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When we experience strong emotions, our body responds. Certain practices, such as breathing exercises or stretching routines, can help children increase self-awareness and self-management of their emotional responses. There are many child-friendly breathing and stretching exercises that guide children and help them visualize their practice. Try the SEL app, Wisdom : The World of Emotions for an Augmented Reality (AR) breathing exercise or physical grounding game (visual shown below) for kids to follow along.

You may choose to do such breathing or stretching exercises at scheduled time of the day (perhaps before bedtime or as a daily break from homework). You may also choose to use these practices when at moments you and your child feel it could be helpful. Try some of these prompts as you and your child navigate good times to reset your bodies:

I notice you seem (insert: upset, distracted, tired, experiencing strong emotions…). Would you like to do a breathing exercise with me?

It’s been a long day. Why don’t we get our bodies and minds ready for bed with some stretches.

I think we can focus on this better after we reset our bodies. Would you prefer to focus on our breathing or stretching?

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Creating and maintaining a daily schedule helps children stay structured. It allows children to rely on a sense of predictability and safety. Being involved in this process allows children to practice responsible decision making and self-management. It gives children the opportunity to reflect on previous days and the day ahead, as they make choices in their schedule to help manage their emotions. To start this conversation with your child, try some of these prompts:

What are some things you would like to do tomorrow? Let’s make a list.

We have a busy day! Let’s sit to think about when we want to do what today.

Wow, look at everything you have accomplished today. What was the best part of your day? What are you looking forward to for tomorrow?

Check out this link for a daily reflection and schedule template that you can print for you and your child. Using a consistent format for scheduling your days can help support your structure.

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3. Write a letter or draw a picture for a loved one

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3. Write a letter or draw a picture for a loved one

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Thinking about positive social connections gives us reason to reflect and feel joy. Even when children are just at home, they can think about the important people in their lives by writing letters or drawing pictures for others. This practice can help build children’s relationship skills and social awareness, even if they are working alone. Try encouraging your child with extra guidance:

Who is someone that makes you feel grateful? Someone that you are really glad to have in your life?

Who is someone that you think would love to hear from you? Someone whose days you could brighten?

Would you like to write them a letter or draw them a picture? Why don’t you tell me what you’d like to say in the letter and I will write it down (for children who are not yet writing independently).

What are some things you’d like to tell them / show them? Are there any questions you would like to ask them?

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Certain visual stimulation can awaken our senses and calm feelings of anxiety or anger. Watching glitter swirling and floating in a jar of water can encourage children’s self-management, as they learn to pick up their glitter jar and calm their strong emotions with greater independence. While your child grows more practiced in using their glitter jar to manage strong emotions, you can help support them with prompts like these:

It seems like you are experiencing a big emotion right now. Would you like to take out your glitter jar? When it settles, you might be ready to discuss what happened.

Perhaps your mind is having difficulty focusing right now. How about you take out your glitter jar and take some deep breaths while watching the glitter settle? Let me know when you feel ready to focus again.

You might not have a solution to your problem right now but how about you take out your glitter jar to see if you get any ideas after watching it?

To create your own glitter jar you will need a jar, airtight lid, water, and a bit of glitter. This fun hands-on art activity will last a long time if handled with care, and offer great opportunity for social emotional learning. If you want to avoid the possible mess of a physical glitter jar, you can alternatively find similar effects online. For example, try the Augmented Reality (AR) glitter jar feature on the app, Wisdom: The World of Emotions (iOS, Android).

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You’ve likely heard of the many benefits that come from adults keeping gratitude journals. This daily dedication to giving thanks is not just beneficial for adults! Keeping a gratitude journal helps children increase their self-awareness and self-management; this daily time to express gratitude allows children to reflect on their lives and focus on positive aspects.

Create a gratitude journal - somewhere that your child can write something for which they are feeling grateful that day. Your child can decorate the front or even create the book themselves for added ownership and fun. Rather than write broad gratitudes like “family” or “food,” try to encourage more specific aspects of their lives. Use this template or these questions to help encourage deeper thinking and more precise gratitudes:

Who is one person that makes you feel grateful today?

What was one thing you ate today for which you feel grateful?

What is one thing you/ your body is able to do right now that makes you feel grateful?

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Fun way to address gratitude at home

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If you want your child to be evaluated for special education services, you must make a referral, this page covers what you need to know.

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"I think my child needs to be evaluated? What's the process?"

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"I think my child needs to be evaluated? What's the process?"

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Things to Consider

If you think your child may need special education services, keep in mind that:

Children learn and develop at different speeds and in different ways.

Children who learn differently do not necessarily have a disability.

Children should not be referred for special education services because of limited English proficiency.

Multilingual Learners

If English is not your child's first language, your child may be able to get support through an English as a New Language (ENL) or bilingual program, or in the case of Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing children, access to a sign language interpreter in their classroom.

Translation and Interpretation for Parents

Please speak with your IEP team if you would like an interpreter at your child's IEP meeting, or if you would like a translation of your child's IEP, assessments, or notices.

For sign language interpretation services, please contact your school's parent coordinator or the Office of Sign Language Interpreting Services via email OSLIS@schools.nyc.gov.

Find Out More

Learn more about the the DOE's translation and interpretation services from our In Your Language page.

Eligibility

Your child may be eligible for special education services if they show delays in:

Thinking and learning

Understanding and using language

Self-help skills (toileting, eating, dressing)

Behavior (getting along with others, expressing feelings)

Physical ability (vision, hearing, movement)

Talking to Teachers/Care Providers

Talk to your child's teachers and care providers. They can share information about how your child is doing in school and you can share information about how your child is doing at home. Here are some questions to help you think about what to share:

What brings out the best in your child?

What are your child's strengths, challenges, and interests?

What does your child like to do outside of school?

What do you do at home to encourage positive behavior and learning?

What areas does your child need extra help with?

Questions to Ask

What are my child's strengths and challenges in the classroom?

How do you support my child when they need help?

Do you have examples of my child's work that we can look at together?

Is my child learning and developing at a rate that is expected for their age?

How does my child get along with other students in the classroom?

Are there programs in the community that might help my child?

What are some learning activities I can do at home or in the neighborhood?

What are some questions I can ask my child when we read together?

How can I help my child if they are struggling with homework?

Response to Intervention

Response to Intervention (RTI) is an approach schools use to match individual students with the teaching practices and level of support that work best for them. While you may make a referral for a special education evaluation at any time, public schools serving students in grades K-5 are required to implement RTI before making a referral.

How it Works:

RTI is a three-tiered model. At each step, more support is offered to students who need it.

Tier 1: For all students. This is high-quality, differentiated instruction provided in a general education classroom.

Tier 2: May include small group instruction or additional instructional time.

Tier 3: More intensive instruction that may include materials or programs to target your child's needs.

Teachers using RTI will:

Use screening methods to assess your child's skills and behaviors.

Determine if your child needs more support than the instruction provided in general education.

Provide interventions as needed.

Monitor your child's progress to determine if the intervention is working and, if not, how it might need to be adjusted.

What's Next?

If RTI has been provided and your child still needs more support, you or the DOE can make a referral for an evaluation for special education. You can also request a Section 504 Accommodation.

504 Accommodation

Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires public schools to provide eligible students with accommodations so they can participate in school activities with non-disabled peers.

Under Section 504, a student with a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more major life activities is eligible to receive accommodations.

A student who requires medication during the school day or an accessible school building, for example, may have a 504 Accommodation.

If your child is in a Pre-K for All program and has medical needs, e-mail EarlyChildhoodPolicy@schools.nyc.gov.

Find Out More

Visit our 504 Accommodation page to find out more.

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If you think your child may need special education services, keep in mind that: Children learn and develop at different speeds and in different ways. Children who learn differently do not necessarily have a disability. Children should not be referred for special education services because of limited English proficiency.

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Introducing your children to yoga at an early age can help them learn healthy lifestyle habits and set the foundation for a fit future. Get your family practice started with these kid-friendly yoga poses.

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Resources, ideas, and activities for a healthier lifestyle for families.

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At the launch of Let's Move! in 2010, President Obama established a Task Force on Childhood Obesity clearly stating his goal to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation and announcing the First Lady's role in leading a national public awareness effort to improve the health of our children.

He stated: "To meet our goal, we must accelerate implementation of successful strategies that will prevent and combat obesity. Such strategies include updating child nutrition policies in a way that addresses the best available scientific information, ensuring access to healthy, affordable food in schools and communities, as well as increasing physical activity and empowering parents and caregivers with the information and tools they need to make good choices for themselves and their families. They will help our children develop lifelong healthy habits, ensuring they reach their greatest potential toward building a healthier and more prosperous America."

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At the launch of Let's Move! in 2010, President Obama established a Task Force on Childhood Obesity clearly stating his goal to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation and announcing the First Lady's role in leading a national public awareness effort to improve the health of our children.

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Tips for activities for students who receive physical therapy services to do at home.

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My child receives occupational therapy, now what?

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My child receives occupational therapy, now what?

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Fine Motor, Visual Motor, and Perceptual Skills

Cutting Tips

Bold the outline with a highlighter or marker.

Hold scissors and paper with "thumbs on top." You can place a sticker on your child's thumb nail as a reminder.

Begin first with cutting straight lines, then basic shapes, then complex shapes.

Use hand-over-hand assistance as needed.

Gluing Tips

When gluing, put the glue on the object being glued and NOT the paper.

Make a mark or draw a line as a visual of where the glue should go.

Try glue sticks for children with decreased strength.

Pencil Grasp Tips

Use broken crayons and short pencils to encourage an efficient grasp

Have your child hold a small coin or cotton ball with their pinky and ring fingers leaving only their ring finger, middle finger and thumb available to hold the pencil.

Hand Strengthening Activities

Hand weight bearing activities, such as wheelbarrow walks, crab walks, push-ups, and crawling.

Lego and Playdoh play: roll into balls, make a snake, press with stamps, hide and find pegs or beads, etc.

Pinch clothespins, paint with eyedroppers, & pick up items with tweezers.

Crafts, such as beading, lacing, ripping paper to make a collage, and hole punch activities.

Use a spray bottle to play in the bath, help with cleaning, etc.

For in-hand manipulation, place coins in a piggy bank or make your own with a coffee can with a slot in the top.

Visual Skills Activities

When reading use an index card or ruler to help isolate one line or word at a time.

Activities such as mazes, cryptograms, Dotto-Dot, word finds, puzzles, ball or balloon toss, etc.

To view more visual perceptual activities, visit the free website: www.eyecanlearn.com

Writing Skills

Proper Posture When Writing on a Table Top

Feet flat on the floor (A footstool or thick book can be placed under the feet to assist if feet do not reach the floor.) Sit upright in chair.

Wrist supported on table. Paper stabilized by nonwriting hand.

Letter Formation

When printing, prompt your child to use a top down formation: "Start at the top!"

Try this routine: You write the letter...Your child writes the letter...You write the letter...Your child writes the letter.

Spacing

Have child use their finger or a Popsicle stick after each word to create an appropriate space before beginning the next word.

Use graph paper to give a visual cue for spacing out words and letters.

There are many types of writing paper. Be sure to check with your child's therapist on the best type of paper or strategy for your child.

Letter and word placement

Draw a green line along the left margin of the paper and a red line on the right to signal where to "start" and "stop."

If your child has difficulty writing on the line, darken the baseline with a marker.

Use a highlighter to indicate where to write between lines.

Typing

To work on typing skills, visit one of the free websites below:

Practice Writing Skills

Schedule a 10 minute interval daily to practice writing.

Encourage your child to write about a preferred topic of choice.

Help your child make greeting cards for family and friends.

Write a grocery list together.

Make lists: favorite TV programs, movies, things to pack before a trip.

Self-Regulation and Sensory Processing

Self-regulation is the ability to control one's thoughts, emotional responses, actions and level of alertness/attention. It can be influenced by several different factors including sensory processing. Sensory processing is how we process information from the world around us as well as what is going on inside of us to produce an appropriate behavioral response.

Calming Activities

Play games that reinforce structure and require waiting/ turn-taking: red light green light, freeze dance, Simon says.

Yoga, meditation and belly breathing will help child develop better control of their physical body, thoughts, and emotional states. You can start by sitting still with eyes closed with a slow count of 5.

Routines, structure and clear expectations will help your child with self-control. Review any changes to normal routine early.

Provide a quiet personal space for your child to calm. Relaxing music, a bean bag chair or soft pillows to burrow in may be helpful.

Encourage a variety of play/work positions such as standing, lying on the floor, kneeling.

Offer your child a chewy snack to provide organizing sensory input (i.e. Twizzlers, dried fruits, bagels, etc.).

"Heavy work" activities (carrying heavy items, push/pull activities, etc.)

Energizing Activities

Have your child jump on a mini-trampoline, perform jumping jacks or play hopscotch.

Push-ups on the floor or push-ups against the wall.

Organized sports activities- running, yoga, karate, gymnastics, bike riding.

Climbing on or hanging from playground equipment.

Eating crunchy foods (i.e. popcorn, pretzels, carrots, apples, etc.).

Play and dance to loud, fast-paced music.

Use toys that make noise or light up.

Tips for Children with Tactile Sensitivities

Gradually expose your child to different textures going from the least to most messy. (i.e. Play-doh is less messy than shaving cream or finger paints.)

Provide firm pressure rather than light touch when holding hands or giving hugs.

Make sure that blankets, pajamas and clothes are comfortable for the child as this may disrupt their sleep and other daily activities. (i.e. Cut out clothing tags if causing discomfort, wear socks inside out if irritating, etc.)

Use unscented laundry detergent.

Attention and Focus

Also refer to the Self-Regulation and Sensory Processing section; strategies may also result in improved attention and ability to focus.

Choose a location in the home with minimal distractions when completing structured activities such as homework or studying.

Break down instructions into simple 1-2 step directions.

Have child repeat directions to reinforce understanding.

Use a visual timer to gradually increase attention to a non-preferred activity.

Allow your child to take short, intermittent movement breaks.

Use a reward chart with stickers or checkmarks to reinforce positive behaviors.

Toilet Training

Look for signs for readiness, like discomfort when wet or soiled or staying dry for several hours at a time.

Have your child wear easy to manage clothing (i.e. sweatpants).

Establish a schedule according to wetness pattern.

Toileting symbol may be helpful for requests.

Use charts for positive reinforcement and celebrate each success.

Shoe Tying

Children typically require demonstration, explanation, and lots of practice to master tying their shoes.

Remember there are two common methods for tying laces; the bunny ear approach using two loops, or the wrap-around technique, making one single loop then wrapping the other string around and tucking through. Try both and see what works best for your child.

Be sure laces are long enough so that your child can make large loops if needed.

Practicing knots on a jump rope or pipe cleaner can also make it easier and more fun.

Dressing

Practice dressing skills through pretend play with dress-up clothes or dolls.

Help your child up until the very last step to allow him/her to successfully complete the dressing task. Do less and less as your child can do more and more. For example:

Assist with fastening the zipper but allow the child to pull it up.

Help your child put each leg into his/her pants but have your child pull his/her pants up independently.

Insert a button halfway into the hole, but let your child pull it fully through.

Teach your child to locate the tag first to identify the front when putting on shirts or jackets.

Hand Washing

1. Use Soap

2. Scrub palm to palm

3. Scrub back of hands

4. Wash between fingers

5. Wash thumbs

6. Scrub fingernails

7. Wash wrists

8. Rinse hands

9. Dry Hands

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Bold the outline with a highlighter or marker. Hold scissors and paper with "thumbs on top." You can place a sticker on your child's thumb nail as a reminder. Begin first with cutting straight lines, then basic shapes, then complex shapes. Use hand-over-hand assistance as needed.

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Ideas and activities to support your child at home.

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Get help supporting your student with speech therapy tips and activities to do at home.

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Parent University seeks to educate and empower families as partners, advocates, and lifelong educators in their student's education through free courses, resources, events, and activities.

Parent University serves all families, from early childhood through adulthood. Even if you are not a parent, we encourage you to become involved with Parent University. With an expanding course list Parent University is ready to support you. Register and enroll for a course today!

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Classes for NYC Families

Parent University seeks to educate and empower families as partners, advocates, and lifelong educators in their student's education through free courses, resources, events, and activities.

Parent University serves all families, from early childhood through adulthood. Even if you are not a parent, we encourage you to become involved with Parent University.  With an expanding course list Parent University is ready to support you.

Register and enroll for a course today!

Sign In with NYCSA

Already have a NYC School Account?
Then you're already registered, just sign in!

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Classes for NYC Families Parent University seeks to educate and empower families as partners, advocates, and lifelong educators in their student's education through free courses, resources, events, and activities. Parent University serves all families, from early childhood through adulthood.

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Self Management
the ability to interact positively and productively with other people.

Activity: Who is Great at this? Helping your child recognize relationship skills in others.
Make two columns:

First side - name key relationship skills such as compliments others, is polite, offers to help others, etc.

In the second column - have your child write the name of someone who is great at this and give an example of how the person showed that skill.