Like us, we know you are aware of the impact of Coronavirus (Covid-19) and are probably exhausted by all the updates and changes coming your way.

This is an unsettling time for everyone, and we don’t want to add to the overload. That said, we do want to let you know how we are trying our best to offer support to our clients and customers during this trying time.

That is why we decided to create this blog giving you more ideas of things to do with our products at home, along with a few free resources. Keeping children occupied and engaged for long periods of time is a difficult task, especially children with additional needs. We hope you find our list useful and we will be updating this blog to help combat cabin fever!

Here are some really useful ways to build in education while using some of our products:

Mr Potato Head Movin’ Lipz

Treasure hunt to find all the pieces. You can give written or verbal instructions to direct your child to each body part. Written instructions can work on literacy and comprehension, and verbal instructions can work on the amount of information your child can process at a time. You can start off with one or two part instructions and gradually increase when your child can follow the instructions without help. E.g. take 3 steps forward and 1 jump on the spot (2-part instruction).

Uh-Oh hippo

• Fine motor skills – hide some of the piece in play-doh and get your child to peel them out.
• Make a story together, taking it in turns to add what happens next using the piece you have selected.

Playfoam Pluffle

This can be used in lots of ways. We personally like using Pluffle to ‘hide’ numbers/letters/words/pictures.

• Make a small board of numbers/letters/words/pictures you are working on (you can even do maths sums). Spread 5 to 6 across a page. The page should be roughly the same size as the tray/dish you will use in the next step.
• Get a transparent container (glass tray or large see-through plastic container)
• Empty your Pluffle into the tray/container
• Places your board under the tray
• On a separate sheet you can have the exact same numbers/letters/words/pictures or the sum to the maths problems
• The aim is for your child to move the Pluffle around until they can see the numbers/letters/words/pictures through the glass/plastic and match it to the second sheet. Your child can point to the numbers/letters/words/pictures they have found or use a pen to cross it out/colour over it.
• Depending on the age and ability of your child, you could create your own tray and board to see who finds all the numbers/letters/words/pictures first

We recommend modelling this to your child first.

Where would we be without a lovely visual?

Widget have generously provided a visual aid to help our learners with effective hand washing:

https://www.widgit.com/…/…/wash-hands/washing-your-hands.pdf

Here is an example visual schedule for keeping a routine at home:

This FREE Visual schedule can be used at home Click here

Please check out our FREE RESOURCES here

Here are some fun ideas that you can do at home for free: 

1. All you need is a toilet roll/kitchen towel tube cut up

2. Cardboard Cutout Stencils

3. Counting fun with Playdoh

Please keep safe and remember, we are in this together!