Playing the Game of Marbles: A Fun and Educational Activity for Children Marbles are small, round, and colourful balls that have been around for centuries. They are not only fun to play with but also offer many educational benefits for children of all ages. In this article, we will explore some of the ways that … Read more
What is Independent Play? Independent play refers to the time when children play alone without the direct involvement of others. This doesn’t mean they’re isolated or neglected; instead, they’re learning how to entertain themselves, explore their environment, and develop their creativity and imagination. It’s a crucial part of a child’s development, fostering resilience, independence, and … Read more
What is a tuff Tray and What Activities can I use It for? Tuff trays are an invaluable resource for early years and SEN settings, providing endless opportunities for sensory and messy play perfect for developing young minds. These durable plastic trays, filled with a variety of tuff tray activities and manipulatives, allow children to … Read more
Why is Imaginary Play Important? When you see your little one engaged in an elaborate pretend scenario, don’t dismiss it as ‘just playing.’ Imaginary or pretend play provides incredible cognitive, social, and emotional benefits that can give your child a developmental boost. This article will explore why pretend play is so important and how parents … Read more
I think I may have found my new favourite book. I have written a lot about the importance of play in learning. I hadn’t come across anyone putting forward the argument as passionately as Peter Gray in his book Free To Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, … Read more
Our Favourite Books For Play-based Learning As parents, we all want to ensure that our children are learning and growing in the best possible way. Using play as a way to promote learning is not only effective, but it’s also super fun! Children get to learn new skills, express their creativity, and make new friends … Read more
Teaching self-regulation skills to children with SEN is a vital part of their education. It also presents real challenges depending on the complexity of their needs. Pre-Verbal children or those with communication difficulties need our constant focus on this. Many of our children have disorganised nervous systems that are always seeking out sensory stimulation to … Read more
What is Play? While there are various definitions of play, there is no consensus on its characteristics. Some commonly cited characteristics include enjoyment, focus on process over product, and freedom from external rules. However, even heavily theorized definitions can draw on completely different characteristics. The elusiveness of play’s definition has been attributed to its ambiguity … Read more
Sensory Play Activities: Jelly Play Who doesn’t love sensory play to keep their children occupied, off screens and having fun? We have been trying out a range of sensory play activities this year as with 5 children in the house days out can quickly get expensive. This year we have had a few behavioural challenges … Read more
Why Teach “All About Me” Lessons In SEN one of the most important things is to get to know your pupil. All about me sessions are a generally accepted part of the process. These lessons are often done in September on a change of class or on the transition into school. I am a real … Read more
Easter Learning Games and Activities for EYFS/SEND Children Easter learning games and resources are great for use in several SEND-focused activities. I would use this with a wider age range than they are designed for. This raises questions about how age-appropriate each resource and I discuss this issue in this blog. Context in choosing resources … Read more
We got our hands on these three great maths game resources from Learning Resources. I had seen a post on instagram with the pirate treasure game. It was being used by a speech therapist so I was very excited when I got a chance to have a play learning session with it. I am currently … Read more
I teach in a autism specific classroom. The majority of the group are non-verbal and use a range of AAC (Augmentative and alternative communication resources). A common learning objective that links to a child’s EHCP targets is social interaction. This requires a commonly understood communication method. The key to this is using simple symbol/images which … Read more
Frustration is a classic game that one of my classes chose to buy with their pocket money (Residential school). The one we have is the slamtastic version. It is brilliant for developing a range of skills. The flip paddles add a brilliant tactile element to the game. The class was a mixed group of 6 … Read more
AAC Games for Communication Our next review for a game suitable for AAC users is Shark Bite. I bought this reduced at a supermarket. Shark does does tick the boxes for being suitable for use in communication and interaction sessions. It has a surprise movement to make you jump. The game has multicoloured accessories and … Read more
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