This blog post contains some excellent websites and resources that we value as Occupational Therapists. We thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share some of our favourites that you might also find useful.
Twinkl has a free subscription service. The website contains lots of great, printable resources covering all topics, including; handwriting and pre-writing skills, emotional regulation, social skills, gross motor movement activities for home or school and lots more!
Parental Stress Centre:
https://www.parentalstresscentre.com/
Parental Stress Centre provides six free online webinars per year covering a variety of different topics related to Autism, with lots of valuable information! Some of their free webinars, include:
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29th May, 2024: School Avoidance & Autism
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17th July, 2024: Spotlight on Parental Mental Health: Burnout & Overwhelm
Please also check out their wonderful blogs.
Raising children network:
https://raisingchildren.net.au/
The Raising Children Network is an Australian Government supported website providing strategies and advice on different topics related to child development, including; health, wellbeing, play, socialisation, learning and community engagement from birth to adulthood.
ABCya:
ABCya is a website of free, educational games targeting a variety of skill areas, including; numeracy (maths fluency and calculations), literacy (spelling) and executive functioning.
Teachers Pay Teachers:
Teachers pay teachers is a website with a variety of great resources to use with your child, including activities related to; social emotional, numeracy/literacy, focus and attention, fine and gross motor and many more. Whilst many resources are free some require a small payment. Resources can be sorted into free and age group by utilising the components on the left hand side of the page.
The Kiboomers - Kids Music Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@thekiboomers
Youtube channel, the kiboomers contains lots of our favourite movement break videos that we often use in our sessions. Some of our favourites include: the floor is lava and freeze dance. These can be incorporated throughout your child's day both at home or at school/preschool.
English learning town:
https://www.youtube.com/@englishlearningtownbabyanu3459
Youtube channel, English Learning Town has a variety of videos on feelings and emotion. We love to use these videos by watching the “how are they feeling now” scenario videos with the child and then engaging in discussion about what they can see happening in the scenario, how the people in the scenario are feeling and what may be making them feel like this. This is a great way to reflect on real life situations, such as feeling sad after being left out at school or feeling excitement when opening a present.
A to Z teacher stuff:
http://printables.atozteacherstuff.com/name-printable-pages/
A to Z teacher stuff contains a variety of free printable resources with a focus on handwriting. One of our favourites is the “name printable page” that provides a graded approach for a child to learn to write their name.
ABC Kids Early Education:
https://www.abc.net.au/abckids/early-education
ABC Kids Early Education has many resources around six curriculum areas: ‘Creativity and Self-expression’, ‘Family, Community and Culture’, ‘Health and Wellbeing’, ‘Language and Literacy’, ‘STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)’ and ‘Sustainability and Nature’. Each of these has videos, activities and audio clips to engage children. The website also has a ‘Bluey Series 3 Early Education ToolKit’ with activities and discussion questions to facilitate learning around each Bluey episode.
Busy Toddler:
https://busytoddler.com/category/activities/page/9/
The ‘Busy Toddler’ contains a plethora of free, creative and engaging activities to complete with your child at home. Each activity contains a list of equipment required, learning outcomes and strategies to engage your child. Activities are categorised into bathtime, game time, indoor, messy, outdoor, quick and easy and sensory activities.