Autism Archives - Meraki Lane

7 Pathological Demand Avoidance Strategies | What is PDA? Is it the same as autism? Is it the same as oppositional defiance disorder (ODD)? What are the signs and symptoms? If you're a parent or special education teacher of one or more children with pathological demand avoidance, this post is a great resource. It includes practical parenting and teaching strategies to help support kids at home and in the classroom.

Pathological Demand Avoidance in Kids: 7 PDA Strategies that Help

7 Interoception Activities for Kids | What is interoception? If you've ever wondered about the 8th sense and how it impacts kids with autism and sensory processing challenges, this post is a great place to start. With sensory activities and occupational therapy resources for teaching kids internal body awareness both in the classroom and at home, the ideas in this post will help you develop a sensory diet for increased self-regulation, problem-solving, flexibility, and social thinking skills!

The 8th Sense Explained: 7 Interoception Activities for Kids

8 Size of the Problem Activities for Kids | Inspired by the Social Thinking and Zones of Regulation curriculums, these games and activities teach children to identify whether a problem is small, medium, or big, as well as what is and is not an appropriate reaction to each. With visual tools, posters for class bulletin boards, scenario cards, worksheets, coloring pages, Google slides, boom cards, and puzzles, this collection of activities has it all - even Size of the Problem BINGO!

Problem Solving 101: 8 Size of the Problem Activities for Kids

13 Autism Awareness Crafts for Kids | April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day, and if you're looking for crafts, projects, and activities you can use in your classroom to teach your students about autism, this post is a great place to start. From door signs, to puzzle piece crafts and jigsaw jewelry, to art projects that can be used as bulletin boards throughout the month of April, these ideas will inspire you to find unique ways to celebrate neurodiversity and promote inclusion!

Different, Not Less: 13 Meaningful Autism Awareness Crafts for Kids

8 Social Filter Activities for Kids | If you're looking for social skills activities that help teach children how to filter their thoughts and learn whether they should think it or say it out loud, we're sharing 8 ideas that can be used for elementary school, for middle school, for high school, and for kids with special needs like autism and ADHD. These are great team building exercises and will help develop friendship and conversation skills. #socialskills #socialfilter #socialskillsactivities

Think It Or Say It Out Loud: 8 Social Filter Activities for Kids

14 Social Thinking Activities for Kids of All Ages | Developed by Michelle Garcia, Social Thinking is a wonderful curriculum to teach social skills to kids with autism and ADHD. Whether you’re creating a group plan for your classroom, or you need individual lessons for specific students, these games and activities will lay the Social Thinking fundamentals, like the ‘size of the problem’, ‘expected vs unexpected behaviors’, and perspective taking. #socialthinking #selfregulation #autism

Social Thinking Activities for Kids: 14 Ideas to Teach Whole Body Thinking

25 Energizing Brain Breaks for Kids | Engaging your students in regular brain breaks in the classroom can help improve attention, focus, retention, self-regulation, and more! We’re excited to share our favorite quick and easy movement ideas to help kids shed excess energy, and have included ideas for children in preschool and kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school. These activities are fun, calming, and perfect for indoor recess days! #brainbreaks #brainbreaksforkids #sensorybreaks

Focus and Control: 25 Energizing Brain Breaks for Kids

14 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Activities for Kids | Perfect for children and for teens who struggle with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and anger management, these CBT tips and tools can be used at home and in the classroom by parents and teachers to help kids recognize their negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. These activities offer a fun way to teach kids problem solving skills to gain control over their thoughts and behaviors. #cognitivebehaviortherapy #CBT #playtherapy

Helping Kids Cope: 14 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Activities for Kids

43 Autism Quotes | If you're looking for inspirational quotes about autism awareness and understanding, or you’re a mom or dad with a son or daughter with ASD and you need positive facts and truths to help you stay motivated during the hard times, this post has it all. Whether your child has ‘mild’ high functioning autism or several nonverbal ASD, I hope these uplifting words of encouragement give you the strength to keep advocating for acceptance! #autism #autismquotes #autismawareness

Different Not Less: 43 Autism Quotes to Inspire You

11 Working Memory Games for Kids | Looking for inexpensive (and free!) working memory activities for children with developmental delays like ADHD, executive functioning disorder, and autism, as well as students with learning disabilities like ADHD? With 7 strategies and 11 activities designed to develop a child’s memory, planning, and organization skills, this collection of fun ideas will help make learning fun at home and in the classroom! #workingmemory #workingmemorygames #specialeducation

Don’t forget! 18 working memory games and strategies for kids

11 Scooter Board Activities | Looking for fun occupational therapy ideas to do at home or in the classroom to develop a child’s gross motor skills, improve focus for greater learning, reduce stress and anxiety, and help with self-regulation? From awesome ideas children can do independently, to obstacle course inspiration for teachers and therapists who have access to a gym, these heavy work activities for kids are so much fun! #scooterboard #grossmotor #grossmotoractivities

Gross Motor Play: 11 Super Fun Scooter Board Activities for Kids

32 Heavy Work Activities for Kids | If you’re looking for proprioceptive activities to help your child with body awareness, self-regulation, and focus at school, at home, or in Occupational Therapy, these fun and engaging gross motor activities are a great place to start! Engaging students in regular brain breaks can help make learning easier, making this list a great tool for teachers and parents of kids of all ages and abilities. #heavywork #sensoryprocessingdisorder #proprioception

Heavy Work Activities and Sensory Processing Disorder: 32 Ideas to Try

11 Crossing the Midline Activities for Kids | Perfect for toddlers, for kids in preschool, and for older children who struggle with handwriting, reading, and other fine and gross motor skills, these crossing the midline exercises can be used by teachers in the classroom, in Occupational Therapy, and even at home. These ideas are designed to make learning fun, and feel more like play than practice! #crossingthemidline #OTactivities

OT at home: 11 crossing the midline exercises for kids

16 IEP Tips for Parents | If you’re the parent or teacher of a student with a learning disability, challenges with executive functioning, or a developmental delay like autism or ADHD and you want to know how to prepare for an IEP meeting, progress monitoring tips, how to ensure your child’s accommodations are being met, and how to set IEP goals and objectives, this collection of ideas is for you! #IEP #IEPmeeting #IEPtips

Learning support for your child: 16 IEP tips for parents

Art Therapy for Kids | Perfect for emotional healing, anger management, helping kids deal with feelings related to trauma, grief, and divorce, and for kids with mental health challenges and special needs like autism, ADHD, OCD, and anxiety, this collection of simple and creative art therapy projects and crafts will help your child deal with their emotions and heal. #arttherapyforkids #arttherapyprojects #arttherapyactivities

Art Therapy for Kids: 22 Activities to Help Your Child Cope and Heal

15 Hand Strengthening Exercises for Kids | If you’re looking for activities, toys, and exercises to help develop fine motor skills in children, this collection of fun ideas is a great place to start. Designed to strengthen the fingers and help with muscle coordination, these simple and fun ideas can be used in occupational therapy, in the classroom at school, and at home to help kids who struggle with writing and other fine motor tasks. #handstrengthening #finemotor #occupationaltherapy

Fine Motor Development: 15 Hand Strengthening Exercises For Kids

13 Balance Activities for Kids | If you’re looking for ways to develop your child’s gross motor skills at home, in the classroom, in occupational therapy, and beyond, this collection of fun games and activities are just what you need. Perfect for parents, teachers, and therapists, these core strengthening ideas will help build your child’s static and dynamic balance, while also helping with bilateral coordination. #balanceactivities #coordinationactivities #grossmotoractivities

Gross Motor Skills: 13 Core Strengthening Balance Activities for Kids

26 Montessori Science Experiments | Botany, biology, physics, astrology, and chemistry, oh my! These hands-on Montessori activities offer the perfect balance between sensory play and classroom instruction, and go above and beyond science experiments for kids that are focused on chemical reactions with baking soda and vinegar. These fun activities are just what you need to make learning about science FUN! #montessori #montessoriactivities #montessoriscience #scienceforkids

Hands On Learning: 26 Super Fun Montessori Science Experiments

27 Play-Doh Games or Kids | Play-doh mats are a great way to teach kids their numbers, letters, and shapes, and there are so many free printables for different themes, like the weather, the seasons, and various holidays like Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter. They also help develop a child’s fine motor skills! Check out our favorite play-doh activities for fun in the classroom and at home. #playdoh #playdohactivities #playdough #playdoughrecipe #playdoughactivities #finemotoractivities

27 Play-Doh Games & Activities to Develop Fine Motor Skills [& More!]

26 Sensory Processing Disorder Activities | Looking for portable games, activities, and toys to support your child’s sensory needs at home, in therapy and in the classroom? Perfect for toddlers, school-aged kids, tweens and teens, these ideas will help parents, special needs teachers, and therapists of children with SPD and autism with exposure therapy in a fun and non-threatening way. #sensoryprocessingdisorder #sensoryprocessingdisorderactivities #SPD #specialneeds #specialneedsactivities

26 Portable Sensory Processing Disorder Toys and Activities

Autism and Puberty | If you’re looking for tips to help make the teenage years easier for girls and/or boys on the autism spectrum, we’re sharing 19 helpful ideas and strategies for special needs parents. We’ve included 8 things all parents and caregivers should know, 8 of the best autism and puberty books, and 11 simple ways you can help support your autistic child through adolescence. #autism #autismspectrumdisorder #autismtips #puberty #specialneeds #specialneedskids

Autism and Puberty: 19 Tips and Strategies for Parents