Inclusion
On this page you can find some more ideas for supporting your children while they are at home.
Don’t forget to look at our Home Learning page for more information and guidance on home learning and activities.
Interaction Institute for Social Change | Artist: Angus Maguire.
Inclusion Team
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Mrs M Ford – Inclusion Leader
Ms J Morris – Family Liaison Leader
Place2be
Some children may be especially vulnerable at this time of uncertainty. This may include (but is not limited to) children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), children who are ‘Looked After’ and children who are deemed to be Children in Need. These children may need extra support to ensure that they maintain good levels of well-being. Julia Clements and Paula Nagel, Place2Be's Principal Educational Psychologists, suggest some ways to support children who may be especially vulnerable at this time.
Creative Arts Therapy (CAT)Activities for Children
The Cats Corner website is focused on activities that parents/carers can easily do at home to support children to explore psycho-social-emotional subjects through creative activities; also giving parents 'permission' to take time to be playful with their children rather than feeling caught up in the anxiety of the many varying demands on our time at the moment.
Regulation and Co-Regulation
Ideas for supporting your children at home and for regulation:
- Create a space, no matter how small in your home where you or your child can go to for some quiet time;
- Write - go to ....... for a break from everyone;
- Choose a quiet space in your home.
To increase co regulation, a vital ingredient in calming the nervous system and increasing your sense of significance and belonging at times of social distancing:
- Connect with others face to face i.e. via Zoom, Skype and Face time ;
- Write a letter or note to a friend, family member or neighbour, take a walk and post it to them, remembering to include your address so that they can reply.
Resources
Healthy Minds Lincolnshire - colour breathing
Twinkl
To support you during this period, Twinkl is offering every parent in England access to all Twinkl resources with a One Month Ultimate Membership, totally free of charge. You will be able to access Reading, Writing and Maths activities to support your child’s learning during this self-isolation period.
Setting this up is really easy to do - go to www.twinkl.co.uk/offer and enter the code UKTWINKLHELPS
Useful website to help you and your family talk about Coronavirus
- youngminds.org.uk
- www.bps.org.uk
- www.elsa-support.co.uk
- www.thebookseller.com - If your children have questions about the virus, this may help to explain some of the answers in a child-friendly way.
Other activities
Instagram accounts to follow for play and sensory ideas
- @play.hooray
- @fiveminutemum
- @beckys_treasure_baskets
- @the_play_at_home_mummas
- @tufflove_and_sensoryplay
- @sen_teacher_
- @sensoryplay.uk
- @earlyyearsoutdoor
- @sensoryideas
Mindfulness Monsters
This is an exciting way to introduce your children to mindfulness, something which can be really useful if they are worried or anxious about the current situation.
Mindful Monsters can also be accessed via a monthly subscription service if you would like further activities to try with your child. See mindfulmonsters.co.uk for further information.
Parents' Toolkit: SEND
BBC Bitesize SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) resources, activities and support to help you and your family during lockdown.
Although primarily aimed at parents with children who have SEND, there is some really information for ALL parents.
Calm Zone
This is a link to the Calm Zone on Childline’s website. There are breathing exercises, activities, games and videos to support you in trying to let go of stress.
Lucy's in Lockdown
This book is from the Lucy’s Blue Day series…it explores the various emotions our children (and adults) are feeling too during this challenging time.
Please take the time to share this with your children, whatever age they may be, it is important they know it is OK to feel sad, angry and jealous at times, remembering ‘It’s OK, sometimes, to have a blue day.
CAMHS
Another really useful set of downloadable resources for children suffering from anxiety, low self-esteem and so on. Very high quality resources from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
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