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Parent Booklet

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Useful Websites/Apps to support and develop SLCN

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Online Jigsaw Puzzles

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Millions of free jigsaw puzzles created by a large community. Create, play, share jigsaw puzzles and compete with other users.

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Mommy Speech Therapy - Thoughts on speech & language development

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The speech and articulation worksheets as well as the other downloads on this page have been created by Heidi Hanks, M.S.CCC-SLP, and are property of Mommy Speech Therapy. These speech and articulation worksheets are free to download as support material to the related articles found on this site, and they are intended for use in your home or therapy setting to help your child. Please do not sell these or post them anywhere else. If you have any questions on how to use the articulation worksheets, please read my post The Process of Articulation Therapy for additional information. Good Luck, remember to be patient and make it fun!

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Helpful documents and activities for you to download to help you work with your child in different areas of their speech

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

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Resources for Children's Speech and Language

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Children's Speech and Language resources to download

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Leeds Community Healthcare - Page not found

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Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust’s (LCH) official website, serving the public in Leeds and providing health services to patients.

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Duolingo is the world's most popular way to learn a language. It's 100% free, fun and science-based. Practice online on duolingo.com or on the apps!

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Supporting SEN Children- Coping with Covid 19 Isolation

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Supporting SEN Children- Coping with Covid 19 Isolation

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Child Health Professionals in Cardiff & Vale UHB

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An Information Booklet for Parents (NCSE)

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Sarah Alleyn (The Blurt Foundation)

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Top Books for SEL

Check out some favorite books to help kids navigate the messy feelings in their lives so they can become more aware, connected, compassionate, kind, inclusive, responsible, and resilient.

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Cultivating Well-being, Resilience, and SEL for Educators and Children - constantloveandlearning.com

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Helping educators nurture well-being, resilience, and social emotional learning within themselves, their students, & their school systems to sustainably increase impact without sacrificing their health, happiness, or wholeness

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Welcome to Little Puddins. This is my personal blog, which focuses on Family, Parenting, Autism, Special Needs,Craft, and Lifestyle.

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Looking for printable social stories for kids? Here you'll find lots of free social stories examples and even some social story templates to help you write your own.

Social stories were a total game changer for us. They have helped my son get through things like attending a funeral for the first time and managing the sensory overload that comes along with filling up the bathtub.

However, searching for the perfect social story is time consuming.

And sometimes, you never find the right social story you need. Things like using clipart instead of real photos, missing steps, and not giving my son the right language and vocabulary are some of the issues we have run into when searching for social stories.

So I'm slowly trying to fill the gap by creating beautiful and comprehensive social stories that use real photos with pictures of diverse children so that every child feels represented.

Below you will find tons of printable social stories for kids, including free social story templates and lots of free printable social stories.

This post contains affiliate links. Basically, I make a small commission when you use these links, at no additional cost to you.

What is a social story?

Social stories are a great way to teach autistic children a variety of skills and behaviors, as well as outline special events and social situations. Basically, a story that teaches about one specific topic, event, or social skill.

For a more detailed description, as well as tips for writing your own social stories, read more here.

But save yourself some time by using one of the printable social stories examples from below instead (some are free and some are paid).

Free Printable Social Stories for Kids

You're going to love these free printable social stories examples for kids! There's always more being added so save this page and check back frequently.

Free Templates for Writing Your Own Social Stories

Looking to create your own social stories? Well, there's a template for that...

Even More Printable Social Stories for Kids (aka The Not Free Section)

Didn't find what you were looking for yet? Then maybe one these printable social stories will be what you need.

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Printable social stories for kids and social story templates

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This social story explains the social expectations involved in using a public restroom, including use of a stall and use of a urinal.

This single page is designed to be enlarged on a copier and made into a booklet.

These skills take practice and time to master, and patient instruction, so keep a change of clothes handy.

Please use this tool with sensitivity and privacy.

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﻿These social stories are designed to be enlarged on a copier and made into booklets, with one image per page. Feel free to customize them for your own child's needs. ﻿

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Resources & Ideas to Support Distance Learning

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Emotional Literacy Support Assistants provide emotional and social skills support to children.

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Coronavirus Support Archives - ELSA Support for emotional literacy

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Coronavirus support provides free resources for teaching staff and parents to help children cope with the current viral outbreak.

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A Guide for Parents (NEPS)

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A Free Well-Being Journal for Kids

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The Department of Education and Skills’ NEPS psychologists have developed advice and some resources for young people to manage and stay well when schools are closed.

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Department of Education Pilot Programme of Counselling and Wellbeing / Mental Health Supports in Primary ...

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In these uncertain times with self-isolation within families and social distancing from the wider community, I've put together a really practical and helpful stay at home survival guide for parents to use while their children are at home. I hope you find it helpful, spread it far and wide with others.

Stay clam, playful and optimistic. We can do this together!

For many people this is the first time we've had our children all at home together for such long periods of time, without holidays and travel involved. The weeks and months ahead may therefore feel really daunting, even overwhelming.

I can understand that feeling too, but I think it helps to be calm and remind ourselves we can TOTALLY DO THIS and we are perfectly suited to the task ahead. Yes, it will require a period of settling and adjustment to new routines and preparation will be your friend here.

Let me help you get started with this simple guide and don't forget, you will also find me sharing DAILY PLAY and LEARNING IDEAS over on my Imagination Tree Instagram feed (where I often chat to camera behind the scenes and show you how-tos and set up videos too.) Also, I am going to open up the doors to my private membership site for parents PlayLab EARLY so that new members can hop on board and have weekly advice, videos, training and materials from me directly. This will be a great stress reliever as I will do lots of the work for you! Hop on over here to sign up to register your interest now, ready for when the doors open in the next couple of weeks!
Ok, let's start our Stay at Home Survival Guide!
Firstly, take the pressure off yourself. You do not need to be perfect at organising timetables, fun activities and teaching material. It will absolutely be ok if some things slip for a while. YOU know your child the best and WILL be able to provide well for them during this period, including their educational development. Their teachers will give some guidance and there are plenty of ideas online for a lifetime of learning ideas. Kids are amazingly adaptable, including being able to catch up again with their learning. This is not forever!

If in doubt, keep it PLAYFUL, fun and as active as possible as this is the proven best way to learn and retain new information. This could look like running around the house to hunt for hidden phonemes/ sight words against a timer, instead of studying boring worksheets, for example. This will also help keep them moving as much as possible which is very important when going out is no longer an option.

STOCK UP

I DO suggest stocking up as early as possible on loads of basic sensory play materials and learning resources.

Everything in this list will be useful in making play dough, slime, cloud dough, salt dough, dyed rice/ pasta, scented sensory play materials, sensory writing trays and LOADS of creative art activities. This combination pretty much covers all bases! Find the recipes themselves in the archives here and in my Sensory Invitations to Play Cards.

These are inexpensive but really useful to have handy in the cupboards for the days when you want to pull your hair out with frustration! If in doubt, ditch everything and get messy!

This list of learning materials will obviously depend on the age and stage of your own children, but it covers a good range from approx preschooler to older Primary school. These are versatile resources that can be combined in a variety of ways to make all kinds of DIY learning through play games and activities. You'll find the ideas themselves in the archives here (scroll down) and over on my daily instagram updates. PlayLab members will get them delivered directly on the membership site too.

MAKE A PLAN

Planning ahead will also be your friend here. Make a loose schedule for the weekdays and then be sure to plan in sensory play time and open-ended too. This will help everyone feel calmer and aid relaxation as the pressure will be off you to think on your feet. Here is a suggested week-day plan for children of school age. It might look very different in your home and some days you may skip everything for a day climbing trees or having a Harry Potter movie watching marathon instead maybe!

I can't say exactly how long each session would be as that would depend on your breakfast and dinner times, but I'd imagine around 30 mins per activity in the morning, with 10-15 minute breaks. And then longer stretches during free play and creative/ science projects in the afternoons. Read aloud time works really well straight after lunch while they're still at the table, for about half an hour. This can also be an audiobook, of course!

Plan for long periods of open-ended play, quiet time and creativity. Kids are brilliant at play, so provide them the tools/ space/ time and let them get on with it! The sooner they get used to this, the better this part of the day will be.

GET OUTSIDE

The best thing we can do with them is get them out into nature (unless they are showing symptoms of course.)

Find wide open spaces in the countryside such as nature trails, empty beaches or the woods and let them run wild climbing trees, building dens and burning off as much energy as possible.

GET MOVING

Even if you can't get outside or go further than your own garden/ yard, its possibly to get creative with your movement games.

Have a mini Olympics, make obstacle courses inside and out, jump on the trampoline, have disco dance parties, make up silly walks, play computer dance games etc!

Watch some kiddie yoga online, do stretches or family HITT workouts.

UTILISE SCREEN TIME

Screen time is not the enemy, it's a useful tool!

I suggest planning it into your daily schedule for times when you need a quiet period for your own planning/ admin/ online shopping/ work etc. You need some space from each other to keep the routine (and peace) flowing well.

Also, watching movies can be turned into an educational activity by asking them to rate them afterwards and complete movie review sheets! Watch nature and science documentaries, create projects based on the topics learned. Shows like Horrible Histories are a great springboard for fun projects.

SENSORY PLAY

This is really important as it helps keeps kids calm and focused. It's a great stress and anxiety reliever too, which will be very beneficial with the daily news updates and worries.

Stock up on sensory ingredients and dedicate a time of day to this. You can also move sensory play to the bath or garden for better containment if you're worried about mess.

Use the checklist above and then find my Sensory Invitations to Play cards full of recipes to help! (These are currently 25% off to try and help make them as accessible as possible to everyone.)

READING & WRITING

Audiobooks will be fantastic during this time, as will read aloud time together. Try reading in a makeshift fort, in the dark with torches, while they're in the bath or outside.

Find new books and review them for other kids online.

Write a book diary, make bookmarks, make a library role play area at home, read TO each other, read poetry and use all these experiences to inspire some writing too.

School aged kids can be fantastically independent in their writing projects. You just need to offer some inspiration with open-ended prompts such as: write a story/ comic/ quiz book/ poem/ book review/ information-based project etc.

Keep it purposeful and fun, it does not need to look like "school". Writing real letters to family members and friends that you can't see in person will be both fun and meaningful.

Older kids could set up private YouTube channels and share ideas there with their friends online!

Make use of the myriad of great resources online. Let THEM be the teaching tool and guide you need.

CREATIVITY

Keep the art supplies freely available and they will surprise you with their creative ideas! Save recycling and encourage them to make towns/ junk models. homes for their toys/ pretend gadgets etc.

Painting, drawing, sewing, paper mache, salt-dough and clay modelling are all great on-going projects.

Watch YouTube for tutorials on learning new skills eg crochet, sewing, tie-dye, weaving etc.

Play music, put on shows, dress up, create costumes from newspaper, do face painting, do talent shows, learn stop motion animation- the list can be endless!

A cardboard box is endless fun for all ages- just be creative with what you add!

Creativity involves lego, photography, cooking, trying smoothie recipes, having bake-off contests, creating projects for other kids.

Create loads of art then finally put together an exhibition! Take photos and share with family members via WhatsApp or online.

So many possible ideas- ask your children what they love to do the most!

FREE PLAY

This is by far the best thing your children can do, especially when in balance with some learning time. Give them some dedicated space for play and schedule it into the day.

Make resources available and include plenty of loose parts for play as these are open-ended and can be used in a myriad of ways.

You could do learning all morning then creative projects, free play and screen time in the afternoons for example. This model would work well and be really easy to achieve.

You could theme the weeks so that there is a different focus eg talent show to work on one week of afternoons, science fair to prepare the following week etc.

Get the whole family involved in some of these big games and challenges- it will be a great stress reliever and lots of fun!

SCIENCE

Grow beans, make lava lamps, make fizzing potions, play with water beads, make slime etc.

Search Pinterest for so many ways to investigate using household materials!

Design and make your own science fair at home!

I have plenty of ideas in the Imagination Tree archives to keep you busy for a long time! Here's a quick list of links to the deeper archives:
PLAYFUL LITERACY IDEAS here. PLAYFUL MATHS IDEAS here. SENSORY PLAY RECIPES here. SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS here.
Finally, keep in contact with others through phone calls and FaceTime. Encourage each other and share great ideas and tips that you find online. Let's keep communicating and laughing through it all and we can get through this together, even when physically apart. I am hoping your elderly loved ones are kept safe.

If this Stay at Home Survival Guide has been useful for you, please consider passing it on to others as this helps me as well as them. Thank you! x

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Stay at Home Survival Guide - The Imagination Tree

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In these uncertain times with self-isolation within families and social distancing from the wider community, I've put together a really practical and helpful stay at home survival guide for parents to use while their children are at home. I hope you find it helpful, spread it far and wide with others.

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Watch & Stream Free Kids Yoga Videos | Cosmic Kids

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Watch and stream kids yoga videos in a safe space on our website. Cosmic Kids’ most popular adventures can be found here as well as on our app.

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Mindfulness and Wellness Resources - colouring, writing activities, journaling and audio

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Get free wellbeing and mindfulness tools made for young people with input from mental health experts.

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Who doesn't want to learn how to draw? Grab our step by step drawing for kids, beginners, and everyone else! Our easy tutorials all come with a super handy directed drawing printable and are perfect for all ages.

You will learn to draw all kinds of cute, cartoon like, and even realistic characters, and our collection of lessons is always growing.

*this post contains affiliate links*

How to Draw - Step by Step Drawing For Kids, Beginners, and Enthusiasts

We'll be learning to draw many fun things together. Each of our tutorials comes with a handy directed drawing printable with all the steps included, as well as room to make your drawing. Perfect for getting artsy on the go or to use in the classroom (you could also bind them in your own personal book to practice).

Magical Creatures

As everyone needs a bit of magic. These are some of the cutest things to draw; they will look like they came straight out of fairy tales.

Flowers

Simple flowers that are super easy to draw.

Animals

To keep things easier, we have divided the animals into a few subsections.

Pets

Some of the animals we commonly regard as pets.

Farm Animals

A collection of animal how to draw tutorials that come to mind when you think about farms.

Bugs

Cartoon like crawlies with a cute look. Bugs are one of the things that are easy to draw no matter your skill level.

Forest Animals

Browse through these easy pictures to draw - just a few steps, and you will be making your own woodland creatures.

Jungle, Safari, Zoo

If you need drawing ideas for beginners, give these jungle animals a go.

Ocean Animals

Ocean animals are one of the most popular drawings for the beginner. Give these a try!

Reptiles and Amphibians

Frogs, lizards, and all beyond and in between.

Objects & Food

Use these objects on their own or as little images to complement your other drawings.

Holidays & Seasons

Tutorials for seasonal characters, animals, and objects.

Halloween

Some drawing ideas for the scariest time of the year!

Christmas

These easy to draw pictures will look great on your kid-made homemade cards.

Fall

Winter

Be sure to be back often, as we are constantly updating our collection with new guided drawing tutorials.

Want instant access to all of our printable crafts, activities, and resources?

With thousands of crafts, activities, worksheets, coloring pages, and drawing tutorials to print, you will always have just the resource you need at your disposal. Perfect for parents and teachers alike!

Sign Up Now and Start Printing!

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How to Draw - Step by Step Drawing For Kids and Beginners

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Who doesn't want to learn how to draw! Grab our step by step drawing for kids, beginners and everyone else! Our easy tutorials all come with a super handy directed drawing printable and are perfect for all ages. You will learn to draw all kind of cute, cartoon like and even realistic characters in no time.

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Ideas for Helping Children Practice Mindfulness

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Ideas for Helping Children Practice Mindfulness

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A super sample resource. Short activities suitable for all ages.

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Welcome to Peace Out (Guided Relaxation for Kids) | Cosmic Kids

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Useful social stories based on the Carol Gray method.

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Useful social stories based on the Carol Gray method.

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Children could collect newspaper clippings , take photos etc - write a diary about their experiences during school closures

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Free Access to Lamh Irish Sign Language until End May

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An excellent website for worksheets and activties

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SEN Teacher is amongst the oldest teaching resource sites and has over 300,000 regular users. Our learning materials are free to share and use in schools or at home. The Print tools on SEN Teacher allow you to create, adapt and share teaching resources for a wide-range of abilities.

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Make your own worksheets

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October 26, 2023 - Reading Sheets and Other Site Updates
Hey all,

I'm thrilled to share a new update that includes fresh content and improved code on our site.

Reading Comprehension Worksheet

In anticipation of the upcoming school year, I've added a new reading comprehension worksheet. It's designed to be a daily learning tool, perfect for each day of the school year. This was a goal set back in July, and although it took a bit longer to finalize, I'm happy to say it's here for you, even if it's four months later than planned. 😄 I've diligently reviewed this worksheet multiple times, but if you spot any issue, I'd be grateful if you'd let me know.

Spelling Sheet Auto-Generated Content

The auto-generation process for the crossword clue, definition, and sentence has been updated. It might take a little longer to generate, but the quality has significantly improved, and now there's the option to customize by topic and grade.

Code Update
I've refactored nearly all of the code on the site. This should enhance your experience, and I've been testing the new site version for several months without any issues. However, there's always the chance something might have slipped through the cracks.

More updates are on the horizon in the next week or two, but first, let's make sure everything is functioning smoothly with this update. 😊

If something isn't working correctly, or you need immediate access to the previous site functionality, the old version is still available at:
v6.commoncoresheets.com

Should you notice anything amiss, please reach out and inform me.

Thank you for your engagement and happy learning!

~Robert

Free Unlimited Practice Problems Let students practice as much as needed with the one atta time option. Thousands of Flash Cards Just select Flash Cards on any worksheet to generate custom flash cards. Sheet Layout Customize worksheets with font size, title, instructions, a due date and much more.

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Free worksheets and free distance learning. Printable or online. 100% free math worksheets! Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade and more!

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Happy Talk Monkey Pack (4 - 8 years).pdf

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Happy Talk Springtime Pack (4 - 8 years).pdf

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Happy Talk Monster Pack

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Happy Talk Monster Pack (4 - 8 Years).pdf

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Happy Talk Insects Pack (4 - 8 Years).pdf

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Here are my newest funny kid's poems for you to read and rate. I post new poems as I write them, so please check back often. Have fun!

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Supporting Categorisation for Students with Autism 

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Supporting Categorisation for Students with Autism 

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Children with autism have varying needs and display a range of different interests so activities should always be targeted according to their individual support strategies.

The benefits of sensory activities for children with autism

Engaging children with autism in sensory activities is beneficial in several ways, as it can help with:

Stimulating the brain, creating neural pathways and improving sensory processing systems

Improving social skills such as communication and cooperation

Improving coordination, as well as fine/gross motor skills

Calming children down when they are agitated

You can create fun-filled and engaging activities with a little effort from your side:

Create sensory trays! Some children have an aversion to certain textures and smells, but the beauty of a sensory tray is that it can be cretaed using such a wide array of materials to suit any child! e.g. rice, cooked spagetti, shaving foam, buttons and beads ( possible choking hazard depending on child ) , dirt and sand, water and water beads, straws, feathers, porridge oats.

2. Make an obstacle course:

This can be as simple or as challenging as you wish, using items you have at home. e.g. jumo back and over sweeping bursh five times, walk in a straight line (masking tape) do five wall sits, walk like a crab, wiggle like a worm, try walk with a book balancing on your head!

3. Make a sensory bottle- there are thousands of suggestions on pinterest. A simple one is a lava lamp, just add oil, food colouing , and a vitamin c fizzy tablet!

4. Go on a Nature Trail: look for a selection of different flowers, leaves etc when out for a walk. Bring them home and encourage your child to glue them to a page or use them for an art activity- resulting in a lovely sensory experience!

5. Shredded Crepe Paper Flowers: This is a creative activity that involves ripping and shredding of paper to create flowers. Some children will love the sensory touch of handling paper and playing with shapes and colors.

6. Finding Toys: Here is another activity that helps improve your child's sensory skills by touching and feeling various things.

1. Take a large plastic tub and fill with rice or beads.

2. Hide as many toys as you can inside the box.

3. Now ask your little one to put her hand into the box and take out the toy by feeling each one.

7. Balloon activites: I have yet to meet a child who hasn't loved balloons! The activity could be as simple as trying to keep the balloon in the air, a balloon walk, or just holding it and exploring its texture, or trying balloon painting. Here is a link to 28 ways to play with a balloon! https://handsonaswegrow.com/28-ways-to-play-with-balloons/ ( Remember they are still a choking hazard)

8. Make jelly! Some children might want to eat it , others won't. You could hide mini figures in it, freeze it and your child can help get them out once it has set!

9. Scented Play Dough: This is a fun one for the children to be involved in making, and only requires a cup of salt, a cup of water and 2 cups of flour!

10. Save all your bottle caps and lids- and when you have a nice selection built up, encourage your child to sort them by colour or size.

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Ten At Home Activities for Children with Autism. - Múinteoir Valerie

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Children with autism have varying needs and display a range of different interests so activities should always be targeted according to their individual support strategies. The benefits of sensory activities for children with autism Engaging children with autism in sensory activities is beneficial in several ways, as it can help with: Stimulating the...

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Managing Worrying Thoughts: Webinar with Michael Ryan

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Training

Middletown Centre provides a range of training opportunities for parents, carers and educational professionals in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Centre has a full training calendar of face to face and online sessions, which can be managed using the Centre's app The Centre, in partnership with Mary Immaculate College Limerick provides a Graduate Certificate, Diploma and MA in Autism Studies Individual schools can apply for whole school training and these are provided in partnership with the EA in Northern Ireland and The NCSE in Ireland. Further information on applying for a whole school training is available by contacting us using the email training@middletownautism.com

Here is a list of all our main current events happening within Middletown Centre for Autism

Online Learning Portal

Log in or register to our online training resources
Online Learning

Follow us on social media

Bulletins

Research Bulletin no. 42 - Strength-based approaches

Our latest Research Bulletin is focused on Strength-based Approaches. It highlights papers that show how taking a strength-based approach can create an empowering environment for autistic young people and allow them to define what they value..
Download issue (pdf)

Research Bulletin 41 - Well-being

Our latest Research Bulletin focuses on well-being for all. By better understanding the experiences & strengths of the entire autism community, we can better support each other to thrive.
Download issue (pdf)

View all Publications

Sign up for our newsletter

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Middletown Centre for Autism - Middletown Centre For Autism

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Middletown Centre provides a range of training opportunities for parents, carers and educational professionals in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

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Visual Schedules in the Special Education Classroom - Mrs. D's Corner

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Visual schedules are a great way to help students manage their school day and see what is coming next. Free flip schedule template only at Mrs. D's Corner.

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Unless you're a sunbather in Shepherd's Bush, you will have noticed that the U.K. is experiencing its longest lockdown since David Blaine trapped himself in a glass box. Needless to say, this has made any trace of a routine harder to come by than a pedestrian obeying the 2-metre distancing rule, which is why, currently, many in the autism community are challenged by feelings of distress, unease and unequivocal boredom.

Understandably, many are now on the hunt for ideal autism activities to pass the days and establish a new routine, which is why, this week, I have created a list of 10 ideal indoor activities for autistic children, teenagers and adults (of which, you will find well over 10, as I got a tad bit carried away adding subsections - enjoy!).

1. Cooking

Cooking is an ideal activity for autistic people of all ages and abilities, as its set recipes and stringent rules provide ample opportunity for contained creativity. In particular, autistic people who have sensory issues can find something exceptionally soothing about working with batters and pastes, while those who are non-verbal will find lots to learn in its hands-on lessons.

During the coronavirus lockdown, cooking is especially recommended as an activity for autistic people as, not only does it give you a tasty way to kill time, but it also provides the opportunity to create some of those treasured foods which you might not currently have access to. For example, if you can't find pasta on the shelves, then grabs some salt, olive oil, flour and water and you're ready to make a nifty vegan substitute.

2. Virtual Reality/Virtual Tours

As many of the world's greatest attractions lie more abandoned than the ab mat I impulse bought over Christmas, a select few are finding a second life to entertain and educate on the World Wide Web.

For autistic people, the benefits of this are endless and include: avoiding crowded rooms, harsh museum lights and not having to wait in line for the loos. And, whether you go down the VR route or edge towards a 360 interactive tour, the variety on offer here is sure to capture even the most easily distracted out there.

A select few you might want to check out are:

It's also worth pointing out that, when using Google street view, you are now capable of clicking the doors of many buildings and it will show you what's inside. Should we ever get to go outside again, this is also a great way to prepare autistic people for visiting places they might not have been before.

3. Create a Calendar

Since early December, coronavirus has run amok with any plans we might once have had and, although I would be a fool to say that, during this uncertainty, you should rebook any previously scheduled events, going into each new day on a whim is a sure-fire way to increase anxiety for someone on the spectrum.

As such, creating plans which focus on the who, what, where, when and why of a day is a great way to still an autistic person's nerves and, by keeping these schedules short i.e. only planning a few days ahead, you reduce the chance that you will have to take a rain check yet again.

Furthermore, turning this planning into an activity, in which you draw a calendar with visuals, is a fun way to ingrain the information and the finished product can then be hung on the wall for constant reassurance.

4. Stay in Contact with Friends & Family

Call me dramatic, but if you sat me down, fixed a camera on me and told me to make awkward chit chat with friends and family during the lockdown then, I promise you, it wouldn't be long until you saw a smoke silhouette from where I once sat and a James shaped hole in any wall blocking my escape. This isn't because I dislike my loved ones though, it's just that, for me and many other autists, Facetime adds another layer of pressure to already challenging social situations.

Instead, while it's still recommended to use this time to nurture your relationships, consider using instant messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, Facebook messenger or even old school emails (if you can remember what they are), as this brings the conversation into our court; where we have plenty of time to respond, emojis to make emotional recognition easier, no pressure of having to suppress stims or make eye contact and, of course, the glory that is gifs!

Additionally, Netflix has just created an opportunity to jointly watch shows called 'Netflix Party'. So, if you are looking for ways to chat where the empty silence is filled, then look no further.

5. Learn Stuff

You may or may not have noticed that the autistic mind is brilliant where, due to a processing path that loves to create deeply connected links, we are capable of pulling out obscure facts that even we're surprised we know. When cooped up, it's easy to let this intellect slack off, however, doing so can be detrimental to an autist's self-confidence and self-esteem.

For youngsters, the solution here is to build a routine around the school lessons plans which you have probably been avoiding like cornavirus itself - something which can be done by slowly but surely trialling different times/locations until we find the perfect Goldilocks of a schedule in which we work best.

For autistic people of all ages, now is also the perfect opportunity to practice some of the areas we are not so strong in (like ball throwing games to promote hand-eye co-ordination). However, if you're looking to develop an area which we aren't pre-programmed to suck at, then why not find an opportunity to excel in one of the many online courses - such as one of the hundreds of online lectures taught by the leading academics at The Great Learning Courses Plus, which include:

[Please note, I am in no way affiliated with The Great Learning Courses Plus]

6. Keep Fit

Staying fit and healthy during lockdown isn't a recommendation but a requirement, as it will not only maintain your immune system but also increase those sweet, sweet endorphins to keep you mentally healthy.

In recent days, P.E. classes with Joe Wicks have become a national favourite. However, I have and always will be, a sucker for the many online exercise regimes which are limited to 4 or 5 activities and multiple sets (as this way I don't embarrass myself when I finally learn a move just in time to move on to the next).

Additionally, for those of us in the UK, exercise presents a small sliver of freedom throughout our day. So, my recommendation is to take this opportunity by the horns and go for a walk/run once a day. Remember, if you do choose to go out, be sure to treat others on the roads like grandma's stale biscuit tin i.e. be respectful but do your best to put as much distance between you and them as possible.

7. Read A Book

With the Coronavirus turning most of the world as quiet as a library, it seems only fitting to use the hours, days and weeks ahead of us to harness our inner bookworm and fall headfirst into the land of literature.

Of course, whether non-fiction or fiction, physical, digital or on audiobook (many of which are currently free through Audible), there is no right way to read or wrong genre to check out. However, if you would like to use these moments to explore neurodiversity, then look no further than the many previous recommendations from in and around this site including:

Moreover, I have recently started reading Saturdays at Noon(a book found in my The Best Autism Books to Look Forward to in 2020 article) and that book is BRILLIANT.

8. Watch TV (in Moderation)

During the lockdown, there is a very real risk that many of us will become so reliant on our TVs that, by the time we are allowed out, we might find that we have become fused to our sofas, only capable of communicating by humming the Newsnight theme tune. Don't let this deter you though as, in small doses, TV can provide a great escape from the often-overwhelming world and, as such, shouldn't be overlooked as a distraction during the pandemic.

Additionally, with so many movies, like Trolls: World Tour and The Invisible Man, coming to home viewing early, as well as many of the popular streaming sites currently offering COVID-19 deals, now is the ideal time to check out some of the awesome offerings you might have missed.

Furthermore, it's also worth noting that some streaming sites are currently giving away content for the low, low price of nothing . So, if you've already seen everything on your preferred site, then why not see what you can get elsewhere e.g:

Amazon Prime (free-for-kids):

Many UK shows, which are aimed at a younger audience, are currently free to watch on Amazon Prime without an account. These include Peppa Pig and the ghoulish hellscape that is In the Midnight Garden

IMDb TV:

Hands up if you even knew IMDb TV was a thing. I know I didn't. However, after the announcement that, for free, you can now watch cinematic bangers on their site like Shrek, The Muppets Take Manhattan and the hidden gem that is the first Scooby-Doo-Movie, I'm sure it won't be a name I forget anytime soon.

The NFL & NBA

Many sporting websites are now giving access to live streams of old matchs, which is awesome. However, the less I say about sport the better (as my knowledge of most things athletic it is equivalent to the price of this deal: nothing).

9. D.I.Y.

It's a commonly held belief that autistic people are bound by repetition. However, to us, our routines aren't about doing the same activity over and over but achieving the same thing again and again. This task can give us a sense of purpose and security and so, without it, we can become exceptionally anxious and in need of something to do - enter, D.I.Y.

D.I.Y. is great for restoring an autistic person's sense of purpose during the coronavirus lockdown and can range from painting a mural on the wall, fixing that creaky door or tidying up the garden to creating sensory jewellery, building a cardboard instrument or even making your own fidget devices (an awesome guide to which can be found here).

In fact, when it comes to D.I.Y. in the autism community, there really is no job too big or too small. Just remember, when picking a task, things need to be kept age and ability appropriate: too difficult and we will only occur unnecessary stress, while too easy can be boring and we will move on fast.

10. Play a Game

When it comes to gaming during the Coronavirus lockdown, of course, you can always bust out that old Cluedo board but, let's be honest, is now really the time to introduce another dangerous mystery to solve?

Instead, why not try something you've never done before and give one of the many makeshift activities from around The Web a shot. For autistic people, many of these games are great as, not only do most come with uncomplicated rules for people of all abilities, but they also ensure unsolicited fun that will bring the household together in a way that the relationship ruining Monopoly could only dream of. For example:

Pom Pom Racing:

In Pom Pom Racing, racers compete to see who can blow a cotton wool ball around a makeshift course the fastest. Using a straw here helps to ensure no one hits their head on anything and creating intricate Sellotape tracks (with lots of twists and turns) will help reduce the game turning into a contest of who can blow the hardest.

Human Pachinko Machine:

If you live somewhere with stairs (I should be so lucky), then an awesome game which has gained attention online is to place different coloured containers (like cups and bowls) at the bottom of the steps and, from there, challenge each other to see who can roll the mostS ball into containers from the top stair.

If you want to make it more competitive, try assigning different values to the various goals and, in a darts inspired score scheme, get contestants to aim for a specific number and see who can get the closest

Bobbing for Skittles:

Put a bag of Skittles (or other low weight, coloured sweets) into a bowl and then see who can remove the most of a specific colour from out (using only a straw) within a set time. Whether you score the highest or not, this game is always a winner as you all get to end by 'tasting the rainbow'.

Pub Quiz:

I'm sure this one speaks for itself, but creating quizzes on any autistic person's favourite subject is a great game during lockdown, as it will get the brain going and reward our restricted interests. Better yet, thanks to the miracle of the internet, all you really need to get a winning quiz is give the topic a search with the word 'quiz' added at the end and you are likely to find tons of results.

Scavenger Hunt:

Another self-explanatory game, this involves creating a list of items to search for, around the house, but instead of giving the name of the item write vague clues such as 'it's something with a face, two hands but no arms or legs' (and the answer was a clock).

Carry on the Conversation:

What are some of your favourite books, TV programmes and indoor games that you can recommend for lockdown? Let me know in the comments below. And, if you haven't checked out last week's comprehensive guide to Autism & Covid-19, then make sure to read that once you're done.

As always, I can also be found on Twitter @AutismRevised and via my email: AutisticandUnapologetic@gmail.com.

If you like what you have seen on the site today, then show your support by liking the Autistic & Unapologetic Facebook page. Also, don't forget to sign up to the Autistic & Unapologetic newsletter (found on the sidebar on laptops and underneath if you are reading this via mobile) where I share weekly updates as well as a fascinating fact I have found throughout the week.

Thank you for reading and I will see you next week for more thoughts from across the spectrum.

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10 Indoor Activities for Autistic Children, Teenagers and Adults - Autistic & Unapologetic

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Looking for fun ways to enjoy quality time during quarantine? Then check out these 10 ideal indoor activities for autistic children, teenagers and adults.

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This series is devoted to bringing good news to you. If you would like to be included, please tag us on Instagram with #feelgoodnews or email [email protected]

We have really enjoyed sharing your good news throughout this series. Keep them coming! The news is currently full to the brim with overwhelming stories and statistics that leave us feeling stressed and anxious. While we need to know the facts, a lot of it is not helpful when it comes to our mental health. We want to bring you some nuggets of good news. We hope that these posts will bring a smile to your day. Here is today's feel good news!

ASD Teacher Shares Sensory Videos With Her Students

Mum of four Angela is a primary school teacher who specialises in teaching children with Autism. It is a total vocation to her as her own son has Autism. Angela understands how challenging the last couple of weeks have been for parents, but particularly for those who have children on the spectrum. Children for whom familiarity and routine are great comforts and essential for their development and general well-being.

Angela recently set up her Instagram page and has been sharing helpful resources and videos. Some of these videos are sensory videos that she has been sending to her students. Whether it's blowing bubbles, singing a song or performing a puppet show - Angela's followers have adored her content. Many of her followers have children with special needs and the way she speaks and demonstrates her lessons have been a great comfort to their children.

" I got a lovely message from a parent in my class, when her child watched the video I sent them, the child said "more Angela" that might not mean much, but this child has been non verbal and is only emerging verbal now, so that is great news and it made my day "

You can follow Angela here

Social Distancing Jiving

Coronavirus isn't getting in the way of this dancing duo! Mum Sheila and daughter Émer are getting their steps in with some social distancing jiving to their favourite country singer Nathan Carter. This really made us smile.

Welcome To The World Freya-Jo

A very special delivery has made it's way in to the world. Huge congratulations to mum Ruth and father Ash who have welcomed their third baby girl to the family. Freya-Jo is a very lucky little lady with big sisters Fallon and Farrah-Belle ready to love and dote on her for a lifetime. This certainly made us smile.

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Feel Good News : ASD Teacher Shares Helpful Sensory Videos | Familyfriendlyhq.ie

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We have really enjoyed sharing your good news throughout this series. Keep them coming! The news is currently full to the brim with overwhelming stories and statistics that leave us feeling stressed and anxious. While we need to know the facts, a lot of it is not helpful when it comes to our mental health.

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Teachers and Parents' Resources

This website is basically for parents and teachers trying to help their kids study English. You will find a guide to the materials you need in the TEACHERS and PARENTS section of the site. Sine these resources have been prepared by ESL professionals with at least 5 years teaching experience, you will find this site a great help. Good luck. We have worksheets, Games, Videos, Interactive Video Lessons & Powerpoint Downloads for you.

PowerPoint Lesson Downloads: Presentations to set you apart from other teachers

PowerPoint for kids lessons. These power point downloads are similar to the videos but you will have to manually click on pictures and words to hear the sound. Whereas the videos automatically do all. Download PowerPoint Viewer if you don't have ms Powerpoint installed.

Lessons with Video Tutorials According to Levels : Interactive Videos and Quizzes

Take your kids to the Video Lab and teach them English using interactive videos and interactive quizzes. Video vocabulary lessons include : Clothes, Toys, Zoo animals, Birthday & numbers, farm animals, transportation, weather,vegetables, colors, etc.

Games for ESL Kids Classrooms- Have fun teaching kids with lots of ideas

Are you running out of ideas on how to teach your children? Are you tired of using mainstream games and activities like hangman? Then visit our games section. Here we have games that really work. Games that were created and tested in the classroom and have been known to be effective classroom tools for teachers.

Recommended Websites

: is a multi-level English program for children between the ages of 4 to 12 featuring tons of cartoon animated videos, games, tests and worksheets to teach and review vocabulary, grammar, spelling and communicative skills.

- This site offers English Courses for kids from Preschool, Kindergarten to 6th Grade. You don't have to be a professional teacher to teach kids.

ESL Kids Lab has teamed up with the following, equally good websites to give you a great experience using the web in teaching.

ESL Galaxy : Printable worksheets, board games, word search, matching exercises, crosswords, music worksheets, video worksheets and more free stuff for all levels.

English Media Lab: This free online classroom has a huge database of videos, esl quizzes, grammar exercises, activities for all levels, beginners, elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate, advanced levels.

ESL Downloads: Download ESL lesson plan materials and interactive exercises for students

ESL Games World : ESL Fun Games for Teachers and Students

ESL Kids for flashcards, worksheets and games

External Links & Partners

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EFL Activities for Kids, ESL Printables, Worksheets, Games, Puzzles, for Preschool, Primary English Learners

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Teachers and Parents' Resources This website is basically for parents and teachers trying to help their kids study English. You will find a guide to the materials you need in the TEACHERS and PARENTS section of the site. Sine these resources have been prepared by ESL professionals with at least 5 years teaching experience, you will find this site a great help.

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This is a series of animated short stories to help children learn English with their parents. Each story has a downloadable transcript and an activities pack to help children explore and use the language.

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BBC Learning English - Stories for Children

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A series of animated short stories to help children learn English with their parents.

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Duolingo is the world's most popular way to learn a language. It's 100% free, fun and science-based. Practice online on duolingo.com or on the apps!

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Welcome to LearnEnglish Kids

LearnEnglish Kids is brought to you by the British Council, the world's English teaching experts. We have lots of free online games, songs, stories and activities for children. For parents, we have articles on supporting children in learning English, videos on using English at home and information about English courses for your child.

Do you or your child need more help with your English?

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LearnEnglish Kids is brought to you by the British Council, the world's English teaching experts. We have lots of free online games, songs, stories and activities for children. For parents, we have articles on supporting children in learning English, videos on using English at home and information about English courses for your child.

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Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers (NEPS)

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Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers (NEPS)

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Brunker The Kids’ Guide to Getting Your Words on Paper

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Brunker The Kids’ Guide to Getting Your Words on Paper

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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Reid The Big Book of Dyslexia Activities

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Reid The Big Book of Dyslexia Activities

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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How parents can help the student with Dyslexia 

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How parents can help the student with Dyslexia 

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Reid The Big Book of Dyslexia Activities

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Reid The Big Book of Dyslexia Activities

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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Covid-19 and Helping Children with Dyslexia

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Dyslexia and other reading-based learning disabilities are most common among students. NaturalReader text-to-speech makes learning more accessible by assisting with any reading, taking tests and promoting independence.

Students can have any text they need to read, read aloud to them so they can read along. Having the text provided both visually and auditory, allows the student to focus less on the act of reading, and more on the comprehension of the content. Other features like dyslexia font, flexible reading speeds, and highlighted text also ease the task of finishing readings.

For most students, learning does not stop when school ends. NaturalReader EDU enables students to be more independent and assists with learning at home. Whether they're doing homework, reading at home, or just surfing the web, our Chrome Extension and Mobile Application are always available.

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NaturalReader: Free Text to Speech for Online, Mobile App, Commercial license and Education with AI voices.

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ADHD and Dyslexia Strategies: How to Turn on Text to Speech on Your Mobile Device

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Dyslexia Ireland

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Reid the big book of dyslexia activities 

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Reid the big book of dyslexia activities 

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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Typing Games Zone - Boost Your Typing Skills

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Enhance Your Typing Speed with Our Top-Rated Keyboarding Games

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Looking to boost your typing speed? Kidztype.com has got you covered with our exciting collection of free typing games. Unleash the power of your fingers as you enjoy thrilling activities like whacking moles, racing through the jungle, bursting rockets, and competing in races with cars, bikes, and boats. Our captivating keyboard games provide the perfect blend of fun and skill-building, allowing you to enhance your typing skills while having a great time. With Kidztype's tailored-made games, you'll be typing faster and more efficiently in no time!

Fun and Engaging Free Typing Games for Kids: Boost Typing

Advancing Skills through Games:

Coordination and Accuracy: Typing game improve hand-eye coordination as kids learn to synchronize their hand movements with what they see on the screen. This helps them become more accurate and proficient in navigating the keyboard.

Vocabulary and Spelling: Many keyboard games incorporate word and sentence challenges, expanding children's speech and enhancing their spelling skills. Kids reinforce their language skills while improving their typing speed by repeating words and sentences in a fun context..

Speed and Motivation: By offering challenges and achievements,kidztype games motivate kids to improve their speed and accuracy. Setting high scores and beating previous records provides a sense of accomplishment and encourages them to continue practising and advancing their skills.

Engaging Kids through Interactive Games:

Easy-to-Learn Methods: The games use simple and memorable techniques to teach keyboarding skills. Kids can quickly grasp concepts like letter placement, home rows, upper rows, and numbers, making learning more accessible and enjoyable.

Exciting Themes: With captivating themes like fantasy worlds, car races, and space adventures, these games capture children's imagination and keep them engaged. The immersive experience ensures that learning to type feels like an exciting adventure rather than a chore.

Customizable Difficulty: The games offer scalable complexity and difficulty settings, allowing children to progress independently. Whether they're beginners or more advanced typists.

Suitability for Kids of All Ages:

These Keyboard games and dance mat typing activities are suitable for kids of any age. Starting early with keyboarding skills sets a strong foundation for the future. Whether your child is just beginning or wants to refine their typing abilities, these games provide a platform for growth and improvement.

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Typing Games - Learn Typing with Free Keyboard Games - KidzType.com

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Kidztype Typing Games: Kidztype's keyboard games are the best way to master typing speed and accuracy. Choose a suitable typing game to sharpen your fingers! Check us out and start playing now!

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Learn how to touch type with the BBC Dance Mat Typing game. It’s a fun introduction to touch typing game for kids and covers levels 1, 2, 3, 4.

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Learn to Type | Type Better | Type Faster - Typing.com

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World's most popular free typing program! Typing.com's K-12 typing curriculum features touch typing, digital citizenship, coding lessons, and games.

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Browse Educational Resources | Education.com

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Browse Educational Resources. Award winning educational materials designed to help kids succeed. Start for free now!

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Site about touch typing technics, here you can download typing tutor, get online typing test and to play in online typing games.

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Childrens Activities and Family Fun | Limerick Sports Partnership

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Access resources and ideas on how to #BeActive at home in our Active limerick Hub. Learn more about Childrens Activities and Family Fun in Limerick.

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Monthly CPD, All Staff, One Affordable Price

For less than half the cost of one CPD training typically, your staff (Teachers, SNAs, TAs) can participate in at least 9 Live Training Webinars targeting those who support children aged 3-12 years old. Training is led by Jess, an accomplished Occupational Therapist, with recordings accessible for the duration of the school year, along with Mini-Courses. Upon completion of each training, a certificate is awarded to each staff member.

Suitable for mainstream schools, preschools, and schools supporting children with additional needs.

BOOK A CALL TO LEARN MORE

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My OT & Me | Occupational Therapy | CPD | School Training

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Engaging, Practical & Evidence based training from qualified experts for those working with children. With the demand for Occupational Therapy support skyrocketing, our mission at My OT & Me is simple, make education and training easily accessible to educators, teachers, organisations and families around the world.

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Simple Fine Motor Activity for Improving an Extended Wrist - The OT Toolbox

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You might have seen a recent post here on the blog that shared the importance of an extended wrist in fine motor activities. If you check out that post, you'll see why it's important for kids to position their wrist in a functional position. Today, I'm adding a simple fine motor activity for ...

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Hand Strengthening Activity with an Egg Carton - The OT Toolbox

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This fine motor activity uses an egg carton to build hand strength, precision, dexterity, grasp development, with a recycled egg container.

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Indoor Balance Beam Ideas for a Rainy Day - The OT Toolbox

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Some of our favorite ways to work on gross motor skills are with a simple balance beam. With the start of warmer weather, the kids are constantly active and outdoors. But sometimes, it's impossible to get outside when the weather is rainy. Other times, kids need a break from very hot temperatures.

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Craft Stick Tweezers to Help with Pencil Grasp - The OT Toolbox

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I have a fun DIY for you! These craft stick tweezers are easy to create and a workout for finger muscles. We made them in a rainbow of colors and you can use them for color sorting while working on the fine motor skills needed for handwriting and small motor tasks like managing clothing fasteners.

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Rainbow Pencil Control Exercises - The OT Toolbox

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These pencil control exercises use colored pencils to help children establish pencil control in handwriting and fluid pencil motions.

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Therapy Street for Kids | Occupational Therapy

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A resource for parents who are looking for occupational therapy activities that can be done at home and with household materials. Skill areas include fine motor, visual motor, crossing midline, self help skills, sensory processing and handwriting.

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Inside: It's easy to strengthen fine motor skills at home with toddlers and preschoolers. I've put together over 55 fun activities that your kids will love!
Fine motor development is an important part of the toddler and early childhood years. In order to learn how to draw and write, the hands must be strong enough to hold writing tools.

Fine motor is also necessary for independence. Think about zipping a coat, buttoning pants, opening a door, getting a glass of water. These all require fine muscle control.
Bonus: I've created a free printable checklist for you to download. Scroll down towards bottom of this page for the link.
55+ Ways to Strengthen Fine Motor Skills at Home

Note: This is Post #1 in a series of At-Home activities for parents and caregivers. Make sure to also see our other posts in this At-Home series:

According to some studies, children are entering kindergarten lacking fine motor skills. And then the question is asked how? How can we help our young children build strong hands? I hear this question often from my own preschool parents. And so I thought I'd put together a list of fine motor skills activities that can easily be done at home.

This collection of fine motor skills activities is geared for children ages 2-5. Some will be more suitable for younger children, some for older. Choose the activities you feel are best for your children and build on them as they are ready.

Add basters to a tub of water or the bathtub.

Transfer water to an ice cube tray.

Squeeze watercolors on a vertical surface.

Use dot markers on a white board.

Use cut straws to make a necklace.

Thread beads onto pipe cleaners.

Pick up plastic caps with tongs.

Paint with Q-Tips.

Press small items onto sticky paper.

Squeeze playdough through the holes of a citrus or garlic press.

Press circle stickers onto the letters of your name. (Busy Toddler)

Thread beads on matching colored feathers. (The OT Toolbox)

Sort cereal by color and transfer the pieces with tweezers. (The Resourceful Mama)

Place buttons on drawn lines and zigzags. (Learning 4 Kids)

Drop pom poms through a cardboard tube. (The Imagination Tree)

Use gloves while putting pieces together. (Stir the Wonder)

Hammer tees into styrofoam blocks. (Modern Preschool)

Transfer blocks to a muffin tin using a spatula. (Busy Toddler)

Use a hole punch with paper. (The Resourceful Mama)

Push sticks through holes. (Playdough to Plato)

Thread pasta with straws. (Laughing Kids Learn)

Wrap rubber bands around cut pool noodles. (And Next Comes L)

Pick up small plastic animals and match them. (Inspiration Laboratories)

Color on sandpaper. (I Can Teach My Child)

Drop watercolors onto coffee filters using a medicine dropper. (Messy Little Monster)

Push pipe cleaners through holes in a cardboard box. (The OT Toolbox)

Cut paper for a fun decoupage activity. (Mama Smiles)

Make patterns while pounding golf tees. (Buddy and Buddy)

Draw in colored sand. (Buggy and Buddy)

Practice cutting skills with these free printable patterns. (Fun with Mama)

Use different tools to drop pom poms. (Crafty Kids at Home)

Count and smash playdough. (Stir the Wonder)

Use a water pistol for painting outdoors. (Messy Little Monster)

Draw on erasable wall decals. (Artsy Momma)

Transfer pom poms into the cups of an egg carton. (The Stay-at-Home Mom Survival Guide)

Wrap rubber bands around a can. (HOAWG)

Push pipe cleaners into playdough and add beads. (Fun with Mama)

Clip clothespins onto numbered cards. (Fun with Mama)

String buttons onto pipe cleaners. (Preschool Powol Packets)

Peel masking tape off a table. (The Stay-at-Home Mom Survival Guide)

Collect your toys and wrap them in paper. (Little Worlds Big Adventures)

Thread straw pieces onto pipe cleaners to make an octopus. (Buggy and Buddy)

Drop colored rock salt into a jar to make a rainbow. (KC Edventures)

Tie a knot. (HOAWG)

Use the thumb to press beads into playdough. (The OT Toolbox)

Create a pouring station. (Busy Toddler)

Drop Beads through the holes in the lid of a jar. (Modern Preschool)

Stretch rubber bands around pine cones. (The Imagination Tree)

Balance pom poms on cut pool noodles using tweezers. (Learning 4 Kids)

Build a sponge tower. (Toddler Approved)

Push Q-Tips through cut straw pieces. (Mess for Less)

Pinch clothespins on a basket. (School Time Snippets)

Stack foam blocks in water. (Still Playing School)

Draw on tinfoil that is covered with shaving cream. (Pocket of Preschool)

Drop pony beads onto small sticks. (School Time Snippets)

Put rubber bands around the bottom of a muffin tin. (And Next Comes L)

Squeeze and drop watercolors from pipettes onto colored dots. (You Clever Monkey)

More Fine Motor Resources

You've asked about these particular subjects, so here they are:

Vestibular Activities (The OT Toolbox)

What is Tactile Defensiveness (Touch Sensitivity)? (Griffin Occupational Therapy)

Stages of Pencil Grasp Development (OT Mom)

Free Printable Fine Motor List

Click on the photo below for the pdf download:

Fine Motor Pom Pom Alphabet Cards

A fun way to work on:

Color Recognition

Letter Recognition

Fine Motor (Tracing)

2 Sets with 26 Letters Each

26 Pages

52 Cards Total

Join me over at Melissa & Doug's blog to find more fine motor activities that can be done at home! Includes:

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55+ Ways to Strengthen Fine Motor Skills at Home

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Inside: It's easy to strengthen fine motor skills at home with toddlers and preschoolers. I've put together over 55 fun activities that your kids will love! Fine motor development is an important part of the toddler and early childhood years. In order to learn how to draw and write, the hands must be strong enough to hold writing tools.

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Inside: These indoor movement activities require minimal supplies to keep your child moving around and entertained when they cannot go outside. A great way to strengthen large motor skills!
We all know the importance of allowing a child to get their wiggles out.

Besides allowing them to feel satisfied and calmer afterwards, moving around in large motions is very important for a young child's development.

Large motor movements are important for their abilities such as hand-eye coordination and flexibility.

However, going outside to run around is unfortunately not always an option.

Below are some gross motor activities that can be done safely indoors, while only requiring simple materials to make setting up even easier!

Indoor Movement Activities for Preschoolers

Dance to Action Songs - Dance to children's music that contain actions like hopping like a bunny!

Ocean Animal Yoga - These yoga poses for children are themed around ocean animals such as turtles and jellyfish. (Kids Yoga Stories)

Laundry Basket Skee Ball - Set up laundry baskets to be worth different 'points' for preschoolers to throw or roll balls into. (Frugal Fun 4 Boys)

Easy Balance Beam - Place a line of tape down on the ground to become a safe balance beam to walk, hop, or skip across. (Fun Learning for Kids)

Hallway Laser Maze - Tape streamers, ribbon, or yarn to your hallway walls in various positions for kids to try to maneuver through without touching the materials. (It's Always Autumn)

Lego Ring Toss - Stack towers of Lego Duplos or other bricks to try to toss some sort of ring around from a distance. (Stir the Wonder)

Body Movement Dice - Print out these movement dice to create various movement combinations. (Life Over C's)

Follow the Line - Put tape or yarn down on the floor for preschoolers to follow across with their feet. (Little Bins for Little Hands)

Box Jumping - Place some painter's tape down on the ground and invite preschoolers to jump from box to box. (Mama Papa Bubba)

Gross Motor Bingo - Call out different movements for children to do and check off of their bingo boards. (The Inspired Treehouse)

Indoor Obstacle Course - Use toys and furniture to set up your own indoor obstacle course for kids to complete. (How to Run a Home Daycare)

Name Hop - Write each letter of your child's name on paper plates and place them on the floor, calling out various letters of it for them to hop to. (Fantastic Fun and Learning)

More large motor ideas:
Circle Hunt Game Parachute Games for Toddlers 20 Fun Outdoor Games
Looking for ideas your toddlers and preschoolers can easily do at home?

Click on the graphic below to find over 50 fun activities:

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Inside: These indoor movement activities require minimal supplies to keep your child moving around and entertained when they cannot go outside. A great way to strengthen large motor skills! We all know the importance of allowing a child to get their wiggles out.

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We are big fans of using free and recycled materials in our crafts and activities. Many times, people ask: "How do you do so many fun activities without spending a fortune?!" Most of our learning, crafts, and activities involve using free or almost free materials. While we are not a homeschooling family, we do SO many learning through play activities and homework extension skills that work on the skills that my kids are doing at school.

We're excited to join homeschooling bloggers with 31 Days of ideas for learning at home. In this series, we share 31 days of Learning at Home with Free (or almost free) Materials. Each day, we'll bring you tips and ideas to use materials you already have in learning and school extension activities. Most of these materials are household items you may already have in the house and others will be recycled materials.

All of the activities will be using free (or almost free) items to build on learning concepts that are age appropriate for our kids. We will be sharing ways to use these items in different age ranges, as well.

These activities are sure to be a fun way to work on skills over the summer to prevent an academic "summer slide" and ways to creatively learn and extend on school homework and homeschool curricula during the year. Be sure to stop by each day in July for creative learning ideas as we fill in our month with Free Learning!

Learning with Free (or almost Free) materials at home:

This series is about easy learning ideas that you can make your own. Your child's needs and interests will make these ideas work in your family. My hope for the 31 Days of Learning with (almost) Free materials is to bring you creative ideas.

Start with these games with paper clips to use an everyday material found in most junk drawers.

Creative & Playful Learning. Be inspired.

31 Days of Learning with Free Materials (items you probably already have):

Click on the images below and the list of posts for our month of learning at home!

More Learning at Home Ideas
Fine Motor Activities with Play Dough Fine Motor Activities with Paper Clips Fine Motor Activities with Craft Pom Poms or Cotton Balls Fine Motor Activities with Playing Cards Fine Motor Activities with Beads Fine Motor Activities with Chalk
These learning with free materials ideas use items you probably have in the home right now to work on math or writing concepts, AND build fine motor skills. Try some of these learning ideas using items in the home, including:

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31 Days of Learning with Free Materials - The OT Toolbox

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We are big fans of using free and recycled materials in our crafts and activities. Many times, people ask: "How do you do so many fun activities without spending a fortune?!" Most of our learning, crafts, and activities involve using free or almost free materials.

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Apps to support children with Autism

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Exercise and Movement breaks