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NCSE Transition from Primary to Post Primary School

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NCSE Transition from Primary to Post Primary School

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Transition - Primary to Post-Primary | National Council for Special Education - CPD and In-School Support

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The transition from primary to post-primary can be a stressful event for all students and their parents, and this can be compounded when the child has special educational needs. The need for flexibility in accommodating this transition, especially when the student has a special need, is noted in the…

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This may be more suitable for older children but has some lovely ideas

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Picture books and related activities to aid transition into 'big school'

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Worried about starting secondary school?

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Worried about starting secondary school?

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Here are some tips to help

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Starting secondary school - BBC Bitesize

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All the latest BBC Bitesize content about starting secondary school.

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Managing Your Child's Worry: Bite-size Course

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Managing Your Child's Worry: Bite-size Course

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This bite-size session from MYA will look at what worry is, how it differs from anxiety and why as parents we need to support our children to worry and find effective ways to control worry. Find out more at https://bit.ly/3fGPcD0
Suitable for Y6 classes (could be adapted for use in Y7)

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10 Ways for Parents to Help Their Children with Change

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10 Ways for Parents to Help Their Children with Change

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A resource for parents from Young Minds
Information for settings working with all ages

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Want More School Resources?

Sign up to our free 360° Schools' Community to get free tips, advice and handy resources straight to your inbox.

If your child is transitioning from Year 6 to Year 7 or going through a significant change in their lives, these top 10 tips might be useful for you. Going through change can be scary or challenging for children and young people, but sometimes it's just the small things, like showing interest in your child's hobbies, that can make a difference.

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Find Your Feet: Transition Tips for Parents

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Sign up to our free 360° Schools' Community to get free tips, advice and handy resources straight to your inbox. If your child is transitioning from Year 6 to Year 7 or going through a significant change in their lives, these top 10 tips might be useful for you.

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An Oral and Written Story Telling Resource For Parents

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Lessons for Online Classes

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Jan 2021 - Parents' Content free for one month

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Dabbledoo makes teaching the arts more accessible, engaging and fun for primary school teachers and children alike.

Music

The award winning method for Irish primary schools.

Drama

Ireland's first online programme for primary schools.

Weekly lessons and planning content

Step by step weekly lessons and planning content make it easier than ever to teach the arts subjects in the classroom.
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Accessible for all

Accessible and engaging lessons for teachers and students alike.

Our resources can adapt to suit you and your class and have been developed to support children with additional learning needs.

Videos and interactive resources

We work with leading educators, artists and musicians to create fun and engaging content for your classroom.

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Diversity, Integration and Equality

We are committed to growing our content for schools and our organisation in a way that values diversity, inclusion and equality.
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Dabbledoo - The Complete Primary Arts Programme

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Irish primary school music, drama and arts education that's fun and accessible for every classroom. Weekly lessons, planning content with videos and interactive resources accessible to all.

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Advice for supporting children when starting nursery

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Advice for supporting children when starting nursery

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For many children a return to nursery will be similar to starting all over again. How can we best support their return when it happens?

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Transition: The Journey

Children's lives today are so much more hectic than ever before. Going to a setting for the first time, moving to another one, starting school or moving into a new class are seen by many people as a normal part of the lives of children. Yet transitions are milestone events for children and have a definite effect on their development. They are times of exciting change certainly and times of new opportunities and growth for every child. They can also be times of uncertainty where surroundings are not the same, expectations and procedures different and faces as yet unfamiliar. Getting transition right is vital for every child and is not a single event that merely 'happens'. Transition should be viewed as a process rather than an event that involves children, practitioners and parents together. Transition has been described as an ongoing journey rather than a destination.

Transition to Nursery
Finding the Right Daycare for Your Child
Transition to Pre-school
Preparing Your Child for Pre-School
Transition into Reception classes

Transition is always about change; particularly adjusting to change - and successful change is about then forgetting that the change happened. When young children move from a pre-school environment such as from home or a childminder or a daycare setting into a school environment they will experience huge change in their lives. This change is often accepted by adults with little idea of what the change will mean for the child. This is simply because adults often take things for granted - so a parent or teacher might unwittingly fail to recognise what is involved for the child. If transition is to be successful, from pre-school to school, preparation should begin early so that there is good communication between the two organisations. This needs to be considered carefully by leaders who will decide how best to support the transition process.

Transition into Key Stage 1

Through the EYFS children are entitled to a curriculum that is based on what interests them and what they already know, can do and understand. Year 1 teachers build on these starting points and continue to nurture children's natural desire for learning. As they continue their journey into Year 1 consideration should be given to what children experience as similar in Reception and Year 1 classes and how this can be developed further. This should include consideration of physical resources such as sand, water and construction and opportunities for learning through first hand-experiences. There should be opportunities for children to initiate activities themselves and to follow up their own interests independently. Headteachers and senior managers influence smooth transitions from the EYFS to Key Stage 1 through school organisation, staffing, resourcing and the transfer of information about children's learning. Parents should be encouraged to continue to be involved as partners in their children's learning.

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Transition: The Journey Children's lives today are so much more hectic than ever before. Going to a setting for the first time, moving to another one, starting school or moving into a new class are seen by many people as a normal part of the lives of children.

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A document giving you information to support your child's development at their different stages

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Resources for parents and carers from @LivPacL8 

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Resources for parents and carers from @LivPacL8 

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Produced by LivPac & Chris Cavanagh (LCC Parenting Co-ordinator)

As Parenting Co-ordinator for Liverpool City Council, I am proud that we can offer parents across the city a platform to share their stories whilst offering resources from across a wide spectrum of organisations to support parents on their journey.

It has been a privilege to pull these SEND blogs and information together and I would like to thank the parents, LivPac and our partners for their support and assistance in piecing this jigsaw of information together.

Chris Cavanagh
Liverpool Parent and Carers Forum (LivPaC) is a group of parents and carers of children and young people with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who work with education, health and care services to ensure the services they plan and deliver are fit for purpose and meet the needs of children, young people and their families across Liverpool. We have a Steering Group of parent and carer volunteers who lead this work and who actively seek out the experiences and views of parents and carers across Liverpool to make sure we know what is important to them.

We aim to give parents and carers a collective voice and use our experience, knowledge, and feedback from families to help commissioners and providers plan and develop the quality, range and accessibility of services families use.

What we do: Through our participation and co-production, we are working to create a culture across all services which places need of families at the centre of the decision making.

We aim to: Empower parents/carers to have a voice give information to be a collective voice for as many families as possible across Liverpool by providing a forum for views to help develop services work in partnership with a service provider, be supportive and accessible to all families across Liverpool provides examples of good practice, provide informal support, encourage and promote inclusive attitudes and practice.

"Alone, we can do so little. BUT together we CAN do so MUCH"

It is hard to go through COVID-19 with our children/young people in lockdown when they are full of anxiety and worry from not seeing their friends. As a forum, we have been doing three coffee sessions and 3-4 webinars a week with our partners The Isabella Trust, so that parents and carers, have access to tutors and knowing that they are not on their own. Since the beginning of lockdown, we with our partners The Isabella Trust have supported approximately 1600 families and professionals, from all areas of the UK, and we have gone worldwide to such places as Dubai, Bermuda, Cape Town, Nova Scotia and Barcelona.

Blogs

Here, we get the lowdown on lockdown life according to single mother of two neurodiverse children, Natalia Figueroa Castilla. She speaks of the challenges the coronavirus pandemic has presented with regards to her new relationship, setting a routine and spreading her parental care to two children with different needs...

In this blog, Sue Kelly shares her experience in balancing the initial worry between her and her husband having to work from home while teaching three children - each with their own unique needs. She tells us how priorities shifted to maintaining collective mental health and wellbeing during the lockdown.

SEND Resources & Support

COVID-19 Guided Self-help Booklet Series

The University of Glasgow, with assistance from colleagues at Lancaster University and the University of Warwick, has published a series of guided self-help booklets developed to support people with mild to moderate learning/intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Printed versions are available to reach and include people with learning/intellectual disabilities who do not have internet access.
Download the booklet here.
STARS: Coronavirus Resources for Children with Autism

Social Stories present information about coronavirus visually and so are easier to process for autistic children and young people. Choose the Social Story best suited to the child or young person you are working with, you may need to edit it so it is personalised to them.

The symbols provided can be used to create a home Visual Timetable to provide some structure to your child or young person's day.

It may be valuable to use a Talking Mat; a visual scaffold designed to enable children and young people to express their views and concerns.

Try using Worry Plans to address specific worries the child or young person might have. Work together to list personalised strategies to address the worry, record them on the plan and keep it to refer to again.
You can discover the resources at www.starsteam.org.uk/coronavirus-resources.
LD Coronavirus Resources

Information for people with learning disabilities as well as useful things for staff teams and families: sites.google.com/view/learningdisabilitycoronavirus/home.

Emergency planning during the Coronavirus outbreak

Together Matters has written a guide with essential information to help family carers plan to get the support they need during the current crisis.

The guide has information and ideas for:

coping with staying at home

family carer/paid carer becoming ill

their relative becoming ill

their relative going to hospital

It's designed for family carers to use with others, such as wider family, neighbours, friends, support organisations, carers' centres or social workers who can give support with finding solutions and putting practical things in place. Visit www.togethermatters.org.uk/resources-and-information.

Tips on home schooling for families: www.afasic.org.uk/2020/04/tips-on-home-schooling-from-other-parents/.

FOCUS: Bereavement resources

Coronavirus and bereavement - Support for Schools / Settings and Parents / Carers

In the coming months, more children and young people are likely to have experienced bereavement through the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19). This document aims to offer support to schools or settings and parents or carers on how best to support children and young people who have experienced loss during this uncertain time. The document outlines some key practical advice as well as signposting further expertise and resource.

This document has been written by Bracknell Forest EPS in collaboration with Innovate Services and is a valuable support resource in helping to tackle issues surrounding coronavirus and bereavement.

Cruse: Bereavement care including coronavirus dealing with bereavement and grief -
www.cruse.org.uk/get-help/coronavirus-dealing-bereavement-and-grief.

Child Bereavement UK: Help children and young people (up to age 25), parents and families, to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies: www.childbereavementuk.org.

Selfcare for Caregivers: The International School Counselor Association is a professional organization, which provides leadership and advocacy for the profession of school counselling in International Schools.

They have come up with a self-care for carers guide, which you can visit here: iscainfo.com/Self-Care-for-Caregivers.

FOCUS: Early Years / SEND resources: The EYSEND Partnership has developed a number of useful resources for settings, which you can view here.

FOCUS: Liverpool SEND Support Groups

Caring for SEND children is equally rewarding and challenging. Quite simply, doing it alone is a difficult task, which is why the LivPac team have created this handy SEND Resources and Support Information document to help find support which will hopefully make life easier for you and the children in your care.

FOCUS: Mental Health support

Calming down worries, for children: Children and parents alike can access Psychology 4 Learning's helpful guide here.

Calming down worries, for adults: Parents and guardians alike can access Psychology 4 Learning's helpful guide here.

Childline: Calm Zone - There are lots of ways to feel calmer. It's about finding what works for our children. They can try some of Childline's breathing exercises, activities, games and videos to help let go of stress by visiting www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/calm-zone.

A menu of activities to structure routine and time: Look after your wellbeing by finding purposeful balance. Most people will find the additional time that they now have difficult to manage because life is ordinarily organised and we are usually so busy. In the current situation, we now have more unstructured time than we may be used to. This activity menu may help you structure your time.

Taking CARE To Promote Mental Health in Schools and Colleges: The CARE animation is a short animation for all school and college staff that recognises the importance of supporting children and young people's mental health in schools and colleges, and offers a simple principle for staff to remember: CARE (Curious, Approachable, Refer, Empathy).
Mindful and relaxation exercises that parents can do with younger children to help with managing anxiety
As well as the above video, Headspace also have some handy tips for helping kids to meditate: www.headspace.com/meditation/kids.

Managing anxiety about the virus as adults

Below is a list of useful resources which can help adults allay Coronavirus-related anxiety:

Anxiety and world news: How to strengthen children & teens against anxiety after news of a world trauma: www.heysigmund.com/anxiety-in-children-after-world-trauma.

How to talk to kids and teens about world trauma: This useful guide can be accessed here: www.heysigmund.com/how-to-talk-to-kids-and-teens-about-world-trauma.

Supporting Students Experiencing Childhood Trauma: Tips for Parents and Educators from the National Association of School Psychologists

This useful guide can be accessed here: www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/mental-health-resources/trauma/supporting-students-experiencing-childhood-trauma-tips-for-parents-and-educators.

FOCUS: Preparing for Adult Life

The key topics to consider as your child moves into adulthood:

Making a plan

Making decisions

Benefits & money

Wills & trusts

Education, health & social care

Getting a job

Independent living & housing

Growing up, sex & relationships

More information can be found at contact.org.uk/advice-and-support/preparing-for-adult-life.

FOCUS: Supporting families during Covid-19

Covid-19: Direct response service: www.wellchild.org.uk/coronavirus/direct-response

Covid-19: An ACT approach to parental burnout:

FOCUS: Supporting children through Covid-19

Information for parents of how to support children through COVID-19:

FOCUS: Transition back to school

Liverpool Learning Partnership: padlet.com/jholder_llp/goingbacktoschool.

The Scott Centre for Autism Treatment - Video sharing tips for the Back to School Transition for Children with Autism:

Babcock LDP Educational Psychology Service: www.babcockldp.co.uk/disadvantaged-vulnerable-learners/educational-psychology/resources/transition-guidance.

Supporting SEND transitions through the Early Years: www.earlyyearscareers.com/eyc/latest-news/supporting-send-transitions-through-the-early-years.
Inclusive resources:
WATCH - The Brain Charity Physiotherapy and Dance:

The Brain Charity are also working on bringing live sessions to children and young people that need these workshops and if you would like to find out more then please email Joanne, the Project Coordinator: [email protected] .

"SEND Toolkit" (an introduction to supporting children with additional needs in the classroom):

1. There is so much information about the SEND Code of practice, but teachers who are unfamiliar with it can start with something simple and easy to read: MENCAP SEND publication

2. The full document can be viewed here: SEND Code of Practice Full Document

3. A useful Youtube video which is good to help young people learn about EHCPs and what it means to them

4. Websites for classroom resources that are well set out and 'chunked' for SEND support: & SENteacher

5. P scales information on the TES website

6. A useful document looking at each subject separately for Secondary / KS3&4

7. All about different types of SEND: www.humansnotrobots.co.uk/p/resources-hub.html

8. Visual timetables - a variety of symbol based resources for Primary students

Special Education Needs and/or Disabilities

Supporting Students with Autism

Webinars, social stories and tips for parents supporting children with Autism during Covid-19 - ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Supporting-students-with-Autism.pdf

Families everywhere are struggling to care for (and homeschool) children cut off from their normal routines and activities during the coronavirus crisis. Kids with ADHD may need extra structure and support to manage attention and behaviour challenges and keep on track with learning in this challenging situation. This article provides suggestions from ADHD experts for helping kids with ADHD weather this storm: childmind.org/article/giving-kids-with-adhd-support-and-structure-during-the-coronavirus-crisis/#163961_20200415095626.

Support

Partner Websites

Website and activity ideas
A Twitter stream sharing Found Resources and home learning packs that would be suitable for SEND pupils: twitter.com/teachPMLD/status/1240369135885975554/photo/1 50 sensory learning activities: inclusiveteach.com/2020/03/20/150-sensory-learning-ideas
Activities including sensory and massage stories themed for the time of year:
Download here via Dropbox
GoNoodle - videos designed to get kids moving: www.gonoodle.com Twinkl - free home learning booklets from EYFS through to GCSE, you can download them here: www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/extra-subjects-parents/school-closures-category-free-resources-parents/school-closures-free-resources-parents
Other Useful Resources

Children coming to hospital

This resource aims to make hospital visits better for children. The resource is made up of an animation and comic strip for children and young people, an animation for health professionals and a leaflet for parent/carers. View it here.

Epilepsy toolkit

Developed in partnership with Epilepsy Action, SUDEP Action and Young Epilepsy, this Epilepsy Toolkit will support systems to understand the priorities in epilepsy care and key actions to take. It provides opportunity to assess and benchmark current systems to find opportunities for improvement. It is produced with reference to an expert group of stakeholders and is supported by NICE. You can access the toolkit via the NHS Rightcare Pathways web page: www.england.nhs.uk/rightcare/products/pathways/epilepsy-toolkit.

Top 3 'misc' useful resources

1. Coronavirus Tech Handbook: The current biggest compilation of information, support and resources (It is HUGE!): coronavirustechhandbook.com

2. A huge summary of working from home resources www.notion.so/Digital-Working-COVID

3. A simple social story explaining the coronavirus: carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pandemics-and-theCoronavirus.pdf

Top 5 COVID-19 explanation and support resources

1. A huge home learning resource list - chatterpack.net/blogs/blog/resources-list-for-home-learning

2. Supporting children and young people with COVID-19 worries: wokingmind.org.uk/mental-health-conditions-information-resources/coronavirus-your-wellbeing

3. MIND Coronavirus and your wellbeing: www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing

4. 9 ways to stay positive during the pandemic: www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2020/03/15/9-ways-to-stay-positive-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic

5. BBC Newsround Coronavirus information for children www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51204456

6. Here, you will find new SEND Guidance videos from nasen/Whole School SEND: www.sendgateway.org.uk/whole-school-send/find-wss-resources/nqt-videos.html

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Produced by LivPac & Chris Cavanagh (LCC Parenting Co-ordinator) As Parenting Co-ordinator for Liverpool City Council, I am proud that we can offer parents across the city a platform to share their stories whilst offering resources from across a wide ... Read more...

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Parenting through Covid-19

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By Chris Cavanagh, Denise Wright & Kaya Nash (Liverpool City Council, Early Help Team) with contributions from citywide partner organisations.
"If like me, the news of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had you and your family wondering what it means for you all, I totally understand. It is a natural reaction because the way we managed our day-to-day lives and our family life has fundamentally changed. Before you know it normality will be resumed and we can look back and reflect, knowing that Liverpool has come together as a city to work collectively again to help each other.

Terms such as social distancing, self-isolation and social lockdowns have entered our vocabularies and have become part of our normal lives. Other more positive discussions are also emerging around terms such as community, resilience and support.

The long-term implications are not yet known, but as a parent and a professional who supports families, I believe that the support that is offered and information you are able to access can help you get through these times. While keeping children and ourselves healthy and safe is our main concern, it is also essential to address the anxieties of children and young people during these changing times. You will find some ideas to help inform, reassure and keep children and young people safe.

The offer of services to support families and young people in Liverpool continues, this is offered in a different way through telephone and video calls.

My children are all adults now but I think back to the days when we played computer games together, like FIFA on the Playstation. I must admit that as they got older I didn't stand much of a chance of winning, but it was a chance for me to spend time with them and have fun. My generation grew up with console games, maybe this is the time to bring that dusty controller out of retirement and have a game of Mario or FIFA. Just a reminder -FIFA 20 is the current game and it's much slicker than FIFA 98!

Liverpool has always pulled together as a city in times of adversity and it is no different now, our workers are being as innovative as ever to bring together resources to make the time you are spending as a parent as light and fun as possible.

The amazing work by our partner organisations and volunteers across the city highlights that together we will continue supporting people in this city and helping to improve lives.

Within this blog you will find information to support you and your family and we will be posting new information as we receive it."

Local Organisational Support

The Liverpool CAMHS Partnership is adapting as Coronavirus impacts our everyday lives. Our partners are working hard to ensure children, young people and families get the support they need during this time.

You can find out more at liverpoolcamhs.com/support-category/covid-19-support.

Top Tips

To help parents interact constructively with their children during this time of confinement, these six one-page tips for parents cover planning one-on-one time, staying positive, creating a daily routine, avoiding bad behaviour, managing stress, and talking about COVID-19. Use them to your and your kids' advantage, and have fun in doing so.
Tip 1- ONE ON ONE TIME Tip 2- KEEPING IT POSITIVE Tip 3- STRUCTURE UP Tip 4- MANAGING BEHAVIOUR Tip 5- KEEP CALM AND MANAGE STRESS Tip 6- TALKING ABOUT COVID 19
Parenting Guides

These guides are free interactive online parenting guides for parents and families in Liverpool.

The guides are based on real evidence about how babies develop in the womb, through infancy and throughout childhood and adolescence. Liverpool parents, carers and grandparents can learn about the stages their children go through and how to strengthen relationships with them in ways that will have a lasting positive impact on the whole family.

Within these guides, written by the Solihull Approach (NHS), you can find advice and information on:

The amazing and developing brains of babies and children

The importance of playing, singing, reading with your child

Parenting styles and tips

Overcoming challenges with things like behaviour and sleep

The huge value of good communication

If you live in Liverpool* then you are eligible to access these online guides for free. Visit inourplace.co.uk and enter the following access code: PURPLEBIN

Pregnant or New Mums

Home Learning

Parents who may need to work and juggle childcare will feel like they have to fill their children's gap for learning. While no-one expects them to replicate school, there is plenty of online help to stave off boredom.There are lots do arts and craft activities and lots of these help with language, vocabulary and mathematics. Here are some useful websites for home learning ideas:

Remember that while learning is important at this time of unprecedented uncertainty, so are family activities, such as having fun and getting out of the house (where appropriate)...

Make time to play...

Children can learn so much through play. You might not feel like playing much at the moment, but playing can be a great escape and can really help to take your mind off things.

You may want to plan a short play activity for each day, this can really make a difference to your child's mood and behaviour. Playing together can really help prevent problem behaviour which may stem from boredom whilst also maintaining and strengthening family relationships.

Making time to play together also creates even more ideas for playing and can create opportunities to talk about your child's interests or any other worries they might have. Finding a good time in the day to play is important, you might plan to play something after breakfast for younger children to get them in a contented mood for the day, or later in the evening for older children, or as a whole family.

There are lots of games to play outside too while you go on your daily walk, such as 'I Spy', or you could look for rainbows together that children are making and displaying in their windows (and you can even make your own rainbows).

You may want to encourage your children to use apps like Zoom or Skype so they can stay in touch with their friends and family.

Some ideas for playing together...

Play board games together, traditional games like Monopoly, Cluedo, Ludo or games like Connect 4, Checkers, Battleships, Guess Who, Snakes and Ladders and Jenga are fun for two players or more. You might want to invent your own games, lots of games only need paper and pencil, such as Pictionary, where you guess each other's words through drawing, or games such as treasure hunts, where you can make your own clues. Playing card games like Chace the Ace, Snap, or Patience can keep children entertained for a long time (and can really boost mathematical skills).

Start to collect materials for your own art and craft kit, you can collect cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, tin foil, food packaging, buttons, bits of fabric, yoghurt pots, old milk bottles. Add scissors, pencils, paint and glue to your kit (according to your child's age) and these will keep your child amused for hours. You might help young children to make their own book all about them, with their own drawings in, these could be based on one of their favourite topics like Outer Space, Super Hero's, Forests or Magical Kingdoms. Books can happen inside shoe boxes, on cardboard or on paper! Use audiobooks to listen to a story and then write a summary / draw the story. Find out more via the city's FREE Read Liverpool e-reading resource or .

See more about the importance of play and lots of ideas for activities at actionforchildren.org.uk/support-for-parents/things-to-do-with-your-child.

Or visit Creative Bug, which offers craft lessons, from knitting to jewellery-making, drawing and origami: creativebug.com

You may want to learn an instrument, there are plenty of free online sites that teach children to play an instrument. Go to bbc.co.uk/learning/subjects/music.

Play Virtual chess: chess.com/play/computer

Baking together is also a great activity, home-made cakes and biscuits can be a lot tastier and healthier than the ones you buy in the shops and you can control how much sugar goes into them! Join Miranda Gore Brow for lots of ideas for children and adults to bake together: mirandagorebrowne.co.uk/bake-together. Or visit bbc.goodfood.com/recipes or bakingmad.com.

Six Ways to Maintain a Routine

In normal circumstances, it's hard to argue that there is something wonderful about those rare days at home, where you can get up late, stay in your pyjamas and sit around the house without any major commitments to worry about. In the current climate however, finding some sense of routine while at home could be more important than ever.
careforthefamily.org.uk/six-ways-to-maintain-routine-while-at-home
Managing Your Own Wellbeing

There is a wealth of online support available for families and we hope you have been able to access some of this for yourselves.

A whole host of celebrities have removed paywalls to their online classes. These include Joe Wicks, Carol Vorderman, Ben Fogle, Marlene Klauss and other You Tubers your kids will actually have heard of! You may find it useful to build an age and stage appropriate 'timetable' for yourselves and also for families you are working with.

Employment Opportunities

For those of you seeking for work, there are many new opportunities. Did you know that your local children's centre can offer the support you need to help you return to work, such as help with preparing a CV? Call your local centre to find out the many ways they can support you to find or return to work.

For current vacancies (from age sixteen+) please visit Liverpool in Work: liverpoolinwork.co.uk.

Lots of supermarkets have immediate vacancies for store assistants and shelf stackers:

Aldi: Drop CV in store.

B&M: Drop CV in store.

Hospital Cleaners are also wanted immediately, call Census Jobs on 0151 443 6858/6878 or visit censusjobs.co.uk.

Antrec Online Training is offering online packages for taxi and private hire drivers for those age 19+, in receipt of benefits or on low wage. Email [email protected] .

More opportunities can be found at bbc.co.uk/news/business-52040539.

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Parenting Through Covid-19 - Culture Liverpool

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Parenting Through Covid 19 - One city. One Effort. By Chris Cavanagh, Denise Wright & Kaya Nash (Liverpool City Council, Early Help Team) with contributions from citywide partner organisations. "If like me, the news of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has ... Read more...

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Managing unexpected endings and transitions

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Managing unexpected endings and transitions

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Support for staff working with children who have experienced bereavement from Anna Freud National centre for children and families

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Building it into your day

It'll amaze you how quickly your child learns at this age - they're curious about everything they see and do. You can help them to make more sense of the world and how they fit in it by talking to them about their interests and opinions. Interacting with your child throughout the day and giving them opportunities to practise what they're learning through real life situations can make a big difference.
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Ages and stages

Children at this age talk about past, present and future events. In reading aloud they use different tones of voice to show meaning and feeling. They use longer and more complex sentences when they are speaking. They like to try out different words and concepts.
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Top Tips

1. Listen to your child. Encourage them to tell you about things that interest them. Help your child to make decisions by discussing their ideas.

2. Discuss with your child how reliable information is and whether the television, newspaper or website is trying to sell you something.

3. Involve your child in everyday literacy and maths - making a list and check prices for shopping. When you are doing DIY in your house - seeing if there is enough space for a piece of furniture to fit.

4. Encourage your child to enjoy reading by having a variety of books around your home - storybooks, poetry, factual books and books about topics they enjoy like animals, music and football.

5. Listen to your child reading in short regular sessions. Encourage your child to read with expression. This will help them read more fluently.

6. Encourage your child to write in their daily lives - birthday cards, telephone messages and keeping a diary.

7. Play word games - 'Stop the bus' and 'I spy' with a letter - board games - Cluedo and Junior Scrabble and card games - Old Maid, Rummy with your child.

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It'll amaze you how quickly your child learns at this age - they're curious about everything they see and do. You can help them to make more sense of the world and how they fit in it by talking to them about their interests and opinions.

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National Council for Special Education - NCSE online Resources for Parents

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National Council for Special Education - NCSE online Resources for Parents

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Members of the National Council for Special Education

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Test your math skills! Ace that test! See how far you can get!
You can view them on-screen, and then print them, with or without answers.

Every worksheet has thousands of variations,
so you need never run out of practice material.

Choose your Subject !

* Note: the worksheet variation number is not printed with the worksheet on purpose so others cannot simply look up the answers. If you want the answers, either bookmark the worksheet or print the answers straight away.

Also! Our forum members have put together a collection of Math Exercises.

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Test your math skills! Ace that test! See how far you can get! You can view them on-screen, and then print them, with or without answers. Every worksheet has thousands of variations, so you need never run out of practice material.

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The OT Toolbox

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Occupational Therapists are often times consulted to assess a child for their fine motor skills that are needed in school and for resources to build fine motor skills in the classroom. When a child's fine motor skills are lacking, classroom tasks can be difficult and result in delays in many aspects that are necessary for learning and functioning in the school environment. Today, I'm sharing a breakdown of

fine motor skills in the school environment and how to build these skills during the school day through simple strategies. One of these strategies is Finger Aerobics. Read on to learn more about finger aerobics exercises for a fine motor writing warm-up exercise.

Fine Motor Skills Needed at School

A recent article in the American Journal of Occupational Therapist called Fine Motor Activities in Elementary School Children: A Replication Study examined the motor and technology requirements of kindergarten, second-, and fourth-grade general education classrooms.

The study found that students spend between 37.1% to 60.2% of the school day performing fine motor activities, with handwriting accounting for 3.4%-18.0% of the day. Does that surprise you? We are talking about all of the fine motor tasks students complete during the school day in this post, but it certainly makes sense that a large portion of the school day includes fine motor work.

The study provides an updated information on the amount of handwriting, technology requirements, and fine motor work that children are taking part in during the school day.

The study also found that fine motor skills were integrated into tasks throughout the day, including transitions to and from the classroom and between activities. tasks like unzipping a backpack to get out paperwork for the teacher, gathering materials, managing writing utensils such as pencils and markers, activities of daily living (e.g., zipping and buttoning jackets for recess), and technology use (e.g., using a finger to complete a maze on the Smartboard) all are included in the school day. These tasks require development and integration of fine motor skills. It should be noted that students who struggle with fine motor skills will likely struggle throughout the day.

When you stop and think about all of the contributing factors that impact fine motor development and strength, it is no wonder that kids are struggling more than they seemed to in the past (this is coming from personal experience, but I think most of you might agree that kids seem to struggle more with fine motor, pencil grasp, and visual motor skills than they did years ago.) There are so many considerations that play a part in fine motor woes. Check out the fine motor development considerations listed below.

Fine Motor Development Considerations

These are areas of childhood that impact the development of fine motor skills.

Skip crawling and move straight to walking

More time being rushed around in baby carriers

Time spent in "baby positioners"

Less "free play" and more scheduled activities

Less exposure to small parts and creative play (More structured and planned play)

Less movement-based and developmentally appropriate learning in preschool, kindergarten, and the younger grades

More time on screens

Early screen-time exposure

Less outdoor time and strengthening through heavy work/outdoor play

What would you add to this list?

Knowing all of this, we can empower our kiddos with support and fine motor activities integrated right into their classrooms and play. Here are some tools and resources to help with those fine motor struggles:
Spring Fine Motor Activities Improve Pencil Grasp with Fine Motor Fine Motor Skills, Defined DIY Fine Motor Activity Kits
Fine Motor Examples at School

Fine motor skills are essential for independence and functioning within the classroom environment. Consider all of the areas where fine motor skills are needed for ease during the school day:

Handwriting and pencil grasp
Scissor grasp and cutting paper
Paper management including placing papers into folders
Paper clip management
Paper connectors (brads) management
Erasing with a pencil
Rotating a pencil within the hand
Coloring
Squeezing glue bottles
Removing glue caps from squeeze bottles or glue sticks
managing zippers on backpacks
Tying shoes
Managing clothing and clothing fasteners during bathroom breaks
Donning and doffing jackets and coats
Managing buttons, snaps, and zippers on coats and jackets
Tying shoes
Opening containers in the lunch room
Holding utensils and scooping food to eat
Picking up small pieces of food
Manipulating coins in the lunchroom
Typing on a computer keyboard
Toileting (tearing toilet paper and wiping)
Toileting (pulling up pants)
Using a stapler
Opening and closing a three ring binder
Managing glue sticks
Art projects
Packing a backpack
Endurance in writing
Removing and putting on caps on markers
Sharpening pencils
Placing manipulatives and counters accurately in hands-on math activities
Opening jars of paint

Fine Motor Skills Examples

Fine motor skills play a huge part of a student's day! So what are fine motor skills? I explained in detail the various aspects of and examples of fine motor skills. For more examples of fine motor skills, check out the list below. These are the aspects of motor work that play a part in fine motor tasks during a child's school day. All of these skill areas are types of fine motor skills that impact function, in big ways.

These daily functions within the school environment require many fine motor skills. Each daily task requires many fine motor skills:

Definition of Fine Motor Skills

Occupational therapists know the definition of fine motor skills. It's an integral part of every therapy evaluation.

For a layman's definition of fine motor, the Medical Dictionary defines fine motor skills as: "Any of the motor skills that require greater control of the small muscles than large ones, especially for hand eye coordination or for precise hand and finger movement. Fine motor skills include handwriting, sewing, and fastening buttons. Most movements require both large and small muscle groups, and there is considerable overlap between fine and gross motor skills, but distinguishing between the two is useful in rehabilitation settings, special education, adapted physical education tests, motor development tests, and aptitude tests in industry and in the military."

When fine motor skills are delayed, a student's success in the classroom can be greatly impaired. IncompleteUnderdeveloped Difficulty with

There are many reasons that fine motor skills might be lacking, resulting in delays in functional skills:
Muscle weakness
Dysgraphia
Low tone
Delayed wrist and hand development
Poor posture and core strength
Insufficient somatosensory input with failure to develop kinesthesia
Insufficient visual control

Incomplete utilization of proximal joints of the upper extremity including poor support
Inadequate spatial analysis and or synthesis skills
Insufficient visual-motor control
bilateral integration Delayed or inadequate arch development

precision handling Motoric separation of the two sides of the hands.

Fine Motor Development

Fine motor development and successful use of refined motor skills in functional tasks relies on a sensorimotor foundation of trunk and arm stability, strength, manipulation, ability to motor plan, and effective coordination of visual motor information.

When kids are required to perform classroom and school activities without these foundations in place, difficulties arise, resulting in frustration, feelings of failure, and behaviors. So many times, there is a question of whether a student should be referred to the school-based OT for evaluation and assessment of fine motor skills for improved success in the classroom.

Teachers, parents, and school support staff should consider a referral to the school-based Occupational Therapist if the following fine motor conditions are observed and are effecting school occupations and learning.

Signs a Student Needs Occupational Therapy in the School for Fine Motor Skill Development:
Difficulty holding scissors and cutting shapes when age-appropriate
Trouble with letter/number formation or reverses letters
Avoids fine motor activities
Trouble using an effective pencil grasp
Fatigue when coloring
Difficulty erasing without tearing paper
Writes too lightly or too dark and written work is illegible
Difficulty putting on coat, managing buttons/zippers/snaps, or tying shoes (from what is age appropriate)
Switches hands during activities

There are some easy ways to build fine motor skills right in the classroom. Try some of these strategies to accommodating for poor fine motor skills that might impact a student's success in the classroom:

Classroom strategies for addressing fine motor skills at school

Try various writing utensils. Utilize
Work on various writing surfaces (chalkboard, slant board, easel).
Use a kneaded eraser for less required effort when erasing.
Evaluate pencil grasp and try various pencil grips to modify for efficiency.

Manage papers and bilateral coordination by taping paper to the desk.
techniques for organizing papers when motor planning is an issue.

Finger Aerobics for Building Fine Motor Skills

One strategy that is helpful in building fine motor skills in the classroom is finger aerobics. These finger motor movement exercises are activities that can be used by the whole classroom as part of a handwriting warm-up exercise. Kids with poor fine motor skills can oftentimes struggle with hand functions and tool use in the classroom. Finger dexterity activities like finger aerobics promote sensorimotor awareness and manipulation of the hands. Finger aerobics are ideal as a transitional movement activity for the whole classroom or a brain break type of activity.

Check out the finger aerobics in the images and descriptions below:

Spider Push-Ups: Show the students how to place both hands together with palms and fingers touching. Then, show them how to push the hands away from each other at the palm. The fingertips should remain in contact.

Finger Pick-Ups: The students should stand at their desk and place their hands flat on the desk surface. They can then pick up each finger in isolation. Ask them to raise each finger from the desk surface 3 times and then pick up and hold each finger individually for several seconds.

Fingertip Touch: Ask the students to touch their thumbs to the tips of each of the fingers. They can do both hands at the same time or one hand at a time. Then, ask them to touch the tip of their thumb to the base of each finger. They can touch the tip or base of each finger at different speeds, as they spell words, or count in various increments. Next, ask them to touch the tips or bases of each finger with their hands held behind their back or out of their field of vision.

Finger Sounds: Ask the students to close their eyes. Then, the teacher or group leader can ask the students to listen carefully as she makes sounds with her hands. The teacher can make one sound and then ask the students to repeat the sound using their hands. Ideas include: rubbing the hands together to make a soft swishing sound, snapping, clapping, thigh slapping, finger tapping, or patting the desk. The students should keep their eyes closed as they repeat each individual sound.

Fist Squeeze: Ask the students to make a fist with both hands. Then, they should try placing their thumb in different positions and squeezing as hard as they can. Try the thumb at the side of the fingers, wrapped over the knuckles, and tucked under the fingertips. Show them how to stretch out the fingers and then repeat.

Spider Crawl: Ask the students to stand up behind their desks. They can then place both hands with the palm and fingers flat on the desk surface. Show the students how to make their hands "crawl" across the desk like spiders. They can move both hands together symmetrically and individually in different directions. Keep the palm lightly positioned on the desk surface.

Finger Muscles: Show the students how to use their other hand to provide resistance for squeezing. They can place their pointer finger or their pointer and middle finger of one hand on the outstretched fingers of the other hand. Ask them to squeeze their fingers and then to try to push against the fingers.

Writing Gloves: Ask the students to pretend to put a glove on their hands, slowly moving the glove over each finger. They should push each finger down individually. Then, they can remove that pretend glove, one finger at a time. This is an especially calming activity that provides proprioceptive input through joint compressions.

Finger Ducks: Ask the students to straiten the fingers and thumbs to create a "duck" puppet with just their fingers. They can make the duck open and close it's mouth to spell words, count, or read. Then, ask them to pretend that the duck ate a lemon as they pull the finger tips into the palm. This is a great activity that strengthens the lumbrical muscles of the hands.

You can view all of the exercises here:

Be sure to visit the other Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists who are writing about School Day Functions this month in the
Functional Skills for Kids series.

More Fine Motor Activities that will build skills needed for Function and Learning in School:

Sierra Caramia, Amanpreet Gill, Alisha Ohl, David Schelly; Fine Motor Activities in Elementary School Children: A Replication Study. Am J Occup Ther 2020;74(2):7402345010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.035014

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Fine Motor Skills Needed at School - The OT Toolbox

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Occupational Therapists are often times consulted to assess a child for their fine motor skills that are needed in school and for resources to build fine motor skills in the classroom. When a child's fine motor skills are lacking, classroom tasks can be difficult and result in delays in many aspects that are necessary for learning and functioning in the school environment.

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Useful course for Parents by David Coleman and Anokha Learning

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Useful course for Parents by David Coleman and Anokha Learning

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My feedback could only be positive. I particularly found the learnings around the brain very interesting. I feel that I have gained practical tips, tricks and ideas from this course and come away with a deeper understanding of children's emotions.
Mary Nolan Durkan, Childline Regional Supervisor
Fantastic course for teachers or anyone who works with children. Easy explanations of the scientific aspect of anxiety and the brain, as well as practical ideas to use with children. Would definitely recommend this course!
Amy, Teacher
This course will be really beneficial to any person, parent and / or professional who is concerned about a child's level of anxiety. I found the content both engaging and practical, delivered at a good pace with just the right amount of detail. The use of case studies throughout really engages the participant in the key learning. Following this course the participant will have a better understanding of anxiety, recognising that anxiety can be a good thing. They will also have some really useful tools to assist them in supporting children to work through their anxiety and develop coping skills.
Caroline O'Sullivan, ISPCC Childline Director of Services
Upon completion of this course, my feedback could only be positive. I found the content was very interesting and easy to understand. I particularly found the brain very interesting and David spoke about this so knowledgeably while also easy to understand. I feel that I have gained practical tips, tricks and ideas from this course and also have a better understanding of children's emotions. Really enjoyed the learning from this course!
Mary, works with Children
I would recommend this course because anxiety is explained in great detail and is very easy to understand. What I found most useful how the course is broken up into 8 separate modules and delivered in a little over 30 mins. It makes it an achievable course to do while working full time. Due to the corona virus outbreak, I have had to change the way I work as a family support worker. I still need to engage my families in an informative and supportive way, that is what attracted me to this course. Anxiety and worry are becoming a global problem but not just for children. This course is appealing to children but can be applied to all ages. I would be interested in doing more of Dr. David's courses to help me reach out to families.
Peig, Family Support Therapist
I would recommend this course because it is simple and easy to use and the information is very informative for parents to follow and each stage gives you step by step instructions. It also allows you to recognise that children are allowed to express their fears and anxiety. I really enjoyed the calmness of the course and the reassurance it gives. I also loved the visual relaxation tips great anytime to practice. This course gave me confidence to use techniques provided and I have put them into practice with my own children and the ones I work with. I like that I have skills to help both myself and the children in my care rationalise their concerns and help them come to conclusions about situations.
Leon, Special Needs Assistant and Parent
As a parent of two anxious children and a special needs assistant for almost 20 years I have experienced so many types of anxiety within school and at home. I found this course extremely beneficial and worthwhile. David has always been so interesting to listen to and explains everything so clearly. I would highly recommend this course.
Julie, Parent and Special Needs Assistant
I found the online learning experience fantastic and really easy. It was so beneficial for work and training in sharing concepts with service volunteers.
Emma McCluskey, ISPCC Childline Manager

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David Coleman - Scared Kids - Helping Children Cope with Anxiety

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My feedback could only be positive. I particularly found the learnings around the brain very interesting. I feel that I have gained practical tips, tricks and ideas from this course and come away with a deeper understanding of children's emotions. Mary Nolan Durkan, Childline Regional Supervisor Fantastic course for teachers or anyone who works with children.

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This is an idea for working practically with children who are still in school. It consists of a house template and a school template. There are 24 suggested question cards, speech bubbles, thinking bubbles, lined cards and plain cards.

Download: My home and my school

Other Resources you will love!

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Home and School Coronavirus resource pack - ELSA Support

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This is an idea for working practically with children who are still in school. It consists of a house template and a school template. There are 24 suggested question cards, speech bubbles, thinking bubbles, lined cards and plain cards. Download: My home and my school Other Resources you will love!

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Access a large library of FREE printables when you become a Spark Rewards member. Our Free teacher and parent resources include worksheets, puzzles, games, calendars, and more.

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Parent Information Centre

To help both parents and teachers deal with this unprecedented situation, Prim-Ed Publishing has launched a 'Parent Information Centre'. FREE learn-at-home packs can be accessed here for all classes, with direct links to relevant products for parents and blogs with great teaching tips!

FREE LEARN-AT-HOME PACKS

Extracted from our bestselling teaching resources, download our learn-at-home packs today! Need to continue with learning? Browse through our relevant learn-at-home resources below!

LEARN-AT-HOME RESOURCES

Each of the subject areas below showcase hand-picked resources that can be easily used by parents at home. Browse from a large range that includes daily practice of English and maths to encourage routine and progression, cross-curricular activities that are easy to pick up, and even home projects that can be done using readily available materials.

WE'RE HERE FOR YOU

To help you in these trying times, we've temporarily waived our shipping fee and are always here to answer any of your questions. We have e-resources for all your teaching and learning needs, and are always more than happy to give you guidance on advising which resources you need.
Get in touch if you have any questions!

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To help both parents and teachers deal with this unprecedented situation, Prim-Ed Publishing has launched a 'Parent Information Centre'. FREE learn-at-home packs can be accessed here for all classes, with direct links to relevant products for parents and blogs with great t

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Scholastic Learn at Home: Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing.

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Scholastic Learn at Home: Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing.

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Raise a reader by getting the best book recommendations, reading tips, and discounts delivered straight to your inbox.

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Bitesize Irish Language Resource for Parents (Conemara Gaeilge)

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Bitesize Irish Language Resource for Parents (Conemara Gaeilge)

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All about learning the Irish language, also known as Irish, Irish Gaelic, Gaeilge, or even Gaelic. Learn to speak Ireland's native language with us.

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Have fun at home together

Are you wondering what to do with your children now that they are at home? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

We collect information on how quizzes are used so we can make them even better. Find out more

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Are you wondering what to do with your children now that they are at home? Here are a few ideas to get you started. We collect information on how quizzes are used so we can make them even better. Find out more

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News of the coronavirus COVID-19 is everywhere, from the front page of all the papers to the playground at school. Many parents are wondering how to bring up the epidemic in a way that will be reassuring and not make kids more worried than they already may be. Here is some advice from the experts at the Child Mind Institute.

Don't be afraid to discuss the coronavirus. Most children will have already heard about the virus or seen people wearing face masks, so parents shouldn't avoid talking about it. Not talking about something can actually make kids worry more. Look at the conversation as an opportunity to convey the facts and set the emotional tone. "You take on the news and you're the person who filters the news to your kid," explains Janine Domingues, PhD, a child psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. Your goal is to help your children feel informed and get fact-based information that is likely more reassuring than whatever they're hearing from their friends or on the news.

Be developmentally appropriate. Don't volunteer too much information, as this may be overwhelming. Instead, try to answer your child's questions. Do your best to answer honestly and clearly. It's okay if you can't answer everything; being available to your child is what matters.

Take your cues from your child. Invite your child to tell you anything they may have heard about the coronavirus, and how they feel. Give them ample opportunity to ask questions. You want to be prepared to answer (but not prompt) questions. Your goal is to avoid encouraging frightening fantasies.

Deal with your own anxiety. "When you're feeling most anxious or panicked, that isn't the time to talk to your kids about what's happening with the coronavirus," warns Dr. Domingues. If you notice that you are feeling anxious, take some time to calm down before trying to have a conversation or answer your child's questions.

Be reassuring. Children are very egocentric, so hearing about the coronavirus on the news may be enough to make them seriously worry that they'll catch it. It's helpful to reassure your child about how rare the coronavirus actually is (the flu is much more common) and that kids actually seem to have milder symptoms.

Focus on what you're doing to stay safe. An important way to reassure kids is to emphasize the safety precautions that you are taking. Jamie Howard, PhD, a child psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, notes, "Kids feel empowered when they know what to do to keep themselves safe." We know that the coronavirus is transmitted mostly by coughing and touching surfaces. The CDC recommends thoroughly washing your hands as the primary means of staying healthy. So remind kids that they are taking care of themselves by washing their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds (or the length of two "Happy Birthday" songs) when they come in from outside, before they eat, and after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the bathroom. If kids ask about face masks, explain that the experts at the CDC say they aren't necessary for most people. If kids see people wearing face masks, explain that those people are being extra cautious.

Stick to routine. "We don't like uncertainty, so staying rooted in routines and predictability is going to be helpful right now," advises Dr. Domingues. This is particularly important if your child's school or daycare shuts down. Make sure you are taking care of the basics just like you would during a spring break or summer vacation. Structured days with regular mealtimes and bedtimes are an essential part of keeping kids happy and healthy.

Keep talking. Tell kids that you will continue to keep them updated as you learn more. "Let them know that the lines of communication are going to be open," says Dr. Domingues. "You can say, 'Even though we don't have the answers to everything right now, know that once we know more, mom or dad will let you know, too.'"

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Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus | Child Mind Institute

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News of the coronavirus COVID-19 is everywhere, from the front page of all the papers to the playground at school. Many parents are wondering how to bring up the epidemic in a way that will be reassuring and not make kids more worried than they already may be.

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4. Offer reassurance

When we're seeing lots of troubling images on TV or online, it can sometimes feel like the crisis is all around us. Children may not distinguish between images on screen and their own personal reality, and they may believe they're in imminent danger. You can help your children cope with the stress by making opportunities for them to play and relax, when possible. Keep regular routines and schedules as much as possible, especially before they go to sleep, or help create new ones in a new environment.

If you are experiencing an outbreak in your area, remind your children that they are not likely to catch the disease, that most people who do have coronavirus don't get very sick, and that lots of adults are working hard to keep your family safe.

If your child does feel unwell, explain that they have to stay at home/at the hospital because it is safer for them and their friends. Reassure them that you know it is hard (maybe scary or even boring) at times, but that following the rules will help keep everyone safe.

5. Check if they are experiencing or spreading stigma

The outbreak of coronavirus has brought with it numerous reports of racial discrimination around the world, so it's important to check that your children are neither experiencing nor contributing to bullying.

Explain that coronavirus has nothing to do with what someone looks like, where they are from or what language they speak. If they have been called names or bullied at school, they should feel comfortable telling an adult whom they trust.

Remind your children that everyone deserves to be safe at school. Bullying is always wrong and we should each do our part to spread kindness and support each other.

6. Look for the helpers

It's important for children to know that people are helping each other with acts of kindness and generosity.

Share stories of health workers, scientists and young people, among others, who are working to stop the outbreak and keep the community safe. It can be a big comfort to know that compassionate people are taking action.

7. Look after yourself

You'll be able to help your kids better if you're coping, too. Children will pick up on your own response to the news, so it helps them to know you're calm and in control.

If you're feeling anxious or upset, take time for yourself and reach out to other family, friends and trusted people in your community. Make some time to do things that help you relax and recuperate.

8. Close conversations with care

It's important to know that we're not leaving children in a state of distress. As your conversation wraps up, try to gauge their level of anxiety by watching their body language, considering whether they're using their usual tone of voice and watching their breathing.

Remind your children that they can have other difficult conversations with you at any time. Remind them that you care, you're listening and that you're available whenever they're feeling worried.
See our COVID-19 resources for more advice, tips and activities to support you and your family through the coronavirus pandemic, from UNICEF experts in health, early childhood development, education, and child protection.

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How to talk to your children about Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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It's easy to feel overwhelmed by everything you're hearing about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) right now. Here's 8 tips on how to talk to your children.

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SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) resources, activities and support to help parents support their family.

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A different bedtime story each night. For more stories, try the CBeebies Storytime app.

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Tips for parents around new school/new teacher/new class

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Tips for parents around new school/new teacher/new class

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50 Things to do on your walks with little ones

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50 Things to do on your walks with little ones

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Help Your Child to Bin Unhelpful Thoughts - You can actually write them on a piece of paper and throw away

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Help Your Child to Bin Unhelpful Thoughts - You can actually write them on a piece of paper and throw away

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When you're a parent, self-care often slips to the bottom of the list. But taking care of yourself isn't a luxury. It's essential. And during this difficult time, when children are home and stress is running high, it's more important than ever. Here are five tips from our clinicians that can help.

The pandemic has been long, and even though the end is in sight, we're all struggling to maintain our mental health. Even now, much of the personal time that was part of daily routines pre-pandemic - commutes, time alone at home or at the store, social time with friends, sitting in a restaurant - is not available for folks with kids at home. Without it, we have to be intentional about creating space to recharge and decompress. This could look like taking a shower or bath, walking around the block alone (or with your dog), or designating time to read or simply zone out after the kids have gone to bed.

The colder weather and ongoing stress we're all experiencing right now can make it easy to slip into habits that feel good in the moment but can be detrimental in the long term. "Make sure you're eating properly, try to get enough sleep (but not too much!), and create a routine that includes physical activity," recommends Jill Emanuele, PhD, Senior Director of the Mood Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute. This doesn't mean pressuring yourself to get into tip-top shape, or not eating ice cream or binging your favorite shows. It does mean being thoughtful and intentional about how you're treating yourself and your body. Small changes like making time to take a walk, do a short exercise routine, or choosing to go to bed a little earlier than usual can reduce stress and help you feel more relaxed and resilient.

"Perfectionism and the coronavirus don't mix," says David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. "It's time to be exceedingly realistic, both at work and as a parent." Avoid burnout by setting realistic expectations and giving yourself grace if you can't meet them. "Practice forgiveness and self-compassion," says Dr. Anderson. Parents should remind themselves that these are unprecedented times. "There's no playbook for this. Remember you're doing your best during a very difficult time. Cut yourself some slack."

It's been long (long long long) year and anxiety is, understandably, rampant. With so much worry and uncertainty floating around it can be easy to absorb other people's fears and concerns without even realizing it. If you have a friend or family member who's in the habit of sending worst-case-scenario news or is prone to sending anxiety-provoking text messages, practice a little emotional distancing. Let them know you sympathize but that you're taking a break from worrying news, or simply hit the Do Not Disturb button. You can always reconnect when things are calmer.

Self-care can be as simple as taking a shower, but it doesn't have to be. Finding time to get back in touch with hobbies or activities you enjoy or making the choice to learn a new skill can be a great way to practice self-care. Maybe there's a knitting project you've always wanted to try, or you've been meaning to learn how to needlepoint. If young children at home make solo activities unrealistic, seek out activities you can enjoy together, like baking bread, or making art.

Finally, remember, being kind to yourself will not only help you stay calm during this difficult time, it will help ensure that you have the bandwidth you need to take good care of your family. When you're running on fumes, caring for others can tax your already depleted resources to breaking point. But when you prioritize your needs, you're filling the tank, emotionally and physically, and that means you'll be in a position to offer comfort and care to others when they need it most.

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Self-Care in the Time of Coronavirus - Child Mind Institute

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When you're a parent, self-care often slips to the bottom of the list. But taking care of yourself isn't a luxury. It's essential. And during this difficult time, when children are home and stress is running high, it's more important than ever. Here are five tips from our clinicians that can help.

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Helping Your Child Cope with the New Normal

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Helping Your Child Cope with the New Normal

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How to support your child’s mental health – Place2Be

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Place2Be works with schools to help parents support their child’s mental health and improve their emotional wellbeing.

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Managing Your Child's Worry: Bite-size Course

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Managing Your Child's Worry: Bite-size Course

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This bite-size session from MYA will look at what worry is, how it differs from anxiety and why as parents we need to support our children to worry and find effective ways to control worry. Find out more at https://bit.ly/3fGPcD0
Suitable for Y6 classes (could be adapted for use in Y7)

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10 Ways for Parents to Help Their Children with Change

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10 Ways for Parents to Help Their Children with Change

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A resource for parents from Young Minds
Information for settings working with all ages

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If your child is transitioning from Year 6 to Year 7 or going through a significant change in their lives, these top 10 tips might be useful for you. Going through change can be scary or challenging for children and young people, but sometimes it's just the small things, like showing interest in your child's hobbies, that can make a difference.

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Find Your Feet: Transition Tips for Parents

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Sign up to our free 360° Schools' Community to get free tips, advice and handy resources straight to your inbox. If your child is transitioning from Year 6 to Year 7 or going through a significant change in their lives, these top 10 tips might be useful for you.

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Alder Hey CAMHS videos about managing worry

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Alder Hey CAMHS videos about managing worry

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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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Dr Kieran Moore

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ADHD with Dr Kieran Moore - Supporting Families of Young People with Mental Illness during COVID-19

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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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Dyslexia Ireland

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Covid-19 and Helping Children with Dyslexia

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Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers (NEPS)

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Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers (NEPS)

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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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Managing Worrying Thoughts: Webinar with Michael Ryan

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

The benefits of sensory activities for children with autism

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

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

Improving social skills such as communication and cooperation

Improving coordination, as well as fine/gross motor skills

Calming children down when they are agitated

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

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

2. Make an obstacle course:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

STOCK UP

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

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

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

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

MAKE A PLAN

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

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

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

GET OUTSIDE

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

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

GET MOVING

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

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

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

UTILISE SCREEN TIME

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

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

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

SENSORY PLAY

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

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

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

READING & WRITING

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

Find new books and review them for other kids online.

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

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

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

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

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

CREATIVITY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FREE PLAY

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

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

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

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

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

SCIENCE

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

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

Design and make your own science fair at home!

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

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

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Stay at Home Survival Guide - The Imagination Tree

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

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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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We are pleased to offer parents and guardians a chance to join us on zoom to learn more about Rainbows

The session aims to tell you about the Rainbows programmes, how they work and how they can support your son/daughter in advance of your son or daughter attending or perhaps they have already attended or you may be thinking about enrolling them . The session will help you make an informed decision.

Rainbows is 35 years in Ireland. We have learnt a lot from children and young people and what their concerns and worries can be. The focus of every session is on children/young people and is not on adult issues. It explores how children of different ages and stages of development can be affected by what has happened, highlighting what is normal and how attending the programme can help.

It is an informal welcoming space to listen - no pressure to speak - questions can be asked at any time.

Many parents and guardians have attended to date and have indicated how helpful it has been.

Feedback from these sessions in 2021-2022 was really positive - we hope to build on our support for parents going forward.

It's great for children to see that they are not alone & there are lots of other children in the same position.

Thank you so much, incredibly valuable and supportive

Absolutely amazing session. Empathy, professionalism from start to finish.

I felt very alone and so drowning in it all. I'm feeling better and know I am not alone. Thank you for everything.

Finding out that my kids behaviour is quite normal

Being able to share and chat with parents going through the separation was v helpful also

Ideas of what to do when kids are emotional or struggling was good to learn

We very much look forward to welcoming you on zoom.

Please boil the kettle, bring your cuppa and log in to meet Anne from Rainbows who will deliver the sessions
Dates for "Introduction for Parents/Guardians to the Rainbows Ireland Separation Programmes" Dates for "Introduction for Parents/Guardians to the Rainbows Ireland Bereavement Programme"

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Rainbows Ireland - Supporting Children with Bereavement and Parental Separation

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We are pleased to offer parents and guardians a chance to join us on zoom to learn more about Rainbows The session aims to tell you about the Rainbows programmes, how they work and how they can support your son/daughter in advance of your son or daughter attending or perhaps they have already attended or you may be thinking about enrolling them .

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An Information Booklet for Parents (NCSE)

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This site was created for young people, carers and professionals to pool together lots of helpful resources from across the internet that are available to help support your mental health and well-being. I hope that you find it helpful.

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This site was created for young people, carers and professionals to pool together lots of helpful resources from across the internet that are available to help support your mental health and well-being. I hope that you find it helpful.

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Inside: A child therapist's favorite ways to help kids learn to take a deep breath, including quick explanations and videos of deep breathing techniques.
Have you ever told a kid to take a deep breath, and then they start hyperventilating? Or they breathe in, but don't breathe out?
Sometimes, kids may need a little more help to figure out how to properly take a deep breath.
First, let's review why deep breathing matters.

When you are calm, your body is in what is known as "rest and digest" mode. Your breathing is normal, your muscles are relaxed, and your heart rate is normal. It's how you would be when you're watching a show and relaxing.

But then suddenly, a dinosaur is chasing you!!

When you experience a stressful event (like an unexpected dinosaur in your living room), your body automatically goes into what is known as "flight, fight or freeze" mode. Your heart rate increases, your stomach stops digestion, and your breathing becomes more shallow.

The goal of calming exercises is to get yourself from "flight, fight or freeze" mode back to "rest and digest" mode. Deep breathing helps get more oxygen into your bloodstream, opening up your capillaries. It has a physical effect on your body to help you calm down and lower stress.

So deep breathing does make a big difference for kids. But how can we teach them to take a deep breath properly?
Here are some of my favorite ways to introduce deep breathing! Quick note: The breathing we want kids to do is deep belly breaths, not shallow chest breaths. When they breathe in, their belly should expand, and when they breathe out, their belly should contract.
Use bubbles

Blowing gently to create bubbles is a good way to be playful and breathe deeply. Kids have to blow carefully and slowly to make the bubbles, which is a major reason why I like using it to help kids take deep breaths.

Use a stuffed animal to practice deep breathing

Have your child lay down on their back and put a stuffed animal on their belly. Have them breathe in and move the stuffed animal up, then breathe out and bring the stuffed animal back down. This helps teach kids to use their belly to take big deep breaths. Another alternative is to use a weighted stuffed animal.

Use a pinwheel

Kids can practice breathing out slowly or more quickly, using the speed of the pinwheel as a measure. Then they can figure out which way works and feels best for them.

Use a Feather

Get some colored feathers and pick out one feather to use. It could be a color that they love or one that makes them feel calm. Breathe in and hold it for a count of 3, then breathe out going up on one side of the feather and down the other side.

Hoberman Sphere

Breathe in and expand the sphere, breathe out and push the sphere back in (this mirrors what should be happening to their belly) - Watch the video on YouTube!

DIY Crafts

Make a craft using half a paper plate, crepe paper or ribbons. Have kids blow the crepe paper or ribbons as they take deep breaths.

Materials Needed:

1. Paper plate - cut in half
2. crepe paper - cut into 6" - 8" strips, cut in half
3. yarn or string
4. any other embellishments to make the creature (use what you have on hand)

Attach the crepe paper to the flat bottom of the paper plate. Attach yarn/string to the top center of the curved part of the paper plate as a hanger.Have kids decorate the paper plate any way they want, as a monster, or a creature, or with stickers.

To Use: hang up the creature and have kids blow on the crepe paper to get it to move.

OTHER DIY ACTIVITIES
Floating Ball Activity from All For The Boys Fire Breathing Dragon Craft by BABYCCINO
TRIANGLE Breathing

Start at the bottom left of the triangle.

Breathe in for three counts as you trace the first side of the triangle.

Hold your breath for three counts as you trace the second side of the triangle.

Breathe out for three counts as you trace the final side of the triangle. You have just completed one deep breath.

SQUARE BReathing

Start at the bottom right of the square

Breathe in for four counts as you trace the first side of the square

Hold your breath for four counts as you trace the second side of the square

Breathe out for four counts as you trace the third side of the square

Hold your breath for four counts as you trace the final side of the square

You just completed one deep breath!

STAR BREATHING

Start at any "Breathe In" side on the star.

Trace your finger over the "breathe in" side of the point

Hold your breath when your finger gets to the tip of the point

Breathe out as you trace your finger over the other side of the point.

Keep going until you reach where you started.

When you trace the whole star, you will have completed 5 deep breaths

Start with the eight on its side and start in the middle

Go up to the left and trace the left part of the 8 with your finger while you breathe in.

When you get to the middle of the eight again, breathe out while you trace the right part of the 8 with your finger.

6 Sided Breathing

Start at the left hand side of the hexagon.

Trace your finger over the "breathe in" side as you take a deep breath in.

Hold your breath as you trace the second side of the hexagon.

Breathe out as you trace the third side of the hexagon.

Then repeat for the bottom part of the hexagon.

Breathe in like a flower, breathe out like you are blowing out birthday candles.

Breathe in blue sky, Breathe out gray skies.

Pretend your belly is like a balloon. Breathe in and make the balloon bigger, then breathe out and make the balloon shrink.

Smell the soup, cool the soup or smell the hot cocoa, cool the hot cocoa

Darth Vader Breathing - Pretend you have a straw in your mouth, suck in through the straw and breathe in. Breathe out like Darth Vader.

Ocean Breathing - breathe in and imagine the wave rolling in, breathe out and imagine the wave rolling out.

Color breathing - Breathe in and imagine a calm, happy, positive color. Breathe out and imagine a color that represents stress, anxiety, etc. leaving your body.

Soft Belly - Say to yourself "soft" as you breathe in and "belly" as you breathe out.

Whale breath

Sitting criss-cross applesauce, sit up tall and take a deep breathe in, Hold it while you count to 5 with your fingers then tilt head up to blow it out of blowhole. You can also put your hands up on top of head to create the blow hole to "blow" out.

Snake Breath

Breathe in, pause briefly, then breathe out slowly while you make a hissing sound for as long as you can.

Bunny Breath

You can do this breathing either while sitting, or add movement to it.

Sitting version - make "bunny" hands in front of chest and take quick sniffs like a bunny.

Movement version - start in a squat and hop forward while taking quick bunny sniffs.

Bumblebee Breath

Breathe in and pretend you are smelling a flower. As you breathe out, make humming bee sound. Try different ways of making the sound - longer or shorter, high or low sounds.

5 - 5 - 10 breathing

Breathe in for 5, hold for 5 and breathe out for 10.

7-11 breathing

Breathe in for 7, exhale for 11.

Count to 10

Using Your Hand to Take a Deep Breath aka Mountain Breathing

Put up one hand, palm facing out and fingers spread apart. Place the index finger of your other hand at the base of your thumb and breathe in while you move your finger up one side of your thumb. Move your finger down the other side of your thumb and breathe out. Do the same thing with the remaining four fingers, and take deep breaths in and out as you move your finger. After you've reached the second side of your pinky finger, you'll have done 5 complete deep breaths.

You can also do this with a close friend or trusted adult. Have them spread their hand out and use your finger to trace their hand and do deep breaths. Or do the opposite: spread your hand out and have them use their finger and trace yours. You can do deep breaths together!

Hands to Shoulders

Sometimes you breathe from your chest instead of your belly, but it's hard to notice. This is an easy way to figure out if you are moving your chest or your belly when you're breathing. While sitting or standing, put your hands down by your sides. Then bend your arms at your elbows and place them on the front of your shoulders. Try taking a deep breath. If your shoulders are moving a lot, focus more on taking breaths using your belly.

Rainbow breathing

Arms start at the side of your body; arms go up as you breathe in and go down as you breathe out (arms make a rainbow) - Watch the video on Youtube!

Volcano Breaths

Pretend your hands and arms are like lava flowing from a volcano. Start with your hands in front of your heart, with palms touching. Keeping your hands together, reach straight up and breathe in. Separate your hands and move your arms down to your side and breathe out.

Explosion Breaths

Start in a standing position. Breathe in as you crouch down. Then, jump up, spreading your arms and legs as you breathe out.

Nostril Breathing/Cowabunga Breathing

Block one nostril, breathe in for 5, block the other nostril, breathe out for 5.

Wood Chopper Breathing

Standing tall with legs hip distance apart. Clasp hands together and raise your arms above your head. Breathe in through nose. Exhale and pull your hands down toward your legs as you say "HA" to "chop" wood
Mindful Arts in the Classroom Breathing Cards Sesame Street Belly Breathe Video

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Deep Breathing Exercises for Kids - Coping Skills for Kids

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Inside: A child therapist's favorite ways to help kids learn to take a deep breath, including quick explanations and videos of deep breathing techniques. Have you ever told a kid to take a deep breath, and then they start hyperventilating? Or they breathe in, but don't breathe out?

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At Greater Good, our mission is to share scientific research that can help promote a happier, more compassionate society. With the recent COVID-19 outbreak, we're committed to bringing you stories, tips, and tools for these uncertain times in our global community.

We'll continue to update this page with resources for individuals, families, and educators. You can read our latest coronavirus coverage, or start with these key articles:

Other resources below (click to jump to a section):
Lessons for post-pandemic life
Resources for stress and anxiety
Resources for fostering connection
Well-being resources for parents
Well-being resources for educators
Well-being resources for health care professionals
Well-being resources for workplace leaders
Other coronavirus well-being resources
Lessons for post-pandemic life

Resources for stress and anxiety

Resources for fostering connection

Discover science-backed practices for more resilience, connection, and well-being, with step-by-step instructions on how to implement them in your life.

Learn research-tested strategies that you can put into practice today. In each episode, a guest tries a specific practice for well-being or connection, and shares their experience.

While you're home, try our online, self-paced course, offering skills to boost resilience and well-being in your life. Results from tens of thousands of our students show that it helps them reduce stress and feel more connected to others.

Made in collaboration with Holstee, this toolkit includes 30 science-based practices for a meaningful life.

Well-being resources for parents

Articles for resilience and connection

Practices for parents and kids

Videos for parents and kids

Well-being resources for educators

A free online resource for social-emotional learning practices you can weave into your new homeschooling plan.

Greater Good in Education offers Supporting Learning and Well-Being During the Coronavirus Crisis, a collection of activities, articles, and videos. It includes practices and other resources offering ways to address student and adult anxiety in this time of uncertainty, and strategies for cultivating our human connection through kindness, compassion, and other prosocial qualities.

Well-being resources for health care professionals

Well-being resources for workplace leaders

Other coronavirus well-being resources

Being Resilient During Coronavirus from Dr. Rick Hanson: Learn tips for feeling safe in a time of fear and threat with this video, meditation, and podcast.

How to Hold on to Happiness When Your World Collapses from Sonja Lyubomirsky: A guide to four weeks of self-isolation, including three practices you can do each week to become happier, healthier, and more uplifted.

Coronavirus Sanity Guide from Ten Percent Happier: Get live weekday talks with meditation teachers, guided meditations, and lectures, many of which are specifically related to COVID-19. Health care workers also get free access to the Ten Percent Happier meditation app.

Selected Links: The Behavioral Side of the Coronavirus from the Behavioral Scientist: Read insights about the psychological and behavioral patterns underlying our response to COVID-19.

Real-time Resilience Strategies for Coping with Coronavirus from the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and Resilience: Follow this list of valuable tips from experts on resilience and emergency management.

The Crisis Kit: 5 Tools for Helping Clients Through Turbulent Times from PositivePsychology.com: Mental health practitioners can use these five exercises to help clients find calm, a sense of control, and acceptance.

Free Live & Online - Daily Meditation & Support Groups from Mindful Leader: Thirty-minute sessions held Monday through Friday from March 23 to May 1, including 15 minutes of silent meditation and 15 minutes of reflection and discussion.

Coronavirus Resources: Staying Connected in Times of Isolation from Living Room Conversations: Conversation guides to help us connect and understand each other in these difficult times, plus live video chats to help us stay connected.

Coronavirus Anxiety: Daily Updates from Judson Brewer: Daily YouTube videos on how to work with these uncertain times and develop healthy, mindful habits, from a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who specializes in mindfulness and habit change.

KarunaVirus by ServiceSpace: "Karuna" means compassion in Sanskrit. This website offers a collection of news stories about compassion and love amid a time of fear.

ArtsWave Edition of Mindful Music Moments, from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera: 10 weeks of daily doses of guided meditation set to music.

Mindful Poetry Moments and the On Being Project: Participating schools, individuals and organizations will be offered recordings of poets reading their work. The audio will be accompanied by mindful prompts and meaning-making questions like "Does this poem encourage gratitude? How?" and "What's a line in this poem that brings a strong visual image to your mind?"

For parents

Kind World Explorers, from Camp Kindness Counts, a Greater Good Parenting grantee: A guidebook to support parents with distance learning that provides activities and example conversations that families can have to help foster communities of compassion.

Resilient Parenting, from Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, a Greater Good Parenting grantee: A digital, online parenting tool that can be made available to any families in need of support. It includes topics such as self-care, addressing trauma, how to have difficult conversations with children, and many other very pertinent topics for these times with a focus on character-building. This tool is a partnership between a social worker/case manager and a family, via phone, tablet or laptop that allows for weekly reflection, sharing and support. To receive it, email Heather.Kamia@lssmn.org.

Parents and COVID 19: Helping Your Children, from InfoAboutKids.Org: Here are suggestions for talking with younger and older children about COVID-19, as well as suggestions for parents.

How to Talk to Children about Difficult News, from the American Psychological Association: Instead of shielding children from the difficult news around us, adults should talk to kids about what is happening.

Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope With the Coronavirus Disease 2019, from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: This resource will help parents and caregivers think about how an infectious disease outbreak might affect their family- both physically and emotionally-and what they can do to help their family cope.

How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus, from PBS KIDS for Parents: Share age-appropriate information, provide reassurance, and what they can do to help during COVID-19 pandemic.

2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), from Healthy Children, American Academy of Pediatrics: Tips for parents about what they need to know about COVID-19.

For educators

Greater Good wants to know: Do you think this article will influence your opinions or behavior?

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Greater Good's Guide to Well-Being During Coronavirus

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At Greater Good, our mission is to share scientific research that can help promote a happier, more compassionate society. With the recent COVID-19 outbreak, we're committed to bringing you stories, tips, and tools for these uncertain times in our global community. We'll continue to update this page with resources for individuals, families, and educators.

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25 Fun Mindfulness Activities for Children & Teens (+Tips!)

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Fun mindfulness activities for kids to teach them about mindfulness. Enjoy!

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Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

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Skip to main content

Helping children and young people cope with the information and changes related to the Coronavirus can be a huge challenge. From social distancing and quarantine to school closures and increased awareness of infection and hygiene - there is a lot to process for children and families.

Our experts in children's clinical psychology, speech and language therapy, and emotional wellbeing are building a collection of accessible information resources to make this process a little easier. We will be adding to this section every week, so check back for more and keep an eye on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels to find out what's new.

You might also like to see the exercise and activity ideas created by our Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy team.

Why do people in the hospital look different?

You can now dress up your own PPE person to understand more about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and what people look like underneath.

Resources for young people

Pain management

Back to school information for children and young people with health conditions

COVID-19 swabbing guides for children

March 2022: Our guidance for inpatients at Sheffield Children's remains that two named parents/carers may be permitted in inpatients. This is under review. Please check the site before you visit. See more about our guidance about inpatients

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Coronavirus resources for children and families - Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

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Helping children and young people cope with the information and changes related to the Coronavirus can be a huge challenge. Our experts in children's clinical psychology, speech and language therapy, and emotional wellbeing are building a collection of resources to make this process a little easier.

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

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Free eBooks, audiobooks, online magazines and newspapers online for library members. Registration is free and done online.

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Library Services in Ireland | Libraries Ireland

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You can join the library online and get eBooks, audiobooks, online magazines and newspapers for free straight away, or even take language and other courses. Here's how!
Join online

To join the library online, fill out this form with your name, address, email and some other details.

Click, 'Submit' and you'll be taken to a new page that gives you a 'Temporary' library barcode.

This will be your library number and you need it to access online services so save it somewhere or write it down and keep it safe.

This page will also instruct you to 'set a PIN' and will give you a link to do that.

Once you've set your PIN and you have your library number, you're all ready to access all the online services.

If you are having trouble joining, you can contact your library by phone or email or you may find this FAQ on joining helpful

We've included short guides to getting and using these services below. These user guides and tutorials are also listed here.

How to use Borrowbox for eBooks and Audiobooks
You can download the Borrowbox app or find your library here to get directed to the web version.

Please review Borrow Box Terms and Conditions on Bolinda's website by clicking here.

Then you just:

choose your library from the dropdown menu;

enter your library number where it asks for your ID/Barcode; and,

enter your PIN where it asks for PIN/Password.

That's it, you're signed in and ready to browse and read!

You can read more in the BorrowBox User Guide
How to use Libby for online magazines
You can use the Libby app or access online at

You will have to register for a free account, with your library number and PIN. When you visit it will prompt you through the steps to sign up for Libby, including:

Indicating whether you have signed up for your local library yet or not

Selecting your local library service - you will be given three options for how to find your local library: transferring data from an already registered device, searching for your local library, or having Libby try to determine for itself

Enter your library card number

Entering your PIN

That's it, you're all set up!

You can read more at the following link:

Support queries can be made within the Libby App or via the web form here.
How to use PressReader for online newspapers
You can access PressReader at pressreader.com or by downloading the PressReader app for apple or android devices.

You will need to log in with your library number, here's how

Press 'sign in'

Select the 'Library and groups' option

A list of libraries will then open from which you can choose your library. Simply start typing your county or local authority areas and you should find it easily. Look out for the Libraries Ireland logo.

You will then be asked to enter your library card number.

That's it - you're now logged in and ready to read!

Your login grants you 30 days access initially. When this 30 days has expired a new period can be started simply by logging out and back in using the same method.

You can read more at the following links:

You can watch a video tutorial about how to use the PressReader app here.

For any support queries, please email pressreader@wfhowes.co.uk
How to use Transparent Languages for language learning
Transparent Languages can be accessed through RB Digital - see above to find out how to do that.

Once you're logged in to RB Digital, you'll see a link to Transparent Languages. Click that and you'll be taken to the service.

Read more in the Transparent Languages User Guide.

You can watch a video tutorial about how to use Transparent Language Online here.

For any support queries please email rbdigital@wfhowes.co.uk

How to use Universal Class for online courses

You can register for Universal Class at http://lgma.universalclass.com/register.htm

Enter your library card number in the field and click the Go button.

Complete the required fields on the registration page:

First Name; Last Name; Email address; Password and Age Check, (Over or under 16 years).

Click on the Continue button

You will then be shown the home screen for your Universal Class account and can start learning.

You can watch a video tutorial about how to access Universal Class online courses here.

For any support queries, please email universalclass@wfhowes.co.uk

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You can join the library online and get eBooks, audiobooks, online magazines and newspapers for free straight away, or even take language and other courses. Here's how!

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Who is Debbie Hepplewhite?

Debbie is one of the leading authorities in the field of resource design and teaching using the synthetic phonics method for reading, spelling and handwriting.

Her programme, Phonics International, has received acclaim around the world and is used in more than 50 countries. Debbie is also the author/consultant for the Oxford Reading Tree's 'Floppy's Phonics Sounds and Letters' programme and Raintree's 'No Nonsense Phonics Skills'. She is a member of the 'UK Reading Reform Foundation' and founder of The International Foundation for Effective Reading Instruction (IFERI). She has years of experience as a teacher, headteacher, special needs teacher, international teacher trainer, consultant and author. She was consulted during the major governmental enquiries into early reading in the UK and in 2011 was awarded an MBE for services to education.

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ATTENTION - BUSY PARENTS, TUTORS, HOMESCHOOLERS, TEACHERS ..."YOU can teach your child to read,write and spell at home with our system... GUARANTEED or your money back!"

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Ann Daly, Primary Teacher, has created a short video demonstration on setting up Padlet for teachers.

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Padlet for transitions from pre school to primary school in Ireland

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Padlet for transitions from pre school to primary school in Ireland

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Padlet for transitions from pre school to primary school  in Ireland

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Information for Irish parents and teachers around transitions

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Selection of resources for study and fun

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Schooldays.ie - Ireland's trusted Parenting and Education Website

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Ireland's trusted parenting site with Pre-school, Primary School and Secondary School resources for parents and teachers, along with everything school staff and parent's association need.

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Lots of ideas to help your child learn

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Advice for parents on internet usage by children

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Talk to someone

Worried about something you have seen online or concerned about your child? Childline and the National Parents Council Primary offer free advice and support service.

Childline is a support service for young people up to the age of 18.There is a 24hr telephone, online and mobile phone texting service.

The National Parents Council Primary enables and empowers parents to be effective partners in their children's education.

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Worried about something you have seen online or concerned about your child? Childline and the National Parents Council Primary offer free advice and support service. Childline is a support service for young people up to the age of 18.There is a 24hr telephone, online and mobile phone texting service.

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Keeping the learning going at home: how to make the most out of reading time

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During the extended closure of schools, one of the simplest , and most rewarding, things that parents can do with their children is to read with them or encourage them to take up a book. Apart from the way stories feed children’s imagination, reading brings well-documented educational benefits.

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Publishes daily useful information, tips and fun activities.

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NPC exists to ensure that all parents are supported and empowered to become effective partners in their children's education.

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50 Youtube Channels for Home Learning

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There are plenty of amazing educational videos on Youtube that can be used as part of learning at home (and also inside the classroom). Why not take advantage of these free resources to help your children discover more about a wide range of subjects and topics?
Before choosing to watch any online video, it's worth taking some to think about these questions:

Is it suitable for your children? How can you tell? Was it created for children, or is it aimed at an older audience?

Who created it? How can you be sure that the information in the video is accurate?

What do your children hope to find out by watching the video? Do they have any questions about the topic before they start? Could you write these down and make a note of the answers as you watch the video?

Some of the videos have adverts. Why is this?

Watching these videos can also make a fantastic starting point for further research and activities linked to each topic:

While you are watching, your children may wish to make some notes. They could try to record the key vocabulary (and discuss what it means), or pause the video to draw some pictures or write a few sentences about what they have found out.

Do your children have any additional questions after they have watched? Would they like to watch a part of it again to review their learning? Could they find out more about the topic from a different source (e.g. a book or website)?

How could they record what they have discovered? They might want to draw some labelled diagrams or write a sentence / paragraph / page about the topic. If you have access to a mobile device, could they create an audio or a video report?

Let's explore the video channels...

English

The Alphablocks are living letters who appear in wonderful videos to help your children learn about phonics and develop their reading skills.

KidsTV123 has a large playlist of phonics videos that children can watch.

Fairy Tales and Stories for Kids has lots of animated stories to enjoy. Can your children retell the story to you after they have watched one of the videos?

BBC Teach has a playlist of English videos to teach your children about punctuation and stories. It also includes ideas for writing, songs and more.

CBeebies have a playlist of their Bedtime Stories, in which people read popular children's books. Why not record your own version on a mobile device?

Watch this collection of book trailers from Scholastic. Could you make a trailer for one of your favourite books?

Maths

Science

Happy Learning English has a large collection of videos about humans, animals and plants.

Learn about amazing animals with this playlist from National Geographic Kids.

Hopscotch produce many educational videos. This playlist has songs about habitats, the continents, oceans and planets.

Operation Ouch produce educational videos about the human body.

Homeschool Pop has put together a collection of videos that cover a wide range of Science topics.

SciShow Kids has a wide range of Science videos that answer different questions about the world.

Science Max carries out huge science experiments. Could your children try similar experiments, but on a smaller scale, at home?

Geography

History

Art

Music

RelaxDaily has an extensive collection of calming music that your children can play as part of mindfulness activities, or when they are working on other educational tasks.

Kidz Bop produce child-friendly versions of popular songs. Can your children learn some of the lyrics or dance along with the moves shown in the videos?

Classical Kids Storytime features children's stories that are accompanied by classical music.

Free School has playlists to teach your children about Beethoven and Mozart.

PE

More

We hope that this list of channels is useful. Let us know if you use any of them with your children!

If this collection is useful to you, why not join Teaching Packs today and download all of our resource packs too!

Already a Member? Log in here.

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50 Youtube Channels for Home Learning - Resources for Teachers and Educators

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Before choosing to watch any online video, it's worth taking some to think about these questions:

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Resources for Teachers, students and Parents

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Themepages present a thematic approach to learning and teaching. They are written by Irish-based teachers with links chosen for their usefulness to the selected theme and applicability to the Irish curriculum.
View all Themepages

Physical Literacy

Develop a physically literate child through the lens of Fundamental Movement Skills with these Move Well, Move Often PDST resources.

Sustainable Development

A directory listing organisations with educational resources supporting education for sustainable development.

STEM

The Scoilnet STEM directory highlights well-known accomplished STEM repositories in Ireland, Europe and Internationally.

Covers information and links on the national literacy and numeracy strategies as well as basic information on special educational needs. The Dates and Festivals calendar is used by teachers seeking to engage students in topical learning.

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To register for a Scoilnet Account you will need to have a Teaching Council number and a roll number for your school in Ireland.

If you already have a Scoilnet Account then you can sign in here.

The benefits...

A Scoilnet account will allow you to upload your resources or weblinks to Scoilnet as well as enabling you to share and add resources to a favourites listing. Users who have a Scoilnet Account will also be able to fully access Scoilnet Maps and Census@School from home.

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Official education portal of the Department of Education and Skills in Ireland. Curriculum focused resources and support for primary and post primary teachers.

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Relaxation Techniques from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)

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Relaxation Techniques from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) by Department of Education and Skills

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Have you been feeling anxious, worried or stressed lately? If so, this podcast might help. Find a quiet corner, get comfortable, press play and let a NEPS psychologist talk you through some relaxation techniques.