Kids at Play

It can be tempting to focus on behaviour at the surface, especially when a moment feels difficult or disruptive.

But lasting support is rarely about stopping something quickly. More often, it comes from noticing what a child may still be learning, and staying alongside them as those skills develop over time.

That shift can change not only our response, but the experience a child has of being supported.

Where will you find our educators?
Right in the middle of all the fun of course!
Child led play doesn’t mean the adults stand back - it means we join in! Meeting every child where they are at. Encouraging children to join in, supporting communication, making sure everyone is included and having fun!
🚌 🚌 🚌

Capability grows in the everyday moments.

Sometimes it looks like learning a new skill. Sometimes it looks like reaching a milestone.

And sometimes it looks like walking hand in hand to the local green for a picnic after a fire drill.

When children feel safe, supported and connected, they're able to take part in the world around them with growing confidence.

They learn that they can try new things, move through their community, make choices, solve problems and enjoy experiences alongside others.

The ordinary moments often matter most.

A walk. A conversation. A picnic. A chance to belong.
Those are the moments where confidence grows.

It can be easy to focus on stopping behaviour quickly, especially in the middle of a hard moment.

But when we slow ourselves down enough to wonder what might be going on underneath, we create space for a different kind of response, one that is more thoughtful, more supportive, and often more effective too.

That pause can change a lot.

We were delighted to welcome some special visitors to preschool over the last couple of weeks! Pablo the autism assistant dog and Eclair the tortoise came to visit us! Such a great experience for our kids to get up close and personal with the animals and learn how to be gentle, to feed and care for them 🥰
Special thank you to the mammies who made this possible!

Recent visit to the Autism Forum in the Granville run by
A great day with some really interesting speakers, always great to connect with other services around Waterford who serve the neurodiverse community

When behaviour feels difficult, it can be tempting to focus only on what we can see.

But underneath, there is often something else asking for our attention, a feeling, a need, a stressor, a skill still developing.

Looking a little deeper can shift not only how we respond, but how a child experiences that response.

Staff Spotlight!

With us since January, Jessica has quickly become a valued part of our team.

She brings great energy and builds strong, natural connections with the children.

As our Lámh Coordinator, she supports inclusive and accessible communication across the service.