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https://www.theautismgroup.org.uk/

Variety of support for parents and children.

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Morning! Have a great week everyone ☺️

Not all super heroes wear capes...some sport red T shirts like this lovely team from GoodGym Windsor and Maidenhead who ran on a rainy night and helped us move all our clubs stuff into its new home. A huge thanks from everyone here at The Autism Group 🥰

We have moved! With huge thanks to Good Gym who ran up and down the stairs carrying everything on a most inhospitable night, we are now in our new home 1st floor, 5 High Street Maidenhead, SL6 1JN. We look forward to welcoming you all whether it is for a Club, Parent Support or training. See you soon!

Please note our Maidenhead Tea with TAG session due to take place tomorrow has been postponed until next Friday - March 11th. Contact dawn@theautismgroup.org.uk to book a place if you have not already done so. See you next Friday for a chat and a cuppa. 😊

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The Autism Group | Maidenhead based charity supporting people on the spectrum, their parents and carers

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Morning! Have a great week everyone ☺️ Not all super heroes wear capes...some sport red T shirts like this lovely team from GoodGym Windsor and Maidenhead who ran on a rainy night and helped us move all our clubs stuff into its new home.

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A fantastic resource with support groups, events, a sleep service and more.

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Find out about

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Sam recently attended one of our courses, and shared with us the difference that the course had made to her and her family

Click here to find out more

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Find out about You and your team are a shining light on what would have been a dark path Sam recently attended one of our courses, and shared with us the difference that the course had made to her and her family Click here to find out more Recent News At PSC we're all parents of...

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https://www.autismberkshire.org.uk/

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Workshops provide advice for parents of autistic teenagers

Parents and carers of autistic teenagers can request free places at a new series of online autism advice workshops from the Berkshire West Autism & ADHD Support Service. The four evidence-based autism advice workshops, developed by Autism Berkshire's family support team, provide tailored information and support for the parents and carers of autistic children and
Read More

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Autism Berkshire Reading - Autism Berkshire

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Autism Berkshire was founded as the Berkshire Autistic Society in 1990 by a group of parents of children with autism, related conditions and challenging behaviours.

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https://www.gems4health.com/workshops/

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Hosted by GEMS, The National Autistic Society licensed EarlyBird Plus is a virtual course for parents and carers of children with autism aged 4-9.

For parents & carers to support children with autism aged 4 to 9

The programme aims to promote joined up approaches between home and school for children with autism, by encouraging parent and carers to attend the sessions with others who are working regularly with their child.

New Dates Coming Soon

Hosted by GEMS, The National Autistic Society licensed EarlyBird Plus is a course for parents and carers of children with autism aged 4-9.

For parents & carers to support children with autism aged 4 to 9﻿

The programme aims to promote joined up approaches between home and school for children with autism, by encouraging parent and carers to attend the sessions with others who are working regularly with their child.

10am - 12.30pm

SLOUGH: Wednesday 27th April 2022 x 8 weeks inc. 2 home visits

Hosted by GEMS, Teen Life shortened version is a nine -session virtual course for parents and carers of children with autism aged 10-16 and the accompanying members of staff who support their children (family workers or teaching assistants).

For parents & carers of young autistic people aged 10 to 16

Developed by the National Autistic Society with input from parents and young people with autism, the course covers topics including self-esteem, spending time with other people, stress and anxiety, understanding an autism diagnosis, puberty, independence, special interests and education and planning for the future. Discussing strategies and sharing ideas about how to communicate with and support young people with autism.

New dates coming soon

NAS: Teen Life

Hosted by GEMS, Teen Life is a six -session course for parents and carers of children with autism aged 10-16 and the accompanying members of staff who support their children (family workers or teaching assistants).

For parents & carers of young autistic people aged 10 to 16

Developed by the National Autistic Society with input from parents and young people with autism, the course covers topics including self-esteem, spending time with other people, stress and anxiety, understanding an autism diagnosis, puberty, independence, special interests and education and planning for the future. Discussing strategies and sharing ideas about how to communicate with and support young people with autism.

10am - 12.30pm

- Face to Face Delivery

A 6 week course. (One 2.5 hr session a week )

SLOUGH: Tuesday 26th April 2022 x 6 weeks

Hosted by The Autism Group : What to do when worries take over. We take a look at what causes anxiety and some tried and tested strategies to tackle it.

Suitable for parents & carers of primary and secondary school aged children and young people.

Thursday 23rd June 2022

Hosted by The Autism Group : What to do when worries take over. We take a look at what causes anxiety and some tried and tested strategies to tackle it.

Suitable for parents & carers of primary and secondary school aged children and young people.

BRACKNELL: Thursday 7th April 2022

SLOUGH: Thursday 15th September 2022

Hosted by The Autism Group : What is it like to grow up with a sibling on the autism spectrum? How can we help young people to better understand and thrive in an autism friendly family?

Suitable for parents & carers of primary and secondary school aged children and young people.

Thursday 26th May 2022

Thursday 22nd Sept 2022

Hosted by The Autism Group : What is it like to grow up with a sibling on the autism spectrum? How can we help young people to better understand and thrive in an autism friendly family?

Suitable for parents & carers of primary and secondary school aged children and young people.

MAIDENHEAD: Thursday 10th March 2022

Hosted by The Autism Group : Understanding and responding to the changes and challenges of parenting and caring for teenagers on the autism spectrum.

Suitable for parents & carers of young people aged 10 upwards.

Thursday 24th March 2022

Thursday 14th July 2022

Hosted by The Autism Group : Understanding and responding to the changes and challenges of parenting and caring for teenagers on the autism spectrum.

Suitable for parents & carers of young people aged 10 upwards.

SLOUGH: Thursday 12th May 2022

MAIDENHEAD: Thursday 29th September 2022

Hosted by The Autism Group:

Suitable for parents & carers of primary and secondary school aged girls and young women.

A look at the behaviours and challenges that may be experienced by girls with autism.

Thursday 8th September 2022

Hosted by The Autism Group:

Suitable for parents & carers of primary and secondary school aged girls and young women.

MAIDENHEAD: Thursday 9th June 2022

Thursday 28th April 2022

A look at the behaviours and challenges that may be experienced by girls with autism

Sensory processing - Virtual Delivery

Hosted by Parenting Special Children:

Parent & carers of children & young people with sensory processing difficulties.

This single session intends to support parents and carers to support their child with sensory processing difficulties.

One off session.

Monday 9th May 2022

Pre & Post Assessment Workshop Sleep and Autism/ADHD

Hosted by Parenting Special Children:

Parents & carers of a child or young person with additional needs experiencing difficulties with their sleep, young people, teens.

An introductory two - hour course for parents and carers who have children and young people with autism & or ADHD who struggle with sleep.

- Virtual Delivery

This course is for parents or carers only.

One off session.

Monday 13th June 2022

Pre & Post Assessment Workshop Sleep and Autism/ADHD

Hosted by Parenting Special Children:

Parents & carers of a child or young person with additional needs experiencing difficulties with their sleep, young people, teens.

An introductory two - hour course for parents and carers who have children and young people with autism & or ADHD who struggle with sleep.

- Face to Face Delivery

This course is for parents or carers only.

One off session.

BRACKNELL: Friday 25th March 2022

Pre & Post Assessment workshops - ADHD

Hosted by Parenting Special Children:

Parent & carers of children & young people who are waiting for an assessment for ADHD or who have recently been diagnosed.

Tuesday 15th, 22nd, & 29th March 2022

Tuesday 5th, 12th, & 19th July 2022

Session 1: Provides an insight into what ADHD is. Learn about the challenges and concerns often raised. Explore strengths and opportunities related to ADHD.

Session 2: Learn to understand childrens' anxiety and how this relates to ADHD.

Session 3: Gain an understanding of attention deficit behaviours and how to manage these.

- Virtual Delivery

3 part course. All 3 sessions to be attended.

Pre & Post Assessment workshops - ADHD

Hosted by Parenting Special Children:

Parent & carers of children & young people who are waiting for an assessment for ADHD or who have recently been diagnosed.

BRACKNELL: Tuesday 14th, 21st, 28th June 2022

MAIDENHEAD: Tuesday 3rd, 10th, 17th May 2022

Session 1: Provides an insight into what ADHD is. Learn about the challenges and concerns often raised. Explore strengths and opportunities related to ADHD.

Session 2: Learn to understand childrens' anxiety and how this relates to ADHD.

Session 3: Gain an understanding of attention deficit behaviours and how to manage these.

- Face to Face Delivery

3 part course. All 3 sessions to be attended.

Autism & Food - Virtual Delivery

Hosted by GEMS. Exploring reasons why diet can be limited and discussing tips for introducing new foods.

For parents and carers of autistic children with a limited diet

Tuesday 15th March 2022

Home Visit Service -Autism Support

A Virtual or face to face visit offering one to one tailored support.

Priority criteria for home visit service:

Have a child under 5 with a diagnosis or awaiting an assessment

Have a recent diagnosis for their child/young person

Do not have access to IT

Have English as a second language

Have hearing or vision impairment

Parents/carers who are Autistic themselves

Have difficulties with group settings

Phone call or home visit option

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About Workshops As a parent/carer you may feel that more information, help, or advice is needed when supporting the needs of your child, who may have behavioural, sensory, social and/or communication challenges. We at GEMS recognise this and have provided a variety of courses that will help develop your knowledge of autism and/or attention deficit...

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https://www.gems4health.com/social-groups/

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Social groups As a parent/carer you may feel that more information, help, or advice is needed when supporting the needs of your child, who may have behavioural, sensory, social and/or communication challenges. We at GEMS recognise this and have provided a variety of courses that will help develop your knowledge of autism and/or attention deficit...

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https://www.gems4health.com/about-adhd/

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About ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people’s concentration and organisational skills and they may act impulsively. Some people report they can feel restless. Symptoms of ADHD tend to be noticed at an early age and may become more noticeable when a c…

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https://www.gems4health.com/about-autism/

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What is autism?
Autism is a spectrum condition and affects people in different ways. Like all people, autistic people have their own strengths and challenges. Autism can be diagnosed at any age and affects males and females.

Common symptoms of autism are

delayed or absent speech

difficulty with; listening, concentrating and understanding

frequent repetition of words and phrases

taking things literally

difficulty sensing and interpreting people's feelings

difficulty expressing feelings

over or under sensitivity to sound, touch, taste, smell or light

rituals or repetitive behaviours

disliking changes to routine

difficulty making friends and socialising

https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/what-is-autism
Signs of autism in children can be found here Click Here

The prevalence of autism in the general population in East Berkshire is estimated at 1% or 4441 people in 2020 rising to 1.5% by 2039 (6991 people). In contrast the prevalence of autism is significantly higher among those registered with vision and hearing difficulties. Source: Click Here
Causes
Autism is something you are born with or first appears when you are very young and cannot be attributed to a single cause. Evidence suggests that autism may be genetic. Autistica discuss some myths about autism here Click Here
How can I help a family member who may have autism?
This animation is a useful visualisation for young people to increase awareness of how other children and families can help them Click Here

Taking a strength-based approach and recognising a person's support needs includes communication strategies such as help to interpret gestures, emotions, facial expressions, or body language. Speakers at the 2020 international Autism conference with lived experience of autism (Isaacs and Grandin, 2020) highlighted the importance of allowing time for meaning to be developed especially if the person learns through other senses than by sight or sound such as through smell, taste or touch.

Social interaction can be improved by taking a strength-based approach (Prenderville 2020) across a range of areas (communication, skills for self-regulation and planning, practicing taking turns, and developing a peer support group for joint problem solving).

Further ideas can be found in our workshops and short courses.

Although autism is not a mental health problem some people may also experience anxiety or depression and benefit from further support, assessment or treatment for this.
Assessment
Professionals who know the child or young person, including health visitors, nursery nurses, teachers, special educational needs coordinators (SENCO), educational psychologist and GPs can refer to the autism team in Berkshire Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust Click Here

Ideally, referrals should come from professionals that know the child best, such as their teacher, special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) or health visitor.
What to expect at an autism assessment
The autism team have created a video to show parents, carers, children or young people what to expect https://www.autismberkshire.org.uk/autism-diagnosis/

Please note that the processes shown are currently being modified due to COVID19

NICE guidance for autism in children and young people explains the process and standards expected Click Here

Nice guidance for adults can be found here Click Here The adult autism assessment team for Berkshire can be found here Click Here
Talking to your child about autism
The National Autistic Society have written guidance on how to talk to your child or young person about their diagnosis Click Here
Talking to your child's school about autism
Each school must follow national guidance on the inclusion of children and young people with autism in schools and further educational settings. The National Autistic Society (NAS) has created advice for parents and carers and teachers on a range of educational topics for children and young people who have been diagnosed with autism Click Here

NAS have developed a range of evidence-based courses which are offered locally through partner charities - see the workshops section of this website.

For those needing information, advice or support for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities click on the local authority links in the further support section below
Transition from children's services to adults' services
Transition plans are required only in special circumstances if a young person is transitioning into adult services. The plan will be co-created with stakeholders in children and adult services and take account of the young person's wishes and needs.

This link may help a young person understand what a transition plan is Click Here

NICE guidance on transition can be found here Click Here

The Royal College of Paediatricians also provides guidance on what a good transition plan should contain here Click Here
Further support
You may find the following list of services and voluntary sector groups useful, however inclusion on this website does not constitute a recommendation.
East Berkshire services
Autism Berkshire: an autism charity delivering specialist services, training and social and leisure activities throughout the county Click Here

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust Autism assessment team for children and young people Click Here

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust Autism assessment team for adults Click Here

Parenting Special Children; provide specialist parenting support to parents and carers of children and young people with Special Needs, so that they can create positive change in their lives Click Here

The Autism Group is committed to supporting and enhancing the lives of young people on the spectrum, their parents, and carers. The group focuses on offering support and social opportunities primarily for those of secondary school age and over, together with parent support and training Click Here
Bracknell Forest Council
Bracknell Forest Council SEND Local Offer: a guide to services available for children and young people in Bracknell Forest with special educational needs and/or disabilities aged from birth to 25. Click Here

Bracknell Forest Council Information, Advice and Support Service: provides confidential and impartial advice, information and support to parents or carers and children and young people who have, or may have, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Bracknell Forest.
https://www.bracknellforestiass.co.uk/
Bracknell Forest Community Team for People with Autistic Spectrum Disorder support adults aged 18 and over with a primary diagnosis of autism Click Here
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM)
RBWM SEND Local Offer: provides information on local services and support available for families including children and young people aged 0 - 25 years with special educational needs or disabilities Click Here

RBWM Information, Advice and Support Service: free, impartial, and confidential information, advice and support to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) up to age 25, and their parents/carers. Click Here
Slough Borough Council
Slough's Local Offer provides information about services, support and activities for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged 0-25 The service covers early years and childcare, education, health and wellbeing, care and support for families and other services in Slough Click Here

Slough SENDIASS - Information Advice and Support Service: a confidential and impartial support and advice service for parents, carers and children and young people (aged up to 25 years) on issues to do with special educational needs and disabilities Click Here

Special Voices - Slough Parent Carer Forum: raise awareness about the rights and needs of children/young people with special needs and to ensure that they and their families are consulted and involved in any decisions made during planning or developing services for them. Click Here
National links for autism
Afasic: support for families of children who have Speech Language and Communication needs, including those resulting from autism Click Here

Autism Education Trust (part of the National Autistic Society): downloadable information for parents and carers as well as for schools and teachers Click Here

Autistica: is a charity which funds research into autism Click Here

Choice Support: social care charity working across England to provide the best possible support to people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs Click Here

Communication Matters: is a UK-wide organisation that supports people of all ages who find it hard to communicate because they have little or no clear speech Click Here

NHS Choices: Overview of Autism Click Here

National Autistic Society: the UK's leading charity for people on the autism spectrum and their families, providing support, guidance and advice Click Here

National Autistic Taskforce: established to give autistic adults a stronger voice, especially those with the highest support needs Click Here

Neuro Diverse Self Advocacy: a not-for-profit organisation by autistic volunteers, offering an online forum and community of neurodivergent people who support each other Click Here

The Curly Hair Project: supports people on the autistic spectrum and the people around them, founded by autistic author Alis Rowe, using animated films, comic strips and diagrams Click Here
National links for disability
Cerebra: children with a brain condition: advice and support on subjects including education, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), toilet training and sleep Click Here

Choice Support: social care charity working across much of England to provide the best possible support to people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs Click Here

Contact: for families with disabled children: supporting families with the best possible guidance and information Click Here

Disability Law Service:- free advice via information, factsheets, training courses and telephone and written advice in areas relevant to people with disabilities and their carers Click Here

IPSEA: Independent Provider of Special Education Advice: information and training on the support disabled children are legally entitled to at school, including Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) Click Here

Mencap: The Voice of Learning Disability: information about learning difficulties and learning disabilities related to autism, Down syndrome and other conditions Click Here

Sibs: for siblings of disabled people: Sibs aims to enhance the lives of siblings of disabled people by providing them with information and support, and by influencing service provision throughout the UK Click Here

Sunflower: Hidden Disabilities: information about Sunflower lanyards, increasingly used to discreetly indicate to people around you including staff, colleagues and health professionals that you have a hidden disability and you may need additional support, help or more time Click Here

The Continence Foundation: treatment, prevention, causes, types and living with continence issues Click Here

Ways Into Work: Supported Employment, Supported Internships, Recruitment and Workplace Support for disabled people Click Here
Mental Health links
Childline: support for children's metal health online and by telephone Click Here

ACAMH: Association for Child and Adult Mental Health: online portal with professional seminars on topics related to autism and ADHD Click Here

Anxiety UK: supporting people with anxiety, stress, anxiety-based depression or a phobia with downloadable guides and online or helpline support Click Here

CALM: Campaign Against Living Miserably (mental health support for men): a free and confidential helpline and webchat - 7 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who needs to talk about life's problems Click Here

Family Lives: supporting parents and families in crisis: family support services offered through helpline, and offering tailored support around issues such as bullying, special educational needs, and support for specific communities Click Here

Mental Health Foundation: aims to find and address the sources of mental health problems so that people and communities can thrive, to help people understand, protect and sustain their mental health Click Here

The Samaritans: 24 hours a day suicide prevention support online or by telephone Click Here

Young Minds: fighting for children and young people's mental and emotional health. Support for parents and carers as well as young people Click Here

Mind: mental health charity: provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem Click Here

Harmless: Self Harm Support: a national voluntary organisation for people who self-harm, their friends, families and professionals Click Here

Salvesen Mindroom Centre: Back to School Toolkits for children, parents and carers and teachers Click Here

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About autism What is autism? Autism is a spectrum condition and affects people in different ways. Like all people, autistic people have their own strengths and challenges. Autism can be diagnosed at any age and affects males and females. Common symptoms of autism are delayed or absent speech difficulty with; listening, concentrating and understanding frequent...

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Fresh air and time in nature offer myriad superpower benefits: improving sleep quality , strengthening our immune systems ( dirt is good !), lowering stress levels , and even improving eyesight . In fact, time outdoors in nature is so vital for our well-being that the forestry service in Iceland has even encouraged people to hug a tree for five minutes to combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.

But, despite the importance of parks and forests, it can be difficult to incorporate nature into each day when our happy places aren't as accessible as they once were-or are too crowded to enjoy.

It's hard on all of us, because we're the outdoors. So I'm trying to make sure that my kids and I are still engaging with nature every day, even if it's on a much smaller scale than before.

If you're looking for some new ways to help your child connect with nature close to home, try these creative and explorative nature play activities with your family. Hopefully, you'll all have fun, relax, and maybe even learn something new as you stay connected to the wild.

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."

-Margaret Atwood, Bluebeard's Egg

Hapa zome art

Sun catchers

Stone art and learning games

Get messy

Kids will love this sensory-stimulating play that gets them outdoors. Hang up a clear shower curtain or plain sheet outside, and let the kids at it with their creativity and paint !

Go on a scavenger hunt

to search out all the different shades and hues of the natural world is a great way to discover the colours of nature. You can also try adding an I love the ideas in this nature scavenger hunt [PDF] . A wand for a fairy? Too cute. Using a colour wheel active twist!

Take a listening walk and notice everything you hear. With fewer cars on the road, it's a great time to start a conversation with local birds using this sound identifier , or to listen to chirping crickets and the sound of geese's wings as they fly low overhead.

Gardening is a great activity to teach kids about the biology of plants, learn about the life cycle of our food, help develop fine motor skills, and explore different senses.

Little Sprouts Learning has tons of ideas for urban and container gardening, and even tips for making tasty goodies like your own dried herbs. My kids love getting their hands dirty and taste-testing everything when it's ready.
Related read: Make gardening an active family affair
Set up a tent

Spend the night outside in your backyard - with storytelling, stargazing, and s'mores of course!

Backyard bingo

Make a mud kitchen

Practice math skills

Build a fairy garden

Observe the teeny tiny world of insects

Telling time

These programs and digital resources can help inspire your kids to get outside.

Outdoor Family Fun with Plum from PBS Kids offers daily activities that will get your family outside, exploring your neighborhood and learning about nature.

Visit the Parks Canada Facebook page for weekly challenges and activities that kids can do at home or in the backyard.

The Ecologist School Program has ideas to get out into nature, to encourage siblings to play and learn together at home, and to support or supplement science education. There are 16 lessons on topics like climatology and paleontology, which can be done in a backyard or even inside your home using minimal materials.

Audubon for Kids! brings together activities including the classroom curriculum Audubon Adventures , DIY activities, and content that can be done at home.

Sur le balcon offers (in French) fun and free tools to discover nature that hides around your house. With downloadable sheets, you can learn about neighbourhood animals and plants.

Related read: How to help children connect with nature
For even more nature-based activities, read 10 Nature Activities to Help Get Your Family Through the Coronavirus Pandemic from Children & Nature Network co-founder Richard Louv. The article includes a sampling of activities from his books ( , , ) and other sources to help families cope during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photos of the pinecone palace, backyard camping, and rock clock courtesy of Christine Latreille.

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20+ nature activities for kids - Active For Life

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Fresh air and time in nature offer myriad superpower benefits: improving sleep quality , strengthening our immune systems ( dirt is good !), lowering stress levels , and even improving eyesight . In fact, time outdoors in nature is so vital for our well-being that the forestry service in Iceland has even encouraged people to hug a tree for five minutes to combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.

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Different scenarios to talk to your child about how they might feel in certain situations.

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Use these photos to discuss different emotions with your child. Questions you could ask:
- How is this person feeling?
- How do you know?
- Have you ever felt this way? How did it make you feel?
- Can you think of something that might make you feel this way? (e.g. a trip to the park might make you feel happy)

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Tips and activities to support your child's communication skills

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Communication: Know the Basics

What is Communication?

It may seem like a simple question, but communication is more than talking! It is any form of message sent from one party to another, through sounds, words, or physical hints, like body language.

Baby won't say their first meaningful words until they are about a year old. But even if they can't form words yet, baby is still trying to communicate with you through cries, coos, facial expressions, and body language!

How can I encourage my baby's communication development?

When it comes to communication, baby learns by watching the people around them. Even if baby doesn't have the vocabulary to have a conversation with you, it's very helpful for their communication development if you talk to them!

Here are some other ways to encourage communication development:

What does communication help with?

Communication plays such an important role in our lives. It is the cornerstone of healthy relationships. It is the vehicle for sharing our joy, fear, and other emotions. It is how we learn new things at school and work, and teach others those same skills. The benefits of communication long outlast childhood.

When will my baby start talking?

Baby will begin making consonant sounds, such as "da, da, da", at around 4-6 months. They will also begin to imitate sounds around 7-9 months. But they typically don't say meaningful language, such as calling the right people "mama" and "dada", until around their first birthday.

Learn more below about communication milestones.

Receptive and Expressive Communication Skills

From birth, babies begin to develop two sets of communication skills: receptive skills and expressive skills.

Receptive communication is the ability to receive and understand a message from another person. When babies are listening, they turn their head toward your voice, and will then respond to simple directions, often with vocalizations. Early on, these vocalizations will just be sounds, but as baby approaches their first birthday, they will begin to use meaningful language.

Expressive communication is the ability to convey a message to another person through sounds, speech, signs, or writing. Babies use expressive communication by crying, babbling, and using body language.

Watch to learn more about baby's communication development:

Communication Milestones

Baby's communication skills will develop quickly, so watch the helpful videos below to keep track of their progress!

0-3 Months

At this age, baby will make quiet coos and smile. Remember to communicate with your baby regularly so they can watch and learn!

4-6 Months

While baby still isn't forming words, they'll react more to your communication. They'll also begin to make consonant sounds, which are the building blocks for full words.

7-9 Months

The variety of sounds baby can make will increase. They'll also begin recognizing important words, like their own name!

10-12 Months

This is when baby typically begins using words in meaningful ways! They'll use basic, easy words like "mama" or "dada" to identify their parents, along with using other communication tools.

13-18 Months

Your toddler's vocabulary is growing! They'll understand dozens of words, may use 5-10 words (or more!) on their own, and answer basic questions.

Watch to see communication milestones at 15 and 18 months:

19-24 Months

At this age, your toddler's language skills continue to advance. By their second birthday, they'll begin using two-word phrases, follow directions, and enjoy listening to stories.

Watch to see communication milestones at 21 and 24 months:

Communication Activities

From talking, to singing, to reading books with you, help your child learn how to communicate

What to Watch For

What to do if your child is experiencing a communication delay

If you notice your child is experiencing a speech delay, or having any trouble with understanding communication and/or communicating to you, it's best to talk to your healthcare provider. There are many possible solutions they can help you explore!

One type of healthcare provider that often deals with communication issues is a speech-language pathologist. They help children find ways to communicate effectively through verbal and non-verbal language. A child may need to see a speech-language pathologist if they experience difficulty:

Feeding or swallowing - unable to safely eat or drink age-appropriate foods and liquids

Articulating certain sounds

Speaking fluently, especially if they struggle with a speech impediment like stuttering

Using words, phrases, and sentences to communicate at an age appropriate level - needs help using words to communicate and/or turning words into phrases

Understanding information such as directions or questions - needs help understanding words spoken to them

Organizing information and regulating behavior

Connect with your child's primary provider or contact your local early intervention office to see if a speech-language pathologist is right for them.

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Help your Baby's Communication Development | Free Resources

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What is Communication? It may seem like a simple question, but communication is more than talking! It is any form of message sent from one party to another, through sounds, words, or physical hints, like body language. Baby won't say their first meaningful words until they are about a year old.

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Tips and activities for supporting your child's emotional wellbeing

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What Are Social-Emotional Skills?

Social-emotional skills are essential for connecting with others! They help us manage our emotions, build healthy relationships, and feel empathy.

Some examples of social-emotional skills in use are:

Recognizing if someone is sad, and asking if they're ok

Expressing yourself with your friends in a different way than with your parents

Understanding your thoughts and feelings, and being able to relate to others

While these skills may sound complex, social and emotional development begins at a very young age.

Watch to see more about baby's social-emotional development:

Social-Emotional Skills: Know the Basics

When does social and emotional development begin?

Babies start learning these skills from birth! As soon as they begin interacting with the people who care for them, they begin to develop an understanding of feelings.

How do parents impact social-emotional development?

Parents help to nurture social-emotional skills so kids develop healthy relationships with friends and family members. Even as a baby, your little one is picking up on how you respond to their social and emotional needs. They feel safe at home and in your presence. They learn how to empathize, respond to the emotions of others, and say "I'm sorry" by following your lead.

What do social-emotional skills help kids do?

Kids with healthy social-emotional skills are more likely succeed in school, work, and life. Social-emotional skills help kids:

Make friends and keep friendships

Gain confidence

Resolve conflicts

Manage stress and anxiety

Learn social norms

Make appropriate decisions

Resist negative social pressure

Learn strengths and weaknesses

Gain awareness of what others are feeling

How long does it take to develop social-emotional skills?

Social-emotional growth takes time. Early experiences with family, caregivers, and peers greatly impact social and emotional development, but throughout our lives we will continue to be shaped by our experiences! These experiences can include meeting new people, overcoming difficult situations, or even raising children.

Social-Emotional Abilities

Is your child meeting their social-emotional abilities?

Be on the lookout for these abilities as your child grows. They are encouraging signs that your child is making progress in their social and emotional development.

Developing social-emotional skills can boost your child's confidence and help them succeed in school, work, and life.

Missing one or two abilities should not cause alarm, as every child develops differently. However, if they are missing multiple abilities, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider.

Social-Emotional Tips

What you can do to help your child's social-emotional development

Be a model of the emotions and behaviors you want your child to show. You are your child's first teacher and they look up to you as a role model.

Be responsive to your child's emotions and behaviors. Responding will help to develop trust between you and your child.

Ask open-ended questions, such as "What would you do?" to help develop problem-solving skills.

Use stories to talk to your child about different social situations and how each person might be feeling.

Encourage kids to try new things and learn how much they can do.

Play games to teach kids how to take turns, win and lose, share, and negotiate. Ask yourself these questions when choosing a game for family game night.

Ask your child questions when they are upset. These questions can be about why they are upset, or offering alternatives to understand the root of their unhappiness. For example, "Would you like to brush your teet h or take a bath first?"

Sit with your child when using a screen (not recommended before 18 months) and make it a social activity, e.g. asking them questions or playing turn-taking games.

Social-Emotional Activities

What to Watch For

How to address social-emotional issues and delays

The sooner your child receives help in developing their social-emotional skills, the better off their health and well-being will be. Your healthcare provider may be able to help you address the issue or refer you someone who can help.

Here are a few examples of specialists who may be able to help your child:

Child psychologist

Social worker

Neuropsychologist

Psychiatrist

Occupational therapist

Speech-language pathologist

Developmental and behavioral pediatrician

Visit Understood.org or Child Mind Institute for more information and resources on social-emotional development.

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What Are Social-Emotional Skills? | Child Development Skills

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Learn how develping social-emotional skills help us manage emotions, build healthy relationships, and show empathy and understanding.

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1st Move - A gross and fine motor skills resource

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1st Move - A gross and fine motor skills resource

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Guidance on Gross Motor Skills from South Warwickshire

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Guidance on Gross Motor Skills from South Warwickshire

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Activities to support the development of your child's gross motor skills

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Guidance on Fine Motor Skills from South Warwickshire 

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Guidance on Fine Motor Skills from South Warwickshire 

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Activities to support the development of your child's fine motor skills

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Lots of hints and tips!

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Fine motor skills involve the use of the smaller muscle of the hands, commonly in activities like using pencils, scissors, construction with bricks, doing up buttons and opening lunch boxes.

Fine motor skill efficiency significantly influences the quality of the task outcome as well as the speed of task performance. Efficient fine motor skills require a number of independent skills to work together to appropriately manipulate the object or perform the task.
Why are fine motor skills important?
Fine motor skills are essential for performing everyday skills as outlined above as well academic skills. Without the ability to complete these everyday tasks, a child's self-esteem can suffer, their academic performance is compromised and their play options are very limited. They are also unable to develop appropriate independence in 'life' skills (such as getting dressed and feeding themselves) which in turn has social implications not only within the family but also within peer relationships.
How can you tell if a child has fine motor skill difficulties at a glance?

Avoidance and/or disinterest of fiddly finger skills

Preferring physical activity (again to avoid sit down tasks)

Interest in 'passive' activities such as IT (e.g. watching TV an IPAD that don't require Fine Motor skills)

No interest in pencil or scissors skills

Being 'bossy' in play and asking others to "draw a cat for me"

Not persisting in the face of a challenge (e.g. asking parents to fix a problem without physically trying to fix it themselves)

Waiting for parents to dress them or clean their teeth rather than trying themselves

Before looking at the below activities it may be a good idea to review the child's posture and seating.
See this link for further information on posture & seating
Crossing the midline

The midline is an imaginary line running down the middle of the body dividing the body into halves (left and right).

Crossing the midline is where the movement of a body part crosses over the midline from one side to the other side of the body to complete a task.

The automatic crossing of the midline is required for mature and complex movements. The child who has difficulties with midline crossing will lean over to the right or left when writing on that side rather than rotate their upper body.

Crossing the midline school pack Crossing the midline parent advice sheet Bilateral Integration
Children may tend to use the left hand on the left side of the body and the right hand on the right side of the body as they play. Initially this could be the hand closer to the object. However, over time they develop the skills to use both sides of their body simultaneously. This could mean when both sides are doing the same thing i.e. when using a rolling pin or when one side is doing one movement and the opposite side is doing another for example one hand could be using a pen or a pair of scissors whilst the hand holding/turning the paper.

Bilateral integration is also an important factor in helping a child develop the skill of crossing the midline.

Please see the below links for some helpful activities

Bilateral hand skills for preschool and older children

Bilateral integration school pack

Bilateral integration

Shoulder stability is the ability of the surrounding muscles to support the shoulder and allows for accurate hand functions. This develops from an early age as a baby lies on their tummy and takes weight through their arms and will continue to develop as they begin to crawl.

Good shoulder stability can make it easier to control the smaller movements of the hands and fingers.

Children with delayed or poor shoulder stability, you may also find it hard to use scissors, have poor dressing skills and struggle to use items such as cutlery.

Shoulder stability/ strengthening activities
Pincer grip
The pincer grasp is defined as a grasp that uses the pads then tips of the index finger and thumb to pick up and grasp objects. You will start to see this grasp the most as a baby masters feeding itself and can pick up smaller pieces of food such as circle cereal with their fingers instead of the palm of their hand.

While it may seem like second nature to an adult, to a baby this is an important milestone in fine motor development. The pincer grasp represents the coordination of brain and muscles that's necessary to help them gain increasing independence.

A baby will typically develop this skill between the ages of 9 and 10 months , although this can vary. Children develop at different rates.

Clever hands programme

Handwriting is a complex skill to learn and starts well before a child is ready to pick up a pencil and make marks on paper. When a baby starts reaching for their toys and begins to crawl, they are developing the postural stability and visual motor skills needed for when they start to begin to write.

Handwriting is such an important skill to have even with the ever increasing use of computers in schools.So making sure your child has the necessary building blocks in place is essential.

Having a solid fine and gross motor skills base is important.A significant fine motor skill for your child to havefor handwriting is good in-hand manipulation, the skill of picking up an item and being able to move it around in your hand, or manipulate it, this involves the coordination of small muscles and movements of the hands, fingers, and eyes. Whilst for gross motor skills having good core and shoulder strength to maintain a good posture and balance is equally as significant.

As well has having a solid fine and gross motor base there are many other skills involved in handwriting.Listed below are some of the more complex skills needed to develop good handwriting:
Letter formation (Large)

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Fine motor skills involve the use of the smaller muscle of the hands, commonly in activities like using pencils, scissors, construction with bricks, doing up buttons and opening lunch boxes. Fine motor skill efficiency significantly influences the quality of the task outcome as well as the speed of task performance.

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Use your child's Oxford Owl login to see Nelson Handwriting support videos.

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

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

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

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

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The Zones of Regulation are a fantastic tool to support your child in talking about and understanding their emotions. The zones also teach your child how they can manage their different emotions.

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Learn about the Zones of Regulation a powerful framework and curriculum to help students develop emotional self-regulation and control.

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Supporting Your Child's Social Emotional Development

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Supporting Your Child's Social Emotional Development

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This link has tips and ideas for supporting your child at home, for example with resolving conflict and playing with siblings.

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What Are Social-Emotional Skills?

Social-emotional skills are essential for connecting with others! They help us manage our emotions, build healthy relationships, and feel empathy.

Some examples of social-emotional skills in use are:

Recognizing if someone is sad, and asking if they're ok

Expressing yourself with your friends in a different way than with your parents

Understanding your thoughts and feelings, and being able to relate to others

While these skills may sound complex, social and emotional development begins at a very young age.

Watch to see more about baby's social-emotional development:

Social-Emotional Skills: Know the Basics

When does social and emotional development begin?

Babies start learning these skills from birth! As soon as they begin interacting with the people who care for them, they begin to develop an understanding of feelings.

How do parents impact social-emotional development?

Parents help to nurture social-emotional skills so kids develop healthy relationships with friends and family members. Even as a baby, your little one is picking up on how you respond to their social and emotional needs. They feel safe at home and in your presence. They learn how to empathize, respond to the emotions of others, and say "I'm sorry" by following your lead.

What do social-emotional skills help kids do?

Kids with healthy social-emotional skills are more likely succeed in school, work, and life. Social-emotional skills help kids:

Make friends and keep friendships

Gain confidence

Resolve conflicts

Manage stress and anxiety

Learn social norms

Make appropriate decisions

Resist negative social pressure

Learn strengths and weaknesses

Gain awareness of what others are feeling

How long does it take to develop social-emotional skills?

Social-emotional growth takes time. Early experiences with family, caregivers, and peers greatly impact social and emotional development, but throughout our lives we will continue to be shaped by our experiences! These experiences can include meeting new people, overcoming difficult situations, or even raising children.

Social-Emotional Abilities

Is your child meeting their social-emotional abilities?

Be on the lookout for these abilities as your child grows. They are encouraging signs that your child is making progress in their social and emotional development.

Developing social-emotional skills can boost your child's confidence and help them succeed in school, work, and life.

Missing one or two abilities should not cause alarm, as every child develops differently. However, if they are missing multiple abilities, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider.

Social-Emotional Tips

What you can do to help your child's social-emotional development

Be a model of the emotions and behaviors you want your child to show. You are your child's first teacher and they look up to you as a role model.

Be responsive to your child's emotions and behaviors. Responding will help to develop trust between you and your child.

Ask open-ended questions, such as "What would you do?" to help develop problem-solving skills.

Use stories to talk to your child about different social situations and how each person might be feeling.

Encourage kids to try new things and learn how much they can do.

Play games to teach kids how to take turns, win and lose, share, and negotiate. Ask yourself these questions when choosing a game for family game night.

Ask your child questions when they are upset. These questions can be about why they are upset, or offering alternatives to understand the root of their unhappiness. For example, "Would you like to brush your teet h or take a bath first?"

Sit with your child when using a screen (not recommended before 18 months) and make it a social activity, e.g. asking them questions or playing turn-taking games.

Social-Emotional Activities

What to Watch For

How to address social-emotional issues and delays

The sooner your child receives help in developing their social-emotional skills, the better off their health and well-being will be. Your healthcare provider may be able to help you address the issue or refer you someone who can help.

Here are a few examples of specialists who may be able to help your child:

Child psychologist

Social worker

Neuropsychologist

Psychiatrist

Occupational therapist

Speech-language pathologist

Developmental and behavioral pediatrician

Visit Understood.org or Child Mind Institute for more information and resources on social-emotional development.

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What Are Social-Emotional Skills? | Child Development Skills

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Learn how develping social-emotional skills help us manage emotions, build healthy relationships, and show empathy and understanding.

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This website has pre-planned lessons that you can use. They include videos, demonstrations and worksheets that can be used as lessons.

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We use cookies to help provide a better website experience for you, and help us to understand how people use our website. Our partners will also collect data and use cookies for ad personalisation and measurement.

Clicking "Accept" will allow us and our partners to use cookies, learn more in our cookie policy or to change your cookie preferences, click "Manage".

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Maths home learning | Home learning | White Rose Maths

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View all of our maths ‘home learning’ lessons and videos for early years through to Year 11. View our Maths resources from White Rose Maths.

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Here are a range of maths activities that you can do with your child using objects around the house.

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Maths activities for children | Family Maths Toolkit

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Activities you can do with your child to help them see the maths in everyday life. Discover more on our website.

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The Woodland Trust has top tips for having a mini beast hunt and includes a checklist you can download.

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Minibeast Hunt - Tips for Finding Bugs - Woodland Trust

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Go on a bug hunt with our printable checklist and see how many minibeasts you can tick off. Plus get tips on what to put in your bug hunting kit.

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This article has a range of recipes that you can cook together at home. Some lovely picnic food ideas for you to enjoy when you are out and about.

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21 Fun And Delicious Recipes You Can Make With Your Kids

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On the Woodland Trust website there is a huge range of easy and fun activities to make you become one with nature.

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The Woodland Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales (No. 294344) and in Scotland (No. SC038885). A non-profit making company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No. 1982873.

Woodland Trust (Enterprises) Limited, registered in England (No. 2296645), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Woodland Trust. Registered office: Kempton Way, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6LL.The Woodland Trust and Woodland Trust Nature Detectives logos are registered trademarks.

Images © protected Woodland Trust. VAT No. GB520 6111 04.

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Help youngsters learn about trees and wildlife with our outdoor learning resources and interactive activities.

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Phonics Play follows the government written phonics scheme and has a huge range of free games. They help with reading and spelling patterns, common exception words and spelling rules.

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A site packed with interactive phonics games, phonics planning, assessment ideas and many teaching ideas and resources to help children to learn to hear phonemes, recognise graphemes and develop the blending and segmenting skills that are vital for learning to read and spell.

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This page contains a number of games and actives which can be done at home and be set up in minutes.

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This web page gives you a link to videos and resources to help your child with phonics.

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Welcome to the Read Write Inc. page on Oxford Owl for Home.

Read Write Inc. is a popular phonics scheme. Like all phonics schemes, it teaches children the sounds in English, the letters that represent them, and how to form the letters when writing. Read Write Inc. Phonics includes reading books written using only the letters they have learnt at each level (and a small number of separately taught tricky words). The children will quickly feel confident and successful.

Here you can find lots of free resources to support your child's learning.

Free eBooks | Videos | Set 1 resources | Set 2 resources | Set 3 resources | Kits and flashcards to use at home

Read Write Inc. Phonics

We have lots of free Read Write Inc. Phonics resources to help your child, including eBooks, practice sheets and parent films. We suggest you start by watching this film for parents: What is Read Write Inc. Phonics?

Speed sounds and Read Write Inc. Stages

If your child is learning to read at school with Read Write Inc. Phonics, they will be at one of the following stages:

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Parent guide to Read Write Inc. Phonics - Oxford Owl

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Find out what Read Write Inc. Phonics is and find eBooks, videos, and kits to help your child as they learn to read with Read Write Inc. Phonics at home.

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At the moment you can get a 30 day free trial. It gives you access to a range of reading books and games. Be sure to cancel your trial before the 30 days is up!

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Sign up for a FREE 30-day trial of Reading Eggs - the online programme where 2-13 year olds learn to read with fun reading lessons and phonics games!

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Here are a range of activities you can watch and do at home to support different parts of speech.

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

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Resources for Children's Speech and Language

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Children's Speech and Language resources to download

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Language Link have produced some online games to support children with hearing and manipulating different sounds.

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These videos will help your child focus and learn to wait. They can also name the items they see and start to use verbs such as, go, stop, rolling, more etc. The aim of these sessions is to increase the length of time your child can pay attention for.

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Bucket time is part of the Attention Autism approach created by Gina Davies, with the aim of developing children's shared attention skills in a group setting. During bucket time, the children are provided with motivating and visually exciting experiences that encourage them to focus their attention for extended periods of time and to take part in an adult-led group activity.

Although developed specifically with the needs of children on the Autistic spectrum in mind, Bucket Time can be a very useful tool for any children who struggle to engage with adult-led activities and to focus their attention.

There are 4 stages to Bucket time, the videos we have made for your child to watch at home focus on stages 1 and 2. Once you are familiar with the structure of the sessions, you can lead your own sessions using items you have at home.

Stage 1: The bucket. The aim of the objects explored from within the bucket is to grab the attention of the child with visually motivating and stimulating items. The child will gradually learn to focus on the adult and the activity they have chosen, watching what they are doing more consistently.

Stage 2: Attention builder. The aim in this stage is to extend the amount of time that the child is able to focus for, introducing activities that build anticipation.

At both of these stages:

The adult is aiming to be the most motivating and interesting thing in the room. Try to remove other distractions and motivators where possible.

The child is watching the adult, not carrying out the actions themselves. Only the adult touches the objects used. At later stages, turn-taking and independent exploration are introduced.

Use minimal language, focusing on simple keywords which describe the current action you are carrying out.

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Bucket time is part of the Attention Autism approach created by Gina Davies, with the aim of developing children's shared attention skills in a group setting. During bucket time, the children are provided with motivating and visually exciting experiences that encourage them to focus their attention for extended periods of time and to take part in an adult-led group activity.

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Welcome to the Parent Portal, our award-winning speech and language support website for parents, carers and families.

At Speech and Language Link, we understand that supporting your child's language learning, alongside everything else that life demands from you, can be challenging. The Parent Portal provides ideas and advice, information and activities for developing your child's understanding, talking and listening in a way that works for all of your family.

How to use the site? Visit the development tab to help you work out what the next steps are for your child's learning and then go to the stage-appropriate activities section. You don't always need to create a special time for working on listening and talking, use our everyday activities turn many routine tasks into support activities.

Our speech and language therapists have devised support videos for you. Check out the 'Can I have your attention please?' series to help get your child in the right frame of mind for learning and access super fun games and ideas to encourage a range of language skills.

Our activities are designed to fit around normal family life and by implementing some of them every day you can make a real difference to your child's language development.

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Supporting Parents and Carers who support children with SLCN - Speech and Language resources, information and activities

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This is a really good way to increase your child's vocabulary. Go on a colour walk and look for all the different objects that are red. This list of nouns/objects can then be used as a way of describing that colour. For example you can have pillar box red, cherry red, rose red and so on.

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Go on a colour walk around your neighbourhood or your home, searching for colours like a treasure hunt, with Tate Kids

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Resources for parents, some resources available in other languages.

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These yoga videos made by Comic Kids can be done as a family and will help give child a sense of calm. There are a range of videos from 5 minutes long to 30 minutes.

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YOGA | MINDFULNESS | RELAXATION FOR KIDS!
Screentime that gives kids SUPERPOWERS! ⬇️ D O W N L O A D T H E C O S M I C K I D S A P P ⬇️ 🍏Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cosmic-kids/
🛍️Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cosmickids
🖥️ Desktop (great for teachers!): https://app.cosmickids.com/
📺 Roku: https://rb.gy/44r8d -------------------------------------------------------------------- Why watch on the App? ⬇️
🎬 Access the complete Cosmic Kids video library including exclusive episodes
📱 View on any computer, TV, smartphone and tablet
🚸 Safe viewing: no commercials, links or suggested videos
💪 Support us to keep making content! Follow Jaime! ❤️
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cosmickidsyoga/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/CosmicKidsYoga
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cosmickidsyoga/
• TikTok! - https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmickidsyogatiktok Learn to Teach Kids Yoga with Jaime 🧘‍♀
https://cosmickids.com/learn/

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This is a lovely activity to do at home. The idea of a worry monster is that the child can tell them their worries and the monster takes the worries away.  They can also write or draw their worry and 'feed it' to the monster. There is a lovely book called 'A Big Bag of Worries' which can be read alongside the idea of a worry monster.

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tissue box

craft paint

glue stick

marker/pen

Things to decorate

googly eyes

pipe cleaner

egg carton or foam balls for eyes

buttons

stickers

fun fur

fun foam

construction paper

feathers

Steps

1. Remove inner plastic film from the box.

2. Prime and paint your box with craft paint or use spray paint for quicker results. Leave to dry.

3. Paint the inside back of the box black.

4. Draw to reshape the mouth opening if you like and cut out.

5. Cut a strip of white fun foam to the width of the opening. Holdthe strip inside the opening of the box. With a markerdraw your top row of teeth and repeat for the bottom. Cut out the traced teeth shapes. Flip the teeth over to reveal a clean side with no trace marks.Glue into place using a glue stick.

6. Decorate the body of the box with anything you like. We used pom poms and foam stickers.

7. Eyes can be made from pom poms, an egg carton or foam balls with pipe cleaners. Glue eyes into place.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Contributor

This post accompanies a video from Caitie's Classroom. Join Caitie in the classroom for kids songs, games, activities, stories, crafts, and much more! Catch up on past episodes and segments, follow Caitie on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to Super Simple Play so you never miss an episode. Don't forget to ring the bell for notifications!

Original content © 2018 Super Simple. Not to be reprinted without express written permission. Terms of Service.

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Looking for a spooky Halloween craft to do with the kids? Here are some Tissue Box Monsters! The perfect way to recycle those kleenex boxes!

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Draw with Rob helps to develop fine motor skills, visual motor skills and spatial awareness on a page, and it is also a lot of fun! You can learn to draw a whole range of things by looking at his videos on You Tube.

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Support with handwriting and smaller movements

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Support with handwriting and smaller movements

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Children Young People and Families Online Resource

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Fine Motor Skills | Children Young People and Families Online Resource

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Children Young People and Families Online Resource

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These activities are really fun and help with fine motor skills and visual memory.

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Let the folding fun begin! There is a whole bunch of amazing and easy origami for kids with step by step folding instructions waiting for you on this page. All of these origami tutorials are suitable for beginners and kids!

We are sure you are going to love each and every one of these paper folding designs featured as all of them are oh-so pretty! You can make them with origami paper or with plain printer paper, both work out really well.

*this post contains affiliate links*

A ton of ideas for easy origami for kids!

You can do these with any kind of paper although we do recommend you use origami paper for many of these paper folding ideas as they really shine when made with patterned paper. On top of the origami folding diagrams, we also have a ton of our own printable papers, which will make these simple origami even better.

Can't wait to start folding? Neither can we - so let's jump right into the folding waters.

1. Cootie Catchers - Chatterboxes

Some call them cootie catchers, others call them fortune tellers (and we are sure they have a few more names) - whatever the name the fun stays the same! These are one of the coolest origami for kids to make as once they are done with the folding, they can play with their puppet (these are super popular in kindergarten).

Grab the printable shark cootie catcher template and let the folding fun begin!

Love these? We've got more

Browse our fun cootie catcher designs.

2. Origami Bookmarks

These origami corner bookmarks are a great project for beginners (of all ages as they are so fun to make). Once your kids fold the basic corner bookmark, they can decorate it and transform it into many different characters.

See the monster bookmarks folding instructions.

And here are a few more ideas for these

3. Bunny Origami for Kids

These bunnies are insanely easy to fold and to make this one even more fun we also made a template origami sheet with a bunny face.
See the folding instructions for the origami bunny and grab the template here.
4. Paper Boats

One of the most popular origami for kids - let them learn how to make paper boats. These are not only fun to make but they also float on water.
Learn how to make a paper boat.
5. Origami fish - Great origami for toddlers and preschool

These are beyond cute, aren't they? One of the easiest paper folding projects out there this one is great for the youngest kids that don't yet have the necessary fine motor skills to tackle some of the other projects.
Check the folding instructions for origami fish.
6. Dog Face

We've even prepared a printable template for this one so it's easier to fold it than ever.
See the step by step tutorial for making an origami dog face
7. Origami Tulips (with the stem!)

If you want to make an origami flower, starting with a tulip is the way to go! The blossom is perfect for beginners and the stem isn't hard to do either.
See the step by step tulip folding tutorial and print the diagram
8. Foxes

Who loves folding foxes?

We have an easy to follow step by step fox folding instructions ready for you here.

9. Jumping Frogs

A childhood favorite project - paper frogs that jump when you press on them. Super fun!

See how to make an origami frog that jumps!

10. Lucky Stars

You can easily get addicted to folding these, they might feel challenging when you start, but with each star made (and they are quick to make) things become easier.
See how to make them here.
If your kids are cat persons (as I am hehehehe) they will love folding these paper cats.

This one will be loved by all the little ninjas around the world - a transforming star!

See the instructions here. What do We do All Day

And here is another version of these little jumping cooties!

See how to fold a paper frog! It's Always Autumn

This swan is jet another great origami for beginners - easy to fold and looks pretty!

See the folding instructions. Red Ted Art

Hop, hop goes the bunny! Your kids will love making this fluffy animal and you can even top this project with a pom pom for a tail.

See the origami bunny folding instructions. Tinkerlab

Hear them flutter!

Learn how to make origami butterflies. Red Ted Art

Not technically an origami but this little snake craft will give the little hands a decent warm-up on folding.
Learn how to make accordion snakes.
Love elephants? Fold one!

Check out the folding instructions to make an elephant! Hodge Podge Craft

How about a bunch of colorful cubes?

Make origami cubes! Origami Mommy

This one can be adorable or a bit creepy (in a fun artistic way that is!)

See how to make a blinking eye! Kids Activities Blog

You can easily make an awesome looking bear too!

See how to make one! All for the Boys

Origami rings? Oh yes!

Honestly, what's more fancy than your own paper folded jewelry? You won't be able to stop making these!

See how to make fancy rings. ZakkaLife

These are really great around Valentine's day but there's nothing stopping you from making them all year round!

See how to make hearts. The Connection We Share

How about making a few of these cute birdies?

See the instructions. Red Ted Art

Can't you just see a bunch of folded human faces your kids are going to make? These really look great, don't they?

See the folded paper faces instructions. Pink Stripey Socks

You could make a whole fairy village with these!

See the origami mushroom instructions. Krokotak

There are many fish in the sea... And your kids can make as many as they want!

Follow these simple origami fish instructions. Childhood 101

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Browse through these 20+ extremely cute origami for kids - all with step by step instructions perfect for beginners.