Learning Activities

Are you a teacher, parent or carer looking to enhance your child's learning? 

Look no further than our resources below.



Make learning fun for visual learners

Is your child starting school or are you a teacher of a child with Down's Syndrome? Read our round-up of tips and essential websites to guide you through everything from the Statementing process to transition and beyond here in Tips and Contacts: Starting School with Down's Syndrome.

Fabulous resources for your home activities can be dowloaded free from Twinkl and TES SEN.  Let your imagination do the rest. Remember, it must always be fun, short bursts are better than long sessions, and every child will develop at their own pace and respond differently to different activities.


For more advice on all things SEN and sources of support, visit Special Needs Jungle

IPSEA can also offer independent parental special education support when things don't go to plan.


Read more about downloading a huge range of free SEN learning resources from Twinkl here.


There are many online sites and catalogues that will sell pencil grips, triangular pencils, writing slopes etc. Some teaching materials can be made inexpensively at home.



Are mornings a stressful time in your household? Does your child need a visual cue to remember the different steps required for toiletting? Learn How to Make a Visual Timetable for Your Child here.



Develop fine motor skills with a painting activity you can share with your child. Watch Natty painting a pottery Triceratops!



Speech therapy is vital for our children from a young age. Sadly, however, it is often an under-funded resource. Here are a few simple changes you can make to your child's daily routine to improve jaw and tongue strength: Our Top Tools for Terrific Talking


On the subject of talking, we explore the value of using a sign system such as Makaton



Natty loves reading, to herself or others, and she loves to have stories read to her. Watch this little clip which whizzes you through how we started on that wonderful literary journey.  Natty Learns to Read (videoed by her sister, 7)





Create a sensory box for your baby or young child to enjoy.




We flexi-schooled Natty, which is a mix of home and school. Here's a selection of posts I've written about what we get up to: Learning about Fruit and Veg including sorting, counting and soup making activities.




Here are a few ideas for Teaching Shapes in a Visual Way.



Teaching a Visual Learner about Jobs includes dressing up and having fun!

Junk modelling can be a brilliant way to draw different skills together. Put all the old boxes and toilet roll tubes to good use.



Craft making offers a wealth of learning opportunities. Have a go at our recycled paper chain idea and improve your child's fine motor skills at the same time. 



Sometimes we need reminding to let our children do things for themselves. Harvest festival reminded me that the process itself is how they learn, and the end product is less important.

Every day trips can be turned into a learning activity for your children. See what we got up to on our bear hunt walk in the woods.



Special iApps make a range of apps for the iPad that can help with vocabulary building, story making and even potty training. 

5 comments:

  1. What a great resource post. Thank you for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Always so busy to add new activities to it though! H x

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  2. hi
    i am a Portage worker from the Wyre Forest and i shall certainly be telling my parents about this great site. i will aslo let my co workers know
    keep up the good work!

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  3. Great resources. I might try these with DS.

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  4. Heya. We play games of dominoes and UNO in order to teach basic shape/colour recognition and counting. On a recent trip at a library I asked them to find five different books. The topics ranged from art to science as well. At a local supermarket I led a full investigation into the items that were on the shelves.
    They had to write a report on what they found. I now like to do role playing in addition to teach communication and first aid skills at the same time.

    Once at a restaurant I tasked the class with the following tasks
    Reading a menu on their own
    Asking for advice
    Following instructions
    Listening and memorising and speaking
    Money skills
    Writing a recount
    Staying calm
    Waiting
    Turn taking
    Counting
    Patience

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