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Childrens Activities and Family Fun | Limerick Sports Partnership

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

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Cycling Ireland have a number of Cycle Right Resources to help parents in guiding their family to staying safe and cycling the right way!

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PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES (Inclusive & Adaptive Activities)

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PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES (Inclusive & Adaptive Activities)

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Cork Sports Partnership, in conjunction with a number of partner organisations, have put together the following physical activity opportunities and resources to help you stay active in the comfort of your own home.
PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINKS & RESOURCES BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Please adhere to up to date HSE guidelines on social distancing if you are exercising in public spaces. These guidelines can be viewed here >>>.

Click here >>> to download the 'Keep Cork Active' booklet.

'Activities For All'

Activities for All is a fun and inclusive 4 week physical activity planner to support you build activity into your daily routine.

This resource aims to improve your activity levels, develop your fine and gross motor skills, as well as helping build confidence for you to participate in sport and physical activity.

Note: Ireland's National Physical Activity plan recommends children are active for at least 60 minutes a day and adults for 30 minutes a day.

The Activities For All Resource was developed by Sport Ireland and a working group of LSP Sports Inclusion Disability Officers (SIDOs) in conjunction with Cara.

Learn To Cycle At Home With Our Top Tips

As part of our Learn To Cycle programme, we have teamed up with Wild Atlantic Sports to provide you with top tips and advice on how to stay active through cycling at home. If your child is yet to master the skill of cycling, we are here to help.

This online programme will provide you with a step by step video guide and top tips on bike and helmet set up, striding, gliding, braking and pedalling. We will also provide storyboards to help you and your child at each step of the way. All you need is a flat space and a bike.

Our qualified and experienced tutor will be on hand to support your progress and answer any queries you may have.

Tutor: Ruth Herman Contact: 087 1032317

Cosmic Yoga

As we know children with sensory needs may seek stimulation and self regulation.

Yoga is known to be a great recreational activity that offers opportunity to self regulate promoting positive behaviour. See below yoga based activities we have collated for your child and siblings to take part in at home.

For more information & ideas see www.cosmickids.com

Home Based Occupational Therapy

Cork Paediatric OT Team have provided us with some ideas and activities to allow children to continue their OT in their home environment.

This video shares with you ideas on how you can regulate your child with equipment you have at home or without needing any equipment.

Occupational Therapist Jess is currently providing online OT services and offering online sessions with parents to discuss strategies that will suit and support you and your child. She is working with families to adapt your programmes to suit your home environment and will be on hand to answer any of your queries.

Movement & Sensory Breaks

CSP has put together options for you and your family to enjoy movement breaks at home in a fun and safe environment.

Why are movement breaks important for children with sensory needs? The two senses that are responsible for movement are the vestibular and proprioceptive senses. It is important that children who seek sensory input keep actively stimulating these senses.

Fine & Gross Motor Skill Development

Fine and gross motor skills are important for our children's development, confidence and independence.

Fine Motor skills refer to coordinating small muscle movements for tasks such as grasping and cutting. Gross Motor skills refer to larger muscle movements such as running, jumping, throwing and catching.

To support your children's motor development over this time, we have gathered the below resources which will help to guide you and your child with fun tasks and activities at home.

HSE OT Team Fine Motor Skill Ideas - Click here >>>

HSE OT Team Gross Motor Skill Ideas - Click here >>>

Gross Motor Activity Ideas for Home - Click here >>>

Core Stability Activities - Click here >>>

Therapy Street for Kids - Click here >>>

My OT and Me are offering FREE access to 'Let's Get Moving Gross Motor Classes' resource kit to keep kids moving while teaching them fundamental movements in a fun and engaging way. To access - Click here >>>

PDST Fundamental Movement Skills Videos & Posters - Click here >>>

Adults Movement Plan and Home Circuits Suitable for All Abilities

The following resources developed by CARA Sport Inclusion Ireland will support adults of all abilities to be active.

The 6 week physical activity movement plan is designed to support adults with disabilities to build up their physical activity levels starting with just 10 minutes of activity per day.

This resource will guide you on daily activity where you can walk, push or run in the comfort of your own home setting or neighbourhood (within 2km distance), and is suited to your ability level.

The following is a series of Home Exercise Circuits which can be done seated or standing in just 10minutes:

Wheelchair Accessible Activities

This resource will provide you with games and ideas to support people who have reduced mobility to enjoy activities with all the family.

Inclusive Play for Children with Physical Disabilities: The Let's Play Toolkit is a resource designed to support children with physical disabilities to confidently participate in play and sport through a variety of fun games and activities.

Wheelchair Accessible & Reduced Mobility Home Exercises

UFit provides a suite of FREE resources and video links to watch and guide you through home based exercises. Examples include:

For more information and resources visit: www.justdoufit.com

Chris Saunders,from Wheely Good Fitness shares quality home based exercises suitable for all abilities, no equipment needed.

Aura Holohan Group and Irish Wheelchair Association team up to launch online home exercise programmes for people with physical disabilities:

For more info visit: www.auraleisure.ie/homeworkouts

Exercises Guided To Support People With Vision Impairments

Vision Sports Ireland and The National Council for the Blind (NCBI) have put together a guided video to support people with vision impairments. This video will take you through a range of exercises and is suitable for all physical activity levels.

Eyes-Free Fitness: Eyes-Free Fitness provide a variety of exercise workouts for people who need or prefer, verbal or audio cues only while exercising. The videos below include; warm ups, stretching, cardio and pilates among many others. We hope you enjoy!

Sports Skills & Challenges

Cork Sports Partnership in conjunction with a number of National Governing Bodies of Sport & Organisations, have put together the following physical activity opportunities and resources to help people of all ages to stay active at home!

Many of these activities are adaptive to suit all abilities. Some activities include;

Skills Challenges

Colouring, Suduko & Quizzes

Home Exercises & Workouts

Older Adults Exercise & Activities

Cork Sports Partnership, in conjunction with a number of partner organisations, have put together a variety of physical activity opportunities and resources to help you stay active in the comfort of your own home.

Many of the exercise programmes & activities can be adapted to suit most abilities. Some exercise & activities include:

Chair Exercises & Challenges

Bodyweight Workouts

Walking Exercises

Daily Exercise Challenges

For more information or guidance on any of the above, please contact Sports Inclusion Disability Officer Kate Feeney, kfeeney@corksports.ie

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Cork Sports Partnership, in conjunction with a number of partner organisations, have put together the following physical activity opportunities and resources to help you stay active in the comfort of your own home. PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINKS & RESOURCES BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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Monthly CPD, All Staff, One Affordable Price

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

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

BOOK A CALL TO LEARN MORE

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

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

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Ep 139 | Animal walks to calm kids & develop gross motor skills | Sensory diet  | Reena Singh

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

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

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Working on fine motor skills with kids doesn't need to require the same old items every day. Recently, we've been sharing creating ways to promote fine motor skills with everyday items. Today, you'll find fun fine motor activities with playing cards. We all have a deck of cards in a drawer or game closet...here are creative ways to use those cards to build the skills kids need for functional tasks like pencil grasp.

For more fine motor activities with everyday objects, try these fine motor activities using craft pom poms.

Fine Motor Activities with Playing Cards

Working on fine motor skills? Here are just a few ways that a simple item like l=playing cards can be used to promote fine motor areas like bilateral coordination, finger isolation, in-hand manipulation, arch development and intrinsic hand strength, and other areas.

Add a deck of playing cards to your STEM fine motor kit, too.

Playing with cards can be a great way to increase several fine motor skill areas:

Separation of the two sides of the hand- When holding the string, it is useful for the ring and pinkie fingers to bend into a fist in order to stabilize the hand. This positioning is effective for a functional grasp on the pencil when writing. In this way, lacing cards boost fine motor skills as a pre-writing tool.

Check out these easy ideas to address motoric separation of the hand.

Visual Motor Skills- Coordinating visual information with motor movements of the hands is essential for handwriting, cutting with scissors, and many other tasks. Manipulating lacing cards is an excellent way to address these needs.

Read more about visual motor skills.

Motor Planning- A motor plan is functional execution of a task which is viewed with the eyes and carried out with the hands in order to complete tasks, such as mazes, walking around obstacles, cutting along a line, and writing within a space on a form. Visual motor skills can be difficult for children with visual processing difficulties. Identifying and organizing information is in a motor plan works on problem solving skills.

Read more about motor planning activities for kids.

Pincer Grasp: Manipulating cards with a pad-to-pad grasp is a fine motor skill children need for many functional tasks. Picking up small items like coins, beads, seeds, etc require a pincer grasp.

Eye-Hand Coordination: Eye-hand coordination is using the information received through the vision system to coordinate the hands with control, in order to complete a task, such as handwriting or catching a ball. Find more hand eye coordination ideas here.

FUn Fine Motor activities with playing cards

Clip clothes pins onto match numbers

Make the cards into mini lacing cards with a hole punch and some string.

Sort cards by color

Sort cards by number

Write words on cards and math to handwriting tasks

Create a coping strategies deck

Invent yoga moves for each card or suit in the deck. Use as a movement break activity

Slide paper clips onto cards, match the number of clips to the number on the card

Work on holding the cards and spanning them out in the hands

Encourage picking up one card as you can. Make it a card race! Pick up a single card as fast as you can. This is a great team activity

Play minute to win it games

Turn the cards into crafts

Fold cards and crease to work on pinch strength

Use play dough to create a house of cards. Roll balls of play dough and stick cards into the dough

Teach kids to sort the deck as in beginning a card game

Work on mixing the deck with two hands

Pinch a single card between the thumb and pointer finger. Toss the cards into a target such as a basket

More fine motor activities

Love using regular, everyday items to boost the skills kids need? Here are a few more ideas you will love:

Print off some of these free cursive alphabet cards to work on fine motor skills AND cursive letter handwriting.

Make your own lacing cards to really boost up the fine motor work!

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Fine Motor Activities with Playing Cards - The OT Toolbox

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Working on fine motor skills with kids doesn't need to require the same old items every day. Recently, we've been sharing creating ways to promote fine motor skills with everyday items. Today, you'll find fun fine motor activities with playing cards.

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Hand Strengthening Activity with an Egg Carton - The OT Toolbox

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

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

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

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

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How parents can help the student with Dyslexia 

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How parents can help the student with Dyslexia 

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Receptive Language and Comprehension Skills

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Receptive Language and Comprehension Skills

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

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

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Hyperlexia and autism resources for parents, activities for kids, sensory bin ideas, and more!

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

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Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers (NEPS)

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Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers (NEPS)

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

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Rainbow Pencil Control Exercises - The OT Toolbox

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

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Brunker The Kids’ Guide to Getting Your Words on Paper

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Brunker The Kids’ Guide to Getting Your Words on Paper

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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

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Therapy Street for Kids | Occupational Therapy

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

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Managing Worrying Thoughts: Webinar with Michael Ryan

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Reid The Big Book of Dyslexia Activities

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Reid The Big Book of Dyslexia Activities

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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How Daniel Tiger Helps Teach Social Skills to Preschoolers |…

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Research shows kids who watch Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood have higher levels of empathy, were better at recognizing emotions, and were more confident in social situations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Add basters to a tub of water or the bathtub.

Transfer water to an ice cube tray.

Squeeze watercolors on a vertical surface.

Use dot markers on a white board.

Use cut straws to make a necklace.

Thread beads onto pipe cleaners.

Pick up plastic caps with tongs.

Paint with Q-Tips.

Press small items onto sticky paper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hammer tees into styrofoam blocks. (Modern Preschool)

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

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

Push sticks through holes. (Playdough to Plato)

Thread pasta with straws. (Laughing Kids Learn)

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

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

Color on sandpaper. (I Can Teach My Child)

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

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

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

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

Draw in colored sand. (Buggy and Buddy)

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

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

Count and smash playdough. (Stir the Wonder)

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

Draw on erasable wall decals. (Artsy Momma)

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

Wrap rubber bands around a can. (HOAWG)

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

Clip clothespins onto numbered cards. (Fun with Mama)

String buttons onto pipe cleaners. (Preschool Powol Packets)

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

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

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

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

Tie a knot. (HOAWG)

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

Create a pouring station. (Busy Toddler)

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

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

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

Build a sponge tower. (Toddler Approved)

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

Pinch clothespins on a basket. (School Time Snippets)

Stack foam blocks in water. (Still Playing School)

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

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

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

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

More Fine Motor Resources

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

Vestibular Activities (The OT Toolbox)

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

Stages of Pencil Grasp Development (OT Mom)

Free Printable Fine Motor List

Click on the photo below for the pdf download:

Fine Motor Pom Pom Alphabet Cards

A fun way to work on:

Color Recognition

Letter Recognition

Fine Motor (Tracing)

2 Sets with 26 Letters Each

26 Pages

52 Cards Total

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

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55+ Ways to Strengthen Fine Motor Skills at Home

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

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I've written another FREE story to help children, teachers and families that may be struggling with some aspects of distance learning. This story was inspired by teacher Jen Ruskowski. She wrote to me asking if I could help write a story for a student who needed some tips:). From what I've seen and heard online, I think these may be common issues families and teachers are having right now. I hope this helps! Thank you so much Jen Ruskowski!!!
Click here for Tips for Distance Learning story Click here for Spanish version

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I've written another FREE story to help children, teachers and families that may be struggling with some aspects of distance learning. This story was inspired by teacher Jen Ruskowski. She wrote to me asking if I could help write a story for a student who needed some tips:).

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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Developing Language During Everyday Routines 

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Developing Language During Everyday Routines 

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

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

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

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

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

Indoor Movement Activities for Preschoolers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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This is a really challenging time for children with ASD as their routines are completely disrupted. Hopefully now as we face into our third week off school, the children are settling into a new form of normal for them.

This time at home could be beneficial as it will give children a lot of time to work on life skills, which may not always get quite enough time in school. By working on life skills, you are also working on fine and gross motor skills, following a sequence of events, following instruction , and so much more.

Daily chores can help your child with autism.. You should start slowly by assigning just one and breaking the task down into its most basic steps. Work alongside your child to model the correct task sequence. When tidying up the kitchen, for example, it is wise to show your child to use a spray bottle (just water) and then a cloth to wipe the counters. Operating the nozzle is great for fine motor skills.

Matching socks is also a skill which requires concentration, and is a form of maths.

Setting the table for dinner is a nice habit to get your child into!

Washing dishes is another valuable skill, which some children will love because they'll get to play and splash with soapy water! Using different size containers also works on the maths strand of capacity, working on terms such as empty and full!

Matching lunch boxes to the correct sized lids is a job which will promote problem solving.

Watering plants/tending to the garden is a great hobby and if your child enjoys playing with clay all the better for their FMS!

Preparing meals- getting cheese/butter from the fridge, getting the plate out of the cupboard are all tasks your child could be doing to promote vocabulary and understanding- even if it is hand over hand try encourage your child to do this daily. It is also an opportuntiy to practice sequence of events- e.g. 'First, give me the butter, next give me the cheese.'

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Simple At Home Life Skills for Children with ASD - Múinteoir Valerie

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This is a really challenging time for children with ASD as their routines are completely disrupted. Hopefully now as we face into our third week off school, the children are settling into a new form of normal for them. This time at home could be beneficial as it will give...

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Covid-19 and Helping Children with Dyslexia

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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Modelling and Recasting

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Training

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

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

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Research Bulletin no. 42 - Strength-based approaches

Our latest Research Bulletin is focused on Strength-based Approaches. It highlights papers that show how taking a strength-based approach can create an empowering environment for autistic young people and allow them to define what they value..
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Our latest Research Bulletin focuses on well-being for all. By better understanding the experiences & strengths of the entire autism community, we can better support each other to thrive.
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Middletown Centre for Autism - Middletown Centre For Autism

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

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Into the Book is a reading comprehension resource for elementary students and teachers.

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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Apps for Students with Moderate, Severe or Profound GLD

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Apps for Students with Moderate, Severe or Profound GLD

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Hello - I am the Coronavirus:  A Narrated Guide for Children

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Hi all, I hope you are all well and have enjoyed the Summer break. I'm certainly glad to be getting back into a routine but as usual am up to... Read more My guide to setting up an ASD Classroom →

Organising the children's individual reports and paperwork was one of the first jobs that I did when I moved into my own ASD class. Prior to being offered my position,... Read more Organising and using children's professional reports. →

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Hi all, I hope you are all well and have enjoyed the Summer break. I'm certainly glad to be getting back into a routine but as usual am up to... Read more My guide to setting up an ASD Classroom → Organising the children's individual reports and paperwork was one of the first jobs that I did when I moved into my own ASD class.

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

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

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

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

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News and articles from Jessica Kingsley Publishers and our authors

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There once was an owl called Dotty,A nurse with a a uniform all Spotty. She works in the hospital up the hill,Looking after all the children who are ill.

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Welcome to our supplemental Social Emotional Learning Activities page!

As you will see below, many of the supplemental SEL activities and lesson plans include characters from our game-based, social emotional learning interventions. And when you use the online programs with your students, these activities will reinforce the learning that occurs during game play.

These supplemental resources - lessons, activities, and worksheets - are in the following SELskill areas: Communication, Cooperation, Emotion Regulation, Empathy, Impulse Control, and Social Initiation.

These resources are age-appropriate for elementary and middle school students and are typically used in a classroom or a small group setting. And in most cases, if materials are required for the activity, they are items that you already have in your classroom or office.
Note: Please share this page on your school website so other educators may also benefit.
Social Emotional Learning at Home

Additional Resources for Social Emotional Learning

Our classroom management plan is a step-by-step guide and includes proven strategies, tips and printables for elementary school teachers, and it covers four key components for establishing a successful, well-managed classroom.

These free downloadable posters will decorate your classroom and be great teaching resources, reinforcing social and emotional skills in your classroom and reminding students to practice their skills like emotion regulation, impulse control, empathy, and more.

Social Emotional Learning Quotes

For each of the topics below, we have curated a list of quotes. You can incorporate these quotes in your social emotional learning lessons, add them to social media images, create classroom posters, or write one on your whiteboard each day.

Need Something More Engaging And Effective For A Few Students?

Simply request a FREE Centervention educator account and start using our online programs!

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95 Free Social Emotional Learning Activities

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95 free social emotional learning activities, worksheets, and lessons to help students in elementary and middle school. Most are no-prep and ready to go.

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‎Autism iHelp is a vocabulary teaching aid developed by parents of a child with Autism and a speech-language pathologist. Autism iHelp was inspired by the need for specific language intervention tools for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder focusing on their unique strengths and difficulty with e…

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Irish schools are to remain closed until the end of January 2021. For families like mine, we will now Home School our children, with online learning for some being an option. For my sons, I know that online-learning is not an option as it will not meet their needs or...

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Emotions wheel art therapy - Elsa Support for emotional literacy

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Emotions wheel art therapy. Children can explore what each emotion means to them and also be creative as they do it. Great for discussion.

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‎iSEQUENCES is an educational app for children with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome that enables them to practice 100 different sequences about everyday situations, such as: - Autonomous habits like brushing their teeth, washing their hands, getting dressed or going to bed
- Fun activities like go…

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Assisitive Technology

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UrAbility | Helping kids learn and thrive with Assistive Technology

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Bringing learning to life with Assistive Technology for children with with additional learning needs such as dyslexia, dyspraxia/DCD, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, or ADHD.

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Coronavirus Support Archives - Elsa Support for emotional literacy

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

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Handwriting Without Tears: Wet-Dry-Try for Capitals, Numbers & Lowercase 

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Handwriting Without Tears: Wet-Dry-Try for Capitals, Numbers & Lowercase 

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Free online, curricular linked resources, activity sheets, games, challenges and brand-new Food Dudes videos for the whole family to enjoy

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Do you know that our taste buds can develop over time? As children, we can train our taste buds by exposing them to different foods. Over time we develop liking for certain healthy foods. This way we can expand our palette and add many new foods to our diet. If we introduce a healthy diet, full of delicious fruit and vegetables from an early age we can develop our taste buds to like many different nutritious foods as we grow older.

There is lots of evidence to show that the more we taste a food, the more we learn to like it. It can range from from just a few tastes of a food, to 15 or more tries to learn to like something. It ranges per individual child and it also depends on the type of food. That is why the Food Dudes programme gives every child an opportunity to try a new fruit and vegetable at least 4 times, over the course of the Food Dudes programme. This ensures that everyone gets the opportunity to learn to like new varieties of fruits and vegetables.

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Welcome to Food Dudes Fun at Home! We have games, worksheets, activities and videos for parents to download which are aimed to support primary school children of all ages to make learning about fruit, vegetables and healthy eating fun and interesting. Join the conversation on #FoodDudesFun

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Typing Games Zone - Boost Your Typing Skills

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Enhance Your Typing Speed with Our Top-Rated Keyboarding Games

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

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

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

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Worksheets: Consonants, Clusters and Vowels

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Worksheets: Consonants, Clusters and Vowels

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Worksheets: Consonants, Clusters and Vowels

Details

Created: Wednesday, 09 November 2011 08:58

Updated on Tuesday, 13 July 2021 12:29

This resource page contains many examples of picture-and-word work sheets intended for use in speech-language pathology intervention.

The sheets were made in Microsoft Word, using copyright-free pictures and stock photos, mainly from Microsoft Clip Art and Media, and converted into portable document files (pdfs) using Adobe Acrobat.

The vocabulary represents (non-rhotic) Australian English pronunciation, and although most of the words and minimal pairs will 'work' in other dialects of English you may need to discard some. For example, pairs like saw-shore, and spa-star are minimal pairs in Australian English and in other non-rhotic varieties of English, but not in rhotic dialects such as Canadian, Irish, Scottish and most US 'Englishes'.

SLPs/SLTs and students are invited to use these worksheets and other resources when working with children with speech sound disorders. You are free to save them to your computer and to customize them to suit individual clients and to fit your service delivery model. The restrictions that apply to their use are stated in the site's copyright notice.

Please read this before downloading pdf or pptx files

Please avoid downloading the same file multiple times as it increases my bandwidth usage and drives up my costs. Choose a pdf or pptx file; download it once, and save it to a folder. If you find the free resources here useful, and would like to make your secure donation to the maintenance of this site, please click here , and then click on the DONATE BUTTON.

On this page you will find singleton consonant worksheets for all the obstruents and sonorants, cluster and vowel worksheets, and worksheets that emphasise facilitative contexts.

Obstruents, shown on the Place-Voice-Manner Chart below, are consonants made by obstructing the airstream (cf. Sonorant). The obstruents are the stops, fricatives and affricates.

/p/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
P pie pan pin pot peg pup pipe pop pip peep Pope pen purse peach paint park page pig pool pearl pine peas path porch pug palm pint

/p/ Syllable Final Word Final
tape cup tap shop ship cap dip hoop sheep strap heap zip lip clip top soup zap hope hop sip clap type beep! beep! flip wrap whip skip stop

Aspiration Trick for /p/

/p/ Aspiration Trick
This is for children with pre-vocalic or context sensitive voicing of voiceless stops (e.g., pole pronounced as bole). Practise 'p...hole', 'phhhole', etc., gradually reducing the aspiration and eventually turning 'p...hole' into 'pole'.

/b/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
bow boy bee buy bow boo bus bed bin bug book big bud bad back bun buck bell beg bag bowl bean bite bird bike ball beach bone

/b/ Syllable Final Word Final
cub robe cab bib knob web Bob tub rob lab rib rub lobe job nib pub grub crab shrub blob club crib

Chaining for /b/ SIWI
bob-bing-bing

/t/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
two tie tap top tape tub tin tool tick tail tug tag turf torch team ten top tea tissue target toaster tomato teapot table tulip teacher Tasmania teddy taxi turtle

/t/ Syllable Final Word Final
foot fort fit fight feet fat hat heart nut beet rat suit fete mat sheet eight seat shirt hut plate vet bat plait pot skate kite goat cot cat coat court gate

Aspiration Trick for /t/

/t/ Aspiration Trick
This is for children with pre-vocalic or context sensitive voicing of voiceless stops (e.g., time pronounced as dime). Practise 't...hail', 'thhhail', etc., gradually reducing the aspiration and eventually turning 't...hail' into 'tail'.

/d/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
door day dip doll dawn dish down D dome dove dive deaf dam dice date dot deck dark dock duck dog Doug dig desk dart disk dance dust deer dough dinner daisy dye dull dame deep

/d/ Syllable Final Word Final
bud bed maid bird road bead mad seed lead slide cloud red lead hard sad feed loud blood

/k/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
key car core cow K cap cup can cone cub comb cab cough coin cart quoit couch coach cage kiss card coal curl case catch keg cog cook cake cork Coke cat kite coat cot coffee camera cue collar cauliflower colours calendar calculator cockatoo conductor crocodile kangaroo computer carrot kookaburra carpenter caterpillar cottages collector caravan camel ketchup curtain cushion cockroach cougar compost karaoke

/k/ Syllable Final Word Final
bike book beak buck park back-pack wok walk week work wake wick hook hike neck knock ache oak look lick like leak leek lock shark shake rock rake sock sack cork cook Coke kick brick break black block stake stork wreck trick

Aspiration Trick for /k/

/k/ Aspiration Trick
This is for children with pre-vocalic or context sensitive voicing of voiceless stops (e.g., car pronounced as gar). Practise 'k...hat', 'khhhat', etc., gradually reducing the aspiration and eventually turning 'k...hat' into 'cat'.

Chaining for /k/

/k/ Chaining - king-words
Chaining begins with words or syllable contexts the child can produce. This one is for children who can produce /k/ word finally but not word initially. Start with 'make, 'work', etc. Build up to the child saying 'making', 'working' etc. Exaggerate the second syllable: 'making', 'working' etc. and then move to 'making-king', 'working-king' etc., and ultimately many repetitions of the word 'king' before moving on to /k/ SIWI in CVs and CVCs.

/k/ Chaining - key-Keith
key-Keith key-keen key-keel key-quiche key-keys key-keep

/k/ Chaining - key-words
monkey-key, etc.

/g/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
go guy game gum Gus guess gas goose gull girl gown give goat get gate gift guard gourd guest gust good gold grass globe green gorilla goanna golf galah guitar glove guide good-bye

/g/ Syllable Final Word Final
big hug bug pig egg mug bag beg tug jig wig fig rug log leg rag stag rig wag frog shag jog dog drag hog dig cog keg tag Doug

/f/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
Fiona feel feast feet feed Felix fever female fiesta Fiat field feely bag fat food four five fig fan farm fish fork fox phone fern face foot fairy fight feed funny

/f/ Syllable Final Word Final
knife cough leaf half loaf roof wife calf scarf chef safe surf chief wife wharf cliff giraffe Jeff Steph off cuff childproof carafe turf f golf wolf shelf elf photograph autograph

/f/ Six-Pix Series - 6 pictures on 1 page

/f/ SIWI Six-Pix a
fan feet fish phone five food

/f/ SIWI Six-Pix b
food face fête foot foal fox

/f/ SIWI Six-Pix c
folding fighting feeding filling fixing falling

/f/ SIWI Six-Pix d
fork fern farm fort form first

/f/ SIWI Six-Pix e
funny fast fierce fake full fantastic

/f/ SIWI Six-Pix f
fur four fair fire fear far

/f/ SIWI Six-Pix g
feeling sick feeling happy feeling hungry feeling cosy feeling sticky feeling strong

/f/ SIWI Six-Pix h
finding feeding folding fishing fighting finishing

Aspiration Trick for /f/

/f/ Aspiration Trick
This is for children who "stop" voiceless fricatives, and/or for children who replace voiceless fricatives with voiced ones. Practise 'f...heat', 'fhhheat', etc., gradually reducing the aspiration and eventually turning 'f...heat' into 'feet'.

Chaining for /f/

/f/ Chaining - Fi-words
'Fi' is short for 'Fiona' and is pronounced 'fee'. Chaining begins with words or syllable contexts the child can produce. This one is for children who can produce /f/ within a word (intervocalically) but not word initially. Start by familiarising the child with the words 'coffee', 'toffee', 'Daffy', 'Miffy' and 'huffy' (or similar words). Then practise saying them. Then say them with the second syllable slightly exaggerated (coff ee). Move on to 'coffee-Fi', 'toffee-Fi', etc. Then move on to 'coffee-Fi-Fi', 'toffee-Fi-Fi', etc. Gradually ease into 'Fi-feel, etc. Finally introduce more words with /fi/ SIWI followed by words starting with /f/ followed by other vowels.

/v/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
V vow van vet veil vine vest vase vat vole vice volcano violin Vegemite

/v/ Syllable Final Word Final
hive cave five dove sleeve sieve glove stove grave wave drive clove serve shave love move dive leave give carve wave drive weave live

voiceless th Syllable Initial Word Initial
thick thong think Thursday theatre thermometer thank you thumb thunder third thimble thaw thatch thermostat Thumper thief thirsty therapist thorax thousand thorn thanks thoroughbred thirty

voiceless th Syllable Final Word Final
wreath earth death oath path teeth

voiceless th Syllable Final Within Word
birthday bathtub faithful pathogens mothballs untruthful

voiceless th Syllable Initial Within Word
healthy panther nothing marathon Dorothy author

voiced TH Syllable Initial Within Word
weather mother breathing father feather brother

voiced TH Syllable Initial Word Initial
these those them they their though that this than the then there

/s/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
seat sun C sign sack seal soap seed salt six saw sock sums suit sink seven sauce sieve sea sand soup six sails safe

/s/ Syllable Final Word Final
bus purse mouse nurse gas horse case goose juice house yes rice kiss ice dice S sauce dress

/s/ Syllable Initial Within Word
messy parcel dinosaur casserole blossom pussy pencil taxi rhinoceros croissant lasso icing bassoon insect fossil bison glasses jig-saw basin unicycle bicycle tricycle vaccination synthesizer consultation juicer

/s/ Syllable Final Within Word
basket toaster ice-cream pasta listen cassette Australia restaurant saucepan crossword insect houseboat Christmas tree hospital baseball Easter bunny escalator investigator

/s/ Syllable Final in Verbs (/ps/, /ks/, /ts/)
sits skips cuts talks picks kicks looks eats squirts collects knits jumps toasts drinks floats skates jumps hops makes walks

Lateral /s/

Butterfly Procedure for lateral /s/, /z/, etc.

Aspiration Trick for /s/

/s/ Aspiration Trick
This is for children who "stop" voiceless fricatives, and/or for children who replace voiceless fricatives with voiced ones. Practise 's...hip', 'shhhip', etc., gradually reducing the aspiration and eventually turning 's...hip' into 'sip'.

High frequency /s/ words SIWI and SIWW

High frequency /s/ words SIWI and SIWW
cell cent city said same sat saw say scene seam season second seven six small son sort sound south summer audience case class close face force house less miss office peace place police press price race science six space us voice yes About working with high frequency words

Chaining for /s/

/s/ Chaining - sea-words
Chaining begins with words or syllable contexts the child can produce. This one is for children who can produce /s/ within a word (intervocalically) but not word initially. Start by familiarising the child with the words 'pussy', 'messy', etc. (or similar words). Then practise saying them. Then say the words with the second syllable slightly exaggerated (pu ssy, me ssy). Move on to pussy-sea, messy-sea, etc. until the child can easily say 'sea'. Then move on to sea-seal, seaseed, sea-seat, sea-seek, and sea-scene. Then change the vowel (sow, sigh, say, saw, etc.) and proceed to CVC words.

/z/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
zoo zebra zero zip zoom zinnia zither zed zee Zach Zoë zap zone

/z/ Syllable Final Word Final
eyes cheese nose boys hose peas prize rose jazz trees keys stars pies knees shoes cars please

/z/ Word Final in Verbs
blows feeds runs plays dives rides pulls waters builds holds climbs hides listens saves see-saws sings skis drums swings reads cries skate-boards ties hangs vacuums smells draws recycles cart wheels folds tickles slides finds feeds throws gives pretends sells dances guesses mixes sails fishes relaxes balances brushes sneezes dances

sh Syllable Initial Word Initial
sheep shirt sheet show shark shape shell shower shoe ship shawl shot

sh Syllable Final Word Final
fish brush leash bush cash dish mash quiche hash radish nail polish crayfish

Aspiration Trick for sh

sh Aspiration Trick
This is for children who "stop" fricatives, and/or for children who replace voiceless fricatives with voiced ones. Practise 'sh...heap', 'shhheap', etc., gradually reducing the aspiration and eventually turning 'sh...heap' into 'sheep'.

Facilitative Context for sh

/sj/ SIWI to facilitate 'sh' SIWI
s-u-shoe, s-ute-shoot, s-yell-shell, s-yawn-shorn, s-ewe-shoe, s-yak-shack, s-yacht-shot, s-yam-sham, s-yard-shard, s-yurt-shirt, s-yin-shin, s-yawl-shawl

zh Syllable Initial Within Word and Syllable Final Word Final
luge rouge beige treasure television fusion tape measure Persian carpet azure vision Asia explosion illusion erosion invasion Persian cat confusion decision

/h/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
hat horse hill heart heap hand hair hen hive hook hoe hoop hose horn house hog hiding hitting humming holding hurrying hopping hugging hanging

/h/ Syllable Initial Word Initial - polysyllables
hippopotamus holiday Halloween Himalayas hairdresser hydrogen handkerchief harmonica horrible headmaster headmistress headquarters hexagon helicopter hilarious hollyhock honeycomb hospital housekeeper horseradish horticulture hydrangea housewarming Humpty Dumpty

ch Syllable Initial Word Initial
chin chick choose chip chop chain cheese chair chalk chimp child chest chilli cherry chisel cello children chicken China chimney champion chocolate chopsticks chewing gum

ch Syllable Final Word Final
watch aitch coach beach fetch ouch hatch crutch hutch witch match couch peach torch church porch pouch arch

ch stimulus pictures
choo-choo, etc.

Facilitative contexts for 'ch'

ch facilitative contexts - words, no pictures
hat shop chop; neat ship chip; eight shoes choose / chews; wet shoe chew; fruit shop chop; shirt shop chop; wet sheep cheap / cheep; neat sheet cheat; last sheep cheap / cheep; etc.

ch facilitative contexts pictures
neat shirt neat shirt neat shirt; great show great show great show; bright shirt bright shirt bright shirt; quite sharp quite sharp quite sharp; count sheep count sheep count sheep; not shut not shut not shut; got you got you got you; ah-choo! ah-choo! ah-choo! ouch ouch! ouch

ch facilitative contexts 4
hurt shin chin chin chin chin chin; wet sheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep; eight shoes choose choose choose choose choose; neat ship chip chipchip chip chip; hat shop chop chop chop chop chop; wet shoes chews chews chews chews chews; fruit shop chop chop chop chop chop; not sure chore chore chore chore chore; eight shoes choose choose; got you chew chew; hurt shin chin chin; wet sheep cheep cheep; neat ship chip chip; hat shop chop chop; wet shoes chews chews; fruit shop chop chop; not sure chore chore

/tj/ SIWI to facilitate 'ch' SIWI
t-u-chew, t-yellow-cello, t-yin-chin, t-ewes-choose, t-yes-chess, t-York-chalk, t-yolk-choke, t-yuck-chuck, t-year-cheer

Aspiration Trick for ch

ch Aspiration Trick
This is for children who "stop" the voiceless affricate (e.g., "din" for "chin", and/or for children who replace the voiceless affricate with the voiced one (e.g., "jeep" for "cheep"). Practise 'ch...heap', 'chhheap', etc., gradually reducing the aspiration and eventually turning 'ch...heap' into 'cheep'.

Working from /tr/ to facilitate ch

ch contrasted with tr (and dg contrasted with dr)
trick chick trees cheese train chain trip chip try chai true chew tress chess trill chill trek cheque
dray J draw jaw drag Jag drive jive drain Jane drake Jake drill Jill drone Joan

dg Syllable Initial Word Initial
jump jewel jam jeep juice jeans jet junk gym jog jug jazz jig gaol (jail) Jag jukebox jelly juggle jetty jacket jaguar jelly beans jig-saw jumper juggler germs jalopy jolly jumbuck jeweller joey judo jade Jack Horner Jack & Jill Jack Sprat Jack be Nimble

dg Syllable Final Word Final
page hedge wedge cage sage badge lodge stage fudge George rage forge

Working from /dr/ to facilitate dg

dg contrasted with dr (and ch contrasted with tr)
trick chick trees cheese train chain trip chip try chai true chew tress chess trill chill trek cheque
dray J draw jaw drag Jag drive jive drain Jane drake Jake drill Jill drone Joan

Sonorants are consonants (nasals, liquids and glides) or vowels. They are produced without obstruction of the airstream (cf. Obstruent).

/m/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
mouse milk man mop match mug mat moon mouth mine mail meal monkey money

/m/ Syllable Final Word Final
home lamb jam comb game worm lime gym team gum palm arm dream pram sum drum storm room plum thumb cream crumb

/n/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
net nut night nap no knife nine knot nail name nose nurse

/n/ Syllable Final Word Final
sun fan rain line hen phone sign can train lion bin pin bean lawn clown swan brown queen chain town spoon bone

Chaining for /n/

/n/ Chaining - knee-words
Chaining begins with words or syllable contexts the child can produce. This one is for children who can produce /n/ within a word (intervocalically) but not word initially. Start by familiarising the child with the words 'honey', 'bunny', etc. (or similar words). Then practise saying them. Then say the words with the second syllable slightly exaggerated (hon ey, bun ny). Move on to honey-knee, bunny-knee, etc. until the child can easily say 'knee'. Then move on to knee-need, knee-niece, knee-kneel, knee-neat, and knee-knees. Then change the vowel (no, neigh, gnaw, etc.) and proceed to CVC words (nose, name, nought, etc).

ng Syllable Final Word Final
wing tongue bang ring ting ping-pong king gong fang rung string swing sting lung Bing thing

ng Syllable Final Word Final - 'ing-words'
pulling looking eating guessing feeding sitting playing mixing riding watering blowing feeding building holding dressing balancing listening saving see-sawing skipping cutting drumming singing talking running hiding finding hopping skate-boarding swinging dancing reading crying picking squirting tying brushing collecting vacuuming sneezing drinking hanging marching knitting skating jumping folding tickling fishing climbing relaxing sliding skiing diving kicking finishing smelling drawing floating recycling jumping throwing making giving pretending toasting picnicking dancing cart-wheeling selling sailing walking

/l/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
leaf lamb light lock lawn line lion lace lick let lake 'A llama on a lead.' lunch loaf lamp leeks 'Let me out of here!' label luggage lobster letter lightning lily lemon ladle lettuce lantern lighthouse lizard ladder letters lattice ladybird lavender lipstick locker laundry locust lounge lifeguard lollipop la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la

/l/ Syllable Initial Within Word
balloon pillow aloe ballet bollard follow collar sailor silly Billy pulley Collie willow colour | color silo dollar Wally | Waldo rally teller pilot tiler bowler olives pollen tulip alien swallow police yellow ruler roller Felix pylon gallery million relay chameleon salute Milo pillion waterlily elephant Holland Poland New Zealand Malaysia Philippines Ireland

"Llama Therapy" for /l/

/l/ facilitative contexts - 'llama therapy'
la-la llama llama la-la large large la-la laugh laugh la-la latte latte etc.

The trrrrrrreasure trick!

In development, /r/ often emerges first in /tr/ clusters. This can be used in therapy to elicit /r/ SIWI.

1. Practice and strengthen the accuracy of the client's production of /r/ in /tr/ SIWI words such as triangle, trumpet, etc..
tr-clusters SIWI (1)
triangle track train tree tractor trash treasure trumpet trick truck trolley tram trip trim treat tray traffic trophy travel tread trailer

2. tr-clusters SIWI (2)
trumpet track try train true trust trick tray trim tram tree treat treasure trouble travel trailer truffles Trojan horse

3. Then use near minimal pairs such as track-rack (see below) to facilitate production of /r/ SIWI.
track rack train rain trash rash tram ram trim rim trip rip tread red tray ray trap wrap true roo

4. Next, move on to other /r/ SIWI words (see below).

/r/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
roo row ray rye rat rain rock rake rope red rag rig race rack ramp ranch rink rice ring rhyme rash road roots roof rook rink remote robot raven rectangle robin rocket rainbow recipe recorder radish rocker rabbit radiator radio

/r/ Vocalic /r/ 1
first turn learn purse stir bird shirt earth nurse start park sharp farm chart heart guard dark star year weird near cheer beard sphere ear clear fire choir iron tired wore tyre lyre spire hire door bored store fork corn four sore pour north square care spare hair share tear air fair pear

/r/ Vocalic /r/ 2
dollar trailer color ruler shorter taller caterpillar solar bigger smaller stroller reader river runner writer reporter rider roller refrigerator repairer learner cracker explorer mirror warrior barber ladder speaker hairdresser

/r/ Vocalic /r/ 3
grasshopper spider lobster tiger panther hamster gopher deer juicer vacuum cleaner mixer blender food processor cooker toaster coffee maker refrigerator corn cracker pear yogurt butter hamburger watermelon garlic gingerbread person

Facilitative Context for /r/ SIWI

her-ice-rice
her > ice > rice, her > ink > rink, her > eel > reel, her > O's > rose

/w/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
wheel wok weed wick one wing well worm wall wire wool wand wood wave watch wolf wind world water waiter wagon wallet weasel walnut wigwam windmill watermelon window washing machine walrus

/w/ Syllable Initial Within Word
hardware carwash station wagon underwear fireworks highwire homework seaweed stopwatch firewood dishwasher sandwich

/j/ Syllable Initial Word Initial
yay! U Yowie ute yet yawn ewe yam yak yen yoga yes yogurt yard yo-yo yeti yacht Yoda

/j/ Within Word
Bunyip papaya emu onion kayak W costume lanyard million spaniel bilious pillion confused stallion bunion bayou billiards unusual

"Palindrome Words" - same first and last consonant in CVCs
pip pup pop peep pipe Pope bib Bob tot teat toot tote Dad dead kick cock cake cook Coke cork* gag gig Sis sauce shush church* judge George* Mum / Mom mime nun nine noon naan Nan none (*'Cork', 'church' and 'George' are CVCC words (not CVC) in rhotic dialects of English)

kr-clusters SIWI
crust crumpet cry crack crane crew crab crown cradle crock crash crocodile

kl-clusters SIWI
clip clean clamp click clap cloud clock climb claw club class cloak clue clown clam clear clothes clever clips cloth

l-clusters SIWI
fly flute flame flock flea flower bling blossom blade blue blood black play plate clown clock cloud clue glass glow glue glove slug slate slip slide (plus the /sn/ clusters: snake snow snail sneeze - there are more /s/ + nasal clusters here - see Sonority Sequencing Principle)

r-clusters SIWI
fry fruit frame free frock frog bring broom braid brick brush brown pray prize prince princess prick proud crown crock crowd crew crash crab grapes grow drink drop drawer drill

tr-clusters SIWI
trumpet track try train true trust trick tray trim tram tree treat treasure trouble travel trailer truffles Trojan horse

w-clusters SIWI (tw, kw, sw)
twins twenty twirl twinkle tweed twelve queen quiet quilt question choir quick swim sweet sweat swish sweep swat swan switch swing swamp swarm swallow

ft-clusters SFWF
gift lift loft raft left craft

ks-clusters SFWF
ducks locks books bricks sticks lynx ox axe box fox flex relax

kt-clusters SFWF
act duct fact insect architect direct

lt-clusters SFWF
belt bolt kilt salt quilt stilt adult vault result catapult difficult somersault

mp-clusters SFWF
amp imp camp hump lump pump jump stamp champ clamp chimp swamp lamp shrimp blimp bump ramp stump

nch-clusters SFWF
branch bench conch launch inch ranch lunch wrench punch finch stench winch munch clench pinch hunch flinch Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch! A bunch of flowers. A bunch of grapes. A bunch of bananas. A bunch of carrots. A bunch of asparagus. A bunch of radishes. A bunch of balloons. A bunch of keys.

nd-clusters SFWF
and end band wand hand pond land frond sand rind blonde blind ground hound diamond island husband ampersand

nk-clusters SFWF
ink junk pink bank link bunk rink punk monk sink wink plank mink drink honk dunk blank

nt-clusters SFWF
ant mint tent pint giant dent

sk-clusters SFWF
desk disk cask mask kiosk whisk obelisk asterisk

st-clusters SFWF
best dust cast bust fist chest feast guest first frost crust artist forest chemist nest mast mist post

ts-clusters SFWF
nuts roots pants shorts tights boats cats lights coats hats ants boots

/sm/ /sn/ /fl/ /fr/ 'thr' /sl/ /bl/ /br/ /dr/ /gr/ /sw/

/sp/ /st/ /sk/

SIWI, SFWF, SIWW, SFWW

In the branch of Clinical Linguistics called clinical phonology, the abbreviations SIWI, SFWF, SIWW and SFWW are used to describe where sounds occur in spoken words.

SIWI is "syllable initial word initial".
In the word "ball", /b/ is SIWI.

SFWF is "syllable final word final".
In the word "rub" /b/ is SFWF.

SIWW is "syllable initial within word".
In the word "about" /b/ is SIWW.

SFWW is "syllable final within word".
In the word "tablet" /b/ is SFWW.

The terms are used to denote how the words are pronounced by an individual, not the way you spell them, or the way they "should" be pronounced. So, for example, when you break a word like "innocent" into syllables with regard to how you might spell it you get inn-o-cent. But when most speakers of English SAY the word it becomes (roughly!) ih-nu-sent so that the /n/ is SIWW (not SFWW as it would be if you said in-uh-sent).

Many speech-language pathologists / speech and language therapists use these abbreviations when they look at "phonotactics" (the patterns of vowels and consonants, or syllable shapes a child can produce) in detail, as part of a phonological analysis. The information is useful in choosing therapy targets and devising word lists for production practice and auditory bombardment (focused auditory input) when appropriate.

There is more terminology in the site glossary.

There are vowel minimal pairs here near the top of the page

e as in bed
bed pen egg red net bell ten belt bread s beg hen jet yes vet shell letter fence celery kettle energy special

ee as in sea 1
sea knee key bee tee pea g d she he me ghee tea e brie tree flea three ski spree free

ee as in sea 2
sea key bee tee g knee tea she he

eer as in beer
beer spear gear deer ear tear weird spears shears beard

air as in chair
chair bear mare hair pair square spare air chairs flares bears squares stairs spares

bough cow
sow bow owl fowl pow cow towel cowl bough ow! ouch! house mouse crowd town gown down loud mouth proud cloud couch brown pouch flower tower crown clown shower shout count

ough as in dough
dough no bow o row sew show low go hoe toe grow slow flow snow blow

oa as in goat
goat throne boat foam road dome nose float toad loaf hose slope snow-dome (snow-globe)

oa as in go - go-goat CVs and CVCs
go goat bow boat dough dome hoe hose throw throne row road no nose toe toad

ir as in shirt
shirt purse bird work girl nurse pearl worm fern church

oy as in soy
soy toy boy koi poi joy buoy oy noise boys enjoy annoy oyster oink oil coin hoist join

schwa word finally 1: Non-rhotic varieties of English: word final schwa #1
grasshopper caterpillar woodpecker spider tiger panther koala gopher beaver otter alligator lobster llama boxer banana guava pizza hamburger cola tortilla pepper cucumber America Georgia Iowa California Minnesota Louisiana Alabama Arizona Montana Florida Indiana Alaska Oklahoma Virginia South Dakota Nebraska South Carolina West Virginia North Carolina Pennsylvania North Dakota North America South America Africa Australia Asia Canada soccer player pitcher basketballer catcher skier swimmer diver bowler server fencer archer weight lifter

schwa word finally 2: Non-rhotic varieties of English: word final schwa #2 (occupations)
painter dancer tailor builder singer doctor cleaner presenter bull fighter exterminator waiter construction worker teacher photographer sister dog trainer dressmaker interviewer driver shopper director barber welder window cleaner bricklayer roofer carpenter carpet layer concreter glazier

There are vowel minimal pairs here near the top of the page

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Phonology and articulation pictures; consonants, clusters, vowels.

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Do you feel like you are constantly nagging your child to pay attention? Or do you find yourself saying "Sweetie, let's focus!" every afternoon over homework? Are the students in your classroom distracted, lacking concentration, or tuned out? Using attention activities to help kids pay attention may be just the thing to help with kids who have a lot on their mind in the classroom or at home as critical thinking skills develop. These are activities to improve attention and concentration and can be a big help at home or at school.

Distractions can come in many forms. The child who is overly sensitive to sensory input may over respond to the slightest sounds, textures, sights, scents, tastes, or motions. Children who are excessively distracted by their sensory needs will struggle to attend to simple commands. Other children are able to "keep it together" in a classroom or home setting yet their concentration is challenged. Inattention can present as indifference, disregard, forgetfulness, carelessness, disinterest, neglect, or thoughtlessness. Kids might make mistakes or seem like they simply can't pay attention. When a child is struggling to complete tasks, there can be many reasons or many signs of attention issues.

This resource is part of our new Executive Functioning Skills series. You will find information, executive functioning skill areas, strategies, and tools added to the drop down menu above.

Recognizing a connection between sensory processing and attention can be a key focus point. Our free attention and sensory workbook can help.

Improve Focus and Concentration

Limitations in cognitive abilities can impact all aspects of occupations in school, home, the community. Learning and daily activities provide opportunities for cognitive development, including attention, memory, problem solving. Additionally, concepts that children need for math and reading require attention and focus, including the ability to concentrate and attend to reading, counting and patterns in play are necessary for math concepts and early literacy skills.

In fact, there are a few key early literacy skills that are important building blocks:

Alphabet Knowledge: Knowing letter forms along with their names and sounds

Phonological Awareness: Discriminating and manipulating the sounds associated with spoken language

Rapid Automatic Naming: Rapidly naming sequences of letters, numbers, colors, or objects

Writing: Writing letters on request & name writing

Phonological Memory: Remembering orally presented information for a short length of time

Occupational therapists have the skills to work with the educational team to address specific needs in the classroom related to literacy skill development. They can do this through multi-sensory approaches, while addressing any accommodations, and in meaningful and motivating means, all while supporting specific goals. A quick search found evidence-based interventions that can be used to promote pre-literacy skills in early childhood.

Some of these strategies include: facilitating the development of motor skills, sensory processing, postural control, and social interactions, as well as facilitating the development of alphabetic principle (specific letters correspond to specific letter sounds), phonological awareness (ability to discriminate and manipulate the sound structure), and phonemic awareness (understanding of a sound, like the initial sound of a word) into interventions. This can be included by incorporating multi-sensory approaches to formation of alphabet letters, use of finger plays, songs, and pre-writing tasks during interventions to promote the development of literacy skills (Frolek Clark, et al., 2011).

Inattentive Behaviors in kids

Understanding that attention and executive functioning skills are connected can be a helpful starting point in addressing the areas that play into a child's inattentiveness. In fact what adds to a child's inattentive behavior can be a variety of needs, from sensory processing components to executive functioning issues.

Addressing areas such as impulse control, problem solving, distractibility, self-regulation, and delayed gratification can be tools to address habits and mindset behind inattentive types of behaviors.

Types of Attention

There are various types of attention that kids can struggle with, each impacting function and independence in occupations of daily life for children in different ways. Mastering these types of attention are necessary for learning, safety, social skills, and function.
Under each description of the different types of attention, you'll find activities to improve attention and concentration for that specific area.
Amazon affiliate links are included in this post.

Sustained Attention

Holding attention over a period of time is necessary for the focus and concentration needed in learning, listening during lectures, paying attention during conversations or instructions. Reading a book requires the ability to pay attention over a period of time without becoming distracted. As reading requirements become more advanced in the older grades, sustained attention is challenged by chapter books and reading comprehension.

Activities to Improve Sustained Attention-

ord search- cross out all letter a's, etc.

Write out a list of words that start with a certain letter. Identify a certain number of words.

Ordering information into alphabetical or numerical order

Set a timer and complete a task or reading passage for a certain number of minutes

Selective Attention

By nature, we are able to select the input we pay attention to. Consciously, and unconsciously, we are able to select the input which is most important. This is visible by the student who listens to their teacher during a lesson while a lawn mower is running outside the classroom window. Anyone familiar with a classroom can imagine all of the stimuli which is thrown at a child at any given time: a fly on the window, the first snowflakes of the season falling outside, a flickering fluorescent light, a fellow classmate with a bad cough, a janitor cart passing by in the hallway, a student's pencil that drops, a tapping of a shoe, a rumbling belly waiting for lunch...there is a lot going on which challenges selective attention! Having the ability to select from the many points of visual, auditory, interoceptive, tactile, stimuli in order to focus and attend to just one, is the brain's ability to select and respond to just one factors that matter most.

Activities to Improve Selective Attention-

Use visual cues

Work on auditory skills

Limit visual distractions

Reduce background noise

Position kids away from windows or hallways in the classroom

The Focus Game

Alternating Attention

This type of attention refers to the ability to switch or immediately transfer focus from one activity to another. Switching points of concentration is needed to make sudden switches in alternating attention in tasks which require different cognitive skills. One example of this is cooking a meal and performing various tasks at once (boiling water, chopping carrots, and helping kids with homework is just one example. As a side note, it seems like teachers and parents excel in alternating attention. Alternating attention requires the ability to use the other attention types in tasks.

Activities to Improve Alternating Attention-

Cooking with kids activities

Musical chairs

Eye Found It Game

Flip cards in a deck and perform actions based on the suit, color, or number

Sort coins or colored items

Practice performing a task that can easily become distractible such as going online to send an email...or shopping in Target.

The Sneaky, Snacky, Squirrel game

Divided Attention

Divided attention refers to one's ability to focus on two or more things at the same time. Simultaneously concentrating on various factors is evidenced by driving and holding a conversation simultaneously. This ability to multi-task isn't always an easy thing to manage. The ability to hold attention to various simultaneous point of concentration can require practice. A teen who is learning to drive will need the radio turned off and the only conversation in the car being verbal instructions from a parent or driving instructor. Only through practice does that new driver learn to concentrate on the road while the radio is playing.

Activities to improve divided attention-

Practice games such as Connect Four with background distractions or verbal instructions

Increasingly complex verbal memory games

Simon with music playing in background

Attention Activities

Use the activities and strategies below to build attention skills or accommodate for struggles with attention so that children can become safe and active learners in all environments.

For classroom strategies, try adding a few attention-boosting classroom breaks, depending on the needs of the students you serve.

Attention Activities for kids

When it comes to boosting attention in kids, there is a lot going on. Attention is aligned with executive functioning, sensory processing, self-reflection, and so much more! Below, we are chatting about a few attention activities for kids. These are the ones that develop attention through games, activities, and fun. Being that a child's primary occupation is play, why not develop the skills they need (like attention!) through active participation in an interest-based activity?

Some of these quiet fidget tools for the classroom may help.

Attention Deficits

Addressing attention can be addressed through focus exercises and tools to improve self-reflection in children. Understanding how a sit Helping children with self-reflection can be a valuable tool. Understanding a situation and reflecting on what worked and what didn't work, along with strategic use of coping strategies is one way to address attention deficits in kids. These are the areas where a child struggles in the classroom, home, homework, extracurricular activities, or the community. Each child will be different and each child's situation will differ. It makes sense that each child's tools and strategies will differ, too.

More strategies to improve attention

The Impulse Control Journal is your ticket to helping kids manage their impulses, strategize ways to "shift gears", and learn valuable lessons in self-regulation. This printable journal is a hands-on approach to improve attention and concentration.

The Impulse Control Journal is a self-regulation tool that will help:

Children who have boundary issues

Kids learning about self-control or who struggle with carryover of skills learned during one-on-one therapy sessions

Kids with impulse control challenges that lead to safety concerns or learning issues

This printable journal has tools to address attention at all levels:

Drawing Journal Pages to reflect and pinpoint individual strategies

Journal Lists so kids can write quick checklists regarding strengths, qualities, supports, areas of need, and insights

Journaling worksheets to pinpoint coping skills, feelings, emotions, and strategies that work for the individual

Daily and Weekly tracking sheets for keeping track of tasks and goals

Mindset, Vision, and Habit pages for helping kids make an impact

Self-evaluation sheets to self-reflect and identify when inhibition is hard and what choices look like

Daily tracker pages so your child can keep track of their day

Task lists to monitor chores and daily tasks so it gets done everyday

Journal pages to help improve new habits

Charts and guides for monitoring impulse control so your child can improve their self-confidence

Strategy journal pages to help kids use self-reflection and self-regulation so they can succeed at home and in the classroom

Goal sheets for setting goals and working to meet those goals while improving persistence

Tools for improving mindset to help kids create a set of coping strategies that work for their needs

Get your copy of the Impulse Control Journal to address attention and other underlying areas.
"Thinking and Doing" Attention

As we've covered above, there is a complex nature to attention as we use this executive functioning skill in every day activities. That is further broken down into the areas of thinking and doing.

Thinking Attention- This refers to sustained attention previous to a task and the process of mental skills to imagine a task. Thinking attention also refers to the cognitive skills of working memory, task completion, time management, flexible thinking, attention and other cognitive skills that require sustained thoughts.

Doing Attention- This refers to sustained attention during a task as it is carried out. Doing attention refers to what we see, or the behaviors at hand. In the classroom, this looks like the fidgety kid or the student that jumps up from their seat. These behaviors are connected to emotional response, inhibition, response flexibility during a task, and other actions.

occupational therapy activities to improve attention

As occupational therapy professionals, we can support the individual in a variety of settings. Depending on which environment results in functional skill deficits, that is the environment to consider. It might be that in the school, attention lacks as a result of a distracting classroom full of visual noise. Or perhaps auditory sensitivities impact attention. Despite these visual or auditory distractions, it is not necessarily a "sensory issue", but an impulse control, sustained attention, working memory, etc. issue. These are areas that an OT can support through suggestions, tips, and consultation.

Likewise, attention at home can impact transition from school to home. The environment can play a role in organizing and completing homework and chore completion. There can be considerations that impact functional performance of self-care, social interactions, or participation in family events.

You can see how attention struggles can be vastly different depending on the individual!

Some ways OT can support individuals with attention challenges that impact functional performance:

Concentrating then on one task at a time before moving on is important. We need to make sure that everyone has received the instruction, one thing at a time. This is where visuals on the student's desk can come into play. If the task is opening their language arts book to page 101, then maybe those instructions should be taped to the desk so the student knows exactly what is expected. And, if they are distracted, the teacher can walk by and point. This also does not bring attention to the student. The student could then check it off when they are finished. We need to make sure they are successful before moving on.

We need to keep these instructions simple and short. Again, we need to limit distractions. This includes homework and desk areas where they are working. We do not want clutter. We want to build a successful environment for them. You can also talk with parents or teachers about this.

Reference:

Frolek Clark, G. G., Schlabach, T. L., Barnett, M. E., Carr, M. A., Hinkle, B. L., Kluever, J. L., ... Kluever, A. L. (2011, August). American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. Retrieved from www.aota.org

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Types of Attention and Activities for Each Type - The OT Toolbox

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Do you feel like you are constantly nagging your child to pay attention? Or do you find yourself saying "Sweetie, let's focus!" every afternoon over homework? Are the students in your classroom distracted, lacking concentration, or tuned out?

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This is a really challenging time for children with ASD as their routines are completely disrupted. Hopefully now as we face into our third week off school, the children are settling into a new form of normal for them.

This time at home could be beneficial as it will give children a lot of time to work on life skills, which may not always get quite enough time in school. By working on life skills, you are also working on fine and gross motor skills, following a sequence of events, following instruction , and so much more.

Daily chores can help your child with autism.. You should start slowly by assigning just one and breaking the task down into its most basic steps. Work alongside your child to model the correct task sequence. When tidying up the kitchen, for example, it is wise to show your child to use a spray bottle (just water) and then a cloth to wipe the counters. Operating the nozzle is great for fine motor skills.

Matching socks is also a skill which requires concentration, and is a form of maths.

Setting the table for dinner is a nice habit to get your child into!

Washing dishes is another valuable skill, which some children will love because they'll get to play and splash with soapy water! Using different size containers also works on the maths strand of capacity, working on terms such as empty and full!

Matching lunch boxes to the correct sized lids is a job which will promote problem solving.

Watering plants/tending to the garden is a great hobby and if your child enjoys playing with clay all the better for their FMS!

Preparing meals- getting cheese/butter from the fridge, getting the plate out of the cupboard are all tasks your child could be doing to promote vocabulary and understanding- even if it is hand over hand try encourage your child to do this daily. It is also an opportuntiy to practice sequence of events- e.g. 'First, give me the butter, next give me the cheese.'

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Simple At Home Life Skills for Children with ASD - Múinteoir Valerie

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This is a really challenging time for children with ASD as their routines are completely disrupted. Hopefully now as we face into our third week off school, the children are settling into a new form of normal for them. This time at home could be beneficial as it will give...

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

Fun and Engaging Free Typing Games for Kids: Boost Typing

Advancing Skills through Games:

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

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

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

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

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

1. Cooking

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

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

2. Virtual Reality/Virtual Tours

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

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

A select few you might want to check out are:

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

3. Create a Calendar

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

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

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

4. Stay in Contact with Friends & Family

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

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

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

5. Learn Stuff

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

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

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

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

6. Keep Fit

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

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

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

7. Read A Book

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

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

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

8. Watch TV (in Moderation)

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

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

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

Amazon Prime (free-for-kids):

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

IMDb TV:

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

The NFL & NBA

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

9. D.I.Y.

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

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

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

10. Play a Game

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

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

Pom Pom Racing:

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

Human Pachinko Machine:

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

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

Bobbing for Skittles:

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

Pub Quiz:

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

Scavenger Hunt:

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

Carry on the Conversation:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Coronavirus 14 day self isolation activities - ELSA Support

Coronavirus 14 day self isolation activities: Lots of people have been asking for activities to do if your school is closed due to this Coronavirus outbreak. I have put together this list of activities. There are 14 days worth but many can be used over several days if necessary. The file is a PDF. All you need to do to go to each activity is to click the BLUE Title writing within the PDF file which is shared at the end of this post. This will take you to a FREE resource on the website so you can download and print it out.

School staff.

You have permission to share this PDF to parents in any way you choose. This MUST be done electronically so the parents can click the links to go to the resources. You may email it or host it on your school website. I will provide an image for you to put on your website.

You can download the IMAGE file by right clicking on this image and choose 'Save as', give it a name and choose somewhere on your computer to save it.

This is the current advice from the NHS on Self isolation.

You can download the PDF from here Coronavirus home challenge

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Coronavirus 14 day self isolation activities - ELSA Support

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Coronavirus 14 day self isolation activities - ELSA Support Coronavirus 14 day self isolation activities: Lots of people have been asking for activities to do if your school is closed due to this Coronavirus outbreak. I have put together this list of activities.

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SEN/LITERACY/NUMERACY
Online web browser activities with printable activities available
Use:

SEN Teacher is amongst the oldest teaching resource sites and has over 300,000 regular users

Their learning materials are free to share and use

The Print tools on SEN Teacher allow you to create, adapt and share teaching resources for a wide-range of abilities

No login or registration needed

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

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‎The Choiceworks app is an essential learning tool that helps children complete daily routines (morning, day, & night), understand & manage feelings and improve waiting skills (taking turns and not interrupting). Choiceworks is designed for caregivers to provide clear and consistent support to fost…

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speech and articulation worksheets

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Mommy Speech Therapy - Thoughts on speech & language development

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

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Visual: Activities age 4 - 10 - Best Practice: Sensory

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Specific Activities: The following strategies are suitable for most students, particularly those with sensory difficulties. Each strategy can be adapted to complement the students’ curriculum and individualised education plan. Remember, these are just a few examples of sensory strategies that can be…

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Hello everyone,

Due to the popularity of my last life skills post, I have decided to share a second. These are all simple tasks which can be completed at home. Remember if your child isn't quite able for some of these just yet, keep going with hand over hand, as the repititive nature of this will help a lot!

Help put toys away.

Dress himself (with some help from you)

Put his clothes in the laundry basket when he undresses

Clear his plate after meals

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Brush his teeth and wash his face with assistance if necessary

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Feed pets

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Mix, stir and cut with a dull knife

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Life Skills for Young Children Part Two - Múinteoir Valerie

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Hello everyone, Due to the popularity of my last life skills post, I have decided to share a second. These are all simple tasks which can be completed at home. Remember if your child isn't quite able for some of these just yet, keep going with hand over hand, as...

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How to use Mr Men Books to teach emotion literacy