Category Archives: Kids Co-op

Dinosaurs #KidsCoop

March 25, 2015Kids Co-op, Reviewsbooks, dinosaurs, ParragonSensory Seeker

All about the Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs are always a popular area of interest but with the new Jurassic World film coming out this year I think that they are going to be more popular than ever. Dinosaurs are popular in our house – we had a dinosaur bedroom, a dinosaur party, played with the dinosaur in ice and even invited the dinosaurs to dinner!!

We have just had The Sensory Seeker’s annual review (as he has a Statement of Special Education Needs) and have discovered that he is now working at National Curriculum levels in Maths and Reading. This is fantastic news and we feel that he has benefited from all the extra support he receives. So I am pleased to share with you two books that Parragon have sent us to review on the subject of Dinosaurs.

Dinosaur Books

Dino Supersaurus T-Rex Terror – The Supersaurus Legend Begins

This is a beautifully illustrated book set in a cartoon strip. That’s lots of action and the pictures tell the story to help with the words. It really is a book for slightly older children but it was good to read with The Sensory Seeker picking out high frequency words I know he knows. Thus making it fun and rewarding for him. The only thing he found confusing was that the speech is written in capital letters – but it was good to explain to him about different types of text (not that I am sure he got it at his age).

£5.99 ISBN: 978- 1 -4723 – 6466 – 1

Gold Stars Travel Back Through Time to The Land of Dinosaurs

This book is fantastic and maintains interest for a long time. Again fantastically illustrated and filled with lots of facts and fun. The book has contents, glossary and index pages which I think are great in a children’s book. Through the book children learn all about dinosaurs in an enjoyable and interactive way with puzzles, mazes, colouring in, observations and much more. Every page is just bursting with life, and there’s so much to see, do and learn.

£7.99 ISBN: 978- 1 – 4723 – 5781 – 6

Find over 450 great dinosaur posts on my Dinosaur Pinterest Board

An InLinkz Link-up

I was sent the 2 books free of charge from Parragon Books as part of their blogger programme. All words and opinions are my own.

10 Number Activities Kids Co-op

January 14, 2015Kids Co-opmaths, number, number activitiesSensory Seeker

This week saw the start of a new Maths course at the school. The Sensory Seeker is coming along but is still well behind his peers in this area. His brother, who is in the year above, is flying and knows all of his 12 times tables. So when an opportunity came up for the 3 of us to spend 5 weeks at school on Maths I thought it would be a nice idea for them to help each other. We made a Snakes and Ladders game.

There are some fantastic Number Activities link up to the Weekly Kids Co-op and as it is an area that I am going to be focusing on for over the next month I thought I would share with you some of the posts that have linked up. I think that it is important that children develop not only their mathematical abilities but a love of the subject through the Number activities.

Number Activities from The Weekly Kids Co-op

Counting with Foam Numbers – great for fine motor.

Simple Educational Activities: Money – very good for helping with relating Maths to the every day World.

Math Games: Number Fences – My favourite thing about this is the excuse to eat more lollies!

Counting and Number Recognition: sticky Wall Activity – This is good for hand development too – getting him to flatten his hand up the wall is something the OT told me to do.

Free Math Fact Houses for Multiplication & Division – There is also ones for addition and subtraction – a good fun way of helping with the basics.

Paint by Numbers in the Shower – I absolutely love this there is no activity more perfect for The Sensory Seeker as it is messy but in an area where he can be cleaned straight away.

Coloring Race – Great idea as it helps with fine motor skills and social skills as well as number.

Hook a Duck – this one helps with hand-eye co-ordination too.

Playdough Numbers – As it is so easy to get different textures and smells into Playdough.

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Valentine’s Ideas for Kids – The Weekly Kids Co-op

January 8, 2015Kids Co-ophearts, ValentinesSensory Seeker

The Sensory Seeker has found going back to school difficult. He’s ok when he’s at school and just really lets it out when he’s at home. I need to keep fulfilling his Sensory needs and keeping him focused. As the next big holiday coming up is Valentine’s I decided that we would turn our attention to hearts. We decided to start simply with Hama beads from Craft Merrily.

It was really simple in that he just picked out the colours that he wanted and put them onto his heart shaped board. When it was completed the shape was ironed so it stuck together. It was great for his concentration, hand-eye co-ordination and fine-motor skills for a start.

I am keen to do more with him and so took a look at previously linked up Valentine’s ideas that we could do together or take inspiration from:

Valentine’s Ideas from The Kids Co-op

Valentine’s Ideas for Fine Motor Skills

There are lots of activities that involve holding a pencil (etc), cutting and hand manipulation all something that The Sensory Seeker needs to do a lot to help him develop. Here are some of my favourite Valentine’s ideas to aid this:

Valentine’s Scissor Cutting Skills Activity Tray
Chalk Heart Stencil Collage
Valentine’s Door Banner
Valentine’s Paint Chip Bookmarks
Fine Motor Heart Stamping
Coffee Filter Bunting (hearts)
Simple Valentine’s Heart Craft
Message in a bottle
Super Simple Valentine Craft
Valentine’s Day Love Tree
10 Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids for Fine Motor Skills

Valentine’s Ideas for Sensory Activities

Sensory doesn’t always mean getting your hands dirty but I do like the range of Valentine’s ideas that help to explore textures, smells and colours. Obviously The Sensory Seeker likes the stimulation but they are also good for encouraging the Sensory Avoider.

Tissue Paper Heart Wreath
Valentine’s Day Stamp Painting
Valentine’s Mobile with Tissue Paper Dyed Hearts
Home Made Valentine’s Cards with Celery Rose Stamp
Heart Potato Stamping
DIY Glitter Puff Paint Valentine’s Hearts
Squishy Heart Valentine Sensory Activity
Waterbeads Valentine’s Sensory Play
Hearts with Black Glue
Valentine’s Cards Using Shaving Cream
Heart Sensory Collage
Heart Sun Catchers
Valentine’s Day Goop Painting
Valentine’s Tin Foil Painting
Valentine’s Glittered Hearts
Valentine Playdough Mats
Valentine’s Role Play: Making Felt Mail with free printable pattern
Making Beeswax Valentine’s Candles
Valentine’s Nature Suncatchers
Valentine’s Day Prints
Squishy Heart Valentine’s Card
Kids Pizza Making for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Ideas to Develop Thinking Skills

I liked the activities that could help develop the brain and help The Sensory Seeker with his thinking skills:
Valentine Craft Printable – Bee Mine – I think this is a great activity for sequencing. I feel it is simple enough for The Sensory Seeker to put together by himself, but difficult enough for him to think about the order in which to do it.
Simple Valentine’s Day Science for Kids
Valentine Sensory Sink
Valentine’s Science: Frozen Vinegar Hearts
Valentine Sudoku Printable
Mirror Kids Play for Valentine’s Day
25 Valentine’s Day Books for kids

Valentine’s Ideas for Gifts

With another half-term coming up you may want to make thank you gifts for someone who has helped. Or just generally making gifts helps to teach about kindness and gives the opportunity to talk about feelings:

Valentine’s Keepsake (Bookmark)
Flower Gift Craft
Valentine’s Day Gifts: Pipe Cleaner Pencil Toppers
Hearts and Flowers Home Made Gift

An InLinkz Link-up

Christmas Crafts for the Sensory Seeker

November 19, 2014Kids Co-opChristmas, Christmas craftSensory Seeker

Christmas is a confusing time for our Sensory Seeker. All that change of routine, different stimulus, and really the lack of understanding of time. Every morning waking up wondering if it is Christmas, or if it is Christmas tomorrow? Trying to stay awake, and being absolutely over-exhausted. Our Sensory Seeker already has eyes that are so black. You can see my previous post on Coping with Christmas when your child has Special Needs, but one of the ways is to keep busy, keep it structured, and make sure they get a sensory diet. With this in mind I give you ideas to keep your Sensory Seeker (or avoider) entertained over the Christmas period that will help them remain grounded, focused whilst aiding their development.

Christmas Crafts for the Sensory Seeker from last weeks Weekly Kids Co-op

Candy Cane Play Gel Winter Sensory Fun – The Science Kiddo

Easy Snowman Craft for Kids – Spark & Pook

Glittery Christmas Tree Collages – Where Imagination Grows

Christmas Reindeer Printable Activities – Enchanted Home Schooling Mom

Frozen Sleigh – Keeper of the Cheerios

Snow Dough Snowmen – Multicrafting Mummy

Build a Snowman Busy Bag Activity – Sunny Day Family

Dipped Pine Cone Ornaments Christmas Craft – Christianity Cove

Clotherspin Manger Nativity Scene Christmas Craft – Christianity Cove

Clay Nativity Ornaments – Crafty Moms Share

Sensory Play: How to make pretend snow in 2 easy steps – Pinch of Perfect

Christmas Sensory Bin – My Bright Firefly

How to make Olaf from a sock – Playtivities

Christmas Tree craft for Toddlers – Playtivities

10 Ghost Crafts from The Weekly Kids Co-op

October 16, 2014Kids Co-op, Seasonalghost, ghosts, HalloweenSensory Seeker

Crafts are really good for The Sensory Seeker. They help with meeting his Sensory needs in term of vision and tactile input. It helps with fine motor skills, hand-eye co-ordination, turn-taking, following instructions, speaking and listening and much much more. Sometimes it is good to just let him be creative and other times it is great to give him a guide. I do love the inspiration I have from the Weekly Kids Co-op so thank you each and every one of you who links up. With Halloween fast approaching I thought I would make some Ghosts with My Sensory Seeker. I love the variety of ghost crafts linked up and the many skills that making them brings.

10 Ghost crafts from the Weekly Kids Co-op

Ghost Feet & X-Ray Hands – Atkinson Drive

Sensory Halloween – The Sensory Seeker

Halloween Crafts: Ghosts on the Light Table {Read & Play} – Where Imagination Grows

Halloween Science: Ghost Balloons – Preschool Powell Packets

Milk Jug Ghost – Crafty Journal

Ghost Symmetry – Three Ghost Friends

Toilet Paper Roll Ghosts – Plain Vanilla Mom

Halloween Ghost Finger Puppets in 4 Easy Steps – Mum Bo Jumbo

Halloween Rock Garden – Dabbling Momma

Dryer Sheet Ghosts and a Tossing Game – The Stay at Home Mom Survival Guide

Summer Sensory Diet – Tips and Inspiration

July 10, 2014Kids Co-op, Seasonalsensory diet, summerSensory Seeker

I find the best way to help my Sensory Seeker to cope with the School Summer holidays is to provide him with a Summer Sensory Diet. As he doesn’t like change, ideally, a visual aid. This would show a new summer routine, which meets all of his needs. I like to make sure I continue to provide educational stimulus, so that he does not fall any further behind his peers. I will also help him to develop his gross and fine motors skills. He needs plenty of outdoor activities to help burn off some his wild energy and meet his proprioception and vestibular needs; some noisy activities for his auditory sense; and of course plenty of tactile activities. Of course I will also set up just invitations to play, and use his imaginative (I love a bit of craft): These are also educational for him but in a less structured way. A plan not only helps him make sense of what is happening, but also gives him an idea of time, and when he will be returning back to school. I will also factor in down-time (he loves computer games and watching television) – both for his and my benefit.

Summer Sensory Diet Ideas from the Kids Co-op

There’s some great ideas on the Kids Co-op that inspire me, or I can utilise to help make my Summer Sensory Diet plan – here are a few of them:

Educational

15 Busy Bags for Fine Motor Skills – Powerful Mothering

Watermelon free Printables – Gift of Curiosity

Handwriting practice Letter B – Crystal & Co

Outdoor

Backyard Tight Rope – Kids Activities Blog

Outdoor Playspaces Kids Love– Frogs and Snails

Nature walks (and free printables) – Livin Montessori Now

Tactile

Chocolate Slime Playdough – Epic fun for kids

Ooooey Gooooey Slime – Our Little House in the Country

I am keen to find ideas for Apps as he sees these as playing computer games. He needs to learn how to blend his sounds, count from 10-20 – and other Early Years Goals. He is going to go up to Year 1 but be measure with P scales.

My other advice is to have lots of snacks. These can be frozen! As well as great for touch and smell.

What are P levels?

When children are in Year 1 they have finished the Early Years Foundation and move on to The National Curriculum. This starts at level 1 (and goes to level 3 in infants, and level 6 in juniors). Those children who have not achieved a level 1 at National Curriculum level would be marked with a W (working towards). This can feel deflating and confusing for a child/their parent who has made so much progress but the assessment shows the same W. P levels used when a child does not meet the National Curriculum levels but still allow progress to be seen. They are designed to show layers of small change below that of the National Curriculum levels – 1-8.

You may also be interested in Jenny’s Waterplay Activities Kids Co-op Round up