Child Led Play Sessions with Angie

💥 The Power of Play 💥

Watch and listen to our children play and you will notice, see and hear amazing things. As a child moves through the stages of play they may not communicate verbally however this photo sums it up. A little boy who is begining to use representation through his play relating to his family 🩷
Representing family through play involves children beginning to understand their family and relationships using toys to communicate their views, build social-emotional skills, and strengthen family bonds. This play can provide a therapeutic and beneficial way for children to process experiences and connect… when you least expect it 😍♥️

A beautiful moment little Arlo expressed this morning 🥹♥️.

🌈 🤍

Tomorrow, when your child walks into school, they might meet someone like my son, Charlie.

Charlie’s autism is severe. He doesn’t speak with his mouth, but that doesn’t mean he has nothing to say. His words live in an AAC device, a tablet that allows him to communicate basic needs.

Remind your children that they may see a child like Charlie, who may not talk, but still has so much to say.

Remind them that they may see a child using a device to speak and that this device is their voice.

Remind them that they may see a child flapping their hands to show excitement, or covering their ears because the world is too loud.

Remind them that they may meet a child who runs out of the classroom when it all feels like too much.

Remind them that they may notice a child taking a toy without asking, or knocking over a tower without meaning to be unkind.

Remind them that they may not understand why and that it’s okay not to understand.

Tell them they don’t have to be best friends with every classmate. But they should always be respectful.

Tell them that laughing at someone’s differences says more about you than it does about them.

Tell them that small acts of kindness like a smile, holding a door, or simply waiting patiently can be the thing that makes someone’s day better.

But above all, remind them to be kind.
Because kindness is the one lesson that matters long after the school bell rings. ❤️

Dundee, we need your vote! 🎉

We’re applying for £8,034 from the Neighbourhood Capital Fund to buy a portable interactive floor projector for our Mid Craigie centre.

As we renovate our Dundee Yard, we’re always looking for new ways to create fun, learning, and relaxation opportunities in a safe, inclusive space. This projector comes loaded with over 300 games that promote sensory play, social interaction, and team activities.

If you live in one of the Dundee wards, please support us by voting! Your vote will help make a real difference in the lives of local children and families.

https://dundeesvoice.communitychoices.scot/budgets/17/investments/117

Say it louder 🌸🧩💗

This could be helpful 😴 💤 xx

Does your child struggle with sleep? Come along to our online session all about supporting your child's sleep. We will cover sleep basics and what to do if sleep becomes a problem, including delayed sleep and night waking.

Daytime session (Wednesday 28th May 12:30 - 2pm): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-sleep-tickets-1277775263209?aff=oddtdtcreator

Evening session (Wednesday 28th May 6 - 7:30pm): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-sleep-tickets-1277797840739?aff=oddtdtcreator

Executive function 🧠 🚦

Executive functioning is a set of skills that helps us plan and organise, focus, control our emotions and manage our time.
Poor or low executive functioning skills can make it difficult for children and adults to complete everyday tasks. There are many causes of executive dysfunction, including Autism, ADHD, anxiety, and depression.

In our child led play sessions our messy and exploratory play, pretend play/imaginative play and all our experiences on offer coupled with children’s ownership and full autonomy to persue their own interests serves an incredibly important role in the development of executive function skills. The more children play the more they learn to solve problems and learn to focus attention, concentrate and be calm, all of which promote the growth of executive functioning skills ✅.

And look how much fun we have while we’re doing it ❤️💙💚💛🧡💜

Seen this and thought I would share. May be a handy tool to help our children understand and process this information 💕