent suddenly becomes ill. 1. Routines: maintain the old, create the new This is the time to maintain usual routines as much as possible, supplemented by new ones ...

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Your questions answered

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Developing Attention

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Practical Help with Autism | Gina Davies Autism Centre

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Information for parents

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Read our quick tips on interacting with an autistic person, and understanding how autistic people might express themselves. Our tips include information on the different stages of communication and development. We also offer communication support resources and advice on engaging with pupils in school.
Communication tips

This quick guide may help you to communicate more effectively with an autistic person, whether it's your child, pupil, colleague or friend.

They don't pay attention to what I'm saying

Always use their name at the beginning so that they know you are talking to them.

Make sure they are paying attention before you ask a question or give an instruction. The signs that someone is paying attention will be different for different people.

Use their special interest, or the activity they are currently doing, to engage them.

They find it hard to process what I say

An autistic person can find it difficult to filter out the less important information. If there is too much information, it can lead to 'overload', where no further information can be processed.

Say less and say it slowly.

Use specific key words, repeating and stressing them.

Pause between words and phrases to give the person time to process what you've said, and to give them chance to think of a response.

Don't use too many questions.

Use less non-verbal communication (eg eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, body language) when a person is showing signs of anxiety.

Use visual supports (eg symbols, timetables, Social Stories™).

Be aware of the environment (noisy/crowded) that you are in. Sensory input may be affecting how much they can process.

Read what autistic people say about processing difficulties.

They struggle with open ended questions

Keep questions short.

Ask only the most necessary questions.

Structure your questions, eg you could offer options or choices.

Be specific. For example, ask "Did you enjoy your lunch?" and "Did you enjoy maths?" rather than "How was your day?".

They don't ask for help

They takes things literally

Avoid using irony, sarcasm, figurative language, rhetorical questions, idioms or exaggeration. If you do use these, explain what you have said and be clear about what you really mean to say.

They hit me if they don't want to do something I ask

Use a behaviour diary to work out if the behaviour is a way of telling you something.

Offer other ways of expressing 'no' or 'stop'.

They react badly when I say no

Try using a different word or symbol.

They may be confused about why you said no. If it's an activity that they can do later on that day or week, try showing this in a timetable

'No' is often used when someone is putting themselves or others in danger. If it's a safety issue, look at ways of explaining danger and safety.

If you are saying 'no' because they are behaving inappropriately, you may want to change your reaction to their behaviour. Try not to shout or give too much attention, a calm reaction may help to decrease this behaviour in time.

Set clear boundaries and explain why and where it is acceptable and not acceptable to behave in certain ways.

Find out more about behaviour.

Understanding an autistic person's communication

Communication happens when one person sends a message to another person. This can be verbally or non-verbally. Interaction happens when two people respond to one another - two-way communication.

Most people on the autism spectrum have difficulty interacting with others. They may have difficulty with initiating interactions, responding to others, or using interaction to show people things or to be sociable. Understanding and relating to other people, and taking part in everyday family, school, work and social life, can be harder.

Other people appear to know, intuitively, how to communicate and interact with each other, yet can also struggle to build rapport with autistic people. A 2016 study found that neurotypical people often quickly develop a negative bias towards autistic people in face to face social situations. However, these biases were not present when the conversation took place without audio-visual cues.

Non-verbal communication

Some autistic children are delayed in their use of language and some autistic adults don't use speech. In those cases, other methods of communication need to be established.

The person may appear not to hear what you say to them, not respond to their name, or appear indifferent to any attempts you make to communicate.

They may use some of the following to communicate with you:

gestures

crying

taking your hand to the object they want

looking at the object they want

reaching

using pictures

challenging behaviour

echolalia (the repetition of other people's words).

Echolalia

Echolalia can seem like a person repeating words they don't understand, rather than trying to communicate. But echolalia can in fact be meaningful communication.

The person might repeat what you say because they don't understand the question or how best to respond. Check their understanding and support them with visual support or offering choices. Tell them that it is ok not to know the answer sometimes, and encourage them to ask for help.

They may memorise the words that were said to them when they were asked if they would like a drink, and use them later, in a different situation, to ask a question of their own.

A person might use phrases that they frequently hear in their favourite TV programme. Watch the programme with them to try to understand what they might be trying to communicate to you when they use these phrases.

Stages of communication

The stage of communication that a person has reached depends on three things:

the person's ability to interact with another person

how and why they communicate

their understanding.

Communication may be:

pre-intentional - saying or doing things without intending to affect those around them. This type of communication can be used by someone to calm themselves, focus themselves or as a reaction to an upsetting/fun experience.

intentional - saying or doing things with the purpose of sending a message to another person. This type of communication can be used to protest about something or to make requests.

Intentional communication is easier for a child once they have learned that their actions have an effect on other people. The move from pre-intentional communication to intentional communication is a big step for a child on the autism spectrum.

The four different stages of communication, as defined by The Hanen Programme, are as follows.

1. The own agenda stage. The person appears uninterested in others and tends to play or do activities alone. Their communication will be mainly pre-intentional.

2. The requester stage. The person has begun to realise that their actions have an effect on others. They are likely to communicate their wants and what they enjoy by pulling you towards objects, areas or games.

3. The early communicator stage. Interactions will begin to increase in length and become more intentional. The person may begin to echo some of the things that they hear to communicate their needs. Gradually, they will begin to point to things that they want to show you and begin to shift their gaze, beginning to engage in a two-way interaction.

4. The partner stage. The person will be using speech and will be able to carry out a simple conversation. While they may appear confident and capable when using communication in familiar settings (eg at home), they may struggle when they enter an unfamiliar environment (eg a new school). In these places, they may use memorised phrases and appear to be ignoring their communication partner, speaking over them and ignoring the rules of turn-taking.

Read about how to support communication development, and discover our quick communication tips.

Here are ideas you can try to support communication development that you can use alongside the quick tips above.

Follow their lead

Follow the person's lead, rather than directing them. They will be more likely to pay attention to the activity, more likely to focus on the same thing as you, and will learn how to make choices for themselves.

The early stages

If the person has only recently started to talk, use single words to communicate with them. For example, label their favourite toy and repeat that word when they reach for it.

Use expansions - adding one more piece of information to what they say. For example, if they say 'car', you can reply 'yes, blue car'. That way you are only giving them one more piece of information to process.

Build in time for communication

When someone is unable to communicate their needs, it's tempting to help by constantly doing things for them. For example, fetching their shoes and tying their shoelaces, bringing a biscuit. However, this may reduce opportunities for the person to communicate.

When at the own agenda stage, it is particularly difficult to decide how much to do for the person. Spare an extra few minutes for these tasks to help them understand what's happening around them and to think about what they can say during these activities. Ask if they need help, wait and then ask a second time before giving the help.

Be face-to-face

Be face-to-face with the person so that you can more easily observe what they are interested in. Being level with them will allow them to see the variety of facial expressions that are used in communication.

But be aware that having to process this visual information at the same time may make it more difficult to process any verbal information.

The person may eventually become used to you playing or interacting with them and will begin to anticipate your presence, fetching you if you are not there.

Imitate

Imitate the person's actions and words. If they bang the spoon on the table, and you do the same, it is likely that they will pay attention to you. You could also imitate sensory behaviours such as hand-flapping and spinning.

Once the person has noticed that you are imitating their actions, they may begin to imitate back. This creates the opportunity for you to add something new to the exchange for the person to copy.

Try gestures and visual supports

When offering a drink, gesture the action of drinking by pretending to hold a glass in one hand and bringing it your mouth.

Nod/shake your head for "yes" and "no". Wave your hand for "hello" and "goodbye".

When talking about people, eg "grandma is staying", show a photo of who is being spoken about.

Other visual methods that can be used to increase understanding include picture timetables, line drawings, cue cards and object/picture schedules.

Use songs and role play

Sing songs with them, pausing to see if they can sing the next part. You may need to prompt them with a sound cue.

Use role play to model social interaction and explore how things can go wrong/what to avoid.

Give feedback

Reward attempts to understand and communicate. By doing this you can increase the likelihood that they will try and do it again. By using praise and commenting on what has been achieved, the person can make a connection between their own actions and your specific words.

Give a reason to communicate

You can engineer situations to create an opportunity for communication and interaction.

Encourage requests

Place a favourite toy/food/DVD in a place where the person can see it but is unable to reach it, eg on a high shelf. Alternatively, place the favourite object in a container which is difficult to open, eg an old ice-cream tub or an old jam jar. This will encourage the person to ask for help and result in an interaction.

Offer a toy or game that is difficult to operate

Some toys and games will be difficult for some children and adults to operate alone. Once given the toy/game, allow them some time to work out how to use it. If they become frustrated, step in and help them.

Give them a 'high-interest' object

Balloons and bubbles are high-interest items and can be easily adapted to involve two people. Blow up a balloon and then let it go so that it flies up in the air. Then blow up a balloon part-way and wait for a response before blowing it up to its full capacity. This could enhance interaction. A similar thing can be achieved with bubbles. Blow a few bubbles towards the person. Once their attention has been captured, close the container and wait for a response from them before you blow any more.

Give them things gradually

Staggering the giving of desired objects creates opportunities to express wants and needs. For example, if the person wants a biscuit, you could break it into small pieces, initially give them one piece and then gradually give them more once they have communicated a request for it.

Let the person decide when to end an activity

Once engaged in an activity, carry on until the person indicates that they have had enough. Look out for facial grimaces or the person pushing away the activity. If they do not use language to indicate they have finished, accompany their form of communication with words such as "had enough" and "stop".

Find opportunities to interact

When the person isn't interested in doing any of the activities presented, you might still be able to find opportunities for communication and interaction.

For example, if a child is lining up their cars in a row, you can join in the activity by handing them the cars one by one. This way, you play a part in the game and the child includes you in what they are doing. If they are only interested in throwing the toys on the floor, you could use a basket to collect them before giving them back, establishing a pattern of interaction and communication with the child.

They may begin to learn that interaction with another person can be fun.

Find out about understanding an autistic person's communication and read our quick communication tips.

Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) supports

AAC is any form of language other than speech that can help a person in social-communicative interactions.

Autistic people who have no spoken language sometimes resort to challenging behaviours to meet their needs and express their feelings. The use of an AAC device can give them another way of communicating.

There is a large range of AAC devices. It is essential that a team of appropriate professionals evaluates different AAC options with the person before making a decision about what to use. Things to be considered include cognitive and motor abilities, learning style, communication needs and literacy ability.

Examples of AAC devices

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), where the person hands over a picture to request or express something.

Sign language, eg British Sign Language (BSL), Makaton, Sign Supported English, or as part of a total communication approach (where a combination of methods is used, eg a person might receive information via speech and signs but express themselves using signs and symbols).

Communication boards and communication books, where the person can point to words, photos and/or symbols.

Communication cue cards, used primarily with people who are verbal, can be a reminder of what to say and provide an alternative means to communication in stressful situations.

Conversation books, which can use text, pictures or photographs to support conversation.

Voice output communication aids, eg BIGmack, generate digitised speech when the person presses a symbol or button. The person will need an understanding of cause and effect to use these devices.

For some forms of AAC, such as Rapid Prompting Method (RPM), there is no evidence to show whether they are effective or ineffective, safe or harmful.

For others, there is some evidence of harm or ineffectiveness. For example, we do not believe that Facilitated Communication is an appropriate intervention for people on the autism spectrum, as there is evidence that it is ineffective and can lead to significant harm.

Find out more about choosing an approach.

Communication in schools

There are many autistic pupils within mainstream schools and specialist units. It's important for education staff to consider their communication difficulties and needs.

Often, an autistic pupil can give the appearance of having 'mastered' communication. However, it's important to understand that communication and social skills need to be taught and practised.

Negative past experiences of social interaction can damage an autistic person's confidence. Social interactions are likely to bring with them increased anxiety and be exhausting to participate in.

An autistic person's ability to understand or use spoken language can vary depending on their anxiety or stress levels. For example, someone who is normally able to communicate well may have reduced ability due to underlying anxiety or sensory needs.

Find more information for school staff and read our quick communication tips.

Further information and resources

AbilityNet

Inclusive Technology

Using technology

AAC literature reviews

NAS library catalogue
The Play Doctors
Tom Tag picture schedules for visual communication supports.

Last reviewed: May 2017

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Read our quick tips on interacting with an autistic person, and understanding how autistic people might express themselves. Our tips include information on the different stages of communication and development. We also offer communication support resources and advice on engaging with pupils in school.

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Information for parents and Carers

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Fun ideas and activities to do at home which support developing sensory processing skills.

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It is back to school time in Australia. For some children, the commencement of school is exciting and they don't look back. For others it can bring on fear and anxiety. There are a number of reasons for this fear including separation anxiety, the unknown environment, a transition to new expectations, not knowing anyone at school, new routines and more.

5) BREATHE !

The benefits of breathing - taking deep breaths in and deep breaths out - can not be overlooked. Deep breathing can help with stress and anxiety, lower heart rates and reduce tension.

Try different breathing techniques. Here are 10 breathing techniques from Mindful Mazing and Deep Breathing Exercises for Kids from Coping Skills for Kids. Help your anxious child with school!

1) Preparation - Help your child to be familiar with what is expected of them.

Do they have to wear a uniform? Do they know where the bathroom is? Can you help them open and close their lunch box?

For older children, can you go through a schedule together? Can you highlight subjects on the time table or locate classrooms on a map? Can you help with organization for their locker by providing book ends, hooks or magazine files? Do they know how to use their phones to work out travel routes?
​
2) Organization - Help your child to organize their belongings before and after school. Help them to organization their belongs for school.

Can you provide a designated area for school bags, hats, homework?
Can they see their belongings within their bag? Would a lighter interior or containers help with organization?
Does your child know what to put into their school bag in the morning and where to unload things when they get home?
Does your child know what needs to be done before they can leave for school?
Try a visual aid such as LIFT THE FLAP SCHEDULE , ROUTINE BOY or ROUTINE GIRL

For older children, can you provide an area for filing information (soft or hard copies) they receive from school? Do they have a designated place to do homework? Can you help with a system to review work and prepare for exams? Do they know how to use their diary or calendar to indicate deadlines? Do they know how to juggle the demands of extra curricular activities, homework, relaxation time and helping out around the house?

3) Let them worry! - Help your child to express their concerns. Empathize with their worries. School can be a stressful place!

Don't be too quick to dismiss worries that your child raises with you. Listen.
Brainstorm solutions together.
Brainstorm with someone from the school (ie. a teacher, school counsellor or the principal).
Help your child to name things they can do when struggling with things that they can't.

4) Build a Sensory Coping Tool Kit - together!

Make sure your child is getting adequate nutrition, hydration and sleep. Is your child getting enough exercise and movement during the day and at home? Would your child benefit from a sensory diet of activities? Read more about sensory diets HERE.

Help your child to work out activities to calm them when they are over-excited or anxious. These tend to be activities that apply deep pressure to the body such as jumping on the trampoline or swinging on monkey bars. They may also be comforted with a big hug of a soft toy or a warm blanket.

Does your child need food to stave off the HANGRY part of the afternoon when school has finished? Does your child need some ice cubes to crunch on or suck to help ease some tension.

Does your child need a "circuit breaker" with a quiet place, some television time, something to squeeze or some deep breathing? Here are some tools that can help with "circuit breaking" -

Every child is unique. What works for one child may not necessarily work for another.

You don't have to do this alone. It is not a reflection of your parenting. Anxiety is a real problem and whilst some children will become less anxious with age, others need help.

Does your child need more help?

Seek help from your general practitioner, paediatrician, community nurse, psychologist, school principal or counsellor.

Contact your local occupational therapist. They may assist with skills such as executive functioning, organization and planning. Your child may benefit from a sensory based assessment to determine what activities can help your child with modulation. Your child may benefit from assistance with regulation working through a program such as the Zones of Regulation or the ALERT program.

You may also like to read "Teaching Kids How to Manage Anxiety: Superstar Practical Strategies" by Deb Hopper, Life Skills 4 Kids. Deb is an Australian occupational Therapist with over 21 years of experience. She brings you a thorough look at different forms of anxiety and seeks to supercharge your parenting toolbox through empowering you... and make you both SMILERS.

S - Speak positively S - Serve
M - Move dynamically
I - Immerse in a physically uplifting environment
L - Look to the positive
E - Eat nutritiously
R - Rest to Destress
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Do you have an anxious child? What helps them to regulate? What new tools can you help them to put into their coping toolbox?

Three FREE printables in three weeks!

It must be Christmas time!

Did you get your copy of the Christmas Activity Advent and Push Pin Christmas Tree?

Today's printables are for school age kids who are learning to write descriptions and stories. You will find two pages with Christmas story prompt ideas. Use the story creation grid to encourage your child to choose a character, what happens in the story, when it might happen and where. Encourage your child to write multiple sentences (some will just try to link one thing from each column to write a very looooooong sentence).

The second page includes prompts for your child to use their "senses" (sight, hearing, touch, smell, feelings, taste) to describe Christmas. You could turn this into a poem or add this information into the story.

Even if your child is too young to use these pages as writing prompts, I would encourage you to use these to talk to your child about Christmas or create a story together. Perhaps you (the adult) could write the words and your child could draw the pictures.

Here are a couple of examples of stories that my OT kids have written!

I would love to see any stories your children create using these story writing prompts! Tag me @yourkidsot on ... Its the easiest way for me to get the printable to you whilst enabling me to keep track of how many of you are interested (or not) in particular printables! Thanks for your understanding! IG or FB!

Use this form below to get your FREE CHRISTMAS STORY WRITING PROMPTS printable page. Why do I have to keep filling in these forms if I have been a subscriber for a while?

If you can't see this form in your email ----> CLICK HERE to go to the YKOT BLOG PAGE and you should be able to see the form online. Some email providers block these sorts of forms and graphics.

Tis the season of giving!

I'm giving away my second FREE printable for Christmas 2019.

If you have been following me for a while, you will know that I love to use push pins (ie. drawing pins) to work on fine motor and bilateral coordination skills. in 2017, I shared the benefits of push pin art ( PUSH PIN POKE DRAWING) and earlier this year I introduced an entire alphabet set where you could use push pins to write letters ( ALPHABET DOT PICTURES).

So in the spirit of giving, I have made a Push Pin Christmas Tree to share with you.

Simply print off the page (there are two trees on the page) onto green paper. Place the paper over a cork mat. Use a push pin to poke a small hole into each of the black dots (I tell my OT kids that they don't have push very hard - just small quick holes) .... and you are done. I turn the page around to hold the picture up to a window (black dots facing the window). Its is fun to see the light shining through the holes.

Encourage your kids to form a pincer grasp or tripod grasp around the push pin. It's best to use a pin that has a large head so there is something to grab onto. You will find kids who use a lateral grasp on their pencil or who have hyper-mobile joints may struggle with this activity. Encourage kids who hold out their 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers straight; to tuck these fingers into the palm of their hand. Sometimes asking these children to hold a small item like an eraser will help them with the "tuck" ( see also separation of the two sides of the hand). Encourage kids who float their wrist and/or forearm from the table to rest it down during this activity.

You could take this a step further and decorate the tree with your favourite markers. You could even add more holes to create patterns for tinsel or baubles.

To receive this FREE PUSH PIN CHRISTMAS TREE printable, simply fill out the form below.

Why do I have to keep filling in these forms if I have been a subscriber for a while? ... Its the easiest way for me to get the printable to you whilst enabling me to keep track of how many of you are interested (or not) in particular printables! Thanks for your understanding!

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It is back to school time in Australia. For some children, the commencement of school is exciting and they don't look back. For others it can bring on fear and anxiety. There are a number of reasons for this fear including separation anxiety, the unknown environment, a transition to new expectations, not knowing anyone at school, new routines and more.

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How we can support children with Autism to engage with PE.

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Hand washing

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Have a look at some tried and tested resources and toys  that many children with ASD will enjoy.

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Have a look at some tried and tested resources and toys  that many children with ASD will enjoy.

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Many can be made from adapting everyday objects you already have at home, so no need to buy.

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) @ LEARNING SPACE

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May 13, 2016 - Explore csummerhays's board "DIY Autism toys/activities", followed by 117 people on Pinterest. See more ideas about Autism sensory, Sensory rooms and Autism.

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Explore colour, shape and sensory fun.

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10 Fun Activities for Children with Autism | Education.com

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Give kids who are autistic activities that stimulate attention, foster calm, and create loads of fun! Here are 10 great autism activities.

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We may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more information go to Disclaimer & Disclosure.
Are you looking for the best sensory activities for preschoolers or older kids? Meraki Mother's ultimate list of sensory activities for kids of all ages will give you tons of ideas!
Sensory activities involve hands-on playing through touching, tasting, smelling, seeing, moving and hearing. These activities enhance learning while stimulating the child's senses.

Sensory play lays an important foundation for later learning skills. It doesn't only helps a child to differentiate sharp from round, smooth from rough and cold from warm but also helps them verbalize the various sensations they feel. Many activities are also considered calming and therapeutic.

Sensory activities also naturally encourage children to use scientific processes while creating, playing, investigating and exploring. This is a basic step in empowering the brain's ability to discover, classify and sort more complex information later in life.

Therefore, providing opportunities for sensory play is crucial to children's brain development.

The good thing is that there are hundreds of ways that kids can learn through sensory play, possibilities are in fact endless!

We have created a comprehensive list for you to get inspired, most are sensory play adults can set up today with things around the house. Enjoy!

Click on the activity to go straight to the tutorial!

Perhaps the most popular and easily accessible, playdough activities play an important part in sensory and fine motor skill development. Homemade play dough recipes will provide different scents and textures discovery as well as creative play opportunity for kids of all ages. All of the following DIY playdough recipes are made using super-quick instructions.

Not your grandma's playdough! This simple playdough recipe without cream of tartar uses no salt, no flour, doesn't require baking and of course doesn't use cream of tartar.

It doesn't get any easier than that! This easy playdough recipe only requires three ingredients you probably already have at home.

Made with only two simple ingredients this dough is so soft it is also called cloud dough. Click to get the softest playdough recipe here.

This Lavender Playdough recipe is a great sensory learning experience as well as having a calming effect during play.

Need some Essential Oil inspiration for your next scented playdough recipe click here.

These beautiful and natural play doughs are easy and smell amazing! You can use whatever natural herbs and dyes you have on hand for these.

Kneading and creating with playdough are considered calming sensory activities. This beach dough is an excellent option for summer season.

I love this baby safe cloud dough! So easy to make and totally edible!

Are you guilty of spending hundreds of bucks on LUSH bath playdough? I know I am. That stuff is expensive! That's why I love this homemade playdough soap! And the best part is that there's absolutely no cleanup! Goodbye mess down the drain!

Playful painting is a fine motor skill activity and an open ended creative sensory experience where the process is more important than the final product. It provides opportunity for the kids to experience color, temperature and texture of paint.

This is so simple to do at home but also great as sensory classroom ideas. A fantastic sensory integration activities for adults and kids.

Need to top up your paint supplies? Find best prices on kid-friendly paint here.

Do your kids love finger painting, but also love to eat paint? These also make the perfect sensory play ideas for babies. Let them paint with these awesome Jell-Ol-o finger paints!

A mix of fine motor and texture activities for toddlers in one go! Simple sensory play materials for toddlers.

I love any non messy play ideas for babies under 1. You can set up this baby sensory game using some bubble wrap and paint, so easy!

Don't have any bubble wrap at home? Buy bubble wrap here.

Sensory motor activities are super important during early childhood. This is a great idea for foot painting.

Sense of touch activities for preschool are always fun. Add that little extra texture with this simple recipe.

What a great way to improve interaction with nature, make these nature paint brushes today and have lots of fun with the kids.

Discovery and Sensory Bottle Ideas

Sensory bottles are any container filled with different materials as a way to encourage kids discovery. Bottles are a totally non-messy sensory activity and great for trips or any time that you wish to keep mess to a minimum. Sensory bottles are early childhood friendly and children-safe, as they don't have any contact with the materials.

Calming non messy play ideas are the best, agree? Make a few bottles like this shine one here and you will have a great collection of sensory ideas for infants.

Click here to top up your bead and glitter supplies.

If you want to make your own sensory toys for toddlers these discovery bottles are a great idea! Playing with the magnets and bottles will be great sensory activities for 2 year olds and will inspire curiosity.

The recipe for success? Non messy play recipes! Who would not want to play with these cute rainbow discovery bottles? You can also use these bottle as science sensory activities for preschoolers.

One of the cutest sensory stimulation activities you can make.
PIN FOR LATER!
Sensory Bins

Sensory bins or sensory containers are perfect for containing messy play for kids. Add your materials to your sensory tray ideas and it will only contain the mess, not the fun! Here are some sensory bin ideas for toddlers and kids of all age.

This farm animal toddler activity station is a great outdoor activity!
Looking for some outdoor sensory fun? Why not grow your own vegetables in any space with these container vegetable garden ideas.
If you think sensory play is just a big messy play party, think twice! This hands-on activity is full of possibilities, simple to put together and will make for hours of play fun.

This lavender sensory play rice is great for helping to relax kids. It's beautiful and will make your house smell good too!

Great sensory table ideas for older kids.

Buy some bright and fun buttons here.

Boys and girls will love preschool sensory bins such as this one!

With the right materials you can also set up creative sensory activities for children like this life pond tray.

Water and straw, how easy can this be? Seriously one of the easiest ideas for sensory bins for toddlers.

Sensory bags

Sensory Bags are a absolutely perfect to entertain babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers that still put things in their mouth. It is mess free and still gives them the opportunity to explore different textures while developing and learning. These bags give you the opportunity to add anything that may be topical to your classroom, season or of interest of the kids.

Looking for Non messy play ideas for 1 year old? This is one of the best sensory activities for toddlers and babies. This water bead sensory activity window is so much fun! Not only does it feel super cool, but it looks so pretty! And the best part is that little ones who love putting water beads in their mouths are kept safe, while still being able to play with them.

Buy water beads for sensory play here.

Sensory bags are great to take on the go with you to keep baby occupied at any time. These are super easy to make and super durable!

These rainbow bags are brilliant sensory activities for toddlers and infants.

If you are worried about mess through sensory activities for babies, this one here will easy your mind.

Eye spy sensory activities for preschoolers are simple but brilliant to integrate both learning and play.

Using bags as sensory play ideas is definitely one of our favorite. I love this sun catcher idea.
PIN FOR LATER!
Slime, Putty and Goop

Making slime, putty and goop is an awesome science demonstration and sensory play activity for kids. And the best? They can be easily and quickly made at home or school. Definitely a great addition to your preschool sensory table. Look at these great recipes below.

This simple jungle slime is so colorful and fun. Kids will love making it AND playing with it. Throw in some cute little animals and let their imaginations soar! This will be a hit on your preschool sensory table.

I love this edible alphabet slime soup because it combines some of my favorite things: edible water beads and learning ABC's!

One ingredient slime! Yes please!

Floam!! Another really expensive product that can easily be made at home. Who knew that foam beads had so many uses! Make this messy play table today.

I love creative play activities. It is impossible not to get mesmerized by the colors.

The texture is just amazing. Great messy sensory table activities toddlers.

These lemon suds are a great outdoor sensory activity! You can add whatever colors you like or any other scents you like.

Edible Sensory Diet and Activities

Sensory activities for kids are not only fun but they can be tasty! These edible sensory plays and activities are good for every kid but specially for the young ones!

I've raised several babies in Hawaii and there's one thing they love to do at the beach....eat sand! This edible sand is fantastic because it's totally ok if your babies chow down!

What's better than sensory activities? Sensory activities that you can EAT! This fun activity only requires Jell-O and these super cheap ice ball makers Some of the coolest sensory table ideas for preschool.

These fun and pretty rainbow dyed oats are an easy and affordable sensory experience for babies. You'll just need oats and food coloring! This is a great for sensory bins for 1 year old as it is edible.

This simple, edible playdough is one of the best sensory activities for toddlers who love to put things in their mouths. Totally edible and totally tasty!

Love water beads, but have babies who like to eat them? Fear not! These baby-safe, edible water beads will be perfect for you!

This edible moon sand is so different from any other sensory recipe I've ever made! Crazy ingredients, but crazy cool! One of the best early years messy play ideas I have seen!

Sensory Boards

Sensory boards provide hands-on activity to help young kids to explore and learn about different objects, texture, sounds etc. They present many benefits, are super fun and can also be made using bits and pieces from your house. Find here some of great sensory board inspiration.

These beautiful fabric boards are great to make if you've got extra fabric lying around or extra frames for that matter. And the best part? Totally non-messy activities for babies. Just be sure to remove the glass! Let kids feel the different textures of each fabric. It's also great for learning their colors.

Buy different sized frames here.

Sensory play is vital to early childhood development. You can create these cards in under 20 minutes and for less than a few dollars.

Busy sensory boards are always a hit with kids. They love the different things to play and the hands-on tactile objects are excellent to explore and manipulate.

This is a marvelous therapeutic activity that even adults would enjoy. So simple for children to touch and explore.

Best prices for Mermaid Fabric can be found here.

How fun is it to upcycle materials from around the house and make something so clever and enjoyable for the kids. Use boards, old magnets you already have, touch lights, add velcro or anything that you can get your hands on.

A very affordable activity. Truly anyone can make a sensory floor, mat, carpet or wall with a bit of creativity. These DIY sensory boards are great for autism, SPD, Alzheimer's and for anyone in the house or office in need of creative stimulation!
PIN FOR LATER!
Squishy Stress balls

These sensory activities are great for adults too. They help relieve stress while working your hand muscles. Why get some of the boring ready-made balls if you can make your own at home? Here are some of our favorite sensory stress balls for you to make today.

Water beads again! Can you tell I LOVE water beads? They're just so fun and squishy! I seriously can't get enough. And they are also super CHEAP! I bought a giant bag two years ago and we are still going through it! This is another great sensory activity for little ones who like to put water beads in their mouths!

Easy tutorial on how to make a homemade stress ball using heart balloons.

What a cute idea! Great sensory play for toddlers and preschoolers.

One of the best stress ball for kids that I have seen! You can decorate these squishy balls in so many ways.

Sensory (Kinetic) Sand

My kids LOVE kinetic sand, but dang that stuff is so expensive!! Why not make your own with this Shaving Cream Foam Sand.

Kids can play with sand every day of the year regardless of the season. Check this sticky sand sensory bin idea.

Sand is a very simple sensory play activity for kids of all ages from infants to older kids. But why not to make it even more interesting and add some color? This Epsom salt rainbow sand tutorial is so easy.
Looking for more ways to entertain children? Head over to our 50 Ways to Keep Children Happy Without Spending a Dime for more ideas.

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The Ultimate List of Sensory Activities for Kids

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Are you looking for the best sensory activities for preschoolers or older kids? This ultimate list of sensory activities for kids of all ages will give you tons of ideas! From the easiest homemade playdough recipe to sensory bins and bottles, this list will provide ideas for hour of fun sensory play for the children.

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Online reading books and activities for all ages and abilities

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With a library of activities and resources for every stage of the learning journey, curated by the team at Oxford University Press, we are here with inspiration to help your little ones learn, grow and flourish at home, in the classroom and beyond.

Just click on the sections in the menu to explore by subject, or use the options below to uncover content by age group.

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Oxford Owl for Home: help your child learn at home - Oxford Owl

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Oxford Owl is packed with expert advice, tips and activities to help parents support their child's education. Help your child with reading, phonics and maths.

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Once upon a time, I imagined my twins inundating me with why? questions. "Ugh. Luke and Harry have entered the "why?" phase!" I'd complain, playing my part.

My reality is a little different. My kids are now 4 year olds, with autism and language delays, and they've never once asked me why?. "W-questions" are the stuff of IEP goals.

Lately, I've been fretting a lot about the importance of why. Before having kids, I was very active in progressive politics, and now I'm trying to re-emerge and play my part in the resistance against Trump. One small way I do this is by participating in parenting conversations among fellow progressives about how to raise our children in this new, uncertain America. But my issues are complicated by disability: How does one communicate a because to a child who can't ask why?

I lay awake at night trying to figure it out. Should I teach Luke and Harry what race is?, I've wondered. I imagine myself with a spread of flash cards with differently shaded faces and feel sick. Progressive parents are supposed to spend their time deconstructing social constructs, not building them up, right? But on the other hand, typically developing children naturally acquire this language. Mine don't, or at least this process is very delayed. I've learned to challenge other white people who deny the reality of racism, professing "colorblindness." Am I any better if I leave my own children in a state of ignorance of race?

Depressingly, there isn't a lot of academic scholarship out there to guide parents and educators. One study found that when children with autism reach a "verbal age of 6 or 7 years old," they will have absorbed gender and race stereotypes just as readily as their typically developing peers. Understanding stereotypes is obviously a prerequisite to being able to think critically about social categories, and it is also important for children with autism themselves. You need to understand society to function within it.

But of course, "absorbing stereotypes" barely scratches the surface of what I'm getting at here. What impact does it have on kids with autism to develop awareness of race and gender stereotypes separately from a typically developing peer group? How do their different learning styles impact what they learn? How about kids who are more socially delayed but who may have closer to typical language skills? What happens to kids who take a considerably longer time to reach a "verbal age of 6 or 7"-or to those who remain completely or nearly nonverbal? What about kids with co-morbid intellectual disabilities? How about development of racial identity? How is this learning experience different based on the child's race? What about learning how to challenge stereotyped thinking once its learned?

These are so many unanswered questions! And it's extra frustrating, because with typically developing children, there is endless research to cite, and we understand this developmental process decently well. We know, for instance, that neurotypical kids become aware of the social idea of race by 4 (and gender even earlier than that). Long before the chronological age of 6 or 7, they are using language to try out the stereotypes they pick up on, gaining invaluable information from the responses of grown-ups and peers. They can also ask why? why? why? why?, perhaps annoying the crap out of their parents, but also uncovering nuance, discovering contradictions, and gaining access to learning opportunities that allow them to better puzzle over social tensions in their cultural environment. Put more succinctly: Once kids have the words, they can think about the ideas.

Our comparatively robust knowledge about how typically developing kids learn about social categories, buttressed by hundreds of studies and published articles in the last ten years alone, has resulted in a growing drumbeat amongst progressive educators in favor of deliberate anti-bias education that doesn't shy away from confronting oppressive structures, but rather supports children, guiding their developing awareness.

And so the gap between what progressive people are doing to prepare typically developing children to be tomorrow's citizens and what we do for developmentally delayed children seems to grow incalculably, irresponsibly, wide.

Where does that leave progressive me? Not so unlike other parents, particularly white parents, who have had to learn to stomach the idea of teaching typically developing kids explicitly about racism and ethnic bias, I'm coming around to the idea that my autistic kids must be actively taught to understand what race and ethnicity are and to learn the language of difference.

Many of the parents of older kids with ASD and special educators I spoke to about how to do this told me that absent specific research, a natural approach using carefully chosen books is my best bet. I'm worried that it may not be enough for Luke, who still needs discrete trial training (DTT) to learn new and difficult concepts-but I'm giving it my best effort!

This is my second post in a special series of blog posts featuring progressive picture books for children with autism. In part one, " This Land Was Made for You and Me," I highlighted books with broadly progressive themes. This time, I've targeted books that can be used to introduce some of the language of race and ethnicity. (I plan to do a separate post on books positively representing world religions and their holidays, especially Muslims and Islamic culture, later this year.)

In developing this list, I made good use of the invaluable online resource We Need Diverse Books. This was an excellent starting place, even though they don't look at books with an eye to accessibility. All in all, I tested out 94 books with my (remarkably cooperative) kids. These were the 10 that really clicked.

Suggested target concept/words: Spanish, language

So many other books I looked at for introducing the idea of there being other languages (specifically highlighting the Spanish language) lacked a really strong structure, which is extra important when demanding a child absorb a difficult language-based concept.

But Green is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors was a home-run. It has the familiar format of a color primer (This page has things that are blue; this one has things that are green, etc.), and introduces Mexican/Mexican-American cultural objects in an accessible way by blending the specific with the universal in visually engaging scenes of everyday life.

Because very young children with autism almost always do color programs in the early days of ABA therapy, color primer books are ideal for generalizing or maintaining these skills. Color primers are also pleasurable for a child who has mastered their colors and has therefore learned to enjoy being praised for identifying them correctly. This is certainly the case for my son Luke, who easily attended to this book, excited for the opportunity to label colors.

Luke is currently working on the goal of expanding utterances with his speech therapist using color as a modifier, so instead of labeling pink or learning what a piñata is, I have him practice saying pink piñata. For my son Harry, who is a little further ahead in his language development, the idea of different words for colors is of interest (red/ rojo, etc.). He echoed my explanation: " Rojo is red in Spanish." And I think this is a great place to start for him.

Each color scene has a lot of things to look at that are both familiar and potentially unfamiliar. (For a child from a home where Spanish is spoken or for a child from Mexico, there would obviously be much more to personally connect with.) On the first red page, for instance, two children and their mother are in a kitchen. A ristra hangs from the ceiling, and the girl holds one too. Red peppers are things my kids have seen before, but not ristra, which, I learned, are bundles of dried red chiles. (There is a glossary at the back of the book for parents like me who need help here.) On the more familiar end of things, the boy holds a plate of rice with red salsa. Finally, there are the more obvious red things that help anchor a child: red roses, a cat chasing a red ball of yarn, and the people themselves who are wearing red clothes. The art is bright, engaging, and has a warm folk art appeal.

I love that the text rhymes and is restrained in length. Overall, the Spanish language words that were chosen were done so very carefully; they are mostly words that American children are likely to hear, if not at home then in an even modestly diverse community setting (ie. abuela). There are also plenty of culturally specific words (particularly food-related ones) that don't need translation since we use them in English, like churros or tortillas. Finally there are culturally significant terms that the author chose to introduce in English, like Day of the Dead. All these decisions were made with tremendous care.

2. Laundry Day by Maurie J. Manning

Suggested target concept/word: immigrant

Laundry Day is a historically themed graphic novel-style picture book set in New York's Lower East Side in a bygone era of horse-drawn wagons, tenements, and crowded market streets.

A Jewish shoeshine boy, accompanied by his tabby cat, hustles for business on a crowded street, when suddenly a red cloth falls down from the sky. He looks up and sees laundry lines stretched out, criss-crossing between buildings, but no way to tell where the cloth has fallen from. He climbs balconies and fire escape ladders to find its elusive owner. Each person or family he meets is from a different immigrant group associated (at some point in time) with the Lower East Side neighborhood. They all see the cloth differently based on their background and we learn about their culture through that shift in perspective. (Incidentally, talking to a child about these shifts is a great way to practice theory of mind.) In the end, the boy returns the red cloth to Miss Fajah, a Jamaican seamstress who has enjoyed watching him search from the roof. It's her head scarf.

I first came across Laundry Day when I was looking for wordless picture books to read to my son Harry. Most of the panels in this graphic novel-style book don't have text. Books without many words are useful for kids who script because the words you use change each time you read it, and this helps prevent a child from reciting memorized lines rather than engaging with the story.

There are a lot of ways to approach talking about American immigration. But I think one value to a historical approach is that it sets up a foundation for understanding that this country is almost completely comprised of people whose families originally came from elsewhere. It doesn't appear anywhere in the text, but I am using this book to introduce the word immigrant.

One cautionary note is that the multi-panel graphic novel style is fabulous for developing sequencing and storytelling skills, but it can also be overwhelming visually for some children. This was the case for my son Luke, who had a much harder time attending to this book. I had some success using goal-oriented scanning ("Where is the cat?") as a way to help him focus. I also found that being careful to emphasize the repetitive plot structure, helped him find his place in the kaleidoscope of images.

Suggested target word(s): totem animal, First Nations/American Indian

This exquisite little book by children's lit newcomer Danielle Daniel, a Métis writer and artist, introduces kids to the Anishinaabe tradition of totem animals. Daniel explains in an Author's Note:

Animal totems are also known as animal guides. In my book, a selection of totems act a guides to help children identify with the positive character traits of animals that may be familiar to them. Although children may associate with different animal guides throughout their life, it is commonly believed that one animal acts as their man guide. This connection can be shared through physical interaction, dreams, mutual characteristics or personal interest. The animal instructs and protects the child as they experience their physical and spiritual life.

Totem animals remind us that all living organisms are part of the same cycle of life.

Each page features one of Daniel's captivating paintings of a child dressed up as a totem animal. The repeating text, "Sometimes I feel like a..." begins a series of simple 4-line prose poems that describe some of the positive attributes of each totem animal.

Sometimes I feel like an owl,

intuitive and discreet.
I fly across the dark night sky,
always watching and listening.

For my son Harry, who loves animals, there was an immediate attraction to this book. I worked with him on how to pretend to be each animal and act out something in each description. For the above example, he flaps his arms to fly like the owl, puts his hand against his brow and pretends to look in the distance for "watching," and cups his ear for "listening." His pretending may be scripted and rigid, but I think these are the kinds of scripts he needs to learn to be more socially imaginative.

My son Luke enjoys naming the animals on each page. The repetition of "Sometimes I feel like a..." lets him know exactly when to fill in each animal name.

I am aware that this book isn't universally loved by First Nations (as they are called in Canada) and American Indian reviewers because it takes liberties in presenting totems as fluid identities that can be adopted at will rather than as rigidly inherited within clans and families. As a non-aboriginal person, I want to acknowledge that these disagreements exist, but I don't pretend to know enough to judge.

The way Daniel presents the totem animals of the Anishinaabe may not be strictly traditional, but it achieves a social-emotional end that is welcome in a picture book for children. Self-regulation and developing models of language to describe how you are feeling is a very big deal for kids on the spectrum-and many also obsess over animals, like my son Harry. When Harry is running around, but not being careful about where his body is crashing and landing, I can say, "Harry! Be a moose." The moose in Daniel's poem is awkward, but graceful and gentle, and when he hears this, Harry puts his thumbs up to his head to make antlers and, with deliberate gentleness, lumbers on.

Suggested target word(s): Mexico/Mexican, same/different

Duncan Tonatiuh is getting a lot of very deserved attention right now. His incredible picture book, Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale, is coming up more and more on book lists because it is so unbelievably important in this historical moment. It's a story, told like a fable, from the perspective of Pancho Rabbit, a child who pays a (literal) coyote to help him find his father who left on a journey to earn money in the lettuce and carrot fields and never came home. It's a brilliant, beautiful (and heart-breaking) book that is perfect for a child who is actively asking questions about the U.S./Mexican border and those immigration issues, but, unfortunately, it's way too complicated for kids like Luke and Harry.

However, I was thrilled to discover an earlier title by Tonatiuh, Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin, because it brings this author's critical voice to a less verbally advanced English-language audience.

Dear Primo goes back and forth between two boys: Charlie, in urban America, and his primo (cousin), Carlitos, who lives on a farm in Mexico. The boys are pen pals and they write back and forth and share stories about what their daily lives are like. For instance, the cousins compare how they get to school: Carlitos rides a bicicleta past perros (wild dogs) and nopal (cactus plants). Charlie takes the subway.

These exchanges reveal that the boys have lots in common but live their daily lives in exciting and different ways. At the end of the story they both come up with the same idea: their primo should come for a visit!

The ability to say what is the same and what is different is an important skill, and the parallel structure of this book is well suited for practicing it.

I don't think, however, that Dear Primo works as well for autistic children who don't live in a major city. I'm fairly certain that Charlie is from a place like New York City based on the scenes that are depicted. This matters because it is Charlie's life which gives us critical context for Carlito's. Charlie establishes the topic for each page: how we get to school, what games we play with friends, what we eat for dinner, etc., by showing the reader something known and familiar. But for a suburban American child, many aspects of Charlie's life are just as mysterious as life in rural Mexico (sparkling skyscrapers at night, playing in the spray of an open fire hydrant, the subway, etc.).

A parent could certainly tackle this by dialoging. For instance, if your child doesn't ride a bike to school (like Carlito) or take the subway (like Charlie), you could begin by asking "How do you get to school?" and helping your child say, "I take the bus!" or "Mummy drives me to school!" For some kids this may be too hard, while for others it may be excellent practice. It all depends on the child.

That issue aside, this is one of those books that can draw children in on the strength of its art alone. Tonatiuh describes his illustrative style as influenced by ancient Mexican art, the Mixtec codex. It is so, so pretty and gives a child a unique cultural experience on its own.

Suggested target word(s): Black/African-American, God/Jesus, spiritual

Kadir Nelson is a renowned artist who has illustrated many picture books for children but is also a notable painter whose work is exhibited in private collections and galleries around the world. His subject matter is African-American culture and history.

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands was an instant success with my kids. Good singalong books have a tendency to work particularly well when the song is highly structured or repetitive, has a strong rhythm, and is accompanied by vivid pictures that tie into the lyrics. This is the whole package.

"He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" is one of the most widely popular African-American spirituals. The back flap of the book explains:

...[S]pirituals are songs that have been passed orally from person to person or group to group and improvised along the way... The inspirational content of spirituals was crucial to the slaves who created them, and from this musical tradition was born gospel, blues, and jazz.

These are songs of faith and inspiration. Introducing them to children is a great way to begin to expose kids to African-American culture and its history.

The (capital-h) "He" that the song refers to is, obviously, Jesus, although I'm pretty sure that my kids think that it refers to the child on the cover of the book. This works for me at the moment as a fairly atheistic Jewish woman married to a non-practicing (but faithful) Catholic lady. I'm still puzzling over how to tackle religion. But for some families, this will obviously be a welcome opportunity to introduce or generalize words like "Jesus" or "God."

The book begins and ends zoomed all the way out, looking down at Earth from space. The child the book follows, a young African American boy, shows the reader a drawing of his family (" He's got my brothers and my sisters in His hands"), stands looking skyward in the pouring rain (" He's got the sun and the rain in His hands"), gazes at a full moon at night with his father (" He's got the moon and the stars in His hands"), fishes in rivers set against mountains, picnics in a park, swims in the ocean, and makes a puzzle shaped like the Earth with his dad. For the lyric, He has everybody here, in His Hands/He has everybody there, in his Hands, the boy and his family stand on a giant world map smiling from the Americas at a group of people on the African continent.

The repetition of the lyrics is enough structure on its own to keep my kids' attention, but the solid rhythm of the melody is also great for tapping to the beat. I slap one hand against the floor while I sing and both my kids really enjoy that and try to copy me.

Suggested target word/concept(s): skin color

I spent a lot of time looking for a book that explicitly talks about skin color in a way that kids with autism can follow. This is the best I have found so far.

The Colors of Us is written from the perspective of a 7-year old girl named Lena, who is "the color of cinnamon." It is implied that she is mixed race since her mother has lighter skin ("the color of French toast"). Her mother is an artist and tells Lena that if she mixes red, white, yellow, and black paints they can make the right brown to paint a picture of Lena. Lena thinks "brown is brown," but Lena's mother tells her no, there are lots of different shades of brown.

On a walk, mother and daughter meet many of Lena's friends and greet adult members of her community who have a wide variety of skin tones. Some are contextualized in ways that imply a specific ethnicity, but this is not discussed explicitly. Lena observes how each one of them has a different shade of skin and compares each new color to something she is familiar with (mostly food): peanut butter, chocolate frosting, peaches, honey, fall leaves, butterscotch, pizza crust, amber jewels, ginger, toffee, etc. When she gets home, Lena mixes her paints to make all the different colors she saw and paints pictures of her friends and neighbors.

I love the artistic presentation of skin color difference as a way to introduce this concept. I think it works on a level that many kids can understand. The illustrations are very bold. The main pages that introduce each person are framed around the person's face, which I like a lot and gives the book a consistent structure. Luke had trouble with some of the more unique color descriptions (he doesn't know what cinnamon looks like), but I was able to redirect his attention by having him label parts of the face when this was an issue.

What The Colors of Us doesn't do is introduce commonly used racial categories based on skin color (white, black, brown-skinned, etc.). Instead, it explores a literal description of skin and color, which sends the message that everyone is a shade of "brown." This may be true when it comes to painting an accurate shade of someone's skin tone, but it isn't as useful as practical language for understanding race in America.

Nonetheless, I think this book is a very good place to start. The tight structure and focus on color labeling as a repeating plot device is accessible to autistic kids. And introducing the idea of "skin color" is critical to beginning a conversation about race.

Suggested target word: Latina/Latino

Maybe Something Beautiful is based on the true story of how an artist and community leader (husband and wife) transformed the once-dull East Village neighborhood in San Diego, California into the East Village of today, a predominantly Latinx community famous for its Urban Art Trail, a transformative mecca of murals and other community-based public art. The husband, Rafael López, who was the muralist who began it all, is also the illustrator of this incredible picture book.

The book tells the story of Mira, a Latina child who loves making and giving people art. One day she meets an artist painting a mural in her dull, gray neighborhood. They begin to paint murals together and everyone in the neighborhood joins in. There is a tense moment when a policeman shows up and Mira is sure they will be in trouble, but the policeman just wants to join in and paint too. While that moment may seem unrealistic to some, it seems to be based in the real experience of the artist and nonetheless provides an opportunity for parents whose children are developmentally ready to talk about the complicated issue of policing. All in all, it's a powerful story about the power of art to build community and improve the livability of neighborhoods. Placing the brush in the hands of the little girl character sends a great message to kids about their own power to make change.

This is a book that averages around 50 words per page, so it's definitely not appropriate for kids who have trouble attending to longer picture books. That said, López' illustrations so clearly portray the action of the story, that there is a lot of potential to "read" this book by summarizing as you go. This is what I did with Harry. Once he "got" the story and began to appreciate the art I was able to read it fully with him attending. He really enjoyed the novelty of the occasional portrait spreads (you have to turn on the book on its side). He kept tilting his head as I turned the book.

Maybe Something Beautiful was too long and loosely structured for Luke to really get into, but he did enjoy naming the things Mira drew (a sun, tree, heart, flower, blue bird, elephant with a hat, green apple, and a red bird) and naming the colors of the paints the muralist and Mira used on the walls.

8. The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk by Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal, Jess Golden (Illustrator)

The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk is the Indian twist on "The Wheels on the Bus" you didn't know you needed to complete your life.

A tuk tuk, for the unfamiliar, is a 3-wheel auto rickshaw that is used as a private vehicle, but also as a mass transit vehicle, in India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, and other places.

The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk brilliantly centers an exploration of a small town in India around the familiar nursery song, instantly communicating with "Tuk Tuk wheels go round and round" that the tuk tuk is equivalent to a city bus. This basis for comparison is further cemented a few pages later when the " Rupees on the bus go ching ching ching."

It's next to impossible not to laugh when a cow sits down in front of the tuk tuk ("Tuk tuk stops for moo-moo-cow.") or when the "Elephant's trunk goes spray-spray-spray". (And the tuk tuk getting soaked with water naturally means that it's time to make the wipers go swish-swish-swish!)

My son Luke absolutely adores this book and loves to try to sing along with me. I love watching him take in this very different landscape of small town India, so beautifully rendered by the illustrator. It's clear to me he's studying it carefully. He loves the song, so it's his window into a variation on a familiar story. Variations on well-loved themes can be very appealing to kids on the spectrum.

You'll notice that this is the only book for which I have a very long list of words in my suggested target list. The reason for this is that the structure of the song is so particular and strong for practicing intraverbal skills (and the illustrations are so specific), that I actually think it's reasonable to imagine that you could teach a kid, even one who has fairly low language, that a poppadom is an Indian cracker, for instance. In learning each verse of the song and pairing it with the pictures, there is a strong basis for picking up and even understanding these new Indian words.

9. Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park, Ho Baek Lee (Illustrator)

Suggested target word(s)/concept: Korea/Korean, chopsticks, bee-bim bop

If you've never had bee-bim bop (also spelled bibimbap or bi-bim bop or some other anglicized variation), you're missing out. The Korean word means "mixed rice." Traditionally, bee-bim bop is a bowl of warm steamed rice topped with sautéed vegetables, sliced cooked meat, and a fried egg. Gochujang (chili paste), soy sauce sauce, and doenjang (soybean paste) provide flavoring. Right before eating, everything in the bowl is mixed together.

This adorable picture book features a hungry and happy little girl super-pumped to help her mom prepare bee-bim bop for her family's dinner. They go to the grocery store, chop and prepare the produce, steam the rice, cook the vegetables and meat, set the table, assemble the bowls, sit down with the family, and use their chopsticks to mix everything together. Along the way there are all kinds of great opportunities to identify foods and objects in a kitchen and also to describe the actions of the girl and her mother (shopping, chopping, cooking, mopping, etc.). The family sitting down for dinner at the end is also a great model for the social skill of being part of a family meal.

But the number one reason this book is great for children with autism is that it has a seriously infectious beat and always ends each page with punching out BEE-BIM BOP!

Almost time for supper

Rushing to the store
Mama buys the groceries-
more, Mama, more!

Hurry, Mama, hurry

Gotta shop shop shop!
Hungry hungry hungry
for some BEE-BIM BOP!

Food is such a great way to help anyone connect to a culture. I love that this book actively encourages kids to take the journey a step further and make bee-bim bop!

The recipe at the end of the book has careful instructions that divvy up the cooking tasks into tasks for "you" (the child) and tasks for a grown-up. My kids are still a bit too picky for me to do this with them, but I know many young children with autism who are extremely picky and/or sensory eaters but who could make and eat some version of bee-bim bop. The most critical component is steamed rice. After that it's really up to you to determine which vegetable and/or meat to mix in (And whether to use an egg). Really any veggie or meat will do. Add a very light touch of oil, soy sauce, and sugar (with or without any of the spicier seasoning or flavors), and you have a passable introduction to this Korean dish.

If you want, you can even try to make eating it more fun by buying training chopsticks (if your family doesn't already use them). If your child has occupational therapy they've probably used chopsticks already, since OTs commonly use kiddie chopsticks to strengthen a child's grasp and practice fine motor skills. They sell ridiculously cute kiddie chopsticks with little animals and characters in many Asian food and supply stores. (They are also very easy to make yourself with takeout chopsticks, a small piece of paper, and a rubber band.)

10. Say Hello! by Rachel Isadora

Suggested target word: language

Uh-Oh! is one of my son Luke's favorite books right now, so I badly wanted to include a title by Caldecott honoree Rachel Isadora for this list. She is often compared to Ezra Jack Keats for her portrayal of a diverse cast of children characters in everyday life. Say Hello! is the book I decided to include for this list because it is so effective for showing a child what language is.

Carmelita and her dog greet everyone in her neighborhood on their way to her abuela's house. They all say hello to her in their native language. Carmelita learns to say hello in Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew, English, French, Japanese, Italian, and many other languages. Hilariously, Manny, her dog, seems to understand everyone, and says his version of hello ("Woof!") on each page.

Isadora's art is as amazing as always. This book uses a collage of cut prints mixed with oil paints, and the result is colorful and dazzling.

There is nothing complicated about this book at all, which is what is so great about it. One of the first things kids are taught in ABA is social greeting reciprocity (saying hi when someone comes over, etc.). This book does nothing but model that essential skill, repeating the social interaction of greeting over and over. This is great for generalizing greetings.

Some children may be ready to learn the name of the languages that are being used when people say "Hello!", but the important thing isn't to memorize that "Ciao!" is "Hello!" in Italian (although that's pretty cool), but rather to communicate the idea of language itself. This book really works well for that purpose.

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10 Books to Introduce Race & Ethnicity to Kids with Autism

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Once upon a time, I imagined my twins inundating me with why? questions. "Ugh. Luke and Harry have entered the "why?" phase!" I'd complain, playing my part. My reality is a little different. My kids are now 4 year olds, with autism and language delays, and they've never once asked me why?.

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Action Songs

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The Animal Boogie | Barefoot Books Singalong

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Easy, visual recipies your children will love.

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Easy, visual recipies your children will love.

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Let's Cook! Life Skills - Kids with Autism - Ham and Cheese Sandwich (Level 3)

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For family viewing

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Many people have sleep issues. But for those on the autism spectrum, sleeping well may be particularly difficult. Here we look at strategies that can be used to help autistic people to sleep better.

Sleep disorders

How do you define a sleep disorder?

Many people on the autism spectrum are likely to suffer from disturbed sleep patterns at some point in their lives.

Reasons for this could include:

having difficulty settling, winding down and going to sleep.

waking repeatedly during the night, or having difficulty getting back to sleep after waking up to go to the toilet.

increased anxiety or an inability to relax causing insomnia.

social cueing problems, where an autistic person doesn't make the connection between others in the house going to bed and their own need to sleep.

Irregular secretion of the sleep hormone melatonin, which regulates sleep patterns, or having atypical circadian rhythms (body clock).

Neurological conditions such as epilepsy.

sensory differences, such as increased sensitivity to blue light from smart phones, laptops and other screens, or sensitivity to certain sounds or white noise, which may be upsetting or distracting and keep them awake.

problems caused by food allergies, which could cause gastrointestinal issues and discomfort, or increased sensitivity to caffeine or other stimulants, which can disturb sleep.

hypersomnia - sleeping too much. Increased exhaustion could be caused by the additional stress autistic people experience in social situations.

Find out more about sleep disorders and read Research Autism's Essential Guide to Sleep Problems and Autism.

Strategies for dealing with sleep disorders

Keep a sleep diary

Sleep diaries can be used to establish any unusual patterns of sleep and identify factors which may be influencing the person's ability to sleep. If you are using other strategies to aid sleep, you will be able to track how effective they are. Sleep diaries are also useful because you can show them to professionals such as teachers, GPs or social workers, to give them a clearer idea of the impact sleep issues are having on your lives. Certain benefit application forms, for example Disability Living Allowance (DLA), ask you how often you have to get up in the night to help your child. You can send in a copy of the sleep diary to support your application. A sleep diary can show the person themselves what their sleep patterns are like. They can then be used to establish incentives for staying in bed and trying to sleep.

Establish a reassuring routine

Establish a basic, ordered routine for the evening, which can be followed anywhere. Use visual timetables to make it easier to follow. If possible, limit the person's screen time (TV, computer, tablet, smart phone) or exposure to bright lights an hour or two before bedtime, as these can inhibit the production of the sleep hormone Melatonin. Some children may find the transition from sleeping in their parent's room to their own room by themselves difficult. This can be related to difficulty with change but also the need for reassurance around bedtime and sleeping. Coping with waking problems may require consistent reassurance on your part and a creative approach to your child's needs.

Make the bedroom more comfortable

Autistic people can have sensory differences , which make it harder for them to relax and go to sleep, as well as stay asleep. Their environment and surroundings can also play a role. It may help to:

Block out light using dark curtains or black-out blinds.

Reduce noise using thick carpet, shutting doors fully, turning off appliances, and moving your child's bed away from a wall with activity going on on the other side.

Block out noises by letting the person use ear plugs or listen to music through headphones.

Remove labels from bedding and night clothes, or try bedding and nightclothes made from other materials.

Reduce smells coming into the room by closing the door fully, or by using scented oils that the person finds relaxing.

Remove distractions, such as toys on the bed and pictures on the wall (unless the person finds these relaxing), and consider a different colour on the walls.

Use relaxation techniques such as having a bath, massage, quiet time or gentle exercise such as yoga, to help the person wind down before bedtime.

Explain sleep

Children can have difficulty understanding the need for sleep. A social story™ (developed by Carol Gray) could be used to explain this. They can also be used to reassure your child that they are safe when sleeping/alone.

Visual supports such as flow charts could also be used to explain sleep or children's books that provide the biological explanation for sleep.

Diet

If food sensitivity/stomach discomfort is a problem, visit your GP or a dietitian for advice. We also suggest that you visit a dietitian before introducing any major dietary changes to check that the person still has a balanced diet. Limit caffeine and other stimulants, especially near bedtime.

Medication

According to The Sleep Council, Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone which our bodies produce when it gets dark to help us sleep. Synthetic Melatonin supplements are only available on prescription in the UK. For further information you should consult your GP. Some foods are rich in melatonin, but current research is not clear whether a melatonin-rich diet could be effective in helping people sleep. Some parents/carers have found that using medication in tandem with a behavioural or sensory approach can help to restore a good sleep pattern. The combination is crucial as without the behavioural intervention when the medical treatment ends the child is likely to return to their old sleep patterns.

Natural remedies

Health food stores offer "natural" remedies which claim to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders. It's important to consider how such products might interact with any other medication the person may be taking. If you are thinking of trying a "natural" or "alternative" remedy, you should discuss this with your GP first.

Getting some sleep yourself

Getting a proper night's sleep is hugely important. It may have been suggested that you sleep when your child sleeps, but this won't necessarily be convenient, especially if you have other people to care for and it can also be difficult to 'switch off' on demand. By the time you have got your child to sleep, particularly if they needed calming down, you may feel too wound up to sleep yourself.

Safety proof the person's room so you can relax knowing that they cannot harm themselves while you are asleep.

Find out more about community care and respite services. All parents of children with disabilities are entitled to be assessed to see if they're eligible.

If you are struggling with long term lack of sleep, implementing strategies such as those above can be impractical. Seek support outside the family such as your GP, social worker or your child's school, for help and advice.

Further information and support
Autism Helpline
Autism Services Directory - for details of local support groups, NAS branches
Cerebra Sleep Service ISIS: Infant Sleep Information Source
Parent to Parent
Sleep Scotland The Children's Sleep Charity
Managing sleep problems - University of Leicester video in English (also in Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi and Bengali).

Mind - how to cope with sleep problems

Last updated 18 October 2017

Quick link to this page: www.autism.org.uk/sleep

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Many people have sleep issues. But for those on the autism spectrum, sleeping well may be particularly difficult. Here we look at strategies that can be used to help autistic people to sleep better. Many people on the autism spectrum are likely to suffer from disturbed sleep patterns at some point in their lives.

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This survey from the Lambeth Parent Forum is for parents and carers to share their experiences during lockdown.

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This survey from the Lambeth Parent Forum is for parents and carers to share their experiences during lockdown.

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What you can do

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Supporting Neurodiverse Children In Challenging Times Such As During Self-Isolation

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Discover Science at home with the Royal Society

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Discover Science at home with the Royal Society

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The Royal Society supports teachers during this challenging time and has collated a number of resources, activities and videos, that they may wish to share with parents, to support learning from home. It is important that parents follow the guidance from teaching staff and recognise that they are not expected to replace their expertise; it may be helpful for parents to set goals for their children to reach, create routines and, for younger children, focus on promoting reading and numeracy skills in particular.

These resources are free to download or view and no sign-up is required. Many of the links are to lectures and videos that students may want to take their time to explore - providing additional learning on current issues around science, mathematics and computing.

We have also included links to other resource sites including STEM learning, the Association for Science Education, and the Primary Science Teaching Trust.

Explore our YouTube playlist to see some of the videos available, or find more resources on our Primary, Secondary and Extended learning pages.

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Resources | Science at home | Royal Society

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The Royal Society supports teachers during this challenging time and has collated a number of resources, activities and videos, that they may wish to share with parents, to support learning from home.

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Help your child understand why they are 'Seeing other people wearing masks' when they go out with you.

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Help your child understand why they are 'Seeing other people wearing masks' when they go out with you.