This Blustery Day

We are back into the  term and we started on this cold and blustery day. The weather was mild but cold to begin with but has grown wilder and wilder as the day progressed.

I am not here to write about the weather althoguh weather, in my experience, can profoundly effect children and behaviour.

With the season changing quickly to autumn, I have made some changes to accomodate the colder weather, with this little group. 

The childen arrived with bounce . Some were a little cautious after the break. I has set up a gluing activity to start and really hoped that they would set to"work". 

I have been doing a whole lot of reading around sensory intergration with children of all ages. Some very interesting ideas have taken root in my thinking.

Children who struggle with sensory intergration issues can either seek out sensory input like spinning on a swing or avaoid it . 

One of the things we have been using at home with our son is the idea of a weighted something that can be used , by him, when he feels he might need it. he might place it on his lap, tummy , shoulder and even head. He does this all the time at home. I sewed all the boys a large bean bag filled with rice and these have been their ' happy huggers' . 

Try it esepcially if your little one or older one struggles with sensorry intergration .

The Out of Sync Child and The out of sync Child has fun  - both by Carol Stock Kranowitz are great books explaining the issues around sensory input and helping with very pracicle ideas on helping the child cope with a very busy, noisey world.

For our sensory tray we had all while lot of autumn things like leaves and bark and cones - thinks children could feel and incorporate into their imaginary play.

We had yellow dough and we hade a surprise tray with beans, rice and other sparkling things. - A sort of things to find tray.

We had a good bean bag movement time with the children balancing the bean bags a little on different body parts. 

We ended our programme with the delightful story called ..

We're going on a Bear Hunt by  Helen Oxenbury.  If you have never read this book then please try and get hold of it. All good book stores should have it and it is a Library must.