Reading out loud or listening to a book on tape can boost everyone’s fun during a car trip. Here are some suggested road reads to engage young and older kids when the family is on the road or even in a tent or motel room. What Kind of Car Does a T. Rex Drive?…
Read MorePerhaps you’ve heard of interoception, the sense that helps us understand what’s going on inside our bodies. Known as the “eighth sense,” interoception lets us feel and analyze sensations or body cues relating to heartbeat, body temperature, bladder, muscle tenseness, and other feelings. Developing interoception and body awareness can be a significant challenge for…
Read MoreFeeling Blue: Children’s books that increase emotional awareness and talk about sadness or feeling down. This time of year can bring on feelings of funk or sadness that might be triggered by gloomy weather as well as other struggles in a child’s life. When kids feel down or sad, they often don’t know how to…
Read MoreGet your new year off to a terrific start with books that are fun to read and can help build your child’s speech and language skills. Here are five delightful stories on themes related to the new year, snowy weather, and winter fun. Shanté Keys and the New Year’s Peas by Gail Gail Piernas-Davenport; Illustrated…
Read MoreAs we approach Thanksgiving, it’s a good time for talking with kids about appreciation: Who and what do they value most in their lives, and how can they express this? Each of these books offers ideas for discussing gratitude, the importance of family and friends, and the ways we depend on and support other people.…
Read MoreLearning About the Brain Understanding that our brains can grow and change helps kids to believe in their own power to develop a growth mindset and learn new things. These books offer a great introduction to the way the brain works and how we can stretch our knowledge and abilities. Your Fantastic Elastic Brain:…
Read MoreGrowth Mindset How can we help our kids develop a “growth mindset” in which they’re open to learning and trying new things? Here are some books that encourage children to explore new ideas, try hard, and embrace failure. Bubble Gum Brain by Julia Cook; Illustrated by Allison Valentine A kid who has a stretchy, adventurous…
Read MoreThe Listening Walk One way to help kids learn mindfulness (paying attention on purpose) is to encourage them to be mindful listeners. For practice, children can spend time focusing on different sounds like chimes, music, birds, or whatever sounds are around them. In The Listening Walk, a story for kids ages 3–6, a young girl…
Read MorePersonal Space Camp It’s not your typical summer camp and it’s not a camp where you learn about outer space. Personal Space Camp is a charming, funny book that teaches kids the concept of personal space and why it’s important. In the story, Louis considers himself a space expert because he knows all about planets,…
Read MoreBook Works are book recommendations by Communication Works (CW) that support speech, language, social and emotional growth for children. The Autism Acceptance Book At CW, we love using books to introduce and discuss topics related to speech, language, and social communication. With April’s focus on autism awareness and acceptance, we’d like to share one of…
Read MoreBook Works are book recommendations by Communication Works (CW) that support speech, language, social and emotional growth for children. Learning to Be Present Mindfulness is getting lots of well-deserved attention lately, and it turns out to be an excellent strategy for teaching social and emotional skills Honestly, it’s great for learning any new skill because…
Read MoreBook Works are book recommendations by Communication Works (CW) that support speech, language, social and emotional growth for children. Taming a Puppy Mind Children’s books offer a terrific way to launch the discussion of what it means to be mindful. Books can give students a way to make connections to their own lives and become…
Read MoreBook Works are book recommendations by Communication Works (CW) that support speech, language, social and emotional growth for children. Teaching Mindfulness with a Monkey and a Panda Meditation expert Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “paying attention, on purpose, without judgement.” For many of the children we support at CW, mindfulness can be the missing piece…
Read MoreThe Whole Brain Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson, falls directly in line with the work that we do at CW and what is needed to keep kids calm and regulated.
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