Whole-Child Readiness: Simple Steps to Prepare Kids for Learning Body, Mind & Soul

In this episode of Empowering Homeschool Conversations, host Peggy Ployhar welcomes Anne Laure Jackson, a seasoned Occupational Therapist with over 30 years of experience and a dedicated Sensory Health Coach. Anne Laure shares her passion for equipping families with the tools and knowledge to understand, assess, and manage sensory needs, helping unique learners thrive in their homeschool environments. Together, they’ll explore practical strategies to support sensory health, create a harmonious learning atmosphere, and empower children to feel better and achieve more. Don’t miss this insightful conversation filled with encouragement and actionable advice for parents navigating sensory challenges in home education. To connect with Anne Laure and her resources, use this link: https://www.annelaurejackson.com/ and https://www.annelaurejackson.com/church   Viewers like you funded similar episodes, and other free resources from SPED Homeschool. To learn how you can support the nonprofit work of SPED Homeschool and this broadcast, visit https://spedhomeschool.com/donate/   To find out more about SPED Homeschool, visit our website at https://spedhomeschool.com/ To learn about the other Empowering Homeschool Conversations Co-Hosts and their resources, visit: https://annieyorty.com/ https://www.leilanimelendez.com/ https://elarplearning.com/ https://solimaracademy.com/   Join our mission to empower homeschool families! https://spedhomeschool.com/donate/ Join our mission to empower homeschool families!: https://spedhomeschool.com/donate/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

By Mary Winfield We have all chosen to homeschool because it felt like the best option for our family, especially for our child with special needs. While there may be many reasons for this choice, a significant one for many of us is the desire to provide our children with the ability to learn in a way that suits them best. For many, this means incorporating movement into learning. I’ve spoken before about the DIR/Floortime method (developmental levels, individual preferences and needs, and relationship-based learning), but today I want to focus on the “I”—individual preferences and needs—and how we can use these to integrate movement and interests into our learning environments. Everyone learns differently, but one commonality is that we often learn best when our whole body and multiple senses are engaged. Incorporating Movement into Learning as Motivation When I worked at a private school that used the DIR Method for teaching children on the Autism Spectrum, we incorporated movement into the classroom as much as possible. Each student had different sensory needs, but two examples stand out when I think about movement-based learning. Cody loved riding scooters. He brought one to school almost every day, using it outside or in the gym. To encourage his learning, we used his passion for scootering as motivation. While working on simple addition, Cody would ride the scooter around the gym after getting a problem right—one ride for each correct answer. This approach kept him engaged far longer than traditional methods and helped him focus, knowing a reward was coming after each problem. Nick, another boy who loved movement, preferred swinging. We had a sensory swing in our classroom, and sometimes Nick would complete lessons while in the swing. When testing became a challenge, we tried again with Nick in the swing. The results were remarkable, allowing us to finish much faster than expected. With my own son, incorporating movement into learning has been invaluable. Recently, we’ve been working on fractions, and using a play dough pizza set to explore concepts has made a huge difference. The sensory input from touching and manipulating the play dough helped him grasp fractions much faster than he would have without that engagement. Incorporating Movement into Learning with Breaks Every child has a unique sensory profile. Some love spinning in circles, while others can’t stand fast movement. Some are captivated by lights, while others avoid them. Recognizing these preferences is crucial for your child's success. Homeschooling offers the flexibility to adapt learning schedules to fit your child’s sensory needs and peak times for focus. You may notice certain activities or times of day when your child needs more sensory input or is more regulated. For example, if running outside helps calm your child, plan lessons right after outdoor play. If physical activity winds them up, schedule learning before playtime. Tailoring movement breaks to your child’s needs will make learning smoother and more effective. Incorporating Movement into Learning with Therapy Incorporating movement into learning isn’t just limited to physical and occupational therapies; it can be integrated into other areas too. For instance, I once worked with a nonverbal 10-year-old girl who struggled with PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). She loved swinging, so we used that activity to reinforce communication. By asking her if she wanted to swing and offering "yes" and "no" response cards, she quickly learned to choose "yes." This approach helped her grasp the concept, which we could later apply in different contexts. Another example involved a boy who would have meltdowns if a sentence wasn’t completed. We used a calming swing and a “what if” game, where I would start a sentence and ask him to guess the ending. Over time, he learned to use this guessing game as a tool to manage situations that might otherwise trigger a meltdown. Conclusion: Tailoring Movement for Your Homeschool Every family is unique, and so is every homeschool experience. By paying attention to your child's sensory needs, you can create a learning environment that supports both their education and regulation. What are some ways you already incorporate movement into your homeschool? What new ideas could you try?