Everyone at SNAP Cymru want to support children and young people during this emergency which could see families at home for long periods. We understand that this is a very worrying time for everyone.
We will be regularly updating social media so please follow us if you do not already https://www.facebook.com/SNAPCymru/
Whilst our offices will be closed to all visitors. Don’t worry – we’ll still be here supporting you!
The SNAP Cymru Team will be working from home, your calls will be diverted and we’ll have access to e-mails and database.
We will maintain contact with families via telephone or other electronic methods as usual. We will work with individual families and professionals to hold face to face meetings and support services if it is safe to do so, in accordance with Public Health Wales.
If you do need support please contact our normal help and support line.
0808 801 0608
or to make a referral www.snapcymru.org/contact
Thank you for your continued and valuable support and if we can do anything to help you during these challenging times, just let us know and look out for our regular briefings. Keep well
We’ve tried to gather some useful information and resources for you for what will undoubtedly be a difficult time. Thank you to all the charities and organisations that have put together some of these important resources.
Talking to children and families regarding COVOID 19
With so much out there about Covid-19 (coronavirus) and confusion about the virus and its impact on families here are some of the most useful
- Amaze – information pack for parents
- Anhenion Dysgy Ychwanegol a Chynhwysiad /Additional Learning Needs and Inclusion Department Cyngor Gwynedd Cyngor Sir Ynys Mon –Adnoddau i rhieni ac eraill / Resources for families and others
- Contact, previously known as Contact a Family, is a national charity that supports families with disabled children, bringing them together and helping families take action for others. C Coronavirus Welfare benefits and Money
- The Children’s Commissioner for Wales has an information hub for families and children to explain what is going on. If you or your children have any questions then you can tweet, email or Facebook message them.
- Contact – Children with health needs
- Coronovius Bill – You can find the whole act here
- Carers UK – Guidance for carers
- Covibook – an interactive resource designed to support and reassure children aged 7 and under, designed to help children explain and draw the emotions that they might be experiencing during the pandemic
- CoviBook: A picture book in multiple languages to support and reassure children around the world
- Downs Syndrome Association – Coronavirus (COVID-19) information and resources hub
- Elsa Support – very useful video to explain to children why their school is closing. Welsh version availabl
- Learning Disability Wales – Coronavirus: resources for people with a learning disability including some good easy read guides, for people with a learning disability in Wales. As the situation progresses they are adding new information and advice on a daily basis.
- a cartoon workbook about Coronavirus for children under seven in lots of languages from MindHeart
- National Autistic Society – guidance and helpline for parents’, young people and staff
- NAS – Explain changes – Social stories – Carol Gray has created one about coronavirus. More about social stories can be found here.
- Place2Be – Guide to helping parents answer questions from their children and to support family wellbeing
- RNIB support Plans – RNIB plans to publish regular online guidance in response to the crisis, with resources and ideas about supporting your child. This will be available at www.rnib.org.uk/children by Friday 27th March and will be updated regularly. They are also planning online drop in /sign up sessions where we can support over specific topics or provide an opportunity for questions and answers to the CYPF Education team.
- The World Health Organisation have created six posters to help parents talk to their children about coronavirus. There are tips on planning one-to-one time, creating a daily routine and avoiding bad behaviour.
- Young Minds – Talking to your child about Coronavirus and 10 tips from their Parents Helpline to support family wellbeing
- Supporting your teens wellbeing during the CV 10 outbreak – Mind
- If you have a child with a learning disability, Easy Read online has produceda reassuring, easy read leaflet about the coronavirus
Check out this great handwashing rap for children with learning disabilities. - Young Minds has produced some guidance and top tips on talking to children about the coronavirus
Easy read guides and advice
- Beyond Words – ‘Beating the Virus’ (short, wordless story with illustrations) (Updated 26 March 2020)
- Mencap – ‘Information about Coronavirus’ (17 March 2020)
- Public Health Wales – ‘What is Coronavirus?’ (currently on Mencap’s website) (17 March 2020)
Easy read posters
All Photosymbols’ coronavirus posters can now be downloaded here
Books, posters and colouring in to download
- You can download a poster that explains COVID-19 to children below – shared with permission and thanks to University Hospitals Southampton NHSFT.
- Monkey Wellbeing has posters and colouring in resources for children that include explaining why healthcare workers have to wear protective clothing, why visiting might be restricted and how you can keep in touch. They also have a Thank You NHS rainbow poster for you to colour in.
- Coronavirus – A Book for Children (PDF) which is illustrated by Axel Scheffler and has input from Professor Graham Medley (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) is available and free to download.
- Dave the Dog is Worried about Coronavirus (PDF) is a book for young children to download by Nurse Dotty Books.
- Childline has provided 10 tips to cope during lockdown for children and young people if they’re feeling unwell, worried or upset.
- The University of Reading and University of Oxford have developed advice for parents and carers to help support children and young people with worries about COVID-19.
For children with ALN
Chatter –the best List of FREE Speech, Language, communication and SEND resources for schools and parent/carers – (free to download for individual use copyright restrictions apply)
Communication and interaction Resources to help parents, carers and families support pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Speech, Language and Communication Needs during the period of school closures.
Sensory Stuck at Home is a Facebook page where parents of autistic children share ideas of activities to do in the house.
BBC CBeebies for special needs
Resources and help for children with additional needs from the BBC, including Mr Tumble!
ITV Signed Stories
Signed Stories help improve the literacy of deaf children from infancy upwards. The website also provides useful advice and guidance for parents, carers and teachers of deaf children, and for the deaf parents of hearing children.
The Letterbox Library
Catalogue of disability-related books for disabled children and their siblings, and for use in school or other settings, that promote understanding and explain ‘difference’ for all ages from babies to eleven years old
Worksheets in Braille – BrailleWeek
http:// https://www.swansea.gov.uk/resourcesforvulnerablelearner The Educational Psychologists and Learning Support Team in Swansea have put together a series of resources for parents/carers of primary and secondary age pupils in the following areas of need and some that are more general
Resources to support those with – Visual impairment
A list of resources to support learners with Down Syndrome and their families – Down Syndrome
Dyslexia friendly – free, fun resources – Crossbow Education
Dyslexia AssistBy Parents for Parents : By Children for Childrenhttps://dyslexia-assist.org.uk/for-parents/
CrickerSoft – Reading and writing software for all abilities – Free during this period
FREE downloadable inclusive resources – Inclusive teach
Advice, learning activities and recommended toys, books, and resources for children with SEND – SEN resources blog
Free apps to support students who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, have reading difficulties – Accessibite
Phonic reading games for all children, including those who cannot read or have dyslexia. Email: trugs@readsuccessfully.com for 20% off using cv2020 – Trugs
Sensory Project – List of online, sensory learning resources
Free access to Clicker at home during this period – CrickSoftware
Life skills challenges – A programme for young people with SEND
SEN Teacher.org – Free SEND resources
Occupational Therapy resources
- Handwriting –Pencil control pack / Make letters upper and lower case / Handwriting practice
- Scissor skills –Download a pack here
- Brain breaks
- Yoga Cards – Created by an Occupational Therapist
- Activity ideas – Fine motor, sensory processing, muscle strength, etc
- Sensory processing activities –Sensory integration activities
- Sensory processing information
- Hypermobility information
- Picture dictionary –Visual memory resources
TTS – A curriculum-focused independent learning resource with over 40 home learning activities all planned and all prepared!
Twinkle Home Education Resources –
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, we’re offering everyone Twinkl Ultimate free for a month, to help keep children learning at home.
Visit www.twinkl.co.uk/offer and enter the code PARENTSTWINKLHELPS to set up your free month of Twinkl Ultimate.
Chatter pack A list of free, online, boredom-busting resources!
For older children, here are 50 free revision resources for 11+, GCSE’s and A-Levels
Resources & support services for families of children with additional needs during the COVID 19 (Coronavirus) pandemic– CWM Taf health board area Rhondda; Taff Ely; Merthyr; North Cynon; South Cynon; Bridgend East; Bridgend West, and Bridgend North.
Sleep Advice for children with Autism -Sleep Advisor
Relaxation and well being
For help with coping and feeling anxious visit the NHS website’s tips on dealing with anxiety.
The Guardian newspaper has also written a piece specifically about managing anxiety around coronavirus.
And the NHS has top tips on maintaining wellbeing – vital for parent carers.
Childline has a ‘calm zone’, with videos, activities, games, and calming activities to help children who are worried about anything
https://www.parents.com/fun/activities/5-mindfulness-activities-you-can-do-as-a-family/
https://heartmindonline.org/resources/mindful-activities-for-families
Cerebra – Emotional wellbeing for parents and carers of children with a learning disability
https://www.camhs-resources.co.uk/
This site was created for young people, carers and professionals to pool together lots of helpful resources from across the internet that are available to help support your mental health and well-being. 7 tips for helping children
Seven tips for helping children keep calm
simple relaxation and mindfulness activities together and help your child learn to calm down when they feel stressed or anxious.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has produced this activity pack that has fun things to do at home.
Apps
- Stop Breathe Think – Check in with how you’re feeling, and try short activities tuned to your emotions.
- Headspace – mindfulness tools for your everyday life
- Stay Alive App from Grassroots Suicide Prevention
- CalmHarm Self harm support app
Survivors Network – a master-post of online resources, from mental health self-care to ways you can feel like you’ve left the house. We hope they help. Online resources available during social distancing and self-isolation
Online learning resources
With most children out of school, there are lots of apps and websites to help to still support their learning and development.
This list has 15 suggestions for various age groups and this list is of apps that help and support children and young people with autism.
Maths
Conquermaths.
Khan Academy
Prodigy Maths
Mathseeds -Mathseeds teaches kids aged 3-9 the core maths and problem solving skills needed to be successful at school with fun, highly interactive and rewarding lessons.
IXL is here to support you during school closures. Get resources for at‑home learning no
Themathsfactor: https://www.themathsfactor.com/signin
Explorify which is focus on science: https://www.explorify.wellcome.ac.uk
Brainpop quiz: https://www.brainpop.com/quiz
Learn to code at home for free with Code Camp World. You can learn how to use JavaScript, find out about html and even create your own websites and games.
There are more coding challenges on Barclays UK’s Youtube. Their Coding Playground Live series teaches basic coding skills using Scratch.
If you want to find more ideas with Scratch then their website has loads more ideas to get you into coding. Create a game, learn to make a character fly and animate letters. After that it’s only your imagination that can stop you.
For help with maths for 4-11 year olds National Numeracy has you covered. Their activity pack is available to donload and contains 28 activities to try out. They also have loads of links to places to test your maths skills even further.
English
Emily Weston – 16 activities that children can use to aid their home reading, or their reading in school. It has a range of skills included such as prediction, summarising and inferenc
The reading lesson. Book- By Michael
Levin and Charan Langton.
Reading Eggs.
Wild Literacy
Reading
eggspress
Borrow Box. – libraries
of Wales borrow box
Scholastic 100 lessons books.
- Free audio-books for children while the schools are closed
- Borrow e-books and audio-books from the library
- Reading aloud – Children can listen to stories being read aloud – YouTube
- Calibre
Audio Library
UK charity that lends audio books and streams books online for anyone who struggles to access print, including children.
- Teach your child to read – free resources
- Free, fun reading games online
- Fun learning games online – Covering a range of topics and interests – BreakOutEd
- Free online picture book activities – from books children might recognise – Anderson Press
- David Walliams – One audio story every day – free
Science
- Developing Experts.
- Stem.org – free home learning science activities
- Curiousity Box-https://www.curiosity-box.com/
Understanding Science workbooks by Schofield and sims. - Science with Professor Brian Cox, Robin Ince & Guests
- Train like an astronaut, take a trip to the moon, or even figure out how to survive on a desert island,
- Mystery Science: Free science lessons
- Gardening – A short course for all
Fitness
Over 200,000 people joined Joe Wicks online for his first live PE lesson on Youtube. Happening every week day at 9.00am, it’s a great way to get you moving and ready to start your day.
You can work out with a Team GB athlete every Wednesday with their Workout Wednesday. Previous athletes have included gymnasts Max Whitelock and Aimee Fuller, climber Shauna Coxsey and freestyle skier Rowan Cheshire.
Geography
- Oddizzi. Oddizzi is an online, subscription-based geography resource
The Geogrpahy Book by Caroline Arnold
Scholastic – 100 Geography lessons - National Geographic Kids: Activities and quizzes for younger kids.
History
Horrible
Histories! The books, the series. Super engaging!
Scholastic 100 History lessons
60 second Histories
BBC Newsround has helpful information for children about the coronavirus, including explainer videos. They also have a ‘happy news’ section to brighten the day
While all of our museums, theatres and cultural venues are closed to the public, there are still lots of things you can do online.
Many major museums and organisations in the UK and abroad are running virtual tours, for example the British Museum.
Learn how to draw with official World Book Day illustrator Rob Biddolph. Lessons happen every Tuesday and Thursday at 10.00am. You can follow them live on his Twitter page or watch them back on his website.
Practice your drawing skills with the Natural History Museum’s Nature Drawing Club. They will post a new topic every Friday on their Twitter page and then it’s up to you to draw or paint.
To find out more about the Natural History Museum you can use their take part and education resources. Learn about their collections, the nature around you and the science that is carried out everyday at the museum.
Miscellaneous
Online Lego workshop, Gruffalo workshop, and lots more. Plus stories read by Tony Ross, author – 7 stories, Facebook
If you are looking to learn more about money then the Royal Mint have new activities for kids based around money and the coins we use everyday. You can even design your own coin, though we don’t think you will be able to go shopping with it.
Learn to touch-type – Free access
Learning with MineCraft – Education MineCraft
Vroom – Helping learning during shared moments, such as bath time
Toy Theatre – Fun educational resources
The Scouts have launched a new initiative called The Great Indoors. All of the activities are designed to be done in your house so there is no excuse not to try it out. Activities are aimed at 6 to 14 year olds but anyone can have a go. Once you have had a go at these you can use their activity finder to find even more things to do
Living Paintings (UK)
Free postal library supporting blind and partially sighted adults, children and young people. They make tactile versions of pictures that come to life when fingers feel them.
Virtual tours –This website allows you to visit museums from the comfort of your home.
100 things to do indoors – You can download this book free of cost and make staying indoors fun and use the time to help yourself and others.
Keep exercising – On this page you can find movement and mindfulness videos to keep you children active.
Virtual tour of museums family tours
Swansea Library has online e-books and magazines
A long list of educational resources
For those who like structure. Various celebrities are offering for free daily to help with their children education while schools are closed (from Skint dad)
9:00am – PE with Joe Wicks
10:00am – Maths with Carol Vorderman
11:00am – English with David Walliams
12:00pm – Lunch (cooking with Jamie Oliver)
1:00pm – Music with Myleene Klass
1:30pm – Dance with Darcey Bussel
2:00pm – History with Dan Snow (free for 30 days)
4:00pm – Home Economics with Theo Michaels (Mon/Wed/Fri)
Other YouTube Sites that may be of interest:Chris Packhams – Youtube – Bird Club
Oti Mabuse is doing dancing classes’ each day at 11:30 on facebook
Maddie Moate – youtube – Let’s go Live with Maddie and Greg
More to Keep Your Children Occupied & Learning
Cardboard Spaceships: A place to share free online teaching, education and entertainment ideas for children at home
Homeschooling UK: Emergency group set up by teachers to help families
Will Sliney gives daily drawing challenges for children using #wewilldraw and shares tutorials
“Boogie Monsters” (a live rock and pop band for children under 7) are doing daily live keyboard request videos each day at 4.30pm for the whole family – access them through their Facebook group
Khan Academy: Especially good for maths and computing for all ages but other subjects at Secondary level. Note this uses the U.S. grade system but it’s mostly common material.
BBC Bitesize. No TV licence required except for content on BBC iPlayer.
BBC Learning: This site is old and no longer updated and yet there’s so much still available, from language learning to revision. No TV licence required except for content on BBC iPlayer.
Seneca: For those revising at GCSE or A level. Tons of free revision content. Paid access to higher level material.
Blockly: Learn computer programming skills – fun and free.
Scratch: Creative computer programming
Ted Ed: All sorts of engaging educational videos
The Kids Should See This: Wide range of cool educational videos
Crash Course: You Tube videos on many subjects
Crash Course Kids: As above for a younger audience
Paw Print Badges: Free challenge packs and other downloads. Many activities can be completed indoors. Badges cost but are optional.
Tinkercad: All kinds of making.
Prodigy Maths: Is in U.S. grades, but good for UK Primary age.
Cbeebies Radio: Listening activities for the younger ones.
Nature Detectives: A lot of these can be done in a garden, or if you can get to a remote forest location!
British Council: Resources for English language learning
Oxford Owl for Home: Lots of free resources for Primary age
Big History Project: Aimed at Secondary age. Multi-disciplinary activities.
Geography Games: Geography gaming!
Blue Peter Badges: If you have a stamp and a nearby post box.
The Artful Parent: Good, free art activities
Red Ted Art: Easy arts and crafts for little ones
The Imagination Tree: Creative art and craft activities for the very youngest.
Toy Theater: Educational online games
DK Find Out: Activities and quizzs A small collection of anti-oppressive, anti-racist homeschool curriculum ideas and resources. Very American focused, but a good list of non-online stuff to do with children towards the end!
Cincinatti Zoo are holding livestreams at 7pm UK time every day that the US schools are closed:
school when school is closed reception year 1 & year 2