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This short 2 minute video demonstrates how to split screens when using one computer/laptop. This will definitely support students to view two different windows to allow organization.

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Este breve video de 2 minutos muestra cómo dividir pantallas cuando se usa una computadora / laptop. Esto definitivamente ayudará a los estudiantes a ver dos ventanas diferentes para permitir la organización.

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Split Screen (Pantalla Dividida) on a Chromebook

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Short introduction on how to use Zoom under 8 minutes.

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Breve introducción sobre cómo utilizar Zoom en menos de 5 minutos.

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Short introduction on how to use Google Classroom under 5 minutes.

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Breve introducción sobre cómo utilizar Google Classroom en menos de 4 minutos.

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Parent and Student Video for Google Classroom Initial Setup in Spanish

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Short introduction on how to use Pear Deck under 6 minutes.

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Breve introducción sobre cómo utilizar Pear Deck en menos de 2 minutos.

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Jamboard is a smart display that allows you to quickly extract images from a Google search. Brief introduction on how to use Jamboard in less than 8 minutes. Short introduction on how to use Jamboard under 6 minutes.

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Jamboard es una pantalla inteligente que te permite extraer con rapidez imágenes de una búsqueda en Google. Breve introducción sobre cómo utilizar Jamboard en menos de 8 minutos.

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Jamboard, una pizarra digital en tu videollamada con Google Meet

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Resources for Families with Special Needs in the East Bay

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Resources for Families with Special Needs in the East Bay

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Created by the organization 510 Families, they provide a list of resources around East Bay for families.

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Thanks to Kids Gym Berkeley, an inclusive place to play, for sponsoring this guide to local resources for kids with special needs, from sensory processing disorders to mobility challenges. All children are welcome at Kids Gym Berkeley, and they never have to apologize for being who they are.
We appreciate our community of parents that helps us learn about a host of organizations who provide services to families with children who are differently-abled in all sorts of ways. Our list continues to grow, but as we are not experts, we rely on word-of-mouth from parents and helpful organizations to help us grow the list and categorize the resources.
If you have a tip to share, please comment below.
East Bay Resources for Children with Special Needs

For new parents of babies with special needs

Early intervention for babies and toddlers who have a cognitive, communication, or physical delay in development can be supported by these resources:

Family Resource Navigators (San Leandro) helps parents with children 0-5 identify and connect with resources to support kids with medical, developmental or social-emotional concerns. Always free of charge in Alameda County. Visit website >

Regional Center of the East Bay (San Leandro) assesses and recommends information and services for children or adults with developmental disabilities. Visit website >

The Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Program at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland provides a range of specialized mental health services for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families. Pro tip: You will need to navigate the bureaucracy and advocate for yourself. Visit website >

Special Visual Assessment Clinic at UC Berkeley Optometry, (Berkeley) SVAC offers the best eye exams for kids of all ages and needs starting with infants - good luck getting in, though. Visit website >

Dr. Liz Salzburg and Dr. Nanci Tucker at Kiwi Pediatrics (Berkeley) come recommended by a special needs mom we trust. Visit website >

Navigating the school years for kids with special needs

Free Special Education Trainings (Berkeley) 90-minute information sessions are presented every month (except for August) at the Ed Roberts Campus (near Ashby BART) or by Zoom. The focus is "Understanding the Special Education Process: IEP Basics & Beyond". Education advocates will go over laws that protect students with disabilities and walk through the special education process. The Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, who presents these trainings, serves all of Alameda County. Sign up online.

Raskob Institute is a day school in Oakland, affiliated with Holy Names University, designed to support students in grades 3-8 with individualized learning to accommodate mild to moderate learning differences, ADHD, and processing disorders. Visit website >

Brett Allen, Special Education lawyer recommended by a special education mom, "He handles all my school district issues and has won three times for us." Visit website >

After-school Care and Camps for special needs families

Kids Gym Berkeley offers remote learning supervision as well as day camps during Spring Break, Summer, Thanksgiving, and Winter Break - and it is inclusive. The program is for ages 3 to 11, with small groups, for fun, structured, healthy, educational learning activities throughout the day. If your child has an aide in school, he/she will need one during camp and can be accompanied by your ABA or regular aide. If your regular aide is not available, Kids Gym Berkeley can provide one a dedicated aide, for an additional charge.
Visit website >
Many of our other favorite after-school providers are not operating due to Covid-19. If you have a program you love, please drop it in the comments.
Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Social-Emotional Support

Gateway Learning Group (Hayward and Concord) Behavior Therapists for kids with ASD, ADD, ADHD & ODD with many great programs including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Now offering back-to-school learning support. Visit website >

The Learning Fountain (San Ramon) is an occupational therapy and speech therapy resource specializing in early intervention. View website >

Playspace Therapy (Walnut Creek) is a pediatric occupational therapy clinic serving families and children with special needs ages newborn through adolescence. Visit website >

PLTA Play Pals (San Leandro) Pediatric Language Therapy Associates offers play-based groups for preschoolers and many other speech therapy programs. View website >

Speech Pathology Group (Berkeley, Walnut Creek) operates five Bay Area clinics that offer assessment, consultation, and individual and group speech therapy. Get started with a video conference. Visit website >

Seven Bridges Therapy in Oakland, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek offers speech, language, and social learning therapy for of all ages beginning with toddlers. Now offering in-home and telehealth visits to families. Visit website >

Additional resources for hard of hearing kids in the East Bay

Center for Early Intervention on Deafness (Berkeley) Hosting parent/child playgroups, including a Deaf Blind playgroup, CEID is also a resource and preschool option for children who are hard of hearing, or experience hearing loss, or deafness. Visit website >

California School for the Deaf (CSD) Located in Fremont, CSD serves deaf/hard of hearing individuals between the ages of three and 22 years. Recognized for its academic rigor and direct bilingual instruction in American Sign Language and English, students come from around the state. It also hosts parent/child playgroups, preschool, family programming, family camp, and more. View website >

DCARA (Deaf Counseling Advocacy & Referral Agency, DCARA) Located in San Leandro, DCARA offers family playgroups and programming, Deaf mentors for children and families, ASL classes for families, family camp, story time, and more. Website >

Recreation and Enrichment classes for kids with special needs

Not surprisingly, many of the really cool recreation programs for children with special needs have ceased operating because of the shelter in place directives around Covid-19. It is a huge bummer.

BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation (Berkeley) Not specifically for children, BORP advances the lives of people with physical disabilities through many adaptive sports and recreational activities. Currently running many seated Zoom workouts. View website >

Square Peg Foundation (Half Moon Bay) Horseback riding lessons at the Square Peg Foundation are highly recommended by a parents of a child with pathological demand avoidance, ADHD, and sensory processing . Square Peg offers dignity, kindness, and a fun-loving atmosphere. View website >
Many of our other favorite recreation and sports leagues are not operating due to Covid-19. If you have a program you love, please drop it in the comments.
Bay Area outings with inclusive accommodations

Thanks to Barbara, mother to Grant and owner of Kids Gym Berkeley, for recommending places where she and Grant can go to have a good time and know that he will feel welcome. Grant has ADHD, Hypotonia and is on the Autism Spectrum.

Grant's favorite special day trips:
Please note that not all of these places are open because of Covid-19 restrictions.

Safari West in Santa Rosa (now open by reservations)

San Francisco Zoo (now open by appointment)

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (limited hours on weekends for the outdoor animal exhibits)

Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose (temporarily closed)

Children's Museum of Sonoma County (temporarily closed)

Monterey Bay Aquarium (temporarily closed)

California Academy of Sciences (temporarily closed)

Kids Gym Berkeley is an indoor playspace with over 10,000 square feet of inclusive fun. While Kids Gym Berkeley typically operates as a drop-in playspace hosting some of the best ever birthday parties, they have reorganized in autumn 2020 to offer remote learning supervision and homeschool support. This amazing space is filled with sensory toys, zip-lines, swings, and a quiet room for those who need to take breaks. Visit website >
Parents, if you've discovered a great local resource for your child with special needs, please share here to let others know about it.

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Resources for Families with Special Needs in the East Bay

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Thanks to Kids Gym Berkeley, an inclusive place to play, for sponsoring this guide to local resources for kids with special needs, from sensory processing disorders to mobility challenges. All children are welcome at Kids Gym Berkeley, and they never have to apologize for being who they are.

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Recursos comunitarios en el área de la bahía.

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Recursos comunitarios en el área de la bahía.

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Recursos comunitarios para familias con niños con discapacidades de aprendizaje en el área de la bahía. Este documento fue desarrollado por el Comite para Niños con Necesidades Especiales del Condado de Alameda.

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This 3 minute video presents how mind maps support students with brainstorming and organizing their ideas.

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Este video de 3 minutos presenta cómo los mapas mentales ayudan a los estudiantes a intercambiar ideas y organizar sus ideas.

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Study and test-taking strategies for kids with learning difficulties

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Study and test-taking strategies for kids with learning difficulties

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This articles reviews explicit strategies to support students how to prepare for classroom tests.

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Effective study strategies are the gateway to school success, graduation, college entry, and job advancement. Poor study habits can bar even bright students from many important opportunities that would otherwise enable them to realize their potential. For many children who have learning and/or attention difficulties, studying is an overwhelming challenge. Consider your child's current study skills; he may not know what to study or how to approach studying, may have difficulty remembering the information even when he has studied, may have trouble expressing what he knows (especially in essays). If your child struggles with these problems, he is far from unique.

From late elementary school into college, problems with studying and test-taking represent a major hurdle for many children and adolescents, especially those who have learning and attention problems. ¹ These difficulties are often identified only after discrepancies are discovered between these students' high grades for class work and their low scores on standardized tests. Their test scores frequently do not reflect their strong conceptual understanding or their level of ability. As a result, study sessions are often highly charged and extremely stressful for these students and their parents.

It is now recognized that many children and adolescents with learning difficulties need explicit, intensive instruction in study strategies. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 This article will describe strategies your child may need to learn, including prioritizing and shifting approaches, and identifying global themes while ignoring irrelevant details. ⁷ Self-monitoring strategies such as checking, planning, and revising are critical, as your child, like many others, may not use these automatically. 8, 9 Finally, your child may need to be taught explicitly how to figure out which strategy is appropriate when preparing for a test. ¹⁰

Identifying problem areas

How can you help your child improve his study skills and reduce the stress involved? You can play a critical role in preventing a negative cycle where your child's poor test performance discourages him from applying himself and learning more effective study strategies. The first step is to determine why your child is having difficulty. Here are some questions to consider and discuss with your child:

Does your child usually know what to study?

Does he use a systematic method for studying?

Does he seem to have inefficient study skills (i.e., he spends long hours studying, yet performs poorly on tests)?

Knowing what to study

Children are often unaware of the breadth and depth of the material to be covered in an upcoming test. To determine your child's level of awareness, ask him:

Has he checked in with the teacher about the content of the test?

Has the teacher provided a study guide or practice test?

Is there a review session your child can attend?

Does your child have a plan for studying?

Help your child understand that his teacher may offer clues about important details to focus on when studying for a test. Phrases teachers use to signal importance include:

"Write this down"

"Let me summarize"

"Let me say it again"

"This is important"

"I'll write this on the board"

"Remember... "

Next, assess your child's listening skills, attention, and focus. Does he listen for the teacher's "signals" as to what is important? Active listening in the classroom during everyday lessons helps children to "zero in" on key facts or skills that a teacher may include on a test.

Textbooks offer clues that identify important information.

If possible, review your child's textbook and discuss the use of different size or colored fonts, side-bars, figures, etc. included in the chapter(s) he'll be tested on. Think about your child's learning and reading style. Remind him to use active reading strategies when reading his textbook. For example:

Review the chapter and section headings and convert them to questions. For example, the header, "Causes of World War I" might be changed to "What are the causes of World War I?"

Review the words, phrases, and sentences that appear in bold type to denote their importance.

Study the pictures and tables.

Look at the sidebar information.

Review and answer the questions at the end of each chapter.

Encourage your child to use colored highlighters or Post-it notes to flag important information in textbooks and class notes. This will help him review the material more efficiently.

Learning how to study

Your child may need to learn specific study strategies for organizing, remembering, prioritizing, and shifting approaches flexibly. These processes are the underpinnings of strategic learning and are essential for accurate and efficient studying. He may also need strategies for identifying global themes while ignoring irrelevant details and shifting from the details to the main ideas. 11, 12 Self-checking strategies such as editing, planning, monitoring, and revising are critical, as many children do not use these automatically. 13, 14 The study and test-taking strategies cited below are derived from the intervention research and clinical work we have done at the Research Institute for Learning and Development (Research ILD) over the past few years, which have demonstrated the efficacy of strategy instruction for all students, particularly for students with learning or attention problems. 15, 16

Strategies for organizing and remembering

In order for your child to remember information, the information needs to be filed away in his brain in an organized way. The information will then be much more easily accessible when it is time to retrieve and use the information in the classroom or on a test. Tests are often used by teachers to evaluate how much students understand and retain after days, weeks, or even months of class work, reading, discussions, homework, and projects. It is important that your child develop organized systems for keeping track of information, or he may become overwhelmed or confused about the many details. You can help your child accomplish this by:

Making sure he is doing nightly reading assignments and using a system to record or summarize, such as taking notes, writing section or chapter summaries on sticky notes, or answering questions at the end of each chapter.

Having him summarize orally to you what he has read to make sure he derived the main ideas.

Assisting him in organizing materials, such as cleaning out binders and folders, creating sections with tabs or folders, and making sure all study materials, including study guides or review sheets, are gathered in one place.

Your child will probably remember information better when it is meaningful, familiar, or even silly! The following memory strategies may help your child with those details and facts that just won't stick.

Crazy phrases: If your child has to remember a list of items in order, such as the planets in the solar system, help him come up with a silly sentence using the first letter of each item on the list. The following is an example many teachers use to help students remember the nine planets in order: . Otherwise known as: .

Acronyms: When the order of the information does not matter, your child can take the first letters of each item on the list and try to form them into a word. For example, to help remember the systems of the body, the acronym "RED CRaNES" can be used:
Reproductive
Excretory
Digestive
Circulatory
Respiratory
a - (no system - place holder)
Nervous Endocrine
Skeletal

Cartoons or pictures: If your child is a visual learner, it may help to make cartoons to illustrate concepts (e.g., history, science) or to draw small pictures to trigger his memory for vocabulary words.

Word associations: You can help your child make connections to other information he knows by using the sounds or visual representations of words. For example, if he has to remember that the word "distinct" means "different or unmistakable," you can help him find another word that sounds similar, such as "stink." If something stinks, it is definitely different and unmistakable!

Strategies for self-monitoring

For all students, an important part of studying is becoming aware of their most common mistakes, so they can try to avoid making the same errors on the next test. To help your child become more strategic while studying, you can:

Ask him to look through his graded homework assignments and previous tests to find any patterns of mistakes.

Help your child to make a personalized checklist of test-taking techniques to remember while taking the test, such as remembering to look back to make sure he didn't miss any questions or remembering to answer all parts of the questions. Checklists can be subject-specific as well. The following is a sample personalized checklist for a math test:

Math test checklist

a. Did I copy the problems correctly?
b. Did I remember to label my answers?
c. Did I use the right operation?
d. Did I check my answers to see if they make sense?

Making a study plan and sticking to it

The following suggestions may be helpful when your child is studying for tests in content areas such as history or science. Encourage your child to:

Assemble all relevant materials before he begins, namely, textbooks, class notes, homework, and old quizzes.

Make strategy cards for important concepts or terms by listing the term on the front of the card. On the back of the card, your child can list the key information and a memory strategy.

Review class notes, homework, and quizzes, highlighting important information.

Make a chart of the important events and note their causes and consequences.

Predict possible essay questions and jot down notes for answering each question.

Explain the main ideas of the chapter to a parent or friend.

Have friend or parent quiz him.

Make a timeline of important events in the chapter.

Answer questions at the ends of the chapters.

Goal setting and self-pacing

Does your child rush through his study sessions? If so, you can teach your child to set goals and to pace himself. Here are some steps to take:

Review his study plan and set a timer for a certain study period according to the plan.

Make sure he builds short breaks into his study schedule. Shorter blocks of work time (e.g., 30-45 minutes) are often more productive than two-hour time blocks. For example, your child might try working for 30-45 minutes, then taking a 15-minute break, and resuming work again for 30-45 minutes.

Discuss a goal for studying. What does he want to master and how well does he want to do on the homework or the test?

Suggest that you will quiz him on the material when he thinks he is ready to make sure that he knows the information.

Analyzing the format of homework and tests

Does your child have difficulty understanding and remembering the homework assignments, teacher expectations, and test questions? Children with learning and attention problems often misread questions, focus their attention on sections of the question rather than the entire question, have difficulty understanding nuances in the language, struggle to determine what's most important, and do not easily differentiate between similar answers. If this description matches your child, here are some suggestions that may help:

Ask the teacher for sample questions and examples of high quality sample responses, and review them with your child.

Make your child aware of specific key words that clarify the meaning of the question (for essays and short answers) and help to eliminate some of the answer choices (on multiple choice questions). One way to remember these keywords is to use an acronym such as RED CRaNES which was shown earlier. In addition to memorizing the acronym, it is important to insure that your child knows the meanings of each of these words and is able to apply this knowledge to succeed on tests.

Encourage your child to practice multiple-choice questions if teachers use this format on tests. On multiple-choice tests, the vocabulary, and the visual layout of the answer sheet can confuse children. For example, children with visual-spatial or fine motor difficulties may have difficulty filling in scantron forms rapidly and accurately or copying answers onto a separate answer sheet. If your child struggles with the layout of the test or answer sheet, talk to the teacher and advocate for a different format or permission to answer directly on the test.

Remind him that multiple-choice questions often have a correct answer, an answer that is obviously wrong and then one or two choices that are close to the right answer. He will need to read each choice carefully and try to eliminate as many of the answers as possible before choosing one. Encourage your child to stick with his first answer unless he knows that he made a careless error.

For matching questions, suggest to your child that he read all of the choices, match the items that he is certain of, cross off the choices that he has used and then proceed with the remaining items. Some children have difficulty with the visual aspect of the task - looking at two lists and keeping track of those answers that have already been chosen. Others may have trouble remembering the specific vocabulary or connections between items.

On short-answer questions, encourage your child to plan essay questions ahead using maps or three-column organizers. You can help your child review study guides, practice tests, text books, and class notes for the teacher "signals" discussed earlier so that he can predict likely essay or short-answer questions. This will enable your child to map out key points and arguments ahead of time. Even if the actual questions he prepares are not on the test, the work he does will give practice in thinking through questions and formulating answers.

Remind your child not to get stuck on any one item. Teach him to move on to the next question if he doesn't know the answer. The answer will probably pop into his mind later in the test.

Because anxiety can adversely affect memory and attention to detail, encourage your child to check his work for careless mistakes as much as possible. A personalized checklist of the most common kinds of errors that your child makes (based on previous tests) can be helpful for prioritizing which problems or questions to recheck before handing in the test.

Putting it in perspective

Sometimes anxiety can impede a student's performance on tests even when he prepares well. If your child panics or become anxious when studying for tests, here are some strategies you can try:

Encourage your child to focus on his strengths. "Remember, you have a really good memory and can recite all of the important facts."

Help your child put the test in perspective. "Remember this is just one test - you've done so well on the papers and projects, it won't matter if you make some mistakes."

Emphasize the importance of your child's effort and the strategies used. "You studied really well, and can be proud of that... It will really pay off on the test," or in terms of the rest of his life.... "No one's going to care what you get on this test - a year from now, 20 years from now...."

As adults, we know test performance is only one small way of measuring understanding and that learning is a complex, multifaceted process that needs to be measured in many different ways. We also know how important it is ensure our children have positive and successful school experiences so that they have as many options as possible open as they advance into adulthood. We hope these suggestions will help you to support your child with learning and/or attention problems so he can develop successful study skills, and can achieve success in and out of the classroom.
Many of the examples provided in this article are from BrainCogs®, a CD-ROM that helps children learn study strategies in a self-directed way. Institute for Learning and Development and FableVision, 2002.
References

1. Mastropieri & Scruggs, 1991; Scruggs & Mastropieri, 1988, 1995

2. Mastropieri & Scruggs, 1991

3. Meltzer & Montague, 2001;Meltzer, Roditi, Houser, & Perlman, 1998

4. Putnam, Deshler, & Schumaker, 1993

5. Scruggs & Mastropieri, 1995

6. Swanson, Hoskyn, & Lee, 1999

7. Meltzer, 1996; Meltzer, Roditi, Haynes, Biddle, Paster, & Taber, 1996

8. Meltzer, Roditi, Haynes, Biddle, Paster, & Taber, 1996 9. Swanson, 1989

9. Meltzer, Roditi, Steinberg, Biddle, Taber, Caron, Kniffin, 2005. Stone & Michals, 1986

10. Stein, Meltzer, Krishnan, Pollica, Roditi, in press

11. Meltzer, Roditi, Steinberg, Biddle, Taber, Caron, Kniffin, 2005

12. Meltzer, Roditi, Taber, Stein, Steinberg et al., 2002

13. Meltzer, Roditi, Haynes, Biddle, Paster, & Taber, 1996

14. Meltzer, Roditi, Houser, & Perlman, 1998; Meltzer, 2004; Meltzer, Reddy, Pollica, Roditi, Sayer, et al., 2004

15. Meltzer, Roditi, Haynes, Biddle, Paster, & Taber, 1996

16. Meltzer, Roditi, Houser, & Perlman, 1998; Meltzer, 2004; Meltzer, Reddy, Pollica, Roditi, Sayer, et al., 2004

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Test-taking strategies for kids with learning difficulties

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Effective study strategies are the gateway to school success, graduation, college entry, and job advancement. Poor study habits can bar even bright students from many important opportunities that would otherwise enable them to realize their potential. For many children who have learning and/or attention difficulties, studying is an overwhelming challenge.

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Aprendiendo a Aprender: Técnicas de estudio

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Aprendiendo a Aprender: Técnicas de estudio

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Este video revisa estrategias explícitas para ayudar a los estudiantes a prepararse para los exámenes.

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Aprendiendo a Aprender: Técnicas de estudio

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Smiling Mind: This is a mindfulness app available in App Store or Google Play. 100% not-for-profit driven by impact not profits.
Language: English

Mente Sonriente esta es una aplicación de atención plena disponible en App Store o Google Play. 100% sin fines de lucro impulsada por impacto, no ganancias.
Idiomas:  ingles

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Brain breaks are breaks from anything your child is focusing on.

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Quick tips for using brain breaks at home

Most kids struggle with homework from time to time. But kids who learn and think differently may struggle more often - even every day. They may find homework to be extra frustrating and harder to get through.

Brain breaks during homework or lengthy chores can help relieve that frustration. A brain break is just what it sounds like: a break from whatever kids are focusing on.

Short brain breaks during work time have been shown to have real benefits. They reduce stress, anxiety, and frustration. And they can help kids focus and be more productive.

Brain breaks can also help kids learn to self-regulate and be more aware of when they're getting fed up or losing track of what they're doing. That's especially helpful for kids who struggle with executive function.

Being able to return to a task and get it done builds self-confidence and self-esteem, too. It shows kids they can work through homework challenges. This can motivate them to keep trying.

Dive deeper

Examples of movement brain breaks

Examples of quiet brain breaks

When to take brain breaks

About the author

About the author

Amanda Morin is the author of "The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education" and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Ellen Braaten, PhD is a child psychologist, professor, and founding director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at Massachusetts General Hospital.

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How brain breaks can help kids with homework frustration

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Brain breaks can help reduce homework frustration for kids. Learn more about brain break activities for kids and how they help.

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Descansos mentales: Lo que necesita saber

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Descansos mentales: Lo que necesita saber

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Un descanso mental es un descanso de cualquier cosa en la que los niños estén concentrados

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Los conflictos a la hora de hacer la tarea escolar son algo con lo que la mayoría de los padres y niños se pueden identificar. Sin embargo, estos conflictos ocurren a diario para muchos niños que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente. Sus desafíos pueden hacer que la tarea sea más frustrante y difícil de completar.

Incluir descansos mentales al hacer la tarea escolar o quehaceres largos en la casa puede ayudar a aliviar esa frustración. También puede ayudar a que los niños aprendan a autorregularse y a darse cuenta cuando empiezan a fastidiarse o a perder el hilo de lo que están haciendo.

Aprender cómo recargarse de energía y volver a enfocarse cuando la tarea se vuelve complicada beneficia a todos los niños, especialmente a quienes tienen dificultad con el funcionamiento ejecutivo.

Conozca más acerca de las actividades para descansar la mente y cuáles podrían funcionar a su hijo.

¿Qué es un descanso mental?

Un descanso mental es exactamente como suena: un descanso de cualquier cosa en la que los niños estén concentrados. Se ha demostrado que los "descansos mentales" breves proporcionan beneficios. Disminuyen el estrés y la frustración, y mejoran la concentración y la productividad.

La clave es descansar antes de que se experimente fatiga, distracción o falta de concentración. En el caso de los estudiantes de primaria, puede que necesiten descansar de 3 a 5 minutos después de trabajar durante 10 a 15 minutos. Los estudiantes de escuela media y bachillerato pueden trabajar hasta 20 o 30 minutos antes de que necesiten un descanso.

El objetivo de los descansos mentales es ayudar a los niños a cambiar el foco de atención. A veces eso significa levantarse y moverse, especialmente si su hijo ha estado sentado durante un largo rato. El ejercicio aumenta el flujo sanguíneo en el cerebro, y por lo tanto ayuda a concentrarse y mantenerse alerta. También reduce el estrés y la ansiedad, y esto facilita la concentración en tareas importantes.

La investigación también ha demostrado que los niños aprenden más rápidamente después de haber hecho ejercicio. En un estudio, los niños aprendieron palabras del vocabulario un 20 por ciento más rápido después de haber hecho ejercicio que cuando no se habían ejercitado.

No obstante, los descansos mentales no siempre significan estar activo. Las actividades relajantes pueden proporcionar beneficios similares. Además, pueden ser una opción más apropiada para los niños a quienes los descansos mentales físicos los estimulan excesivamente, y dificultan que recobren la calma necesaria para hacer la tarea.

También puede funcionar que los niños hagan un ejercicio breve de meditación guiada, un dibujo dirigido, que garabateen o que estiren los músculos. Unos pocos minutos pueden ser suficientes para que el área del cerebro que se encuentra sobrecargada tenga tiempo de reponerse.

Cómo lucen los descansos mentales eficaces

Para que un descanso mental le funcione a su hijo, hay que tener en cuenta ciertas cosas. Primero, habrá que asegurarse de que sea un verdadero descanso. Pasar de la tarea escolar a una actividad que él sienta que es más trabajo no lo ayudará a que permanezca concentrado.

Para los niños que necesitan silencio y tranquilidad, un descanso mental puede ser tan simple como permanecer sentado sin moverse. Mientras lo hacen, también podrían enfocarse en sentir el latido del corazón.

Para los niños que necesitan actividad, un "descanso de baile" es una manera divertida de volver a concentrarse y recargarse de energía. Los maestros que trabajan con niños que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente a menudo utilizan esta técnica en el aula. Los niños se levantan de sus asientos y bailan al ritmo de una o dos de sus canciones favoritas antes de retomar sus deberes escolares.

Estos son ejemplos de actividades físicas comunes:

Descansos de estiramiento que incluyen posturas de yoga (el perro, el gato, la vaca, el insecto, la roca) y moverse como diferentes animales (caminar como un oso, saltar como una rana, pararse como un flamenco, volar como un pájaro)

Flexiones de brazos contra la pared

Flexiones de brazos regulares

Actividades con una pelota de ejercicios

Abdominales

Saltos de tijera

Correr en el mismo lugar tan rápido como sea posible

Movimientos cruzados (tocar con la mano la rodilla contraria)

Saltos de cohete (inclinarse, tocar la punta de los dedos del pie y balancearse contando 10 en sentido inverso, después saltar)

Ángeles en la nieve en el piso

Su hijo también puede beneficiarse del tipo de actividades que habitualmente forman parte de una dieta sensorial. Estas pueden ser actividades motoras orales como masticar un alimento crujiente, o actividades táctiles como usar plastilina. (Vea un ejemplo de dieta sensorial con más de 50 actividades sugeridas).

Cómo planificar los descansos mentales

Cualquiera que sean las actividades que usted utilice, es importante planificar con su hijo. Esto incluye establecer reglas básicas con respecto al propósito de un descanso mental.

Algunos niños necesitan un descanso mental cuando empiezan a frustrarse o distraerse. En otros, el descanso mental funciona como una recompensa por permanecer concentrados en una tarea durante cierto tiempo. También puede ser un paso en el proceso de lograr una meta mayor. (Por ejemplo, tomar un descanso después de 10 minutos de lectura silenciosa para asegurarse de que su hijo sea capaz de completar 30 minutos de lectura).

Usted también tendrá que decidir cómo programar los descansos mentales. Existen dos maneras de programar los descansos: por intervalos de tiempo o por cantidad de tareas terminadas.

Descansos por intervalos: Los niños más pequeños suelen beneficiarse de tomar descansos a determinados intervalos de tiempo. Por ejemplo, su hijo podría trabajar 5 minutos y luego descansar 2 minutos. Usar un temporizador ayuda a que los niños entiendan cuánto tiempo ha transcurrido y qué pueden hacer en determinado lapso de tiempo.

Dé instrucciones específicas sobre cuánto durará el descanso y explique la actividad. Después, inicie el temporizador. El temporizador tiene un mecanismo incorporado que avisa cuando el descanso está por terminar. Usted también puede usar recordatorios verbales como: "¿Verdad que fue divertido? ¡Ahora hay que retomar la tarea!").

Descansos por cantidad de tareas terminadas: Los chicos más grandes suelen beneficiarse de tomar descansos relacionados con una cierta cantidad de logros. Por ejemplo, su hijo podrá tener un descanso mental de 5 a 10 minutos después de que termine la tarea de matemáticas y antes de empezar la tarea de inglés. O, después de completar 5 de los 10 problemas de matemáticas.

Otros beneficios de los descansos mentales

Saber cómo descansar mentalmente puede ayudar a los niños de maneras que van más allá de recargarse y hacer el trabajo.

Los descansos mentales pueden ayudar a reducir la ansiedad, algo que es común en los niños que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente. Y ser capaz de retomar una tarea y terminarla, puede desarrollar la confianza en sí mismo y la autoestima. Además, puede mostrarle a los niños que hay muchas maneras de afrontar los desafíos y mantenerse motivados.

Conozca otras maneras de ayudar a su hijo a manejar sus desafíos con la tarea escolar. Revise maneras sorprendentes de reforzar la confianza antes de los exámenes. Lea la recomendación de una maestra para calmar a los niños "sobreestimulados".

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Descansos mentales: Lo que necesita saber

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Los conflictos a la hora de hacer la tarea escolar son algo con lo que la mayoría de los padres y niños se pueden identificar. Sin embargo, estos conflictos ocurren a diario para muchos niños que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente. Sus desafíos pueden hacer que la tarea sea más frustrante y difícil de completar.

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This article is presents information on mindfulness and the importance to practice breathing strategies to support children.

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By now there's a good chance you've heard the term "mindfulness." It seems to be everywhere-touted as the new yoga, the answer to stress, the alternative to Xanax. But beyond the buzz, what is it? Jon Kabat-Zinn, the scientist and widely recognized father of contemporary, medically based mindfulness-over 30 years ago he developed a therapeutic meditation practice known as Mindful Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)-defines mindfulness simply as "paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally."

That's the short version. To expand on that just a little, mindfulness is a meditation practice that begins with paying attention to breathing in order to focus on the here and now-not what might have been or what you're worried could be. The ultimate goal is to give you enough distance from disturbing thoughts and emotions to be able to observe them without immediately reacting to them.

In the last few years mindfulness has emerged as a way of treating children and adolescents with conditions ranging from ADHD to anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, depression and stress. And the benefits are proving to be tremendous.

But how do you explain mindfulness to a five year-old? When she's teaching mindfulness to children, Amy Saltzman, MD, a holistic physician and mindfulness coach in Menlo Park, California, prefers not to define the word but rather to invite the child to feel the experience first-to find their "still, quiet place."

"We begin by paying attention to breath," she says. "The feeling of the expansion of the in-breath, the stillness between the in-breath and the out-breath. I invite them to rest in the space between the breaths. Then I explain that this still quiet place is always with us-when we're sad, when we're angry, excited, happy, frustrated. They can feel it in their bodies. And it becomes a felt experience of awareness. They can learn to observe their thoughts and feelings, and the biggest thing for me is they can begin to choose their behaviors."

In her private practice, Saltzman, and her Still Quiet Place CDs for Young Children and Teens, teaches mindfulness to children and adolescents with a variety of challenges. "I work with kids individually with ADHD, with anxiety, depression, autism, anger management issues. The lovely thing about working one-on-one is you get to tailor what you offer to them."

Saltzman also conducted a study in conjunction with researchers at Stanford University showing that after 8 weeks of mindfulness training, the fourth through sixth graders in the study had documented decreases in anxiety, and improvements in attention. They were less emotionally reactive and more able to handle daily challenges and choose their behavior.

As a teacher at The Nantucket New School where every student gets instruction in mindfulness, Allison Johnson has learned first hand what a difference it can make for kids. So she tried it at home. "I have a six-year-old son with ADHD," she says. "I brought a chime home. We use it most nights before bed. 'Cause he doesn't love going to sleep. We sit on the floor facing each other, we close our eyes and we ring the chime. Sometimes we incorporate a visualization-like he's floating on a cloud. We go on this little journey. And we ring the chime again and we say 'when you can no longer hear the chime it's time to open your eyes and come back to focus.' And now if he gets in trouble and gets sent to his room, I can hear him upstairs doing it himself. Or when he's getting unusually rowdy he'll say 'okay lets do our mindful breathing now.'" Johnson says since Curren started practicing mindfulness she's seen subtle but noticeable differences in his behavior. "He's more able to bring his focus and attention back to where they were-remembering to raise his hand and not move around so much."

While the research on children and adolescents is really just beginning to gain real traction, there are several small studies showing that for kids who suffer from anxiety and ADHD, mindfulness can be especially helpful. Diana Winston, author of Wide Awake and the Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center, started taking teens with ADHD on retreats for what she calls "mindfulness intensive camp" back in 1993. Twenty years later the program is still going strong.

" Teens benefit tremendously," she says. "Kids talk about their lives being transformed. I remember one girl with ADD who'd been very depressed and I didn't think we were reaching her. On the last day of class she came in and said, 'everything is different. I was really depressed. My boyfriend broke up with me and it's been so hard but I'm finally understanding that I'm not my thoughts.' That concept is huge-the non-identifying with the negative thoughts and having a little more space and freedom in the midst of it."

Stress reduction and self-acceptance are two of the major perks of mindfulness, benefits Winston says are particularly important during the drama and turmoil-filled teen years. "Emotional regulation, learning how to quiet one's mind-those are invaluable skills."

Randye Semple, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine, has spent her career developing programs to teach anxious kids how to quiet their minds. "When I look at childhood anxiety I see an enormous problem and a precursor to other problems in adolescents and adults," she says. "So I figured if we could manage the anxiety we could head off a lot of the other problems." Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Anxious Children, the book she co-authored, is based on the program she developed. A study she and her co-author, clinical psychologist Jennifer Lee, conducted from 2000-2003 showed significant reductions in both anxiety and behavior problems in 8- to 12-year-olds in Harlem and Spanish Harlem who participated in the program.

Teaching mindfulness to children and adolescents is a growing trend-in private practices as part of therapy and increasingly as part of the curriculum in both Special Ed and General Ed classes throughout the country. "We're at the beginning of a movement," says Megan Cowan, co-founder and executive director of programs at Mindful Schools in Oakland, California. "Jon Kabat-Zinn's work really set the stage for mindfulness to be visible on a mainstream landscape. I think we all have the sense that society's a little out of control. Education is a little out of control. We're all looking for a way to change that. This is meaningful to almost everybody."

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The Power of Mindfulness - Child Mind Institute

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Learn how mindfulness techniques can help combat stress and alleviate mental health and learning disorders. Child Mind Institute explains the benefits of mindfulness for children.

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Este artículo presenta información sobre la atención plena y la importancia de practicar estrategias de respiración para ayudar a los niños.

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A estas alturas, es muy probable que usted haya escuchado el término "conciencia plena" (también conocido como atención plena o mindfulness).

Parece estar en todas lados, promocionado como el nuevo yoga, la respuesta al estrés, la alternativa a Xanax. Pero ¿qué significa el término más allá de la popularidad? Jon Kabat-Zinn, científico y padre de la conciencia plena contemporánea basada en la medicina, que hace más de 30 años que desarrolló una práctica de meditación terapéutica conocida como Reducción del Estrés Basada en la Atención (MBSR, por sus siglas en inglés), define la atención plena simplemente como "prestar atención de una manera particular: a propósito, en el momento presente y sin prejuicios".

Esa es la versión corta. En la versión larga, la conciencia plena es una práctica de meditación que comienza al poner atención a la respiración y poder enfocarse en el momento, no en lo que podría haber sido o lo que le preocupa que podría suceder. El objetivo final es distanciarlo de los pensamientos y emociones perturbadores para poder observarlos sin reaccionar de inmediato.

En los últimos años, la atención plena ha surgido como una forma de tratar a niños y adolescentes con condiciones que abarcan el TDAH, ansiedad, trastornos del espectro autista, depresión y estrés. Y los beneficios están demostrando ser extraordinarios.

Pero, ¿cómo se explica la atención plena a un niño de cinco años? Cuando se está enseñando la atención plena a los niños, la Dra. Amy Saltzman, médica holística y coach de atención plena en Menlo Park, California, prefiere no definir la palabra sino invitar al niño a sentir la experiencia primero; a encontrar su "lugar tranquilo y silencioso".

Elegir comportamientos

"Comenzamos prestando atención a la respiración", dice. "La sensación de expansión de la inhalación, la quietud entre la inhalación y la exhalación. Los invito a descansar en el espacio entre las respiraciones. Luego les explico que este lugar tranquilo siempre está con nosotros, cuando estamos tristes, cuando estamos enojados, emocionados, felices, frustrados. Pueden sentirlo en sus cuerpos. Y se convierte en una experiencia de sensación consciente. Pueden aprender a observar sus pensamientos y sentimientos, y lo más importante para mí es que pueden comenzar a elegir sus comportamientos".

En su práctica privada, Saltzman, y sus discos compactos, Still Quiet Place, enseña la conciencia plena a niños pequeños y adolescentes que tienen una variedad de desafíos. "Trabajo individualmente con niños que tienen TDAH, problemas de ansiedad, depresión, autismo y problemas con el manejo de la ira. Lo hermoso de trabajar de manera individual con cada uno es que puedes adaptar lo que les ofreces".

Saltzman también realizó un estudio en conjunto con investigadores de la Universidad de Stanford que mostró que después de 8 semanas de entrenamiento en conciencia plena, los estudiantes de cuarto a sexto grado habían documentado disminuciones en la ansiedad y mejoras en la atención. Eran menos reactivos emocionalmente y tenían mayor capacidad de manejar los desafíos diarios y elegir su comportamiento.

Como maestra en la escuela The Nantucket New School, donde todos los estudiantes reciben instrucción de atención plena, Allison Johnson ha aprendido de primera mano la gran diferencia que puede hacer para los niños. Entonces lo intentó en casa. "Tengo un hijo de seis años con TDAH", dice. "Traje una campanilla a casa. La usamos la mayoría de las noches antes de dormir, porque a él no le gusta ir a dormir. Nos sentamos en el suelo uno frente al otro, cerramos los ojos y tocamos la campanilla.

A veces agregamos una imagen mental, como si él estuviera flotando en una nube. Nos vamos en este pequeño viaje. Tocamos la campanilla nuevamente y decimos 'cuando ya no puedes escuchar la campanilla, es hora de abrir los ojos y volver a enfocarte'. Y ahora si se mete en problemas y es enviado a su habitación, puedo escucharlo arriba haciéndolo él mismo. O cuando está inusualmente ruidoso dirá "está bien, hagamos nuestra respiración consciente ahora". Johnson dice que desde que Curren comenzó a practicar la atención plena, ella ha visto diferencias sutiles pero notables en su comportamiento. "Es más capaz de concentrar su atención y volver a donde estaba, recordando levantar la mano y no moverse tanto".

Conciencia plena y adolescentes

Si bien la investigación en niños y adolescentes en realidad sólo está comenzando a ganar tracción, hay varios estudios pequeños que muestran que para los niños que tienen ansiedad y TDAH, la atención plena puede ser especialmente útil. Diana Winston, autora de Wide Awake y Directora de Mindfulness Education en el Centro de Investigación de Atención Plena de UCLA, comenzó a llevar a los adolescentes con TDAH a retiros para lo que ella llama "campamento intensivo de atención plena" en 1993. Veinte años después, el programa se sigue desarrollando de manera exitosa.

"Los adolescentes se benefician enormemente", dice ella. "Los jóvenes hablan de que sus vidas se están transformando. Recuerdo a una chica con TDA que había estado muy deprimida y no pensé que la estuviéramos ayudando. El último día de clase, ella entró y dijo: 'todo es diferente. Estaba realmente deprimida. Mi novio rompió conmigo y ha sido muy difícil, pero finalmente entiendo que no soy mis pensamientos'. Ese concepto es enorme: la no identificación con los pensamientos negativos y tener un poco más de espacio y libertad en medio de eso".

La reducción del estrés y la autoaceptación son dos de las principales ventajas de la atención plena, beneficios que Winston dice que son particularmente importantes durante el drama y la confusión de los años de la adolescencia. "La regulación emocional, aprender a calmar la mente, esas son habilidades invaluables".

Cómo manejar la ansiedad con conciencia plena

Randye Semple, PhD, profesora asistente en la Escuela de Medicina Keck de la Universidad del Sur de California, ha pasado su carrera desarrollando programas para enseñar a los niños ansiosos a calmar sus mentes. "Cuando miro la ansiedad infantil, veo un problema enorme y un precursor de otros problemas en adolescentes y adultos", comenta. "Así que pensé que si podíamos manejar la ansiedad podríamos evitar muchos de los otros problemas". El libro Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Anxious Children, libro en el que ella es coautora, se basa en el programa que desarrolló. Un estudio que ella y su coautora, la psicóloga clínica Jennifer Lee, realizó entre 2000 y 2003 mostró reducciones significativas en los problemas de ansiedad y comportamiento en niños de 8 a 12 años en Harlem y Spanish Harlem que participaron en el programa.

La enseñanza de la atención plena a niños y adolescentes es una tendencia en crecimiento, en las prácticas privadas como parte de la terapia y cada vez más como parte del plan de estudios en las clases de educación especial y educación general en todo el país. "Estamos al comienzo de un movimiento", dice Megan Cowan, cofundadora y directora ejecutiva de programas en Mindful Schools en Oakland, California.

"El trabajo de Jon Kabat-Zinn realmente preparó el escenario para que la atención plena sea visible en la cultura dominante. Creo que todos tenemos la sensación de que la sociedad está un poco fuera de control. La educación está un poco fuera de control. Todos estamos buscando una manera de cambiar eso. Esto es significativo para casi todos".

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El poder de la conciencia plena | Child Mind Institute

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A estas alturas, es muy probable que usted haya escuchado el término "conciencia plena" (también conocido como atención plena o mindfulness). Parece estar en todas lados, promocionado como el nuevo yoga, la respuesta al estrés, la alternativa a Xanax. Pero ¿qué significa el término más allá de la popularidad?

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Helping Children with Learning Disabilities

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Helping Children with Learning Disabilities

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This article provides tips and strategies on how children with learning disabilities learn.

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When it comes to learning disabilities, look at the big picture

All children need love, encouragement, and support, and for kids with learning disabilities, such positive reinforcement can help ensure that they emerge with a strong sense of self-worth, confidence, and the determination to keep going even when things are tough.

In searching for ways to help children with learning disabilities, remember that you are looking for ways to help them help themselves. Your job as a parent is not to "cure" the learning disability, but to give your child the social and emotional tools they need to work through challenges. In the long run, facing and overcoming a challenge such as a learning disability can help your child grow stronger and more resilient.

Always remember that the way you behave and respond to challenges has a big impact on your child. A good attitude won't solve the problems associated with a learning disability, but it can give your child hope and confidence that things can improve and that they will eventually succeed.

Tips for dealing with your child's learning disability

Keep things in perspective. A learning disability isn't insurmountable. Remind yourself that everyone faces obstacles. It's up to you as a parent to teach your child how to deal with those obstacles without becoming discouraged or overwhelmed. Don't let the tests, school bureaucracy, and endless paperwork distract you from what's really important-giving your child plenty of emotional and moral support.

Become your own expert. Do your own research and keep abreast of new developments in learning disability programs, therapies, and educational techniques. You may be tempted to look to others-teachers, therapists, doctors-for solutions, especially at first. But you're the foremost expert on your child, so take charge when it comes to finding the tools they need in order to learn.

Be an advocate for your child. You may have to speak up time and time again to get special help for your child. Embrace your role as a proactive parent and work on your communication skills. It may be frustrating at times, but by remaining calm and reasonable, yet firm, you can make a huge difference for your child.

Remember that your influence outweighs all others. Your child will follow your lead. If you approach learning challenges with optimism, hard work, and a sense of humor, your child is likely to embrace your perspective-or at least see the challenges as a speed bump, rather than a roadblock. Focus your energy on learning what works for your child and implementing it the best you can.

Focus on strengths, not just weaknesses

Your child is not defined by their learning disability. A learning disability represents one area of weakness, but there are many more areas of strengths. Focus on your child's gifts and talents. Your child's life-and schedule-shouldn't revolve around the learning disability. Nurture the activities where they excel, and make plenty of time for them.

Recognizing a learning disorder

By understanding the different types of learning disorders and their signs, you can pinpoint the specific challenges your child faces and find a treatment program that works.
[Read: Learning Disabilities and Disorders]

Helping children with learning disabilities tip 1: Take charge of your child's education

In this age of endless budget cuts and inadequately funded schools, your role in your child's education is more important than ever. Don't sit back and let someone else be responsible for providing your child with the tools they need to learn. You can and should take an active role in your child's education.

If there is demonstrated educational need, the school is required by law to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that delivers some educational benefit, but not necessarily one that maximizes student achievement. Parents who want the best for their kids may find this standard frustrating. Understanding special education laws and your school's guidelines for services will help you get the best support for your child at school. Your child may be eligible for many kinds of accommodations and support services, but the school might not provide services unless you ask for them.

Tips for communicating with your child's school

Being a vocal advocate for your child can be challenging. You'll need superior communication and negotiation skills, and the confidence to defend your child's right to a proper education.

Clarify your goals. Before meetings, write down what you want to accomplish. Decide what is most important, and what you are willing to negotiate.

Be a good listener. Allow school officials to explain their opinions. If you don't understand what someone is saying, ask for clarification. "What I hear you saying is..." can help ensure that both parties understand.
[Read: Effective Communication]
Offer new solutions. You have the advantage of not being a "part of the system," and may have new ideas. Do your research and find examples of what other schools have done.

Keep the focus. The school system is dealing with a large number of children; you are only concerned with your child. Help the meeting stay focused on your child. Mention your child's name frequently, don't drift into generalizations, and resist the urge to fight larger battles.

Stay calm, collected and positive. Go into the meeting assuming that everyone wants to help. If you say something you regret, simply apologize and try to get back on track.

Don't give up easily. If you're not satisfied with the school's response, try again.

Recognize the limitations of the school system

Parents sometimes make the mistake of investing all of their time and energy into the school as the primary solution for their child's learning disability. It is better to recognize that the school situation for your child will probably never be perfect. Too many regulations and limited funding mean that the services and accommodations your child receives may not be exactly what you envision for them, and this will probably cause you frustration, anger and stress.

Try to recognize that the school will be only one part of the solution for your child and leave some of the stress behind. Your attitude (of support, encouragement and optimism) will have the most lasting impact on your child.

Tip 2: Identify how your child learns best

Everyone-learning disability or not-has their own unique learning style. Some people learn best by seeing or reading, others by listening, and still others by doing. You can help a child with a learning disability by identifying their primary learning style.

Is your child a visual learner, an auditory learner, or a kinesthetic learner? Once you've figured out how they learn best, you can take steps to make sure that type of learning is reinforced in the classroom and during home study. The following lists will help you determine what type of learner your child is:

Is your child a visual learner?

Visual learners:

Is your child an auditory learner?

Auditory learners:

Is your child a kinesthetic learner?

Kinesthetic learners:

Studying Tips for Different Types of Learners

For visual learners:

Use books, videos, computers, visual aids, and flashcards.

Make detailed, color-coded or high-lighted notes.

Make outlines, diagrams, and lists.

Use drawings and illustrations (preferably in color).

Take detailed notes in class.

For auditory learners:

Read notes or study materials out loud.

Use word associations and verbal repetition to memorize.

Study with other students. Talk things through.

Listen to books on tape or other audio recordings.

Use a tape recorder to listen to lectures again later.

For kinesthetic learners:

Get hands on. Do experiments and take field trips.

Use activity-based study tools, like role-playing or model building.

Study in small groups and take frequent breaks.

Use memory games and flash cards.

Study with music playing in the background.

Tip 3: Think life success, rather than school success

Success means different things to different people, but your hopes and dreams for your child probably extend beyond good report cards. Maybe you hope that your child's future includes a fulfilling job and satisfying relationships, for example, or a happy family and a sense of contentment. The point is that success in life -rather than just school success-depends, not on academics, but on things like a healthy sense of self, the willingness to ask for and accept help, the determination to keep trying in spite of challenges, the ability to form healthy relationships with others, and other qualities that aren't as easy to quantify as grades and exam scores.

Six skills for success in life with a learning disability

A 20-year study that followed children with learning disabilities into adulthood identified the following six "life success" attributes. By focusing on these broad skills, you can help give your child a huge leg up in life.

1: Self-awareness and self-confidence

For children with learning disabilities, self-awareness (knowledge about strengths, weaknesses, and special talents) and self-confidence are very important. Struggles in the classroom can cause children to doubt their abilities and question their strengths.

2: Being proactive

A proactive person is able to make decisions and take action to resolve problems or achieve goals. For people with learning disabilities, being proactive also involves self-advocacy (for example, asking for a seat at the front of the classroom) and the willingness to take responsibility for choices.

3: Perseverance

Perseverance is the drive to keep going despite challenges and failures, and the flexibility to change plans if things aren't working. Children (or adults) with learning disabilities may need to work harder and longer because of their disability.

Talk with your child about times when they persevered-why did they keep going? Share stories about when you have faced challenges and not given up.

Discuss what it means to keep going even when things aren't easy. Talk about the rewards of hard work, as well as the opportunities missed by giving up.

When your child has worked hard, but failed to achieve their goal, discuss different possibilities for moving forward.

4: The ability to set goals

The ability to set realistic and attainable goals is a vital skill for life success. It also involves the flexibility to adapt and adjust goals according to changing circumstances, limitations, or challenges.

Help your child identify a few short- or long-term goals and write down steps and a timeline to achieve the goals. Check in periodically to talk about progress and make adjustments as needed.

Talk about your own short- and long-term goals with your child, as well as what you do when you encounter obstacles.

Celebrate with your child when they achieve a goal. If certain goals are proving too hard to achieve, talk about why and how plans or goals might be adjusted to make them possible.

5: Knowing how to ask for help

Strong support systems are key for people with learning disabilities. Successful people are able to ask for help when they need it and reach out to others for support.

Help your child nurture and develop good relationships. Model what it means to be a good friend and relative so your child knows what it means to help and support others.

Demonstrate to your child how to ask for help in family situations.

Share examples of people needing help, how they got it, and why it was good to ask for help. Present your child with role-play scenarios that might require help.

6: The ability to handle stress

If children with learning disabilities learn how to regulate stress and calm themselves, they will be much better equipped to overcome challenges.

Recognizing stress in your child

It's important to be aware of the different ways in which stress can manifest. Your child may behave very differently than you do when they are under stress. Some signs of stress are more obvious: agitation, trouble sleeping, and worries that won't shut off. But some people-children included-shut down, space out, and withdraw when stressed. It's easy to overlook these signs, so be on the lookout for any behavior that's out of the ordinary.

Tip 4: Emphasize healthy lifestyle habits

It may seem like common sense that learning involves the body as well as the brain, but your child's eating, sleep, and exercise habits may be even more important than you think. If children with learning disabilities are eating right and getting enough sleep and exercise, they will be better able to focus, concentrate, and work hard.

Exercise - Exercise isn't just good for the body, it's good for the mind. Regular physical activity makes a huge difference in mood, energy, and mental clarity. Encourage your child to get outside, move, and play. Rather than tiring out your child and taking away from schoolwork, regular exercise will actually help them stay alert and attentive throughout the day. Exercise is also a great antidote to stress and frustration.

Sleep - Learning disability or not, your child is going to have trouble learning if they are not well rested. Kids need more sleep than adults do. On average, preschoolers need from 11-13 hours per night, middle school children need about 10-11 hours, and teens and preteens need from 8½-10 hours. You can help make sure your child is getting the sleep they need by enforcing a set bedtime. The type of light emitted by electronic screens (computers, televisions, phone, and tablets) is activating to the brain. So you can also help by powering off all electronics at least an hour or two before lights out.
[Read: Childhood Insomnia and Sleep Problems]
Diet - A healthy, nutrient rich diet will aid your child's growth and development. A diet full of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein will help boost mental focus. Be sure your child starts the day with a good breakfast and doesn't go more than four hours between meals or snacks. This will help keep their energy levels stable.

Encouraging healthy emotional habits

In addition to healthy physical habits, you can also encourage children to have healthy emotional habits. Like you, they may be frustrated by the challenges presented by their learning disability. Try to give them outlets for expressing their anger, frustration, or feelings of discouragement. Listen when they want to talk and create an environment open to expression. Doing so will help them connect with their feelings and, eventually, learn how to calm themselves and regulate their emotions.

Tip 5: Take care of yourself, too

Sometimes the hardest part of parenting is remembering to take care of you. It's easy to get caught up in what your child needs, while forgetting your own needs. But if you don't look after yourself, you run the risk of burning out. It's important to tend to your physical and emotional needs so that you're in a healthy space for your child. You won't be able to help your child if you're stressed out, exhausted, and emotionally depleted. When you're calm and focused, on the other hand, you're better able to connect with your child and help them be calm and focused too.

Your spouse, friends, and family members can be helpful teammates if you can find a way to include them and learn to ask for help when you need it.

Tips for taking care of yourself

Keep the lines of communication open with your spouse, family, and friends. Ask for help when you need it.

Take care of yourself by eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest.

Join a learning disorder support group. The encouragement and advice you'll get from other parents can be invaluable.

Enlist teachers, therapists, and tutors whenever possible to share some responsibility for day-to-day academic responsibilities.

Learn how to manage stress in your own life. Make daily time for yourself to relax and decompress.

Communicate with family and friends about your child's learning disability

Some parents keep their child's learning disability a secret, which can, even with the best intentions, look like shame or guilt. Without knowing, extended family and friends may not understand the disability or think that your child's behavior is stemming from laziness or hyperactivity. Once they are aware of what's going on, they can support your child's progress.

Within the family, siblings may feel that their brother or sister with a learning disability is getting more attention, less discipline and preferential treatment. Even if your other children understand that the learning disability creates special challenges, they can easily feel jealous or neglected. Parents can help curb these feelings by reassuring all of their children that they are loved, providing homework help, and by including family members in any special routines for the child with a learning disability.

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Helping Children with Learning Disabilities - HelpGuide.org

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Practical tips for making things easier both at home and school for a child with a learning disorder.

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6 estrategias para ayudar a los niños que piensan y aprenden diferente

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6 estrategias para ayudar a los niños que piensan y aprenden diferente

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Este artículo repasa cómo apoyar a los estudiantes que aprenden de manera diferente.

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Los maestros utilizan diferentes estrategias para ayudar a los estudiantes a aprender.

Las mejores estrategias están respaldadas por la investigación.

Algunas estrategias son particularmente útiles para los estudiantes que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente.

Los maestros de su hijo puede que usen diferentes estrategias de enseñanza en el salón de clases. Pero ¿estas estrategias ayudan a los niños que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente?

No existe una única manera que los maestros usen para enseñar a sus estudiantes. Sin embargo, algunas estrategias están respaldadas por estudios de investigación y son más eficaces que otras.

Estos enfoques y técnicas pueden beneficiar a todos los estudiantes, pero son especialmente beneficiosas para los niños que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente. Pueden hacer una gran diferencia en qué tan bien captan y trabajan con la información. (Algunas pueden incluso ser usadas como adaptaciones formales en el IEP IEP y el plan 504 ).

Tal vez usted haya escuchado mencionar una o más de estas estrategias al maestro del salón general o a los maestros de educación especial de su hijo. Si no es así, puede preguntarles si las usan y cómo usted puede adaptarlas para usarlas en la casa.

Estas son seis estrategias comunes de enseñanza. Obtenga más información sobre en qué consisten y cómo pueden ayudar a los niños que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente.

El "tiempo de espera" (o "tiempo para pensar") es una pausa de tres a siete segundos después de que el maestro ha dicho o preguntado algo. En lugar de nombrar al primer estudiante que levanta la mano, el maestro se detendrá y esperará.

Esta estrategia puede ayudar con las siguientes dificultades:

2. Enseñanza multisensorial

La enseñanza multisensorial es un tipo de instrucción que involucra más de un sentido a la vez. Un maestro podría ayudar a los niños a aprender información con apoyo del tacto, el movimiento, la vista y el oído.

Esta forma de enseñar puede ayudar con estas dificultades:

La mayoría de los niños no aprenden simplemente con decirles lo que tienen que hacer. Los maestros usan una estrategia llamada "yo hago, nosotros hacemos, tú haces" para enseñar una habilidad. El maestro mostrará cómo hacer algo ("yo hago"), como resolver un problema de matemáticas. Después, invitará a los niños a hacer un problema con él ("nosotros hacemos"). Después los niños intentarán resolver un problema de matemáticas ellos solos ("tú haces").

Esta estrategia puede ayudar con estas dificultades:

Todas las diferencias del aprendizaje: Cuando se usan correctamente, yo hago, nosotros hacemos, tú haces, puede beneficiar a todos los estudiantes. Eso se debe a que el maestro puede brindar apoyo durante cada fase. Sin embargo, los maestros deben conocer qué apoyo ofrecer. También necesitan saber cuándo los estudiantes entienden un concepto lo suficiente para trabajar ellos solos. Piense en esto como montar en bicicleta: el maestro necesita saber cuándo retirar las ruedas de apoyo.

4. Organizadores gráficos

Los organizadores gráficos son herramientas visuales. Muestran información o la conexión entre ideas. También ayudan a que los niños organicen lo que han aprendido o lo que tienen que hacer. Los maestros usan estas herramientas como un "andamiaje" o para dar apoyo alrededor del proceso de aprendizaje de los estudiantes con problemas (es la misma idea que cuando los albañiles colocan andamios para poder construir un edificio).

Existen muchos tipos diferentes de organizadores gráficos, como los diagramas de Venn y los diagramas de flujo.

Pueden ser especialmente útiles con estas dificultades:

5. Enseñanza individual y en grupos pequeños

Una estrategia que los maestros usan es modificar el tamaño del grupo al que enseñan. Algunas lecciones se enseñan a toda la clase. Otras es mejor enseñarlas en pequeños grupos de estudiantes o a un solo estudiante. Aprender en un grupo pequeño o uno-a-uno puede ser muy beneficioso para los niños que piensan ya prenden de manera diferente.

Algunos niños son colocados en grupos pequeños debido a sus IEP o a una intervención. Pero ese no siempre es el caso. Los maestros a menudo se reúnen con grupos pequeños o con un estudiante como una forma de diferenciar la enseñanza. Esto significa que ellos adaptan la lección de acuerdo con las necesidades del estudiante.

Esta estrategia ayuda con:

Dislexia: Los estudiantes con dislexia frecuentemente se reúnen en grupos pequeños para leer. En el salón de clases general, los maestros a menudo trabajan con un grupo pequeño de niños que están al mismo nivel de lectura o para enfocarse en una habilidad específica. También pueden reunirse porque los niños tienen el mismo interés en un libro en particular.

Discalculia: En el caso de los niños con discalculia, los maestros reúnen a uno o a más estudiantes para practicar habilidades en las que ellos (pero no toda la clase) necesitan ayuda adicional.

Disgrafía: En muchos salones de clase, los maestros realizan "reuniones de escritura". Se reúnen individualmente con los estudiantes para hablar de su progreso en lo que están escribiendo. Un maestro puede usar esta oportunidad para revisar y enfocarse en habilidades específicas para ese estudiante que tiene disgrafía.

TDAH y dificultades del funcionamiento ejecutivo: Este tipo de instrucción a menudo se lleva a cabo en lugares con pocas distracciones. El maestro también puede ayudar a los estudiantes a enfocarse en una tarea y aprender habilidades como la autosupervisión.

6. Estrategias para el Diseño Universal para el Aprendizaje (UDL, por sus siglas en inglés)

El UDL es un tipo de enseñanza que proporciona a todos los estudiantes maneras flexibles de aprender y ser exitoso. Las estrategias UDL permiten que los niños accedan a materiales, se interesen en ellos y muestren lo que saben de diferentes maneras. Existen muchos ejemplos de cómo estas estrategias ayudan a los niños que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente.

Dislexia: Cuando los maestros siguen los principios del UDL, presentan la información de diversas maneras. Por ejemplo, en lugar de decir a los estudiantes que deben leer un libro, los invitarán a escuchar un audiolibro. Esto elimina una barrera para los estudiantes que tienen dificultad para leer.

Disgrafía: Una estrategia del UDL es dar opciones de tareas. Los niños con disgrafía pueden tener dificultad para demostrar lo que saben en historia a través de un ensayo. Pero pueden lucirse al hacer una presentación oral o una representación de un hecho histórico.

Algunas estrategias de enseñanza pueden ser parte del IEP o del plan 504 del estudiante.

Las estrategias ofrecen apoyos adecuados a los estudiantes mientras aprenden.

Hable con los maestros de su hijo acerca de las estrategias que utilizan, y cómo ayudan a su hijo.

Acerca del autor

Acerca del autor

The Understood Team está integrado por entusiastas escritores, editores y moderadores de la comunidad en línea. Muchos de ellos tienen hijos que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente.

Revisado por

Revisado por

Jenn Osen-Foss, MAT capacita educadores en el uso de instrucción diferenciada, intervenciones y planificación.

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6 estrategias que usan los maestros para ayudar a los niños que piensan y aprenden diferente

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Los maestros utilizan diferentes estrategias para ayudar a los estudiantes a aprender. Las mejores estrategias están respaldadas por la investigación. Algunas estrategias son particularmente útiles para los estudiantes que piensan y aprenden de manera diferente. Los maestros de su hijo puede que usen diferentes estrategias de enseñanza en el salón de clases.

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This article connects us to different resources to manage stress, stay active, maintain healthy habits, and double down on distractions.

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Help Your Family De-Stress During Coronavirus Uncertainty

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How to manage anxiety, stay active, and focus on your family's well-being. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.

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Recursos de PBS en español para familias 

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Recursos de PBS en español para familias 

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Este artículo nos conecta con diferentes recursos para la familia.

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A medida que las familias se enfrentan a los desafíos del cierre de las escuelas, la Red Mundial de Educación ha creado una colección especial de recursos disponibles en español, organizados por grado y área temática. Encontrarás videos, planes de clase y actividades que apoyan el aprendizaje en casa para niños en los grados de prekínder a 12.

*Nota: cuando se usan los recursos de PBS LearningMedia, se puede acceder a las versiones en español desde el menú desplegable de idiomas bajo cada recurso.

Recursos durante el cierre de escuelas:
Encuentra videos, planes de clase y actividades que apoyen el aprendizaje en casa. Crea una cuenta gratuita para guardar y organizar el contenido. (Prekínder; y 1-2)

Como hablar con tus hijos sobre el Coronavirus y Cómo pueden usted y sus hijos desestresarse durante el Coronavirus

Parenting Minutes:
Videos cortos que se centran en temas clave relacionados con el aprendizaje y la crianza de los niños en la primera infancia.

Juegos para niños de PBS:
¡Encuentra juegos en español de tus programas favoritos de PBS KIDS!

Bright by text:
Un servicio de mensajes de texto gratuitos con actividades, juegos y recursos para padres y cuidadores. Los consejos tratan sobre los hitos del desarrollo, el funcionamiento del cerebro, el comportamiento socioemocional, la nutrición y más.

Actividades familiares de El Gato con Sombrero:
Desde hacer molinetes para "ver" el viento y títeres de palo para explorar las sombras hasta probar si un objeto se hunde o flota, estas actividades prácticas y divertidas basadas en ¡El Gato con Sombrero viaja por todos lados! ayudarán a las familias a seguir aprendiendo cuando la pantalla está apagada.

Actividades familiares de Ready Jet Go:
Desde crear un planeta completamente nuevo hasta construir un brazo robótico, estas actividades prácticas y divertidas basadas enReady Jet Go! ayudarán a las familias a seguir aprendiendo cuando la pantalla está apagada.

Actividades familiares de Ruff Ruffman:
Los niños disfrutan de aprender junto con sus personajes favoritos de PBS KIDS mientras ven los programas de PBS KIDS. Estas actividades basadas en ElRuff Ruffman Show ayudarán a las familias a seguir aprendiendo cuando la pantalla está apagada. Cada actividad está alineada tanto con los objetivos de aprendizaje como con la historia de un episodio o grupo de episodios relacionados. Mira un show, juga un juego, haz una actividad práctica, lee un libro para reforzar el aprendizaje, ¡y mantente entretenido!

Juega y aprende ciencia:
Esta aplicación bilingüe está diseñada como herramienta para que las familias y sus hijos de 3 a 5 años exploren juntos los conceptos de la ciencia en su vida cotidiana. Los juegos y actividades de la aplicación sirven como catalizadores para la exploración del mundo real: explorar la ciencia física al examinar las sombras en distintas horas del día y hacer rodar objetos por rampas caseras, aprender sobre las ciencias de la tierra al explorar los patrones climáticos y medir las temperaturas, y al observar cómo se adaptan las personas y los animales a su entorno.

Oh Noah:
Oh Noah! (bilingüe) diseñado para enseñar español a niños de seis a ocho años a través de videos animados con juegos integrados que ayudan a ampliar el vocabulario. En cada video, un malentendido da lugar a una desventura cómica.

NATURE:
Esta colección de videos científicos se basa en los poderosos documentales de la galardonada serie de historia natural de la televisión pública,Nature.

Films BYKids:
La serie empareja a adolescentes de diversas culturas con cineastas talentosos para crear documentales personales cortos que educan y fomentan la comprensión de los problemas mundiales.

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RECURSOS DE PBS EN ESPAÑOL PARA FAMILIAS: | Blog | WNET Education

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A medida que las familias se enfrentan a los desafíos del cierre de las escuelas, la Red Mundial de Educación ha creado una colección especial de recursos disponibles en español, organizados por grado y área temática. Encontrarás videos, planes de clase y actividades que apoyan el aprendizaje en casa para niños en los grados de ...

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This is a video under 11 minutes that has different memory exercises.

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VISUAL MEMORY TEST | Train your visual memory - Video 7

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Este es un video de menos de 10 minutos que tiene diferentes ejercicios de memoria.

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This is a video under 5 minutes that encourages children to move around with guided movements.

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Brain Break - Would You Rather? Among Us

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Este es un video de menos de 17 minutos que anima a los niños a moverse.

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7 Ejercicios de GIMNASIA CEREBRAL para ACTIVAR tus NEURONAS | Parte 1

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Summer Activities for Kids With Learning Disorders

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Summer Activities for Kids With Learning Disorders

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With school breaks around the corner, here are some useful educational webistes to visit.

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As we head into a very unusual summer, many parents - especially parents of kids with learning disorders - are wondering how to help their kids make the most of all this free time. With many camps and other standard summer activities off the table, how can kids continue to learn, grow and prepare for school in the fall?

Kids with learning disorders, ADHD or language difficulties are particularly vulnerable to what we call "the summer slide." That refers to the loss of skills that a lot of kids see in reading and especially math over the summer months. Now, with the coronavirus crisis and the long break from the classroom that most kids have had, it's even more important to help kids maintain and develop their skills over the summer.

Summer is definitely a time for everyone to loosen up a bit, but at the same time, parents can use some of the following strategies to help their kids stay on track academically, emotionally and socially.

1. Keep academics in the mix

Academic work doesn't have to look like traditional classroom work. Remember that you can incorporate academics and learning into lots of other activities, which we'll get into more below.

What you do this summer will look different depending on the age of your child, as well as their skill level and personality. With younger children, a good baseline is about 15 to 20 minutes of reading and math practice most days of the week. For older elementary school students that might look more like 20 to 30 minutes of reading, math and writing practice. Again, this doesn't necessarily mean that your child has to sit at a desk with a workbook the whole time - the idea is just to make sure that practicing skills is built into your child's daily routines one way or another.

That said, children with diagnosed learning disabilities might need more frequent formal instruction. To get a sense of what's best for your child, try getting in touch with your child's teachers and learning specialists to see what you can do to reinforce your child's skills throughout the summer. You might ask:

Are there any specific workbooks you recommend?

Do you have a recommended reading list we could use?

Which online educational activities align with what my child is learning in school?

Are there specific skills that my child could use extra practice with over the summer?

We've also got a great list of at-home educational resources available on our website.

2. Maintain a routine

Especially for kids with attention and learning disorders, following consistent routines is a huge part of academic success. What's more, having a routine lets kids know what to expect each day and reduces their anxiety, which is especially important now that kids are facing a lot of change and uncertainty. Structure and predictability let kids feel safe, stable and in control to some extent.

Summer routines can certainly be different from school routines. Depending on the age of your child, it's often helpful to involve them in the process of setting up a routine and creating a schedule for the day. They'll be more likely to stick to a schedule that they have helped to create because they have a little more buy-in, and because they'll tend to choose things they enjoy. Try coming up with a list of fun activities and let them choose which ones they want to do and in what order.

It's also important to keep bedtimes and mealtimes as consistent as possible, so that kids have some clear structure to work with. This could also be a great time to start new traditions. For example, maybe Sunday morning becomes pancake breakfast throughout the summer, and then the family takes a long walk or bike ride together after breakfast. This kind of thing doesn't just provide predictability - it also gives kids something to look forward to, which might be missing with the lack of organized summer activities.

3. Prioritize time outdoors

It's really important for both physical and mental health for kids to spend time outdoors, and there are lots of ways your family can do that while still following social distancing rules.

Especially for kids who really need to burn off energy, staying physically active is a key part of being able to focus mentally. What's more, spending time outside is a great way for kids to learn about the world around them and keep their academic skills sharp in a fun, active way.

What your family does will of course depend on what kinds of outdoor spaces you have access to, but some options to consider include:

Scavenger hunts and obstacle courses in the backyard

Family walks, hikes, bike rides or scooter rides

Gardening, which can be especially good for practicing math skills: How many seeds will we plant? How far apart should they go?

Spending time at beaches, lakes or pools as long as they're following social distancing rules. You can even set up an inflatable pool or splash pad in your yard.

Observing the plants and animals near your home. You might get a bird feeder or encourage your child to identify the flowers you see on your walks.

If your child ordinarily plays sports, you can also help them recreate some of that structure at home. For instance, if you have a yard and your child plays soccer, set up a goal, even if it's just a couple of cones to mark the space. Maybe they can use this time away from competition to learn new skills, practice for a new position, or focus on endurance, strength training or flexibility. Whatever they choose, setting goals and working toward them can help your child to stay engaged and focused while they're out of school.

4. Be smart about screens

Most kids have gotten a lot more screen time than usual during the past few months. And that might still be true this summer, to some extent - especially if you're working, giving your child screen time may be the only way to get the time you need to get everything done.

The trick is getting creative about how you use screen time, and how you find alternatives to it. Depending on what's doable for your family right now, you might try to work in more non-screen activities as summer gets underway. In addition to outdoor activities, consider:

Art activities. Maybe your child is interested in learning a new craft or even making a collage or sculpture out of spare materials from around the house.

Complex projects. For example, if your child likes building with Legos, you could challenge them to build something new every day and take daily photos, so that your child can look back on their progress at the end of the summer.

Household skills. Cooking, doing laundry, organizing closets - these are all skills that kids can learn, and they often enjoy the sense of agency that comes from helping out. Plus, practice with things like measuring and following instructions can translate into academic skills - and you might even get a little more free time for yourself!

Of course, a certain amount of screen time is inevitable. But your child's screens have a lot more to offer than just video games and social media. There are lots of high-quality virtual resources that kids can get into this summer, and many are free or low-cost:

Khan Academy, ABC Mouse and OutSchool offer online courses for a wide range of age groups.

Mystery Science, Sawyer and Activity Hero have a ton of content, from music lessons to story time to yoga.

Parks and Recreation departments often have options for virtual classes, activities and even day camps. Check out the ones in your area, or see if departments elsewhere have programs that kids from different regions can join.

Through options like these, you can incorporate some more structure and academic material into your child's day, without setting rigid screen time rules.

5. Stay connected

With so much uncertainty around what's safe and what's not right now, it's understandable that many families feel hesitant about getting out and interacting with others. But no matter what rules your family decides to follow, it's important that your child maintains connections with friends or family - whether virtually or in person.

You might schedule online playdates, have a trusted friend over for a socially distant game in your backyard or go for a drive to say hello to friends and family from your car. If you live near an open space like a beach or a park, you could also consider meeting a small group in the open air.

The idea is to stay safe while also giving your child lots of opportunity to practice social skills and connect with loved ones, so that they can head to school in the fall (whatever that looks like!) feeling confident and supported.

Click here for more resources related to the coronavirus crisis.

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Summer Activities for Kids With Learning Disorders | Child Mind Institute

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As we head into a very unusual summer, many parents - especially parents of kids with learning disorders - are wondering how to help their kids make the most of all this free time. With many camps and other standard summer activities off the table, how can kids continue to learn, grow and prepare for school in the fall?

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Actividades de verano para niños con trastornos del aprendizaje

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Actividades de verano para niños con trastornos del aprendizaje

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Con las vacaciones escolares a la vuelta de la esquina, aquí hay algunos sitios web educativos útiles para visitar.

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A medida que avanzamos hacia un verano muy inusual, muchas familias, especialmente aquellas que tienen niños con trastornos del aprendizaje, se preguntan cómo ayudarlos a aprovechar al máximo todo este tiempo libre. Sin los campamentos y muchas otras actividades típicas del verano, ¿cómo pueden los niños continuar aprendiendo, creciendo y preparándose para el regreso a la escuela en el otoño?

Los niños que tienen problemas de aprendizaje, TDAH (ADHD, por sus siglas en inglés) o dificultades de lenguaje son particularmente vulnerables a lo que se conoce como "the summer slide" (regresión durante el verano). Se refiere a la pérdida de habilidades que una gran cantidad de niños tiene durante los meses de verano, especialmente en lectura y matemáticas. Con la crisis del coronavirus y el largo descanso de las aulas que han tenido la mayoría de los niños, es aún más importante ayudarlos a mantener y desarrollar sus habilidades durante esta temporada.

El verano es definitivamente un tiempo para que todos se relajen un poco, pero eso no impide que al mismo tiempo los padres utilicen algunas de las siguientes estrategias para ayudar a sus hijos a mantenerse bien encaminados en lo académico, emocional y social.

1.Mantenga lo académico en el menú de actividades

El trabajo académico no tiene que parecerse al trabajo tradicional en el salón de clases. Recuerde que puede incorporar lo académico y el aprendizaje en muchas otras actividades, como verá más adelante.

Lo que usted haga este verano puede variar, dependiendo de la edad, habilidades y personalidad de su hijo. Con los niños más pequeños, un buen punto de partida es dedicar 15 a 20 minutos varios días a la semana a la lectura y los ejercicios matemáticos. Para niños mayores que ya están primaria podrían ser 20 a 30 minutos de lectura, escritura y matemáticas. Pero de nuevo, esto no significa necesariamente que su hijo tenga que sentarse frente a un escritorio con un libro de trabajo todo el tiempo. La idea es simplemente asegurarse de que la práctica de estas habilidades se incorpore a las rutinas diarias de su hijo de una manera o de otra.

Ahora bien, los niños a los que se les ha diagnosticado una discapacidad del aprendizaje pueden necesitar una instrucción formal más frecuente. Para tener una idea de lo que es mejor para su hijo, intente ponerse en contacto con los maestros y especialistas en aprendizaje de su hijo para ver qué puede hacer para reforzar habilidades durante el verano. Usted podría preguntarles:

¿Hay algún libro de ejercicios específico que recomiende?

¿Tiene una lista de lecturas recomendadas que podamos usar?

¿Qué actividades educativas en línea se ajustan a lo que mi hijo está aprendiendo en la escuela?

¿Qué habilidades específicas le vendrían bien a mi hijo para practicar durante el verano?

Nosotros también tenemos una amplia lista de materiales educativos para la casa disponible en nuestro sitio web.

Suscríbase al boletín semanal.

2. Mantenga una rutina

Especialmente para los niños con trastornos de atención y del aprendizaje, seguir rutinas consistentes es una parte esencial del éxito académico. Es más, tener una rutina permite a los niños saber qué esperar de cada día y reduce su ansiedad, lo cual es especialmente importante ahora que los niños se enfrentan a muchos cambios e incertidumbres. La estructura y previsibilidad permiten que los niños se sientan seguros, estables y hasta cierto punto en control.

Desde luego, las rutinas de verano pueden ser diferentes de las rutinas escolares. Dependiendo de la edad de los niños, suele ser de gran ayuda involucrarlos en el proceso de establecer una rutina y crear un horario para el día. Es más probable que se ajusten a un horario que ellos hayan ayudado a crear, porque tienen un poco más participación y porque seguramente elegirán las cosas que disfrutan. Intente hacer una lista de actividades divertidas y permita que los niños elijan cuáles quieren realizar y en qué orden.

También es importante que las horas de acostarse y de comer se mantengan lo más regulares que se pueda, para que los niños tengan una estructura clara a la cual apegarse. Este también podría ser un buen momento para crear nuevas tradiciones. Por ejemplo, tal vez los domingos en la mañana puedan convertirse durante el verano en días para desayunar panqueques, y después de desayunar, la familia salga a dar una larga caminata o un paseo en bicicleta. Este tipo de cosas no solo proporcionan previsibilidad, sino que también ofrecen a los niños algo que esperar, que es justo lo que podría estar haciendo falta debido a la ausencia de actividades de verano estructuradas.

3. Priorice el tiempo al aire libre

Es muy importante tanto para la salud física como mental que los niños pasen tiempo al aire libre, y hay muchas maneras en que su familia puede hacerlo al mismo tiempo que siguen las reglas de distanciamiento social.

Mantenerse físicamente activos es clave para poder concentrarse mentalmente. Esto es especialmente cierto para los niños que necesitan quemar energía. Además, pasar tiempo al aire libre es una excelente manera de que los niños aprendan sobre el mundo que los rodea y mantengan despiertas sus habilidades académicas de una manera activa y divertida.

Lo que haga su familia dependerá, por supuesto, del tipo de espacios exteriores a los que tenga acceso, pero algunas opciones a considerar incluyen:

Búsqueda del tesoro y carreras de obstáculos.

Paseos familiares, caminatas, paseos en bicicleta o monopatín.

Jardinería, que puede ser especialmente buena para practicar las habilidades matemáticas: "¿Cuántas semillas plantaremos? ¿A qué distancia entre ellas deberíamos plantarlas?".

Pasar tiempo en playas, lagos o piscinas, siempre y cuando sigan las reglas de distanciamiento social. Si tiene un jardín o una terraza, incluso podría instalar una piscina inflable o una colchoneta para hacer juegos de agua.

Salir a observar las plantas y animales cerca de su casa. Puede conseguir un alimentador para pájaros o animar a su hijo a identificar las flores que encuentran en sus paseos.

Si su hijo suele practicar deportes, también puede ayudarlo a recrear algo de esa estructura en casa. Por ejemplo, si su hijo juega futbol y cuentan con un jardín o un espacio dentro de la casa que podría funcionar, coloque una portería, aunque solo sea un par de conos para marcar el espacio. Los niños pueden utilizar este tiempo sin entrenamientos ni competencias para aprender nuevas habilidades, practicar una nueva posición, o enfocarse en la resistencia, la fuerza o la flexibilidad. Sea cual sea su elección, establecer metas y trabajar para alcanzarlas puede ayudar a su hijo a mantenerse ocupado y concentrado mientras no está en la escuela.

4. Sea ingenioso con el tiempo de pantallas

En los últimos meses, la mayoría de los niños ha pasado más tiempo frente a pantallas que lo usual. Y de alguna manera ese puede seguir siendo el caso este verano. En especial si usted está trabajando, permitir que su hijo pase un tiempo frente a pantallas puede ser la única manera de tener el tiempo necesario para hacer todo.

El truco está en ser creativo en el uso del tiempo de pantalla, y encontrar alternativas. Dependiendo de lo que sea factible para su familia en este momento, usted podría proponer más actividades no relacionadas con la pantalla a medida que comienza el verano. Además de las actividades al aire libre, considere:

Actividades artísticas. Tal vez su hijo se interese en aprender un nuevo tipo de arte o en hacer un collage o una escultura con materiales disponibles en la casa.

Proyectos complejos. Por ejemplo, si a su hijo le gusta construir con bloques, usted podría proponerle el reto de construir algo nuevo todos los días y tomar fotografías diarias, para que pueda ver su progreso al final del verano.

Habilidades del hogar. Cocinar, lavar la ropa, organizar los armarios: todas estas son habilidades que los niños pueden aprender, y que disfrutan por la sensación de poder que se obtiene al hacer algo que es útil para los demás. Además, si practican con cosas como medir y seguir instrucciones, esto puede traducirse en habilidades académicas, ¡y podría incluso obtener un poco más de tiempo para lo que usted tiene que hacer!

Por supuesto que una cierta cantidad de tiempo de pantalla es inevitable. Pero las pantallas tienen mucho más que ofrecer a su hijo que solo videojuegos y redes sociales. Hay muchos recursos en línea de alta calidad a los que los niños pueden acceder este verano, y muchos son gratuitos o muy baratos (la mayoría solo están disponibles en inglés):

Khan Academy, ABC Mouse y OutSchool ofrecen cursos en línea para una amplia gama de grupos de edad.

Mystery Science, Sawyer y Activity Hero tienen un montón de contenido, desde lecciones de música hasta cuentos y yoga.

Las oficinas locales de parques y espacios de recreación públicos suelen tener opciones de clases virtuales, actividades e incluso campamentos diurnos. Averigüe cuáles están disponibles en su zona, o vea si hay otras instituciones con programas a los que pueden unirse niños de diferentes áreas.

A través de opciones como estas, usted puede incorporar algo más de estructura y material académico en la jornada diaria de su hijo, sin establecer reglas rígidas acerca del tiempo de pantallas.

5. Manténgase conectado

Con tanta incertidumbre en estos momentos sobre lo que es seguro y lo que no, es comprensible que muchas familias tengan dudas acerca de salir e interactuar con otros. Independientemente de las reglas que su familia decida seguir al respecto, es importante que su hijo mantenga las conexiones con los amigos o la familia, ya sea de manera virtual o en persona.

Usted puede programar citas con amigos para que jueguen en línea, invitar a un amigo de confianza a un juego con distancia social, o salir a dar una vuelta en auto y pasar a saludar a los amigos o la familia sin bajarse del automóvil. Si vive cerca de un espacio abierto, como una playa o un parque, también podría considerar reunirse con un pequeño grupo de personas al aire libre.

La idea es mantenerse seguro y al mismo tiempo dar a su hijo distintas oportunidades de practicar habilidades sociales y conectarse con sus seres queridos, para que cuando regrese a la escuela se sienta seguro y apoyado.

Lea más artículos sobre la crisis del coronavirus aquí.

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Actividades de verano para niños con trastornos del aprendizaje | Child Mind Institute

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A medida que avanzamos hacia un verano muy inusual, muchas familias, especialmente aquellas que tienen niños con trastornos del aprendizaje, se preguntan cómo ayudarlos a aprovechar al máximo todo este tiempo libre. Sin los campamentos y muchas otras actividades típicas del verano, ¿cómo pueden los niños continuar aprendiendo, creciendo y preparándose para el regreso a la escuela en el otoño?

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Being an Effective Advocate for Your Child

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Being an Effective Advocate for Your Child

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This article provides 8 points of advice on how to be an advocate for your child.

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If you have discovered that your child has a psychiatric or learning problem, or you are beginning to suspect that she does, you might be wondering what you can do to make sure that she is getting the best support possible when she is at school. Parents sometimes tell me that they feel powerless when it comes to school issues, but there is actually a lot we can do for our children in terms of advocacy. Here are some good rules to follow:

1. Communicate with your child and ask questions.
Study after study show that kids make healthier choices, do better in school, and have higher self-esteem if they have warm, positive communication with their parents. Parents who want to help their children tackle the challenges of school need to be able to ask direct questions on a regular basis and carefully consider the answers. "What do you like best about school?" is often a good icebreaker. Follow-up questions should include "What is easy to do each day?" and "What is the subject you wish you had only once a week instead of every day?"

2. Recognize that your child behaves differently at home and school.
It's critical to talk to your child's teacher to find out how well she is functioning at school. Teacher-child relationships vary widely, but given that teachers spend six hours a day with our kids, we can count on them to have a keen sense of how children learn and behave. When you meet with a teacher, ask about your child's strengths and weaknesses. You should feel comfortable asking questions like: Does my child have difficulties with organization, following instructions, or staying on task? Have you noticed any delays in her academic or social development? Does she get along well with other kids?

3. Maximize parent-teacher conference time.
Many parents go to parent-teacher conferences unprepared. They arrive without questions, receive an enormous amount of information about a child's academic performance, and then leave with a laundry list of concerns they haven't been able to talk through. You can maximize your parent-teacher conference time by planning questions to ask at the beginning, not the end, of the conference. By asking your questions up front, you'll help ensure that the conference time is used to address your child's challenges, set appropriate goals, and determine whether any special education services might be needed.

4. Don't delay getting support for your child.
If you have specific concerns about your child's school performance, don't wait until parent-teacher conference time to request a comprehensive evaluation and inquire about special education services. Your child's teacher can provide not only a different perspective on how he is progressing, but can also help facilitate evaluations of your child's cognitive, academic, linguistic, social, and emotional functioning. You should also know that there's a federal law requiring schools to provide an education to children in the least-restrictive environment-meaning, a child with symptoms of a learning or psychiatric disorder must have every opportunity to be educated alongside his typically developing peers. The school is supposed to ensure that children receive the services they need to fulfill their potential.

5. Request special services in writing.
If you suspect your child needs special education services, you must request in writing that he be evaluated to determine which services would be appropriate. School districts offer school-based evaluations free of charge, but parents must send a letter of request to the administrator responsible for the school's special education programming. Talk to your child's teacher about this process-specifically, find out who to contact to arrange an evaluation-and ask for assistance in obtaining a copy of his school file, including report cards, progress reports, attendance records, behavior assessments, testing data, and any other teacher reports. The materials in your child's school file will be used in all evaluations for learning and psychiatric disorders.

6. Meet with the people who evaluate your child.
The school must provide you with written results from your child's evaluation. But you can get more than a written summary. Arrange a meeting with the people who've evaluated her to discuss the results and whether educational objectives are being met or need to be changed. If you disagree with the results of the evaluation you can request an independent one.

7. Understand the Individual Education Plan.
You must become familiar with the IEP process in order to effectively advocate for a child with a learning disorder. An IEP is a personalized education plan that takes into account a child's specific needs and outlines a modified curriculum with practical goals for academic success. Parents, teachers, special education experts, and any other specialists on a child's team should participate in the development of the IEP. They should also carefully monitor the child's progress on the IEP, assess whether he is meeting educational goals, and coordinate more support if needed.

8. Monitor your child's moods.
A large number of children with psychiatric disorders also struggle with learning disorders. In fact, roughly half of all children with ADHD have dyslexia and half of all children with learning disorders develop chronic depression in adulthood. As a parent, one of the most important things you can do is trust your intuition when your child's behavior seems abnormal. Pay attention to changes in her personality and mood in the same way you watch for rising and falling grades. Her academic achievement is intimately tied to her emotional well-being.

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Being an Effective Advocate for Your Child - Child Mind Institute

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If you have discovered that your child has a psychiatric or learning problem, or you are beginning to suspect that she does, you might be wondering what you can do to make sure that she is getting the best support possible when she is at school.

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Este artículo explica cómo ser un defensor de su hijo/a.

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¿Qué es la educación especial?

Muchos niños con necesidades especiales necesitan beneficiarse de una ayuda adicional en la escuela. Un niño que tiene un problema que le dificulta los aprendizajes escolares podría tener que recibir:

logopedia (terapia del habla) para ayudarle a hablar y a entender a los demás

terapia ocupacional para ayudarle a realizar las tareas cotidianas

la ayuda de un asistente en clase

un plan de aprendizaje hecho a su medida, también conocido como programa de educación individualiza (IEP por su siglas en inglés)

cosas que facilitan el aprendizaje (como tiempo adicional para hacer los deberes o los exámenes)

Cuando un niño recibe este tipo de servicios, se dice que recibe una "educación especial". Para poderse beneficiar de la educación especial, los niños deben ser evaluados.

Si le preocupa la capacidad de aprendizaje de su hijo, no posponga su evaluación. Cuanto antes reciba un niño la ayuda que necesita, más probabilidades tendrá de rendir en la escuela.

¿Qué dice la ley?

L a ley de educación de individuos con discapacidades (IDEA, por sus siglas en inglés) asegura que los niños con discapacidades reciben la misma educación pública de calidad y gratuita que otros niños. (Una discapacidad es una afección física o mental que limita las capacidades de un niño para aprender.) Esta ley cubre al niño desde el nacimiento hasta los 21 años de edad.

Los niños que cumplen los requisitos para beneficiarse de ayuda adicional reciben un plan por escrito que fija sus metas de aprendizaje y explica cómo alcanzar esas metas. Los padres, profesores, terapeutas, psicólogos escolares y otras personas trabajan en equipo para crear el plan. Los planes se ofrecen básicamente teniendo en cuenta las capacidades y la edad del niño:

Plan de servicio familiar individualizado (IFSP, por sus siglas en inglés): Se ofrece a lactantes y niños de hasta 3 años de edad que tienen retrasos evolutivos o problemas médicos que favorecen este tipo de retrasos (como un pérdida auditiva, nacer de forma prematura, o un problema de origen genético, como elsíndrome de Down).

IEP: Se administra a niños de 3 a 21 años que presentan discapacidades físicas o mentales.

¿Qué hacer primero?

Hable con el médico de su hijo. Si su hijo tiene necesidades especiales que le dificultan el aprendizaje o parece ir atrasado en el desarrollo, explíqueselo a su médico. Él podrá ver si su hijo puede seguir el ritmo de la clase o necesita que lo evalúen. Es posible que tenga que verlo un especialista (como un terapeuta del habla o un psicólogo).

Si es necesario, haga que lo evalúen. Un niño que necesita una ayuda especial para alcanzar los hitos evolutivos será derivado para que lo evalúen. La evaluación para recibir servicios de educación especial se puede hacer a través del programa de intervención precoz de su estado o a través de su distrito escolar.

Puede solicitar una evaluación gratuita, incluso si no dispone de la derivación procedente del médico de su hijo. He aquí cómo conseguirlo:

Si su hijo no ha cumplido los 3 años, llame al programa estatal de intervención precoz.

Si su hijo tiene 3 años o más, llame al distrito escolar de su localidad que le corresponda.

Si su hijo es mayor y lo está pasando mal en la escuela, puede pedir que le hagan una evaluación en cualquier momento. Hable con sus profesores, el director del centro, su orientador escolar o un psicólogo para organizar la evaluación.

¿Cómo evaluarán a mi hijo?

El tipo de pruebas que se hagan dependerán de lo que a usted le preocupe y de las necesidades de su hijo. Puede haber pruebas de habilidades lingüísticas, de motricidad, de desarrollo, de problemas de comportamiento, de coeficiente intelectual y de logro.

¿Qué servicios se ofrecen?

Lactantes y primera infancia

Los lactantes y los niños pequeños se inscriben en programas estatales de intervención precoz. La mayoría se administran en el domicilio del niño e incluyen ayuda para aprender a andar, hablar, jugar y desarrollar otras habilidades. Las familias y otros cuidadores aprenden a ayudar al niño a alcanzar sus metas. Las familias también pueden recibir ayuda para gestionar los problemas de comportamiento, así como apoyo del trabajador social.

Antes de que los niños cumplan tres años, se vuelven a evaluar para saber si necesitan proseguir con la educación especial. Si un niño se puede seguir beneficiando de ese tipo de servicios, se elaborará un plan para preescolar.

Preescolares

A partir de los 3 años, los niños suelen recibir los servicios fuera de su casa. Los niños de preescolar aprenden mejor cuando están rodeados de sus iguales, y los profesores los preparan para la escuela. Esto tiene lugar en centros de preescolar de educación especial o en otros centros de aprendizaje. En caso necesario, un niño puede recibir servicios adicionales, como logopedia, para ayudarlo a alcanzar sus metas de aprendizaje.

Cuando acaba la etapa de preescolar, los niños se vuelven a evaluar para saber si necesitan proseguir con la educación especial en la enseñanza primaria.

Niños en edad escolar

En función de cuáles sean sus necesidades, los estudiantes, desde parvulario (kindergarten) hasta los 21 años, se pueden beneficiar de un IEP o de unplan educativo 504:

Un IEP es un plan de aprendizaje hecho a la medida de cada niño. Indica el nivel actual de aprendizaje del niño, crea metas de aprendizaje alcanzables y elabora un plan sobre cómo la escuela ayudará a los niños a alcanzar esas metas. El IEP incluye planificaciones anuales e informes sobre el progreso.

Los planes 504 aseguran que los niños con necesidades especiales obtengan el apoyo adicional que necesitan en las clases ordinarias. El apoyo puede ser en forma de contar con un ayudante en la clase, disponer de más tiempo en los trabajos y exámenes, o de un teclado para tomar apuntes. Todas estas cosas se llaman "adaptaciones".

Estos dos tipos de planes pueden parecer que son lo mismo, pero son diferentes. El IEP ofrece educación especial individualizada y servicios relacionados, en función de las necesidades del alumno. Para poderse beneficiar de un IEP, un niño debe presentar una discapacidad reconocida por IDEA. El plan 504 ayuda a un niño con discapacidades a rendir en el marco de una clase ordinaria.

Los estudiantes cuyas necesidades superan lo que pueda ofrecer su distrito escolar se pueden derivar a un programa de escuela especial.

Adolescentes

Cuando el niño cumple 14 años, el IEP lo empezará a preparar para la etapa adulta. Esto recibe el nombre de "planificación de la transición". La planificación de la transición se centra en qué quiere hacer el adolescente después de la graduación, como matricularse en un centro de formación profesional o en la universidad, trabajar o hacer voluntariado, y en las habilidades necesarias para alcanzar estas metas.

El plan de transición también incluye dónde vivirá el joven adulto y si podrá o no llevar una vida independiente. Aborda la educación en habilidades para la vida diaria (como la administración del dinero, el uso del transporte, la higiene personal y las tareas domésticas) y establece un plan para la transición hacia los servicios de atención médica propios de los adultos.

¿Con qué frecuencia se revisan los planes?

Los IEP y los planes 504 se revisan cada año. Se debe hacer una revisión profunda (que supone volver a evaluar al niño) cada 3 años.

¿Cómo puedo cambiar el plan de mi hijo?

Usted (o cualquier otra persona que pertenezca al equipo de planificación de su hijo) puede pedir una revisión del plan en cualquier momento. Si usted no aprueba el IEP de su hijo, solicite una reunión con el equipo del IEP para exponer sus objeciones. Los padres tienen derecho a participar en todas las reuniones de planificación del IEP de su hijo, a ojear los informes escolares, a no estar de acuerdo con el plan y/o proponer cambios en el mismo.

Si sus esfuerzos no le permiten obtener los resultados deseados, puede acudir a un mediador o hacer una queja legal que ayude a resolver esas cuestiones entre usted y el distrito escolar de su hijo. También puede rellenar un impreso para hacer una queja a través de su agencia estatal de educación o bien hacer una demanda legal.

Su hijo proseguirá con sus servicios hasta que concluya la resolución del proceso.

¿Qué más debería saber?

Es posible que el camino de aprendizaje de su hijo sea diferente al que usted esperaba. A veces, se puede sentir agobiado o superado por todo el proceso. Recuerde que no es necesario que lo atraviese solo.

Busque apoyo en el centro escolar de su hijo y en la comunidad. Hable con otros padres que hayan vivido situaciones similares a la suya. Participe en un grupo de apoyo, sea por Internet o en persona.

Con paciencia y una atenta planificación, así como trabajando codo con codo con la escuela, es posible ayudar a su hijo a aprender y a alcanzar todo su potencial.

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Educación especial: obtener apoyo para su hijo

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Muchos niños con necesidades especiales necesitan beneficiarse de una ayuda adicional en la escuela.

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50 Activities for Kids When There is No School

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50 Activities for Kids When There is No School

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This list provides different fun and exciting activities for kids.

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Whenever the kids have a day off school I know I have to be prepared. I need to provide activities for the kids whether we're at home or out and about. Sure they could sit home and hang out all day (cough*on screens*cough), but with a little direction, a long list of things to do, and places to go; we're more likely to have a good day.

Learn more: How To Get Kids Off Screens and Into Play

As I've transitioned into being a work from home parent I have found that when all four kids are off school are the toughest days. We're out of our routine, everyone wants to do something different, and all I want to do is make an adults only blanket fort, plug in some headphones, and hide. (wine optional)

What's a mom (or dad) to do? Come up with a list of 50 things we can do while the kids are off school many of which you can use anytime of the year!

50 Activities For Kids When There Is No School

Things to do with Preschoolers and Under

If you have a preschooler and younger kids or babies at home it's best to come up with a schedule that includes everyone's naptimes, snacks, and meals for the day. Stick to their regular bed time, and stir in a little fun, and a pinch of adventure for the best results.

1. Visit one park a day: If it's nice out visit a different local park each day. If you're an overachiever you can make a rating sheet that the kids can fill out so you know which park to go back to.

2. Make a treasure hunt: Make a list of things they need to find wherever you are heading. The grocery store can be drawings of their favorite foods, while the park can be things like a bird, a rock, a sandbox, etc.

3. Go on a nature walk: Take a bag or carton and head out for a walk to find 'nature' to bring home. This can be anything from rocks and sticks to flowers and dandelions.

4. Create sensory activities: Water tables, rice bins, and sandboxes are all fun but add some objects for the kids to dig out to make it more fun.

5. Cleaning helper: If you have cleaning to do share some simple tools with them to have them help out. Vinegar and water mixed in a spray bottle is great for wiping down all kinds of surfaces, and safe for little ones. They may also get a kick out of things like polishing silver, dusting baseboards, and hunting for toys under the furniture.

6. Play dates: While you don't want to overdo it, school breaks are a great way to get some one-on-one playtime in with classmates and neighborhood friends.

7. Museum visits: Look for museums that have toddler or preschool friendly areas like children's museums, art museums with a kid's only area, and more.

8. Hit the library: A great way to find some new reading material and spend a few hours. Most local libraries have story time and toys to keep little ones occupied while you catch up on the latest bestseller.

9. Create a mini garden or plant pots for indoors: There's nothing more exciting to a little person than seeing something grow that they planted. Whether it's seeds, mini plants, or a veggie garden your kids are sure to love to get their fingers dirty.

10. Create your own book: Your child doesn't have to be an artist or know how to write. Have them make some pictures (stick figures are fine) and narrate the story to you. Some of the funniest things my kids have told me come from their own story books.

11. Dance party!: does your little one love to boogie? Turn on some kid-friendly tunes and get down.

12: Science Experiments: Simple experiments are so fun for this age group. Float or sink is a fun one to play in a baby pool or the bathtub while Mentos and coke will bring amazed looks from your little people.

Elementary Age to Middle School

13. Movie marathon (great for rainy days): Rachee from Say it Rah-shay shared, "We have a lazy movie day. My daughter and I run, run, run so much that on days when we are obligation free we get a bunch of movies that we love, favorite snacks and have mini marathons."

14: Try out new restaurants: Robin from Family Fun Delaware shares, "Since mom still has to work, we're cashing in a bunch of deal-site vouchers for lunches at new-to-us restaurants."

15. Ice Cream Day: Stephanie shares another fun food idea, "Spend the day driving around the area and pick really neat ice cream/fro yo spots to sample all day long." Yummy!

16. Play Tourist for a Day: Make time to do the 'touristy' things when you are a local is a great way to spend a day and get to see thins you normally skip over.

17. Geocache: Searching for clues and 'treasure' may not seem like it's a local activity, but geocaches are found all over the world and are a great way to spend some time outdoors exploring. If you don't want to let your kids run around with your phone you can get a hand held GPS device for them to carry.

18. Make an obstacle course: Build an obstacle course in the yard with balls, bats, and other gear you probably have lying around for some fun and exercise.

19. Use reciprocal memberships: I've written about this before, but it bears repeating that you can often use your memberships to gain access to other local or nearby attractions or museums. Check your membership website or call for details.

20. Use up your birthday or holiday money: Kathy shared, "We are spending the week cashing in Christmas and birthday gift cards for movies and Rita's." (water ice)

21. Scour deals sites for things to do: Tonya shares, "I highly recommend purchasing deals via living social and groupon, etc. Save them for while the kids are on vacation, we'll be doing the same over the long summer break." She shared a long list of places they were planning to visit, all of which sounded amazing!

22. Introduce the kids to old school TV: Do you have a love of Fraggle Rock or the Muppets? Time to show your kids your 'classic' favorites. Netflix is a great source for old school TV fun.

23. Board Game Day: Barb from a Life in Balance said a board game day would be a fun way to pass the time. I know in our house we have many we've never played! If you're like my kids it will soon dissolve into combining the games together to make a 'super game.'

24. Go for a Photo Walk: Grab your cameras, DSs, etc. and head out for a walk. Have everyone take pictures of the same thing to see what kinds of different results everyone gets.

25. Bust out the hose: If it's a nice day pull out the hose for car washing or sprinkler games.

26. Give back: You've got some free time on your hands, so why not use a little to give back to those in need? Donate some time to your local animal shelter, visit a retirement community, or make some artwork for sick kids or the troops.

27. Declutter: It's the perfect time to declutter everyone's rooms and get things ready for donations or a yard sale.

Learn more: 4 Tips for Green Decluttering

28. Everyone gets a choice: Let everyone choose an activity over your break. If it's just one day-let everyone choose something you can do in about an hour. This will eat up about half your day.

29. Spa day: Create a spa day at home with nail polish, massage by mom, and facials made from fresh ingredients.

30. Do nothing day: Let everyone sleep in. Stay in your pjs all day. Do as little as possible all day long. (note: not for kids with high energy!)

31. Hotel Stay at home: Kate shared this fun idea. Create a 'hotel' in your guest room (or your master bedroom) for a night. Have turn down service and warm cookies before bedtime.

All Ages Fun

32. Pottery painting: Jessica from Found the Marbles shares that she took her kids to paint pottery, "We're making Mother's Day presents for the grandmas."

33. Build a fort: This was one of my favorite activities as a kid, and remains one of my kids favorite activities even as they get older.

34. Create photo albums: This works for any age. Candace suggests creating scrapbooks out of photos. It can be a fun way to look back on the past year and talk about things your kids accomplished, and places you've been.

35. Create calming glitter jars: A fun activity, and it allows kids of all ages to create something that helps them calm down. Angela shares a tutorial from making calming glitter jars.

36. Tour local factories: Rajean from Rajean Blomquist shares this fun idea, "We have a candy company and tea plant that gives free tours, and they get treats."

37. Build an enormous something: Whether it's train tracks, Legos, or blocks it's fun for everyone. Even older kids will get in on the action (though sometimes begrudgingly).

38. Make a DIY pop up book: The level of complexity of your pop up book can match your child's age. Check out Melissa's post for a fabulous tutorial to make your own pop up books.

39. Clean your room!: Ok so it's not fun, but clearing out old toys can help kids find missing parts to favorite toys, toss broken toys, and if they are anything like my kids help them gather supplies for an upcoming yard sale.

40. Cook with your kids: Kids love to get busy in the kitchen. You can find recipes and ideas for all ages from toddlers to teens.

41. Exercise together: Whether it's going for a bike ride, a hike, or simply a walk after dinner-it can be a great thing to get moving as a family.

42. Day Trip: Taking a day trip to somewhere new can be a fun way to spend the day, and with some careful planning it doesn't have to cost a fortune. Lolli from Better in Bulk shares how she took her family of 7 to New York City for a day and spent under $150! Check out this post for details on how to visit New York City with your family on a budget.

43. Make your own Game: On our second day of Spring Break I kicked the kids outside so I could make some progress on decluttering (more on that in a minute). The kids were bored at first but soon invented their own game called "Epic Catch" that involved hitting a whiffle ball up high in the air with a tennis racket while other people tried to catch it with a variety of tools including butterfly nets. Sometimes we forget that left to their own devices kids are great at coming up with ideas.

44. Clean out the "Junk" Drawer/Bin/Basket: We all have them, and if you have kids it's likely you have several bins or baskets of mismatched game pieces, toys, and bits from all kinds of games and toys. Once every few months I just dump the contents on the floor and the kids split everything up and find homes for everything. Anything broken gets tossed.

45. Create a kid art gallery: It's easy to setup and a great way to display their masterpieces. You can use poster strips, clothespins and wire, or even frames you may have lying around to make your own art gallery.

46. Chalk Drawing: Another all age favorite whether it's scribbles or intricate designs created by a crafty tween. My kids love to make "race tracks" for toy cars or their scooters.

47. Make your own Videos: Whether it's your 2 year old singing Adele, or your teen talking about Minecraft crafting your own videos can be a fun way to spend time (and hey you never know-they may go viral!).

48. Create a Veggie Garden: You don't need a green thumb to start a veggie garden, just a good patch of sunny land, and some seedlings or seeds. You can make a veggie patch inexpensively, but make sure you choose a good spot by observing the sunlight in your yard. Kids of all ages can measure the amount of space you need, pick veggies to plant, and help dig up the veggie patch.

49. Make your own...: Making your own can be a fun way to spend a day. Whether you are making your own candy, DIYing candles, or mixing up your own play dough you can find tons of things to make at home.

High School Students and Older

50. Make Time: It's likely they have their own agenda but sneaking in some time for a lunch date, shopping trip, or outing for the day can be rewarding for both of you.

Philly Area Ideas:

If you're in Philly and looking for something local to do I had a ton of great recommendations from area bloggers.

Jen from Jersey Family Fun said, "The The NJ State museum planetarium is running a special schedule of shows and the price is reduced. Plus admission and parking are always free."

Stephanie from Modern Day Donna Reed shared her favorite spots, "Longwood Gardens and then dinner in Kennett Square, or head to Peddlers Village for a day of shopping and relaxing."

Some of our favorite Philadelphia area spots include:

Lancaster for the train museum, Choo Choo Barn, and train rides. (as well as the shopping)

Winterthur Museum and Gardens

Adventure Aquarium

Philadelphia Zoo

Ikea for decor, furnishings, Small-land, and their grub

West Chester for shopping and eating out

Doylestown for a fun day of walking around

King of Prussia mall to ogle consumer goods, and hit the Apple store

tons of parks and playgrounds all over the local area

Looking for more ideas? Check out these posts:

What do you do when your kids are off school?

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50 Activities For Kids When There Is No School

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Whenever the kids have a day off school I know I have to be prepared. I need to provide activities for the kids whether we're at home or out and about. Sure they could sit home and hang out all day (cough*on screens*cough), but with a little direction, a long list of things to do, and places to go; we're more likely to have a good day.

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Esta lista ofrece diferentes actividades divertidas para niños.

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Llegan las vacaciones y otra vez tenemos que organizarnos para establecer una nueva rutina en el hogar que agrade a 'griegos y a troyanos'. Sin colegio y sin sus respectivas actividades extraescolares, los niños estarán más en casa. Y si la familia, por motivos particulares, decide que no puede salir de viaje, las vacaciones darán un vuelco en la agenda de la familia.

¿Qué hacer con los niños para que estén entretenidos en estos días sin colegio? Aunque parezca que las vacaciones no son como tal sin un viaje, no es así. Se puede pasar unas buenas vacaciones con los niños sin tener que salir de casa.

Muchas familias, principalmente por motivos económicos, prefieren 'sacrificar' las vacaciones y optar por viajar en otras épocas en las que tanto los billetes, de avión, tren o autocar, y los hoteles, son más baratos. Las familias que no pueden dejar a sus hijos con algún familiar, deciden apuntarlos a un campamento al menos una o dos semanas, más que nada para que los padres puedan seguir trabajando mientras sus hijos se divierten con otros niños.

Cuando todos, niños y padres, coincidan en casa en las vacaciones, existen un montón que actividades que pueden disfrutar juntos, como por ejemplo:

1. Hacer una agenda para las vacaciones. Es importante planificar los días para:

Ir a la piscina o playa

Ir al cine

Para pintar y hacer dibujos

Hacer manualidades

Hacer jardinería

Para cocinar

A encontrarse con algún amigo o familiar

Para ir al parque

Visitar algún museo

Jugar con juegos de mesa

Montar un teatro

Montar en bicicleta

2. Hacer un menú divertido para las comidas en familia. Ya que están todos juntos, que cada uno elija un menú en el que todos (o casi todos) puedan involucrarse.

3. Dividir las tareas durante la semana: por la mañana repasar lo aprendido en el colegio haciendo unos deberes, y por la tarde, actividades caseras.

4. Importante: si los niños están de vacaciones, sus padres también lo están. Así que las tareas del hogar deben ser compartidas entre todos. Definir y dividir las tareas del hogar entre todos.

5. Reservar los fines de semana para un paseo fuera de casa, para un picnic en el campo, un paseo en bicicleta, ver o jugar a un partido de fútbol, un encuentro con otras familias, etc.

6. Anima a los niños a jugar a simular situaciones en las que a ellos les gustaría estar. Por ejemplo, jugar a estar en un avión, o en un tren, incluso en una alfombra mágica. Los niños tienen una imaginación privilegiada y seguro que crearán muchísimas historias.

7. Propón a los niños que tengan el día de ' todo está permitido'. En este día, no se hace nada en casa, no se hacen las camas, no se hace desayuno, comida ni cena. Un día de libertad para todos.

8. Si tenéis un jardín, podéis hacer un huerto casero entre todos, y aprender a sembrar, a irrigar y cuidar de cada plantita. La jardinería es una actividad muy divertida, tanto para padres como para hijos.

9. Aprovecha las vacaciones con los niños en casa para terminar algún proyecto que habéis dejado a medias: pintar la pared de la habitación de los niños, organizar los muebles, los armarios de la casa, limpiar el garaje... A los niños les encantará participar de estas tareas.

10. Aprender. Aprender algo nuevo entre todos. En vacaciones se debe seguir aprendiendo. Aprender a:

Nadar

Leer

Sumar y restar a través de juegos

Navegar por Internet

Utilizar el ordenador o la tablet

Practicar valores en casa

Hacer algún trabajo voluntario

Hacer un huerto casero

En vacaciones, la tendencia es que a los niños se les permitan que se vayan a la cama más tarde, que se despierten y se levanten tarde por las mañanas, que se queden viendo la televisión por más tiempo y a un sinfín de cositas más. Claro que después de un año repleto de quehaceres, es normal que ellos demanden y tengan derecho a ello. Unas vacaciones en casa deben ser vistas de una forma positiva.

Sin embargo, tal y como hemos mencionado antes, igual que los niños están de vacaciones, ¡ los padres también tienen que disfrutar de sus días libres! Por eso, debemos buscar actividades con las que los hijos se lo pasen bien, pero que también agraden a los padres y, sobre todo, que no les suponga un esfuerzo que no estén dispuestos a emprender en sus días de descanso.

Tener a los niños en casa representa algo más de trabajo. Pero también es indudable que resulta divertido tener todo el tiempo para estar con ellos, conocerlos más, aprender con ellos. Algo que seguro recordarán con mucho cariño.

Y, aunque resulta genial poder disfrutar los unos de los otros sin tener que pensar en el trabajo o en el colegio, lo cierto es que en vacaciones pueden surgir más conflictos entre los miembros de la familia. No podemos olvidar que, a fin de cuentas, lo compartimos todo (tanto tiempo como juegos, espacio, planes...) y esto puede ocasionar roces en la convivencia.

Por eso, para que las vacaciones sean agradables, toda la familia debe tener en cuenta los siguientes consejos y comprometerse a cumplirlos.

- Mantener la calma, ¡siempre!
Todos queremos disfrutar de las vacaciones al máximo, por eso debemos ir con la alegría y la tranquilidad por delante. Ante los problemas que puedan surgir en nuestras maravillosas vacaciones en casa, ¡una sonrisa! Antes de ponerte de los nervios o de empezar a gritar piensa: ¿ los gritos o el estrés van a arreglar la situación? Entones, ¿tienen sentido?

- Empatía y más empatía
La mayor parte de los problemas de convivencia familiar podrían evitarse si todos tuviéramos un poco más de empatía en casa.

- Un momento para hablar de emociones
Ahora que tenemos unos días libres, podemos aprovechar para reforzar la educación emocional. Hablar a los niños sobre las distintas emociones que sienten, identificarlas, gestionarlas y ponerles nombres puede ser muy útil en vacaciones, ya que nos ayudará a que todos nos sintamos mejor.

No podemos olvidar, tal y como señala el trabajo de investigación realizado por Olga Mollón ' Educación emocional en la familia' para la Universidad Jaume I, que la educación emocional debe empezar desde el hogar. Y es que la familia es el primer contexto con el que el niño se relaciona. Y precisamente dentro de esta función socializadora del hogar, el niño comenzará a sentir sus primeras emociones: frustración, alegría, tristeza... Enseñarle a gestionarlas desde que es pequeño será de gran utilidad para el momento presente, pero también para el futuro.

- Las redes sociales, también se van de vacaciones
Resulta tentador compartir en las redes sociales fotos de la familia feliz disfrutando de un picnic en el jardín. Sin embargo (además de tener que reflexionar sobre los peligros de compartir en las redes sociales fotos de nuestros hijos), estar demasiado pendientes de Facebook, Twitter o Instagram puede hacernos olvidar de lo verdaderamente importante: disfrutar de las vacaciones en familia.

¡Muy felices vacaciones a todos!

Puedes leer más artículos similares a Vacaciones en casa y con los niños, en la categoría de Destinos turísticos en Guiainfantil.com.

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Ideas para vacaciones con niños en casa. Llega el verano y otra vez tenemos que organizarnos para establecer una nueva rutina en el hogar que mejore la convivencia familiar. Sin colegio, los niños estarán más en casa. ¿Qué hacer con ellos? Guiainfantil.com nos propone algunas actividades divertidas.

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UCLA Mindful: Developed by Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC). This is a mindfulness app available in App Store or Google Play.
Language: English and Spanish

UCLA consiente desarrollado por Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC). Esta es una aplicación de atención plena y disponible en App Store o Google Play.
Idioma: español e ingles

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MindMeister: This is a mind map app to support students with brainstorming and organizing their ideas. Available in App Store or Google Play.

MindMeister: Esta es una aplicación de mapas mentales para ayudar a los estudiantes a intercambiar ideas y organizar sus ideas. Disponible en App Store o Google Play.

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Any.do: This app helps to organize tasks and to remember what to complete. Available in App Store or Google Play.

Cualquiera.hacer: Esta aplicación ayuda a organizar las tareas y recordar qué hacer. Disponible en App Store o Google Play.

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Optical Illusions!: This app has several optical illusions to give your brain a break. Available in App Store or Google Play.

ilusiones ópticas!: Esta aplicación tiene varias ilusiones ópticas para darle un respiro a tu cerebro. Disponible en App Store o Google Play.

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Can Knockdown: This app provides a fun carnaval experience. Available in App Store or Google Play.

Can Knockdown: Esta aplicación ofrece una divertida experiencia de carnaval.

Disponible en App Store o Google Play.