Ready-Set-Grow ChildCare/Preschool

This is how things were for me growing up… I love the idea of this coming back around.

Risky play, like ‘adventure playgrounds,’ could benefit kids and parents Kids today can trade their tech devices for hardware thanks to “adventure playgrounds,” dedicated areas that allows them pick up saws and hammers to build — with no adults allowed. While this seems dangerous, experts say there are benefits for both children and parents. TODAY’s Jenna Bush Ha...

❤️🎄

50+ Christmas Crafts for Kids 🎄🎅⛄️- so cute!

🎄⛄️See them all here: https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/christmas-crafts-for-kids/

🎅🏻 See more fun Christmas activities:
🖍️ Christmas color by number: https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/christmas-color-by-number/
⭐️Christmas Bingo: https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/christmas-bingo/

Firm believer of this

Read with your children over the summer 🌞 It’s the easiest way to set them up for a successful school year (and life)!

Need summer learning activities?! Check out the Mega Summer Learning Bundle! Learn more here! https://www.fortheloveofhomeschooling.com/?ref=sIM9G4hZ

Quote for the day!

🌟These sometimes subtle early signs of dysregulation can be easily missed. Often they can be misinterpreted as a child “acting out” (especially by people other than you), when in fact it’s their nervous system heading into a fight/flight/freeze state of dysregulation.

❓Has your child ever had a meltdown or become dysregulated and you think "Wow that came out of no where!" (I have!) Guess what, chances are it didn't!

💫There is always some kind of preceding trigger, stressor, or a build up of over stimulation that led them to that point. It may have been something that happened minutes, hours or even a build up of a few days that led them to that point.

➡️Then later after everyone is regulated you think "Wait a minute I should have seen that coming.” I find this usually happens when I am distracted, dysregulated myself, or tired and I am not fully attuning to my child’s needs.

⭐️Attunement is the ability to be responsive, present and aware of someone's emotions. It is vital in the coregulation process. By attuning to your children and to yourselves we can begin to recognize the subtle changes in their level of arousal that are leading to dysregulation.

🎯Dysregulation can take
on many different looks and it presents differently in everyone. When you begin to attune to your child that's when you notice the little shifts in their level of arousal.

➡️When you start to notice those signs and see them drifting out of the "Just Right" or optimal level of arousal that's when you can step in and coregulate before it gets to a full fight, flight, freeze response often leading to a meltdown. That's when sensory strategies can be best used!

😊Don't beat yourself up if you miss some of the signs, we all do. Take note of it, so next time you will know how to respond, it’s a constant learning process!

🙋🏻‍♀️Are your child’s signs of dysregulation sometimes misinterpreted by others? Let me know in the comments!

Give this a share if this resonates with you and as a reminder for others!

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Noah experienced Reading Rocks today with the daycare. I think he liked it.

I agree! 🖍️🤓

Credit: Smart School House

Love this!

As an occupational therapist, I always encourage play!

Whether children are very young, not even ready for preschool. Or perhaps they are middle school students, spent and ready to unwind at the end of a long school day.

Play serves many functions, such as building skills like thinking, planning, sequencing, initiating. Play also is self-calming and regulating. This is true for people of all ages, as seen in a game of tag or some red light, green light!

Often though, play looks different for autistic children, and can present as what used to be called "non-purposeful" or rote. An example of this might include lining up toys or cars. But let's reframe this using a neurodiversity-affirming perspective.

Lining up toys brings organization to what may be a messy bin of items and perhaps introduces order to an overwhelming world. In fact, this type of play may be extremely calming to an overwhelmed child; more time engaging in this occupation could mean the difference between having a meltdown during a long school day or feeling calm and self-regulated.

In addition to these potential benefits for this type of play, there are many skills that are being addressed as well, only some of which are even mentioned in this visual!

A supportive idea is to gently and respectfully join an autistic child as they engage in this type of play. Line up cars yourself. Determine your own criteria for what cars go where in your own row.

Imitating a child in this way validates their actions and lets them know that their ideas are valuable and respected, which in turn will increase an autistic child's self-confidence and feelings of worth!