1) REMOTE LEARNING
Remote learning can be SO tough for kids, and more difficult for some than others. It's been challenging for my son to just sit in one place for the whole day so instead of fighting him on this I let him move around and change up locations for his classes.
It can get chaotic quick because his things will easily scatter - I mean one minute he's outside for class, on the deck, in the living room, back in his room, etc. So I put together a little grab and go "school box" and it's helped tremendously!
What's a grab-n-go school box? It's an organized storage container with all the class supplies he needs. It has dividers for each class so he can easily find what he needs as well as a space for his materials such as his whiteboard, markers, etc.
Here are the materials I used:
Also in my grab-n-go school box: Blue light glasses to protect eyes since because they're staring at the screen all day:
2. HOMEWORK - FUN TIMES :D
My FAVORITE learning tools to make homework time easier and more fun! I don't know why but I have several types of timers in my household LOL. Timers, and various other tools have helped streamline routines in our home. (If you don't want to spend too much $ on timers you can also get sand timers at Dollar Tree, some of the below ended up being birthday gifts for the kiddo bc he enjoys them so much LOLL!)
TIMERS (these help so much with focus!)
A. I love these sand timers because it gives you SIX variations ranging from 1 minute to 30 minutes.
B. I love also love this timer because it's HUGE, so it gives that clear visual and the dual colors make it easy to track time. One thing is you do hear a ticking sound so if that might distract your child, a silent timer such as the sand timers or the one below may be a more optimal option. One annoying thing is every time you start the timer over you need to wind all the way back to Zero then to the time you want.
C. This is my go-to for when I'm looking for a quiet timer without the clicking but still want those dual colors to help us track time.
D. I love this framed sand timer set mostly because it's stylish and sits nicely on the piano LOL, and it has 3 options for time.
WRITING TOOLS
A. Erasable Colored Pencils - one of my favorite tools to stimulate interest in writing.
**WILL UPDATE THIS SECTION SOON**
OTHER FOCUS TOOLS
A. Sensory chew necklaces: my initial thoughts - this isn't very sanitary, but the alternative was my son constantly putting his hand in his mouth. I do this to, as an adult, I bite my thumb knuckle or my pencil erasers. This is in fact the more sanitary and safer alternative.
B. Sensory Squishy/Stress Ball: it's hard to find good quality squishies! These so far have been our favorites. Others have popped/fallen apart pretty quickly or had odd odors. These have lasted in a while and my son uses them both in his calming corner, while in virtual school, and during homework time.
C. Wobble Cushion: (for seating or as foot rest/fidget). My son and I BOTH use this, it's so fun to use even if we are just hanging out playing a board game or working on puzzles. We also sometimes use it at the dinner table!
D. Sensory Sock: This is a great option for play right before homework time to help get kids focused! Kids can even sleep in this! We use it mostly to get excess energy out between classes or before bed. Sometimes he even wears it in (virtual) class. It satisfies kids' proprioceptive sense.
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