We’ve shared below links to free resources and other useful links to things that are available to do whilst we’re all at home social distancing or self-isolating. There are more links and tips for the PDA community during the Coronavirus pandemic on our main news post.
We’ll keep updating this page as well as our main Links and tips page with additional information, ideas and resources – and please do let us know if you have other tips or links to share …
Some of these ideas and resources may need a little PDA adaptation.
Education resources
This list of free online education resources, kindly compiled by the home education community, is being shared on social media.
Kids Activities Blog has also put this list together of education companies offering free subscriptions.
The Sensory Projects has an extensive list of education resources as well as coronavirus specific resources.
New for 2021
BBC education programmes – starting on Monday 11 January, each week day on CBBC will see a three-hour block of primary school programming from 9am and BBC Two will cater for secondary students with programming to support the GCSE curriculum, with a least two hours of content each weekday.
FREE Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler Home Learning Packs – Scholastic.
Free online learning resources – Twinkl.
Free maths and computing apps, games and kindle ebooks – Amazon.
Mission to Mars challenge – NASA.
Free lessons and virtual school library – Oak National Academy.
Further education resources can be found in our new home education “hub”.
Fun challenges
Engineering and science challenges from the engineers at Dyson
Speech, Language, Communication & SEND resources
List of free Speech, Language, Communication and SEND resources via Chatter Pack.
Worcestershire Speech & Language Therapy resources including new activities for home section.
Free 30 day access to Widgit Online.
Free visual schedule symbols via NHS Forth Valley Speech & Language Therapy Facebook page.
Makaton singalongs – The Burton Street Foundation
Sensory & OT activities and resources
Wunder Mum has a great recipe for DIY “therapy putty” (we found we needed a bit more cornflour to make the right consistency).
Kim Griffin OT has a variety of sensory diet and fine motor activity videos on her YouTube channel for children to join in with.
Normal life has been disrupted – Managing the disruption caused by COVID-19 by OT Lorrae Mynard offers information for maintaining balance at this very tricky time.
Sensory chalk walk idea via Facebook – could be adapted for a smaller space.
Interoception Daily Activity List – Kelly Mahler.
9 Gross Motor At-home Activities with Pillows – Pediatric Therapy Network (video).
Gross Motor activities for teens and older kids – The Inspired Treehouse.
Sensory Kits for Adults – Allison Davies (YouTube video)
Weekly videos providing fun games, activities to help support children’s motor skills – Adam the OT
Activity ideas
The Scouts website list over 100 ideas for things to do indoors.
The Genius of Play lists free games/play activities incl. inventor challenges, printables, art, STEM (science, technology, engineering & maths) and more.
TheDadLab offers ideas for fun art and science activities.
Try this at home – activities and ideas to occupy yourself and family at home, in your garden or local outdoor space – Natural History Museum.
Mental health & well-being
Free mindfulness classes designed with children in mind but all ages welcome to participate – Mindful Schools.
CAMHS Resources – a pool of resources from across the internet that are available to help support mental health and well-being.
New for 2021
Children’s Mental Health Week 2021 resources.
Fitness & sports
Free ‘Stay Active’ activity card downloads from Premier Education.
New for 2021
Free kickboxing sessions via YouTube – Up-Grade Training & Therapy.
Obstacle course ideas video – Active Kids Academy Ireland.
eBooks, news, audio books & stories
While We Can’t Hug – A short story for primary children about social distancing – Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar.
New for 2021
Get The Week Junior delivered FREE for 6 weeks.
Free maths and computing kindle ebooks – Amazon.
Free virtual school library – Oak National Academy.
Virtual tours & online talks
Mental Floss has a list of 12 world class museums you can visit online.
Cosmic Shambles has videos, podcasts and live streams of interesting talks.
The British Library Harry Potter: A History of Magic exhibition is available online and Wizarding World has a Starting Harry Potter hub with crafts, fun articles, quizzes, puzzles and more.
Studio 3 free webinars about the low arousal approach and Psychotherapy.
Theatre & music
Royal Opera House – Create and Learn series exploring the magical world of the theatre from home.
BBC Ten Pieces Tasters – simple, fun, creative activities based around different pieces of classical music.
Free musicals and plays you can stream at home (updating daily) – Filmed on Stage
New for 2021
Chrome music lab – a website that makes learning music more accessible through fun, hands-on experiments.
Other useful links
Chatterpack has an extensive list of free resources covering virtual tours, online learning, music, arts & culture, online literature, entertainment, anxiety/mental health/loneliness and more.
NASA’s image and video library is now free to access (we found it was best viewed with Google Chrome).
