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Autism Mom Essentials for Learning at Home
15
items the tools i actually use to make visual schedules, flashcards, and hands-on learning aids at home. nothing fancy, just what keeps things structured and low-stress for both of us (:
use this constantly for sealing our visual schedules and flashcards so they hold up to little hands (and get wiped clean when plans change)
Laminator - Amazon.com
how we stick visual schedule cards to the wall or binder so they can be moved and rearranged instead of taped down and torn
Velcro Dots - Amazon.com
the pouches that actually go with the laminator above, buy them together or the laminator is just an expensive paperweight
Laminating Sheets - Prime Eligible - Amazon.com
these are tiny on purpose. four words a page, one sound at a time, zero pressure. my daughter can finish a whole “book” in two minutes and feel like she actually did it, which matters more than the book itself does.
Bob Books for Beginning Readers Set 1
these ended up on our fridge more than any worksheet ever could. she'll match letters to sounds while i'm making dinner and doesn't even realize it's “learning,” it just looks like playing with magnets.
Melissa & Doug Deluxe Magnetic Letters & Numbers
i was skeptical of a screen “teaching” letter sounds but this one actually works, my son picked up sounds from this faster than from me repeating them. not a replacement for us doing the work together, just a really good assist.
LeapFrog Letter Factory
“five more minutes” means nothing to a kid who can't see time. this one they can actually see running out, and it's cut down so many of our transition meltdowns it feels unfair how much one timer helped.
Time Timer Original 8-inch
he doesn't have to ask “what's next” and feel dumb for forgetting, he just checks the board. it took the shame out of not remembering, which honestly did more for our learning time than any worksheet.
First Then Visual Schedule Board
she matches the letters to the picture instead of just staring at a flashcard, and something about having a “right answer” she can physically place makes letter sounds click in a way flashcards alone never did for us.
Melissa & Doug See & Spell
self correcting means each piece only fits its own spot, so there's no “no honey that goes here” correcting from me. she just figures it out and feels smart doing it
Melissa & Doug Self-Correcting Alphabet Puzzle
this is the one that actually changed our mornings. he can see what's happening today without asking me ten times, and “five more minutes” means something now because he can watch the time on the screen instead of just hearing the words.
Skylight Calendars, Planners & Organizers
this timer took “5 more minutes” from an abstract concept to something she can actually see running out. way less meltdowns at transition time (:
Time Timer Visual Timer
letter tracing without a pencil, which matters when gripping a pencil is its own battle. the wax sticks are reusable so there's no pressure to get it right the first time, just press and peel and try again
Wikki Stix Alphabet Fun Cards for Learning
no coloring inside the lines required, just dab and go. it's the one activity that feels like a win every single time instead of one more thing he can mess up
Do A Dot Markers
this lives on our fridge and it's the reason mornings don't start with me repeating myself five times. she checks it herself, feels proud checking things off, and i'm not the one holding every step in my head
Magnetic Bedtime & Morning Routine Chart for Kids