Self-Regulation

7–12 years * £13.99 * Apr 2020 * PB * Every strategy is fully illustrated in B&W child-friendly cartoons * ISBN: 9781787751569

Simple Stuff to Build the Motor Skills and Strength for Handwriting Lauren Brukner Illustrated by Elissa Elwick This fun guide supports kids age 7–12 to take control of their own writing difficulties, through worksheets and activities for building strength, coordination and stamina. As their skills improve, so too will their confidence and attainment. Illustrated throughout and with a quiz and handy checklists to track progress.

BESTSELLER 7–14 years * £12.99 * Sep 2016 * HB * 50 B&W illustrations * ISBN: 9781785927140 * Rights sold: Chinese (simplified), Turkish “When I was eight, I was the last student in my class to have good handwriting. I would have loved all the pencil grips that you showed in your book. Another tip that I completely agree with is heaving a soft pencil.

– Temple Grandin, Author Thinking in Pictures, The Autistic Brain

and needed support from a grown-up? Maybe it was a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, or a therapist. Was there a point where you had an “Ah ha!” moment and you were able to do that activity on your own?

Those are my favorite moments as an occupational therapist. Those are our goals—helping you to achieve.

What is extra fun is that sometimes the path to get to that do-it-on-your-own moment may look a bit different for you than it does for other kids, say in a particular area, like writing and handwriting—and that is totally ok! Everybody needs their own support, and has their own journey.

Ok, now that you (I hope!) understand what occupational therapists do in general, let’s see what the connection is to this book, shall we?

I support students in a bunch of different ways in the classroom or at home when they have trouble with writing—not with the actual coming-up-with-ideas part, necessarily (remember, I am defi nitely not a teacher!), but with the behindthe-scenes, get-your-hands-brain-and-body-ready stuff.

 Is your body ready to write?

 Are you sitting the right way?

 How is your pencil grip?

 Do you form the letters easily?

 How about the lines on the paper? Are they easy to see?

 Does your brain feel connected to your body?

Note: This is merely a suggested list. While many items can be found online, I suggest trying to use what you have in your school or at home fi rst and go from there. Be creative.

1. Something to use as a foot stool

2. A variety of pencils in different shapes and sizes

3. Wedge Cushion

4. Gel-Filled Cushion 5. Trace the 8

6. Wrist Cross Ankle Cross

7. Feel My Body

Does your teacher have you do exercises where you cross one side of your body to the next? Confused? When you take one part of your body and cross it to the oppose side of your body, this gives your brain really strong information by connecting its two hemispheres, or sides. This exercise also uses what we call proprioceptive input exercise also uses what we call proprioceptive input (deep pressure to the joints of the body). In this way, (deep pressure to the joints of the body). In this way, the exercise allows you to feel where your body is. Directions:

1. Stand up. 2. Cross your right ankle over your left ankle and plant your feet.

Press them together. 3. Cross your left wrist over your right wrist. Press them together. 4. Hold this position for 10 seconds. 5. Switch.

Right. Sit back down at your writing space now and write out “I am so focused!” on the lines below.

Let’s get writing!

Let’s try the maze!

1. Hand Stamina Exercises Reminder Bookmark 2. Slantboard/Pencil Grips/ Erasable Pens 3. Motor Tool Box

4. Handwriting Reminder Bookmarks

1. I will write neatly. 2. I will write on the lines. 3. I will put spaces between my words.

4. My letters will be the same size. 5. I will use punctuation and capitalization. 6. I will spell the words I know the best that I can. 7. If I need a re-focuser, I can do so from my seat and get back to work.

8. If I am feeling like I really have to move, I can ask my teacher for a quick two-minute standing exercise break.

1. I will write neatly. 2. I will write on the lines. Aa Bb 3. I will put spaces between my words. 4. My letters will be the same size. 5. I will use punctuation and capitalization. I can put spaces! Hello 6. I will spell the words I know the best that I can. 7. If I need a re-focuser, I can do so from my seat and get back to work. Do you want to get some pizza, David? Sight words

8. If I am feeling like I really have to move, I can ask my teacher for a quick two-minute standing exercise break. 5. My Handwriting Workbook 6. Write!

1. Soft 2B Pencils

4. Noise-Reducing Headphones/Visual Blocking Folder 2. Yoga Ball/Yoga Ball Chair 3. Metronome/Visual Timer

5. Toe Touch Cross 6. Write!

These bookmarks are a reminder of the Hand Warm-Up Exercise you can do as often as possible. They’re great for writing stamina too!

1. Shake out both hands.

1. Shake out both hands.

2. Open and close both hands 5–10 times.

3. Press palms together and hold for 10 seconds.

4. Seat push up: with flat Seat push up: with flat palms and feet planted palms and feet planted on the floor, push up from your chair and hold for 10 seconds. 2. Open and close both hands 5–10 times.

3. Press palms together and hold for 10 seconds.

4. Seat push up: with flat Seat push up: with flat palms and feet planted palms and feet planted on the floor, push up from your chair and hold for 10 seconds.

BESTSELLER 7–14 years * £12.99 * Jul 2014 * HB * 35 B&W cartoon illustrations * ISBN: 9781849059978 * Rights sold: Chinese (simplified), Turkish

Wise Ways for Children to Regulate their Emotions and Senses Lauren Brukner. Illustrated by Apsley Filled with practical tips and tricks, from journaling to yoga, this illustrated guide provides children and adolescents with wisdom from the Keep-Calm Guru and new ways to identify and cope with anxiety, anger and other difficult feelings.

– Sue Larkey, Teacher

Simple Stuff to Help Children Regulate their Emotions and Senses Lauren Brukner From breathing exercises and pressure holds to noisereducing headphones and gum, this illustrated book is packed with simple strategies and tools to help children with emotional and sensory regulation difficulties aged approximately 7 to 14 years to stay cool, calm and in control.

– Leslie Burby, Author, Advocate, Former Special Educator, Editor-in-Chief of Autism Parenting Magazine

7–12 years * £13.99 * Feb 2021 * PB * Fully illustrated in B&W * ISBN: 9781787755635

How to Feel Smart and In Control about Doing Mathematics with a Neurodiverse Brain Judy Hornigold Illustrated by Joe Salerno A collection of mathematical games, activities and curiosities to surprise and amuse children aged 7+, whilst providing learners with a grasp of fundamental concepts and techniques. This book can be used by anyone wanting to improve their maths, as well as those with dyscalculia or maths anxiety or other SLDs, and will show learners how much fun numbers can be.

– Dr. Steve Chinn, Visiting Professor, University of Derby

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Awesome Games and Activities for Kids with Numeracy Difficulties

Now try adding them up by looking for pairs of numbers that make 10.

Much easier and much quicker!

A pack of playing cards with the picture cards removed.

This is a game for two players.

Shuffle the cards and deal out between the players. Then each player puts down a card in the centre so that they make two piles, one next to the other.

Ponder It!

What happens if we start with numbers that just have the digit 1 in them?

1 x 1 = 1 11 x 11 = 121 111 x 111 = 12321 1111 x 1111 = 1234321 11111 x 11111 = 123454321 111111 x 111111 = 12345654321 1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321 11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321 111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

All of these numbers are palindromes! So, multiplying a load of 1s by the same number of 1s will give us a palindrome.

A palindrome is a word that reads the same forwards or backwards.

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Awesome Games and Activities for Kids with Numeracy Difficulties

Divisor Test 2 All even numbers divide by 2

3 Add up the digits in the number. If the answer is a multiple of 3 then the number is divisible by 3

4

Look at the last two digits of the number. If this number is divisible by 4 then the whole number is divisible by 4 5 Numbers that end in 0 or 5 are divisible by 5

6 Numbers that are even and have digits that add up to a multiple of 3 are divisible by 6

7 There is no specific test for divisibility by 7

8 Look at the number formed by the last three digits of the number. If this number is divisible by 8 then the whole number is also divisible by 8

9

10

11

12 Add up all the digits in the number. If the total is a multiple of 9 then the whole number is divisible by 9

Numbers with 0 as the final digit are divisible by 10

This is a more complicated test. Add up the first, third, fifth etc. digits. Now add up the second, fourth, sixth etc. digits. If the difference between these totals is 0 or a multiple of 11 then the number is divisible by 11

If the number is divisible both by 3 and by 4 using the rules given above then it is divisible by 12

Let’s try this out on a large number, say 1 854 630. Chapter 3

This chapter explores some of the more mysterious numbers in maths.

You will need a calculator for this.

Sometimes I hear people complaining that maths is boring. Well, that’s not true! It can be intriguing, confusing and very mysterious. Maths is full of patterns and connections. Some of them are predictable but others seem to come from nowhere. Here are a few of my favourite mysterious numbers and patterns in maths.

For those who like explanations for everything! The explanations of some of these ‘tricks’

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Awesome Games and Activities for Kids with Numeracy Difficulties

This is another way that you can impress your friends and family, whilst also practising the 7 times table!

You will need several dice and a plastic (opaque) cup.

Ask your friend to place a number of dice (at least 2) in the cup. Tell them that you are going to race them to find the total of the numbers shown. All they have to do is roll the dice and add up the numbers shown on the dice. You, however, are going to add up the numbers showing on the dice and the numbers underneath that you can’t see!

As soon as they roll the dice you can shout out your answer since all you need to do is multiply the number of dice rolled by 7.

Awesome Games and Activities for Kids with Numeracy Difficulties

You can make a paper pattern or, if you are good with a needle and thread, you could even make a quilt or a cushion cover.

Paper or fabric squares.

These are six ways that you can cut the squares to make patchwork pieces.

Decide on how you want to cut your squares and then have fun piecing them together.

Here are a few examples.

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