Parenting Webinars SEND – The Family Academy

Early childhood parenting webinars

For parents of children of determination

0-8 years old

The webinars for Parents of Typically Developing Children are now completed.

You may refer to the “Parent Resources Library” section,

for the recordings and the handouts of the webinars.

Thank you,

Parenting Project Team

06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Promising Innovations in Autism (in Arabic)

Experts: Mohammed Aldosari, MD, Director and Staff Pediatric Neurologist, Center for Pediatric Neurosciences, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA – Hadeel Abdulmohsen AlKhamees, Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist, Head of Clinical Psychology Unit, Director of Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Program for Autism and Developmental Disorders, Riyadh Center

In this webinar, we will overview the most promising innovations which are assisting in the screening, diagnosis and intervention for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. These innovations span the fields of genetics, pharmacology, assistive technology, tele-diagnosis and tele-therapy, sensing technology, artificial technology, augmented reality and social robotics. We will discuss existing solutions as well as those under development which are showing promising results. Lastly, we will discuss efforts to bring and implement these solutions to the Gulf Region.

06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Managing Challenging Behaviour At Home for children with ADHD (in Arabic)

Experts: Mohammed Aldosari, MD, Director and Staff Pediatric Neurologist, Center for Pediatric Neurosciences, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA – Mohammed Ouda, Clinical Psychologist, Mental Health Division, National Guard Health Affairs King Abdul-Aziz Medical city, Saudi Arabia

Children depend on others for safety and support, so gaining the attention of their parents or caregivers is crucial to them. These children often find reinforcement for many hyperactive or impulsive behaviors as these behaviors usually attract people and achieve their objectives quickly.

When you understand what promotes a specific ADHD behavior, you can change the consequences of this type of behavior to reduce its repetition.

You can help your child learn different behaviors, those that lead to better results with fewer negative side effects. Your child’s ADHD behavior may have any of the beneficial effects, and from here we will talk and learn about the five reinforcers, which we call The Five “A” s, which help strengthen and reinforce these behaviors: He might attract (A)ttention to him, he might push others to make (A)ccommodations for him, he might help him (A)void certain situations, might help him get something (A)cquired, and it might happen through others’, (A)ntagonizing him.

Any one of the five can increase the frequency of ADHD behavior. Sometimes these reinforcers work together to drive certain behaviors, and strengthen them much more.

We’ll also talk about some principles that can help you reduce ADHD behavior and increase your child’s self-reliance and cooperation.

06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Autism: Promoting Communication Skills At Home (in Arabic)

Experts: Mohammed Aldosari, MD, Director and Staff Pediatric Neurologist, Center for Pediatric Neurosciences, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA – Saleh Suliman AlSuwailem, Senior Speech & Language Pathologist, Head section of Communication and Swallowing Unit, Child Development Center, Princess Nourah bint Abdurhman University, Saudi Arabia

In this lecture, we review the normal development of children’s communication skills during the first three years. We will also discuss developmental and behavioral disorders that may affect language development at this stage. Since the home environment is considered the most influential in the child’s life to acquire communication skills, the focus will be on explaining evidence based intervention methods to develop communicative skills and discuss the challenges that the family may face in applying these strategies.

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

How to enable children to explore the world through a puppet - Puppet Territory (in English)

Expert: Natasha Holmes, Artistic Director, Tell Tale Hearts, UK

How to enable children to explore the world through a puppet

Puppets work best when they are interacting with something from their environment or someone.

How much can your child learn about the world around them through the example of their puppet?

We will look at setting and how to create a meaningful environment (from household objects) for your puppet to become a guide for your child.

Task for parents:

Can you create a table top world for your puppet to explore?
Let your child explore this world through the puppet.
What do their interactions reveal about how much your child understands the world around them?

Handouts for parents:

A full workshop sheet with all exercises and links to videos provided.
A list of suggested open-ended resources to use at home.

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Parenting on NICU in a pandemic (in English)

Expert: Rita Al Minyawi, Brazelton international trainer in NBAS and NBO, UK

Congratulations on the birth of your baby. Having your baby admitted to NICU or SCBU was not what you expected at the beginning of your pregnancy… Covid Pandemic was not what the world or you expected less than a year ago. Both events beyond your control and very challenging for you and your family. We hope with this session to help you find a way during this time to understand and trust your baby’s unique way of communicating with you. A few practical suggestions to gain confidence in your unique ability to help care for your baby. However difficult the current situation is, you are the most important people for your baby and together you will get through this too!

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

How to look after yourself as a parent of a child of determination (in Arabic)

Expert: Eman Gaad, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor of Special and Inclusive Education, British University in Dubai (BUiD), UAE

The session is designed to support the wellbeing and emotional stability for parents of children with special needs/disabilities. Tips on mental health, and mindfulness to support them will be offered. It will end with a questions and answer session

06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Yoga Stories and Art Activities for Children and Parents (in English)

Expert: Emily Abramson, Art Therapist, certified Yoga Therapist & Teacher, School of Visual Arts, New York, USA

Finding ways to express ourselves through movement, games, and Yoga Stories can be coupled with exploring visual art expressions. You do not need to have any prior experience with art or movement. We will continue to talk about Yoga Stories as a helpful and creative way to express ourselves and begin to look at other creative ways to add to these stories. Simple art directives will be discussed and shared during this webinar. Families and children are encouraged to have paper and a pen/ marker available if they would like to play along. Since we all learn differently it is important to find ways that work best for you and your child. Together we will learn about certain art materials and activities that could be helpful when we are feeling overwhelmed or stressed out in situations. These activities can be used on their own, or in tangent with a Yoga story activity.

Come with your children and whole family to learn new ways to have fun, laugh, move, and express yourselves!

Handouts:

The Why’s of Yoga as Therapy
The Why’s of Art as Therapy
Art activities that can be used with or after movement exercises
Calming Art worksheets

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

How to improve your child’s fine motor skills: resources and live examples (in Arabic)

Expert: Sara Al Atrouni, Psychomotor Therapist (M.A), UAE

Fine motor skills involve the use of the smaller muscle of the hands, like using pencils, scissors, construction with lego, doing up buttons and opening lunch boxes. There are many ways to improve this skill through various activities.

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Early Care & intervention (in Arabic)

Expert: Eman Gaad, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor of Special and Inclusive Education, British University in Dubai (BUiD), UAE

The session is designed to support parents to select and execute the most suitable method of intervention for their child with special needs/disabilities identify. Tips on approaching and working with therapists will be discussed. It will end with a questions and answer session

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Puppets and emotions (in English)

Expert: Natasha Holmes, Artistic Director, Tell Tale Hearts, UK

How we can support children’s emotional literacy through puppetry?

This webinar includes a step by step guide on how to make a simple cloth dolly puppet. We will then look at ways to animate our dolly puppet and show different emotions. Finally we will look at what happens when our puppet has something wrong with it: perhaps a poorly leg or it doesn’t feel well.

How can this simple scenario be used to support your child’s emotional literacy?

Task for parents: Can you try puppeteering the poorly dolly puppet scenario? Does your child want to help? And if so, how? Let you child be the puppeteer and see what emotions you read in their dolly puppet.

Handouts for parents:

A full workshop sheet with all exercises and links to videos provided.
A list of suggested open-ended resources to use at home.

06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Autism: Managing Behavioral Challenges At Home (in Arabic)

Experts: Mohammed Aldosari, MD, Director and Staff Pediatric Neurologist, Center for Pediatric Neurosciences, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA – Ohud A. Alhaqbani, M.Ed Senior Special Educationist and Head of Early Intervention Program, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Autism and Developmental Disorder Center – Riyadh , Saudi Arabia

The attendee will learn about what is a behavior, its functions and how parents can work at home to decrease challenging behaviors using the basic principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis. The focus will be on children with Autism Spectrum Disorders although the same principles can be applied to similar challenging behaviors seen in other developmental disorders.

07:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Does my child have ADHD? (in Arabic)

Experts: Mohammed Aldosari, MD, Director and Staff Pediatric Neurologist, Center for Pediatric Neurosciences, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA – Shuliweeh Alenezi, MBBS, FRCP(C), FAPA, M.Ed., King Saud University, College of Medicine, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

This talk will review the historical background of how Attention Deficits Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) became a known disorder. It will also shed light on how we diagnose it now. It reflects on the impact of this common mental illness on students’ performance in school, socially, and at behavior level. We will review together some of the recommended interventions and their applications.

Learning Objectives:

What is ADHD?
How is it diagnosed?
Who diagnoses it and how it gets treated?
What happens if not treated?
How does it impact patients’ lives?

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Yoga and Relaxation for Children and their parents (in English)

Expert: Emily Abramson, Art Therapist, certified Yoga Therapist & Teacher, School of Visual Arts, New York, USA

During this 40 minute experiential webinar we will learn Yoga Stories, and breathing techniques to help our children and selves calm our minds throughout the day. Our world often becomes overwhelming and emotions can be hard to regulate- therefore it is imperative that we find simple, no fuss ways in which to ground ourselves. All the techniques and movements we will learn can be modified for all abilities and ages. The true essence of a movement/posture or technique can be extremely simple and easy to follow along, learn, and integrate into our own everyday lives. We will take time to explore simple stretches that help calm busy bodies and learn different ways to calm our minds before stressful tasks or before bed time. Yoga is a safe, proven therapeutic tool used to increase concentration, build confidence, reduce stress, anxiety, and build strength and flexibility. We can all benefit from taking time to become more present in our bodies and minds. Through the use of creative Yoga Stories, we can learn new ways to express ourselves to each other and create a deeper sense of self awareness.

Come with your children and whole family to learn new ways to have fun, laugh, move, and calm the mind.

Handouts:

The Why’s of Yoga as Therapy
Simple Breathing Techniques
Yoga Stories example and outlines

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Your role in organizing your toddler’s day and creating seamless transitions (in Arabic)

Expert: Sara Al Atrouni, Psychomotor Therapist (M.A), UAE

It can be hard for children to move from one activity to another, especially if they’re enjoying something and don’t want to stop. Routines can help with transitions that happen every day. They will be able accept change better when they know it’s coming. It also helps to give children enough warning, allow time for transitions, offer choices and resist bad behaviour.

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Support your child after school (in Arabic)

Expert: Eman Gaad, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor of Special and Inclusive Education, British University in Dubai (BUiD), UAE

The session is designed to support parents in working with their child’s needs after school to get the best possible results out of their child. Activities related to the development of educational and emotional aspects in a fruitful way will be offered. Tips on quality time after school will be discussed. It will end with a questions and answer session

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Stop Motion Animation Stories: Finalizing our films! (in English)

Expert: Bridget Johnson, New York, USA

In this class we will go over the movie production process (idea, writing, pre-production, production, post-production, distribution) and talk about the journey we went through together. Lastly we will learn about animating with our bodies: pixelation. We will leave a lot of room in this class for answering questions about finalizing the films.

Materials Needed: Animation station

Learning Goal:

Children will understand the movie production process and be able to define the 6 steps. Children will be empowered and excited to finish their films at home and make even more!

Role of Parents: Parents should act as the “producer” for these films. It is a producer’s job to keep the production moving and on track with the story. Parents should also help with the more technical aspects such as adding audio and editing.

Handout: Putting it all together. Time to make your stop motion animation!

Then send it to us; We will edit them all together and send out so everyone can watch!

07:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Working with the school of your child with special needs (in Arabic)

Expert: Eman Gaad, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor of Special and Inclusive Education, British University in Dubai (BUiD), UAE

The session is designed to support parents in working with their child’s school to get the best possible educational and emotional service. Issues like handling communication with the school, Formal and informal support to teachers and other staff who are involved in supporting the child while in school will be offered. Some practical tips that support parents will be also offered. It will end with a questions and answer session

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Introduction To Gut Health For Autism (in Englsh)

Expert: Ella Kate Carey, Family health practitioner

Ella will lead you through the fundamentals of the connection between gut health and autism, and how to support your childs’ development through nutrition and diet.

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

How to improve your child’s coordination and gross motor skills (in Arabic)

Expert: Sara Al Atrouni, Psychomotor Therapist (M.A), UAE

My child is clumsy, he falls down frequently, and can’t use the cutlery correctly.

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a lifelong condition that makes it hard to learn motor skills and coordination. Motor planning problems can make it hard to figure out the steps of self-care routines, like brushing teeth and getting dressed. Kids may have trouble preparing a bowl of cereal with milk for themselves. Trouble with balance may make it hard for them to sit still and eat properly.

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Selecting the right school for your child with special needs (in Arabic)

Expert: Eman Gaad, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor of Special and Inclusive Education, British University in Dubai (BUiD), UAE

The description of the webinar will be available soon.

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Stop Motion Animation Stories: Sets, Puppets, and Props! (in English)

Expert: Bridget Johnson, New York, USA

In this class we will learn how to make sets, props, and puppets for your film!

We will talk about what these terms mean. We will learn best practices and tips for creating a moveable character. We will also discuss and brainstorm different kinds of materials we can use. Children will create a simple puppet and practice simple animations with it.

Materials Needed:

Paper
Scissors
Writing utensil
Any art making material you have (string, buttons, paint, markers, cotton balls, anything!)
Your animation stations

Learning Goal:

Children will be able to create their own puppets, sets, and props with materials they find at home.

Role of Parents: Parents should help children find materials to create their sets, puppets, and props with. They should support them in creating their materials.

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

How to make academic learning active (in English)

Expert: Lesley Minervini, International tutor, Teach Active, UK

This session will focus on:

How to make academic learning active.

Activities will involve: Maths and English taught in a physical way.

Parents will be given a handout with 4 Maths and 4 English activities for different age groups.

06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Stop Motion Animation Stories: Story Writing (in English)

Expert: Bridget Johnson, New York, USA

In this class we will apply everything we learned about stop motion to create our own stories. First we will watch a very short film and talk about what choices the filmmaker makes to convey the story. We will go through the story writing process, taking into account the limitations of materials and time. Then we will do some story writing activities together.

Materials Needed: Paper – Writing utensils

Learning Goal: At the end of this class, children and parents will understand the basics of story writing for an animation and be able to create their own story.

Role of Parents: Parents should be the ones reigning in children’s ideas. They should be aware of available materials and how much time you have available and direct the child accordingly.

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

How to identify in which aspects your child needs help (in English)

Expert: Lesley Minervini, International tutor, Teach Active, UK

The focus of this session will be on ”How to identify in which aspects your child needs help and how to adapt activities to include all children”

Activities will be trying out the movement assessment tool and adapting movement games to develop stability, object control and locomotion.

Parents will be given a handout with ideas to adapt activities and a basic movement assessment tool.

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

How to work on your child’s sensory integration issues (in Arabic)

Expert: Sara Al Atrouni, Psychomotor Therapist (M.A), UAE

My child doesn’t like to wear certain textures, he gags when tasting certain food and he avoids smelling certain scents…

If your child has a hard time gathering and interpreting sensory inputs, they may show signs of sensory integration issues. These may include difficulty with balance and coordination, hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to some textures, food, scents as well as auditory and visual stimuli.

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

From Here to There: How Realistic do Puppets need to Be? (in English)

Expert: Natasha Holmes, Artistic Director, Tell Tale Hearts, UK

In this Practical workshop we will look at extracts ”From Here to There” an international production by Tell Tale Hearts, from the UK, which uses a range of different puppetry forms. We will identify which forms are particularly beneficial to children of determination and why. We will also explore a simple puppet (an object from home) and find different ways of characterising it to encourage meaningful participation with your child.

Task for parents: Have a go at puppeteering for your child and set up a simple scenario from the workshop. Model it a few times then leave the puppet for your child to have a go.

Handouts for parents:

A full workshop sheet with all exercises and links to videos provided.
A list of suggested open-ended resources to use at home.

06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Stop Motion Animation Stories: Introduction to Stop Motion Animation at Home (in English)

Expert: Bridget Johnson, New York, USA

Stop Motion Animation Stories: At the end of the 4 webinars children and parents will have the tools and materials to create a complete short film using stop motion animation.

We will screen professional short animations, learn animation techniques, create stories, and make sets, puppets, and props. We will also learn how to use materials at home to create the perfect stop motion animation set up! Introduction to Stop Motion Animation at Home In our introductory class we learn what stop motion is and how it can be a positive form of expression. We will learn the basics of stop motion and a few easy techniques for making beautiful animations from your own home. We will watch some examples of stop motion animation from the pros. During the last part of class we will try out a simple animation with our phones!

Materials Needed:

Smart device (phone or tablet)
Download the app: Stop Motion Studio. The free version is fine!
2 stacks of books OR a phone/tablet stand. If you are using books, also grab 2 rulers – Small objects to animate!
Pom poms, button, coins, rocks, leafs, anything that is smaller than your hand

Learning Goal: At the end of this class, children and parents will understand the basics of animation and be able to create a short animation with a phone

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

How to develop physically literate children (in English)

Expert: Lesley Minervini, International tutor, Teach Active, UK

This session will focus on: How to develop physically literate children.

The skills of stability and locomotion. Activities will be movement games to develop stability and locomotion.

Parents will be given a handout with 6 activities to practice at home.

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

How to create a sensory story for your child (in English)

Expert: Richard Hirstwood, Founder & Principal Tutor, Hirstwood Training Ltd

A sensory story is much more meaningful for a child with special needs than just having a story read to them. We show you how to make a story ‘sensory’ and why a simple repetitive story is best!

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Story making and story sharing – A journey to the Sea – Out Onto The Waves - Part C (in English)

Expert: John Mee, Drama practitioner, Co-creative director, formerly senior lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, Alive And Kicking Theatre Company, UK

Using the picture of the sea and the soundscape you will have created together since last time we met, you will be helped to plan how to bring the adventure to a close but not before you have faced more challenges together. You will be helped to create a path down to the harbour where there’s only one boat. All the others will have already gone fishing. Fortunately that boat is just big enough for you together. When you get on board you’ll find a number of messages asking you to set sail out onto the waves. Of course you will not know how best to do this but the rest of your family will! As you go further and further out to sea you will open the next message and the next one and the next one and you will follow the instructions. It won’t be easy but you are together. Whirlpools … sea caves …. dangerous rocks ….. mermaids …. You will have to face all these and more before you return to land. Will you be safe? Let’s find out!

Handout for parents:

A guide to making the route down to the harbour ready to be used as part of session 3
Examples of the messages that they will ‘find’ in the boat during session 3
Ways of retelling the story and celebrating success as a finale to session three

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Autism and difficult behaviour (in English)

Expert: Richard Hirstwood, Founder & Principal Tutor, Hirstwood Training Ltd

Children with Autism can struggle to make sense of the world around them. Their sensory differences may cause them to display sensory seeking behaviour when they feel overwhelmed or frustrated by a situation. All behaviour is a form of communication and we look at what we mean by difficult behaviour, what triggers it and strategies to manage it.

06:00 PM- 07:00 PM

Textile/Tactile: Weaving Together (in English)

Expert: Laura Hetzel, Artist and Art Therapist, Children’s Museum of the Arts, New York, USA

Weaving is an ancient art form that is used around the world. Weaving is the process that constructs our complex cloths, rugs, and tapestries, but weavings can be made from something as simple as paper. In this webinar, parents will learn to make simple looms from common materials such as cardboard, paper, and string, and create woven artwork collaboratively with their children. Weaving encourages integration and fine motor skills through repetitive actions. Through an exploration of materials, parents and children can explore diverse textures and build tactile vocabularies. Children of all ages, stages, and abilities can create woven artworks and practice making choices, developing patterns, and combining texture and color. By collaborating together, parents and children can create a weaving that celebrates their family by incorporating diverse parts together into one whole piece.

Handout for parents:

Instructions for making a weaving from paper
Instructions for making a weaving from yarn, cardboard, and fabric

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Why does my autistic child have bowel issues? What can I do about it? (in English)

Expert: Ella Kate Carey, Family health practitioner

Ella discusses the connection between autism and constipation, loose stools and bloating. She offers insights and tips from her clinical experience to successfully help your child at home.

06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

How do I play with my child? (in English)

Expert: Richard Hirstwood, Founder & Principal Tutor, Hirstwood Training Ltd

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Story making and story sharing – A Journey to the Sea – On The Way - Part B (in English)

Expert: John Mee, Drama practitioner, Co-creative director, formerly senior lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, Alive And Kicking Theatre Company, UK

Using drama and playmaking we’ll examine ways of encouraging children to invent, describe and play their way through adventures that you create together.

And just as the last adventure finishes you will see the sea in the distance. You will see just enough to be able to create a picture of the sea together and to make a soundscape of the waves, the seabirds and the fishing fleet setting out on their voyage.

Handout for parents:

An explanation of some of the drama conventions that could be used as the journey is made during session 2: soundscaping; mime; song-making; shared story telling; dance; marking the space; landscaping and more,
A guide to recording moments of the journey through freeze-framing and thought- tracking during session 2,
A guide to working in role as you meet different people on your journey during session 2,
Ways of capturing a distant picture of the sea after session 2

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

How you and your other children can play at home with your child/ren of determination (in English)

Expert: Jane Warren, Lecturer, Early Years, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Education, University of Wollongong, Australia

This workshop will help you understand why it is important for all children to play, irrespective of type or level of disability. We will look at ways you can play with your children, irrespective of disability. We will explore some links to resources and ideas you can access in the future.

Handout for parents:

Key points about the importance of play – grouped into developmental benefits,
Links to other resources to support your child with a disability during play,
Simple games to play with your child (and include siblings)

06:00 PM- 07:00 PM

Photography and the Family, Part 2: Creating Photo Albums (in English)

Expert: Laura Hetzel, Artist and Art Therapist, Children’s Museum of the Arts, New York, USA

This webinar will build upon concepts from the previous Photography and the Family webinar. With this webinar, families will explore collage art projects using photographs after they’ve been printed out. Families will learn to create scrapbooks and collages that serve different purposes, such as constructing stories, archiving and honoring family memories, and creating transitional objects for children. By altering and combining images into new forms, children can experiment with their creative voices, explore what is meaningful to them with those around them, and share their unique perspectives.

Families are encouraged to bring printed photographs to the session. Photocopies work well!

This should be a fun and flexible exercise so do not work with prints that are irreplaceable.

Handout for parents:

Instructions on how to make a simple book from paper
Instructions for a collage activity to create a transitional object for children (example: a scrapbook of “people important to me” that children can use to show and tell others such as teachers or friends about the important people in their life)

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Understanding your autistic Child's fussy eating and what to do about it (in English)

Expert: Ella Kate Carey, Family health practitioner

Remove the battle of feeding time through understanding why your child is limiting their food preferences, and how you can help them to widen their choices. And improve?

06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Playing with technology: using iPads/apps and other gadgets with my child (in English)

Expert: Richard Hirstwood, Founder & Principal Tutor, Hirstwood Training Ltd

We have an iPad – but which apps should we use? An iPad can be a very creative tool to use with your child with special needs. But which apps should you use? How can you get the best out of using the iPad? Let Richard show you how!

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Story making and story sharing – A Journey to the Sea – Get Ready! Part A (in English)

Expert: John Mee, Drama practitioner, Co-creative director, formerly senior lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, Alive And Kicking Theatre Company, UK

Three webinars to help parents to prepare to make a fictional journey to an imaginary world with their children. And to have great times dealing with what they find on the way there as well as what they will get up to when they take to the waves in the boat that is waiting for them.

In this first webinar you will be offered examples of how to set off on a fictional journey into an imaginary world.

A family friendly, easy to follow guide into the world of play in which mothers, fathers, grandparents, carers and family friends will be helped to make stories, invent characters, go on adventures, face dangers and celebrate their victories!

Handout for parents:

An overview of the plans for creating all three sessions in ”A Journey to the Sea” with their children,
An outline picture of the map that they will be encouraged to complete with their children during and after session 1,
Suggestions for creating pictures for some of the places and dangers to include on the map during and after session 1.

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Supporting children with anxiety - a tried and tested holistic approach (in English)

Expert: Ella Kate Carey, Family health practitioner

1 in 5 young people aged 16-24 experience a common mental illness such as anxiety or depression at any one time. The wider impact of COVID19 is yet unknown, and in this talk Ella guides you through her tried and tested ‘anti- anxiety’ toolkit.

02:00 PM- 03:00 PM

But he doesn't look autistic (in English)

Expert: Cheryl Bedding, Early Childhood Consultant and Trainer, UK

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong disability that impacts on how individuals see the world and how others see them.Parenting a child with ASD can be challenging, scary and isolating, however it can also be rewarding, enjoyable and a unique learning experience.

In this session, Cheryl Bedding, will be sharing her knowledge and expertise as a professional within the childcare sector alongside her personal experiences as a parent of a child with ASD. She will be exploring the myths and fears of the process of identifying ASD traits in young children including the behaviours you may expect to see, as well as sharing her knowledge of how to effectively support your children and finding support for yourselves as parents. Cheryl will also spend time looking at Sensory Processing Disorder, a common link with ASD, and the challenges children face and how to manage these as parents.

05:00 PM- 06:00 PM

Photography and the Family: Creative Image-Making with your Child (in English)

Expert: Laura Hetzel, Artist and Art Therapist, Children’s Museum of the Arts, New York, USA

Photography enables both children and adults to tell their own stories, contain and process their experiences, and connect with each other. This webinar will explore ways to structure image making using everyday technology, and introduce creative photography prompts to encourage family bonding and the expression of children’s unique creative voices. Families will explore some contemporary photographers’ portraits to spark imagination and conversation before exploring ways to create meaningful photos at home.

Parents will gain ways to limit distractions when creating images with everyday technology, prompts to encourage family-bonding through photography, and prompts for children’s independent image making.

Handout for parents:

Instructions and prompts on creating a backdrop together
Instructions on how to make a simple tripod at home
Prompts for portraiture
Instructions for how to share image to Voices of Children Gallery

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Movement games to build up core stability and shoulder strength (in English)

Expert: Lesley Minervini, International tutor, Teach Active, UK

This session will focus on: Why is movement important?

How movement impacts on brain development.

Activities will be:

Movement games to build up core stability and shoulder strength (important for sitting at a desk and handwriting).

Parents will be given a handout with activities to try at home.

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

How to create a multi sensory room at home (in English)

Expert: Richard Hirstwood, Founder & Principal Tutor, Hirstwood Training Ltd

A sensory room can be a wonderful space at home for you and your child – and their siblings! But they can be a very expensive spaces to create. Richard shows you how to carefully choose the equipment you need to meet the needs of your child – and how this flexible space can adapt and grow as your child gets older.

01:00 PM - 02:00 PM

''5 More Minutes'': PART 3 (in English)

Performers: Leila Chebbi, Artistic Director, Theatre Company Travelled Companions, UK & Joe Shipman, Performer and Theatre Maker, UK

In our final session we will share a lullaby. We will explore the importance of creating a space that can evoke rest and calm.We will create a darker space to play with lights and explore the night time sky. Our performers will guide you and your child in an adventure to space and back.

Please bring a sheet/blanket, comfy cushions, socks and a torch or two (A phone torch would work fine).

Handouts for parents:

Link to lullaby and Lyrics
Link to space music
Create your own alien

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

How to support the sensory needs of your child at home (in English)

Expert: Jane Warren, Lecturer, Early Years, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Education, University of Wollongong, Australia

For children who have particular sensory sensitivities, the world – including their own home, can sometimes be overwhelming.

During this session we will explore our different senses and what hyper (over) and hypo (under) sensitivity looks like in each area. We will consider ways to respond to sensory needs and share some recipes/ideas to respond to your child’s sensory needs at home.

Handouts for parents:

Key sensory areas and what they include
What hyper- and hypo-sensitivities look like in each area
Sensory ‘checklist’ – how to determine your own child’s sensory needs
Ideas for different ways to respond to their sensory needs at home
Recipes/ideas for experiences to do with the child at home

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Artists At Home: Mark making on black and white images (in English)

Expert: Gai Lindsay, Lecturer, BEd-The Early Years University of Wollongong, Australia

This session will build on the previous play with found materials to make marks on a black and white print. Using and adapting accessible office supplies, the session will introduce ideas about using tints, lights and darks to make marks and embellish images and shapes.

Handout for parents:

This handout will offer ideas about how to provide children with a creative stimulus, memory or starting point for drawing and mark making instead of always starting with a blank page. It will outline possible adaptions in both the ways drawing and painting materials can be used and the ways children can be supported to make joyful and meaningful marks.

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Relaxation and Mindfulness

Expert: Emily Abramson, Art Therapist, certified Yoga Therapist & Teacher, School of Visual Arts, New York, USA

We live in a busy world with a lot of uncertainty and stress. It is important to find time for ourselves throughout the day to let go and to strengthen our inner support system.Creating healthy habits around self-care can be simple and extremely important for you and your family. We will learn about the importance of mindfulness and how to incorporate mindful activities into your daily routine. Using simple breathing techniques, stretching, mindful movement, positive self-talk, laughing, and art making you can develop a way to stay calm in chaos.

During this webinar we will be focusing on ways to reduce-stress and find time for self –care. We will discuss the importance of supporting yourself in order to support your families and community around you. You are welcome to bring your children as well and we will explore ways in which to help create a calmer home atmosphere. Stress tolerating and stress reducing activities for children will also be explored. We will look at different breathing techniques, walking and sitting meditations, journaling prompts, art activities, and the importance of scheduling time for YOU.

Handouts for parents & children:

What is Mindfulness?
Helpful tips for finding time for self-care
Art and Breathing activities for stress reduction

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

What is multi-sensory learning and why is it important for my child?

Expert: Richard Hirstwood, Founder & Principal Tutor, Hirstwood Training Ltd

Our senses play a vital role in living and learning. It is important to discover how our children receive and understand the information that their senses send to them. Discover more about our sensory system and how to provide the multi sensory stimulation your child needs.

01:00 PM - 02:00 PM

''5 More Minutes'': PART 2

Performers: Leila Chebbi, Artistic Director, Theatre Company Travelled Companions, UK & Joe Shipman, Performer and Theatre Maker, UK

In Session 2 we will be continuing our exploration of the bedtime routine. This time we will be building our very own sock monster puppet to play with using objects that we can find around the house. We will find games in tidying up and perhaps witness what happens when we don’t want to/or refuse to go to bed.

We will calm things down with some beautiful breathing and relaxation techniques using a sheet or a blanket.

Handouts for parents:

Using objects to tell stories and explore emotions
Sensory activities using a sheet or blanket
Make a dream catcher

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Supporting your child during routines and transitions at home

Expert: Jane Warren, Lecturer, Early Years, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Education, University of Wollongong, Australia

For children of determination, following routines and understanding transitions can be difficult.

During this workshop, we will look at a range of visual supports that can be embedded throughout your home and family to assist your child in transitioning from one thing to another, and support your child in expectations of routines.

Handouts for parents:

Brainstorming sheet for routines in your house
Links to websites to access visual supports for routines in the home
Ideas to support transitions throughout the day

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Artists At Home: Playing with found objects

Expert: Gai Lindsay, Lecturer, BEd-The Early Years University of Wollongong, Australia

This session will introduce families to ideas about ephemeral (temporary) artworks and constructions using materials found around the home. It will discuss the types of objects families could collect to play with, feel, explore, delight in and photograph to create a future artwork.

Handouts for parents:

The handout for this session will support families to think about the many ways that collections of found objects can support creative and artistic play, sensory and tactile exploration and encounters with colours and shapes. Ideas about how to use photography as a tool for capturing your child’s learning achievements and their voice will also be outlined.

11:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Spotlighting Movement During the Pandemic - The Foundations of learning - Part 3

Expert: Ali Golding, Dance Movement Scientist, International Consultant, Founder, Director, MovementWorks, UK

Movement interventions and programmes that support children of determination: Evidence based practice and narratives.

“Movement is at the heart of childhood development and is much more important than most people realise. In special consideration of these unprecedented times of restricted movement and social distancing it has never been more important to gain a deeper understanding of this topic to be able to best support all children, in particular children of determination who are likely to have missed out on this key area of growth during this period”.

Handout for parents:

The MovementWorks mini-resource pack will provide relevant perspectives and the scientific principles of the relationship of movement to child development and learning – information that all parents should know! Together with this background, various activities will be described/illustrated which are designed to be impactful for the current situation and beyond. These activities support all children to thrive and are especially helpful for children with learning delay/additional needs.

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Using Play Therapy to Support Language

Expert: Sarah Valeri, Creative Arts Thearapist, New York, USA

Play motivates children to be more involved in their environment, and having the chance to initiate movement and contact with the world, even in small ways, encourages more exploration. During this exploration children find many new experiences that need a name or a sign or a tactile cue so they can ask for it again or tell you they enjoy it! Since all children need sensory representations of the world before they can “attach” a word to the concept, real life experience is essential to future language comprehension and expression. This webinar will focus on enjoying open ended exploration activities while being mindful of using specific and consistent language with your child to make vocabulary more accessible and relevant to their experience, whether through cues, speech, signs, or gestures.

Parents and children are invited to attend this webinar to practice and adapt creative communication activities for their home.

Handouts for parents:

General Guidelines for Introducing Language in Play
Three Part Lesson: A game for introducing new words
Create a Play Space with Consistent Materials
Funny Sculptures
Use Music

01:00 PM - 02:00 PM

''5 More Minutes'' - Part 1

Performers: Leila Chebbi, Artistic Director, Theatre Company Travelled Companions, UK & Joe Shipman, Performer and Theatre Maker, UK

5 More Minutes explores the fun, frustration and fantasy that can be had in that magical time between awake and asleep.

Join Travelled Companions in this 1st Session where you will explore bedtime routines and rituals. You will be invited to watch and join in with our two performers. You and your child will be guided in play using your body, voice and imagination. We will guide you through a magical underwater adventure where you will learn some basic puppetry skills using a simple yet very effective prop.

Please bring socks, a bedtime sheet or a blanket and some comfy cushions.

Hand Outs for parents to download:

Conversation starters about bedtime routines and feelings around bedtime
Link to Underwater music
Making a Sock fish puppet activity

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Helping Children Deal with All Their Emotions:
It’s So Much More Than Learning “happy, sad, and mad”

Experts: Paddy Cronin Favazza, Ed.D, Professor and researcher in the field of early childhood special education, Saint Anselm College Manchester, New Hampshire, USA & Michaelene M. Ostrosky, Grayce Wicall Gauthier Professor of Education and Department Head, Department of Special Education College of Education/University of Illinois, USA

During this pandemic, supporting children’s emotional and mental health is a critical role for parents and caregivers. Emotional literacy refers to the ability to identify and express emotions in healthy ways; to feel, understand and tell the difference between complex emotions; and to express and self-regulate emotions in social situations. It is a skill that begins to develop during early childhood and continues throughout adulthood. It is an important skill for all children, especially children of determination who may have difficulty understanding, identifying and expressing their emotions. An essential building block of emotional literacy is learning the names for feelings; lots of names for lots of feelings.

In this session parents will learn several ways to facilitate the development of emotional literacy and ways to support children’s mental health.

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

How to adapt any visual arts learning experience to suit my child’s age, stage and ability?

Expert: Gai Lindsay, Lecturer, BEd-The Early Years University of Wollongong, Australia

This session will demonstrate how to identify and adapt the rich components of arts-based play to support sensory and mark-making experiences for all children, regardless of age, stage or ability. Instead of offering adult-made stencils that disempower the child, this strength-based approach will empower parents to celebrate their child’s own voice and capabilities through arts encounters and play.

Hand Outs for parents to download:

This handout will provide suggestions to families about how to adapt visual arts experiences and to deconstruct visual arts experiences into a range of possible arts-based play encounters suitable for their own child’s age, stage or ability.

11:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Spotlighting Movement During the Pandemic - The Foundations of learning - PART 2

Expert: Ali Golding, Dance Movement Scientist, International Consultant, Founder, Director, MovementWorks, UK

Movement and the Brain: Delving into neuroscience for neurodiverse brains.

Movement is at the heart of childhood development and is much more important than most people realise. In special consideration of these unprecedented times of restricted movement and social distancing it has never been more important to gain a deeper understanding of this topic to be able to best support all children, in particular children of determination who are likely to have missed out on this key area of growth during this period”.

Hand Outs for parents to download:

11:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Active Number and Word Play

Expert: Lorraine Allman, Founder & CEO, Writer, Educator & International Consultant, Can-Do Child, UK

Words and numbers are all around us, but it’s not always easy recognising, and making the connection between them in their many different forms. This session will show you easy ways to help your child develop and improve their numerical and literacy skills through active play you can do at home. From ‘Spot the Dots’ to ‘Name the Peg’ come along with your child to discover the joy of learning with words and numbers. There will be an opportunity to ask questions to the presenter, as well as useful handouts to help put what you’ve learnt into practice straight away.

You may need: a small selection of your child’s favourite toys which will fit in a bag

Hand Outs for parents to download:

Word and Number Play activities at home
Spot the Dots template (editable according to child’s age and ability)
Scenario sequencing cards

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Paper Bag Hand Puppets

Expert: Samantha Hansen, Visual Artist, New York, USA

In this webinar children will learn how to make puppets from household materials. We will talk about how a work of art can become a vessel for story telling. We will ‘’manipulate’’ our puppets facial features to help convey emotion and personality and will learn how to ‘’Create characters ‘’ and how to make a plan for a sculpture by developing a sketch. The webinar will also include a 5 minute muppets video clip.

Handouts for parents:

A Step by step guide for parents to put on a puppet show with their children!

Help your children to develop these characters further by giving each of them a backstory.

Where does this character come from? Who are their friends? What food do they eat? Where do they live?

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Supporting Sibling and Peer Relationships During a Pandemic:
Let’s Play Together!

During this pandemic, many young children are missing their friends and subsequently the important skills learned through peer relationships. Given that the development of positive social relationships and friendships begins with sibling relationships, there are things that parents can do to support the development of social skills such as turn taking, sharing, and providing assistance. Research has shown that many children of determination lack critical social skills that can negatively impact the development of peer relationships.

In this session, parents will learn strategies that can be implemented to support the healthy development of both sibling and peer interactions.

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Artists At Home:
What art making processes are important for my child?

Expert: Gai Lindsay, Lecturer, BEd-The Early Years University of Wollongong, Australia

This session will share ideas with parents about the benefits of art making with children, regardless of ability or disability. It will outline the many ways that playful visual arts experiences can support children to meaningfully encounter materials for rich and joyful learning experiences.

Hand Outs for parents to download:

The handout for this session will support families to learn about the benefits of art making and the right of all children to experience playful encounters with arts materials and processes.

11:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Spotlighting Movement During the Pandemic - The Foundations of learning
PART 1

Expert: Ali Golding, Dance Movement Scientist, International Consultant, Founder, Director, MovementWorks, UK

Hand Outs for parents to download:

The MovementWorks mini-resource pack will provide relevant perspectives and the scientific principles of the relationship of movement to child development and learning – information that all parents should know! Together with this background, various activities will be described/illustrated which are designed to be impactful for the current situation and beyond. These activities support all children to thrive and are especially helpful for children with learning delay/additional needs.

11:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Hand-washing games and activities

Expert: Lorraine Allman, Founder & CEO, Writer, Educator & International Consultant, Can-Do Child, UK

We know how important hand washing is as part of a daily routine, but during a pandemic this becomes even more important. Come along with your child and learn top tips including visual reminders, prompts, games and songs, to help washing hands become a more enjoyable experience for everyone. There will be an opportunity to ask the presenter any questions you may have, as well as handouts to help put what you’ve learnt into practice straight away.

If you want to try some of the activities in real-time with the presenter, you may need:
Pencil and paper, glue, glitter, a paper plate, bowl of warm water, soap

Hand Outs for parents to download:

Step-by-step guidance to washing hands, including prompts
Hand washing games and activities sheet
A poster to help your child remember when they should wash their hands
A hand-washing sticker chart to personalise for your own child
A list of hand-washing songs with video links

05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

How Play and Storytelling Can Support Relationships and Communication

Expert: Sarah Valeri, Creative Arts Therapist, New York, USA

Play is the language of all children. Often in my experience children who could not speak about events in their lives due to stress or communication barriers found a way to show their understanding and emotion through both repetitive and spontaneous play. By participating in this play,parents can offer them a chance to broaden their ability to express themselves and to understand new situations and share ideas and memories. In this webinar we will consider play as a foundation of relating, language, and understanding our environment, and how it can be integrated into family activities through research and examples of different styles of play including sensory play, playing with others, storytelling, dealing with crisis, and using play as research and enjoying family memories in different mediums and forms of communication. Children and parents will be invited to participate in some introductory storytelling activities or to consider how they are already engaging in storytelling and how they might build on their current interests.

Hand Outs for parents:

Benefits of Active Play:
Ways We Share Stories in Play
IT IS OK In Play and Storytelling to……
Methods for Storytelling

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Understanding autism in young children

Expert: Jane Warren, Lecturer, Early Years, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Education, University of Wollongong, Australia

This session is designed for parents to learn more about characteristics of autism, and why it is termed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We will discuss key learning challenges children experience, and how children with ASD might learn best. It is advised that parents of children with ASD also attend the sessions:
‘How to support the sensory needs of your child at home’, and
‘Supporting your child during routines and transitions at home’

Hand Outs for parents to download:

Characteristics of ASD
Play skills checklist
Preferred play sheet
Mapping sheet