Spoon Theory was originally created to help people understand what it’s like to live with chronic illness. It uses “spoons” as a way of describing energy, with each spoon representing a unit of physical, emotional and cognitive capacity. Everyday tasks like getting dressed, concentrating, coping with noise, managing feelings uses up spoons, and when the spoons are gone, they’re gone. For many neurodivergent children, this metaphor fits really well. Children do not arrive in our settings with...

In many early years settings, self-regulation is often introduced through colourful resources, most notably The Colour Monster and similar materials that link emotions to specific colours.  While these tools are usually well-intentioned and visually appealing, they can unintentionally oversimplify something that is deeply personal, complex, and subjective: how emotions are actually experienced.   When we teach children that anger is red , sadness is blue , or happiness is yellow , we risk...

December in early years settings can feel like a whirlwind: sparkly, sensory, exciting and at times, overwhelming. For many neurodivergent children the festive season brings big changes in routine, environment, expectations and emotional energy.   This recipe will help you create a Christmas that’s rooted in empathy, connection, and inclusion, one that honours every child’s nervous system, every child’s way of being and every family’s reality.   Ingredients 2 cups of genuine connection A big...