Self-injurious behaviors in young autistic children, such as head banging, self-biting, and skin picking, are more common than many school teams realize. Research estimates that up to half of autistic individuals experience these behaviors at some point in their lives. For educators and therapists, these behaviors can affect a child’s safety, learning, and ability to […]
Students move through an enormous amount of information during the school day. A lesson ends, and almost immediately there is another question to answer, another worksheet to complete, another conversation to have, or another activity to begin. But what happens when we occasionally stop adding more information? Research on wakeful rest suggests that periods with […]
Helping children notice signals from their bodies can support greater body awareness, self-regulation, and independence. This free body awareness worksheet gives children a simple visual way to identify what they may be noticing in their bodies and think about what those signals could mean. The What Is My Body Telling Me? printable includes common body […]
Children need many skills to participate successfully in school. Attention, organization, problem-solving, self-regulation, working memory, flexibility, and independence all support learning throughout the day. These skills need opportunities to develop and be practiced. Fortunately, families and educators do not always need special activities to build everyday skills. Many opportunities are already part of a child’s […]
Helping students succeed is not about reminding them of every step or staying beside them until the work is finished. One of the most important student success strategies we can teach is how to recognize what they need and take the next step with less adult support. The free printable 50 Things Students Can Try […]
Teaching requires an incredible amount of attention, decision-making, emotional regulation, flexibility, and problem solving. Teachers are expected to support students, manage the classroom, deliver instruction, respond to unexpected needs, communicate with families, document progress, and keep moving through the school day. That is a lot for one nervous system. Explore this free printable preventing teacher […]
A student sits in front of a blank worksheet. The directions have been given, the materials are ready, and the student appears to understand what to do, but nothing happens. It is easy to see this as a motivation problem. In reality, getting started can depend on a long list of brain and body factors, […]
Mindful intentions can help students and adults pause, notice what is happening in the present moment, and choose where to place their attention. They are not about forcing a certain feeling or reaching a perfect outcome. Instead, they encourage awareness and reflection. These mindful intentions examples can be used at school, during therapy, at home, […]
Helping children name and understand their emotions is an important step toward building self-awareness and emotional regulation skills. These free emotions kids sample PDF printables introduce three emotions using clear definitions, relatable examples, and practical strategies. The free printable packet includes three full-color pages from the Complete Emotions A to Z Posters. You can download […]
Sensory activity schedules are becoming a common tool that school-based occupational therapists and teachers use to help students manage attention, behavior, and participation throughout the school day. For many students with sensory processing differences, moments like transitions, independent work, or return from recess can be especially hard to navigate without built-in sensory support. A systematic […]