Colouring books can be a brilliant way of releasing stress and calming people down- as well as being enjoyable. One of the reasons Adult Colouring Books have been such a big hit over the last few years, is their therapeutic benefits. I was therefore excited to discover the […]
As a tutor for children with Special Educational Needs (www.cheshiresentutor.com) teaching phonics is an important part of my job. So I was thrilled to discover this box of Wild Life Phonic Friezes by Oak Tree Designs. Inside the box are a collection of three Frieze sets with […]
Before starting my own tutoring service for children with Special Educational Needs and it’s accompanying blog, I was a SENCO in a Secondary School. I remember all to well my first day as SENCO. Stepping into my new school and new role I was excited. But If I’m honest my main […]
Taking turns can be a very difficult concept for children, especially toddlers. Usually for two reasons: Firstly: any toy that they are holding/playing with (or even any toy that they can see!) is genuinely viewed by them as their own toy. Therefore, they don’t think it’s fair to […]
A lot of children (and lets face it..adults) love building blocks. Whether it be Lego, duplo, mega blocks or your traditional wooden building blocks- it’s a favourite toy for many. Building blocks open a world of creativity that’s accessible to most children. But what other benefits does this […]
Fine motor skills activities (ones that build up the small muscles in hands, thumbs and fingers) are essential for learning to write. They are also important for other tasks such as using a knife and fork, doing up zips on clothes etc. Threading Beads is a useful Fine […]
Regardless of age or ability, books before going to sleep are a positive and relaxing habit for children. Here’s our ongoing collection of books we’d recommend for bedtime reading. Goodnight Bear (Torchlight Books) If you are after bedtime stories with the ‘WOW factor’ these are for you. Inside the […]
Why are Fine Motor Activities important? Fine motor activities are those that develop and strengthen the small muscles in your child’s fingers, thumb and hand. They are therefore imperative for learning to write, eat with a knife and fork, do zips/buttons on clothes and learnt to do shoe […]
I’ve previously blogged about the importance of choosing the right implement for your child when learning to write. Specifically a child needs to feel comfortable when holding a pen or pencil, or they can easily be put off using it. I’ve been trying out the East Start range […]
Exciting and fun rainy-day activity to engage children…can even tempt those who say they ‘don’t enjoy crafts’! What will you need? PVA glue + water to make paper mache mix. Strips of newspaper/paper Paintbrush String (to hang it) Balloon Scissors Paint (optional) Adult supervision and help Develops: hand […]