When homework is tricky

Sensory integration

﻿Finding ways to make homework time a little bit easier can be hard, especially if our sensory systems are too overwhelmed or too underwhelmed and under responsive. We are going to look at our tactile and our smell sense, and also at our breathing, whether there's anything that we can do to make homework a little bit more easier. We, as therapists, have tried to think of the best way to continue to support children, young people, and their families. We will be exploring topic areas that we regularly provide advice and support on across all ages and abilities. Each lesson will have ideas and activities that can be carried out at home or in school. This information is to be used alongside any specific strategies or resources which have been given by your child's school or therapist. If you have any questions or would like help tailoring this to your child's needs, then please contact your local therapy service. Well, with homework, it's very similar to when you are in school and you have to do schoolwork. And sometimes it's really hard for our body to stay still and focus and concentrate on the task that we have to do. So let's have a look at what we're going to need today, before we start the lesson. So pause the video here, get everything ready, and then press play again. Now, for today's lesson, you need to ask your parents or your carer to help you get a thicken drink, something like your favourite type of drinking yoghourt or a milkshake even, some sucking sweets, crunchy vegetables or fruit, so this could be carrots or cucumber, pineapple, apples work well as well, some chewy toffees or marshmallows, because they're also a bit chewy, and then, you also need a reading book or you need some paper and pens, and if you can, do bring some bubbles and a bubble wand as well. So once you've got all of these bits together, press play and we will start the lesson. So our mouth and our breathing can really help us when we have to do things that we find tricky. So ask your parent or your carer to help you think of something that you can suck, chew, or blow when you do homework. And remember what we were saying about breathing, when you're breathing in and you hold your breath for a second, that helps you to really focus and it's almost that you are ready for action. Whereas when you breathe out and you do it really slowly, that relaxes your whole body and also relaxes your mind. So breathing is really important, as well, when you have to do something that is a little bit more trickier and also something that takes a lot of energy, whether that's thinking energy or physical energy. So let's find out what works best for you. We're going to pause the video now, and you're going to try something out. You're either going to read your book or I'd like you to think about, and then write two paragraphs. But before you do that, you are going to begin by blowing some bubbles before you sit down to do your homework. So get your bubble mixture out and blow some bubbles. So I would say, do maybe three or four blows of bubbles, and then you can kind of, you could try and catch them, so make a little game of it, but four or five times, blow some bubbles and then take a deep breath and then you can go and sit down. So try drinking something with a straw and have a few crunchy or chewy or sucking foods available while you read your book or while you write your two paragraphs. And then, I want you to chat with your parent or your carer about what works well for you. Which of these things have really helped you? Because for some of us, it may be the little key to helping us get through homework is to have something crunchy, chewy, or sucking that we can do while we have to do this focused task. So press play once you've finished and I look forward that we finished the lesson together. Wow, well done! I hope you enjoyed that activity and that next time, when you have to think about homework, they are a few more things that you can try to make it a less horrible task. Have a fun day today.

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When homework is tricky

When homework is tricky

These resources will be removed by the end of the Spring Term 2026.

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