Our Toys, Technology, and Training programme is back with a great selection of talks and workshops to look forward to this spring. You can check out the full brochure here for the full list of resources available through the programme, along with booking links for the events. For the latest updates, we also recommend signing up to our TTT email newsletter, which you can register for here, so you don’t miss out on any updates.
What is the TTT Programme?
The TTT Programme is designed to offer support to our neurodiverse community.
Based in Athy, Leixlip and Naas libraries, a specialised collection of toys and assistive equipment can be accessed free of charge in branches throughout the county and can be borrowed or utilised by joining up at any Kildare library. Items in the catalogue can be requested or renewed online and collected by the borrower at their nearest branch library. Pick up a catalogue at any Kildare library or view it online here.
This collection has been chosen by the staff of Kildare Library Service in partnership with therapists working in the community. Membership is free to any individual who lives, works or goes to school in County Kildare.
Contact your local library for further terms and conditions of use. A full list of our libraries and contact information is available here.
Events
The TTT Programme includes an annual series of free talks and workshops, funded by Kildare County Council. These events offer further guidance, support, and networking opportunities for parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals.
Attendance is open to everyone and all events are free of charge. Some events have limited capacity, so make sure to book your place in advance. Certificates of attendance are available for all events and will be available from the venue after the event. Please note that certificates will only be issued on the night of the event and cannot be requested at a later time.
What events are planned for 2024?
We have a fantastic series of events lined up for this spring, check out the list below or the TTT brochure for the details! If you can’t make it to any of our live events, don’t forget that we also have a Vimeo channel here, where you can check out recorded events any time.
Scroll down to browse through the full event descriptions, or jump to specific events by clicking on them in the list below:
- Dyslexia Information Session for Parents
- Ta Tum Tum! Interactive Show for Neurodiverse Children
- Nurturing Abilities – Training Programme for Young Autistic Children with Silvia Angel
- SibShop Workshop
- Active Kids Academy
- Sound Yoga Workshop for Autistic Children and their Families with Tanja Thomas
- Sensory Story Time Sessions with Sharon Curran
- Storytime with Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) with Patricia Hall
- Helping Children and Teenagers with ADD/ADHD – A course for parents, carers and teachers with Dr. Dorothy Armstrong
- Early Communication/ The Building Blocks of Language with CAINT
- Supporting non-verbal/minimally verbal children with CAINT
- Yoga and Sensory Play with Stephanie Bolger
- LÁMH Module One – Online Course
- Occupational Therapy Talks with Sarah Butler
Dyslexia Information Session for Parents
Facilitated by the Dyslexia Association of Ireland
In this pre-recorded information video from the Dyslexia Association of Ireland, we look at:
- What is dyslexia?
- How to get an assessment
- Support in school
- Support at home
- Dyslexia & self-esteem
Register here to receive a link to the video and the presentation slides used.
Ta Tum Tum! Interactive Show for Neurodiverse Children
Facilitated by Kasia Eliasz and William Kanela
Leixlip Library – 13th April 2024 – 11am
Naas Library – 13th April 2024 – 2pm
Ta Tum Tum! is an interactive music workshop for children exploring Brazilian rhythms, body awareness, creative movement and sound healing.
Through the workshop, children will develop their creativity, confidence, and self-expression. They’ll also learn about teamwork and communication as they work together to create rhythms and movements.
Ta Tum Tum! workshops are designed to
promote physical activity, which is vital for children’s health and
wellbeing. Ta Tum Tum! is more than just a workshop—it’s an immersive experience that celebrates the spirit of Brazil, its captivating rhythms, and the universal language of music. Let us unleash your child’s artistic potential in this unforgettable journey of sound and expression.
No music experience needed. An adult must accompany.
Book your space for free by clicking here!
Nurturing Abilities – Training Programme for Young Autistic Children
With Silvia Angel
Naas Library – 4-week course in Feb/March 2024
This programme takes place over four weeks, with each session covering a different topic relating to supporting your child with autism.
Session 1: Introduction to Autism
29th February – 7pm
Understand autism and gain insights to comprehend your child’s unique needs further. Learn how to create a supportive environment at home to foster your child’s overall development.
Session 2: Interaction and Communication
7th March – 7pm
Explore strategies to enhance your child’s engagement and learn techniques to support your child’s language development. This session will also introduce practical communication supports to help your child understand language and effectively communicate with you.
Session 3: Play Development
14th March – 7pm
Delve into the function and development of play, understanding its various forms and how it may differ for autistic children. Gain practical knowledge on engaging in play with your child and creating an environment that promotes play skills crucial for their development.
Session 4: Supporting Behaviour
21st March – 7pm
In the final session, discover strategies to encourage positive
behaviour, cooperation, and effective problem-solving. Learn how to approach challenging situations with compassion, focusing on prevention and thoughtfully providing support for your child.
Book your place on this course by clicking here!
Sibshop Workshop
With Sibshop Ireland
Leixlip Library – 27th April 2024 – 2pm
Sibshops are fun workshops for siblings of children with special
needs. They are lively, with games and discussions.
As well as having lots of fun this Sibshop workshop will provide a great opportunity for siblings to get together and chat about some of
the difficulties and the positives of having a sibling with special needs.
The workshops are aimed at children aged between 8 to 12 years (inclusive) with a maximum of 10 children in the group recommended as this works best in order to give all the children a chance to contribute to the discussions and games. Their sibling with special needs should be over 2 ½ years so that they can see and understand that their brother or sister has special needs.
Siblings experience the same joys and concerns as their parents yet have fewer opportunities to gain access to support. Often siblings do not want to burden their parents with their own worries. Sibshop Workshops are one way of offering them fun and the support they
deserve.
This event is currently fully booked, but you can join the waiting list by clicking here!
Active Kids Academy
Naas Library – 25th May 2024 – 11am
Leixlip Library – 25th May 2024 – 2pm
These classes, whilst based around fun, are designed to work on skills such as fine & gross motor skills, communication, social skills, fundamental sports skills, balance, coordination, positive mental health skills and much more BUT as far as the children know, they are just having fun in an inclusive environment, designed to ensure
they thrive and reach their own goals.
Classes will be made up of activities & games to get children moving, working on social skills and having fun. The games will focus on things such as fine & gross motor skills, fundamental sports skills, coordination, strength, agility, communication skills and much more. The classes will be made up of obstacle courses, parachute fun, imaginary play, group activities and lots more.
The classes are aimed at children aged between 5 to 10 years with a maximum of 10 children in each class.
Book your place for free by clicking here!
Sound Yoga Workshop for Autistic Children and their Families
With Tanja Thomas
Leixlip Library – 24th Feb, 2nd & 9th March 2024 – 11am
Introducing Sound Yoga with the focus on self and co regulation techniques for autistic children and their families.
In Sound Yoga, body, mind and soul can let go of accumulated stress, worry and uncertainty and come back to a place of balance, joy and a feeling of security.
In a playfully designed session Tanja will be demonstrating how parents can use singing bowls in combination with yoga and breath practices with their children for self and co regulation.
This is an interactive experience especially designed for autistic children & their families to enjoy the benefits of these practices together and learn how to use them in everyday life.
All abilities/children ages 6 to 12 years.
Book your place for free by clicking here!
Sensory Story Time Sessions
With Sharon Curran
Leixlip Library – 17th Feb, 23rd Mar, 2oth Apr, 18th May – 11am
Join Sharon Curran (MSEN, BA Mont Ed, Dip Hort) for a fun, sensory story time, tailored specially to meet the needs of neurodiverse children.
Book your place for free by clicking here!
Storytime with Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC)
With Patricia Hall
Athy Library – 24th February 2024 – 2pm
Newbridge Library – 23rd March 2024 – 2pm
AAC at the Library is an interactive session to show how stories can be read using an AAC device to support AAC users in actively participating in story time.
AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. AAC includes strategies (e.g. signing, gesture, etc.) and equipment (e.g. a symbol chart, an alphabet chart, a simple talking button, a more complex computer-based voice output communication aid, etc.) that support or replace speech.
This session will focus on how to use a high-tech voice output communication aid to support AAC users to access all the benefits of storytime. This session is most suitable for children aged 3 to 8 years, but older children can also participate. Parents and siblings can attend to learn how to use an AAC device interactively to support AAC in storytelling.
At the end of the session, there will be an opportunity to ask questions and discuss how book reading can be continued at home and in the library using an AAC device.
Book your free place by clicking here!
Helping Children and Teenagers with ADD/ADHD – A course for parents, carers and teachers
With Dr. Dorothy Armstrong
Dr. Dorothy Armstrong (MSc PhD) is an expert occupational therapist who specialises in the area of neurodivergence (Autism, ADHD, Developmental Coordination Disorder / Dyspraxia). She works on projects to promote inclusion and delivers training, education and advice to organisations such as schools, community groups and businesses. She has made television and radio appearances and is the author of the book ‘The Next Adventure: Transitioning to Secondary School when you have Developmental Coordination Disorder’. More information about Dorothy can be found on her website by clicking here.
Dr. Armstrong will be delivering a series of six sessions in parenting/working with children and teenagers with ADD/ADHD. These sessions will take place in person at Leixlip Library, Captain’s Hill, Newtown, Leixlip, Co. Kildare. They are aimed at parents, teachers and those who work with people with ADHD. The course is designed for participants to attend on a weekly basis for the full course, however it is also open to people opting in for some of the sessions that are especially relevant to them, however sessions three to six build on each other and where possible it is recommended that you attend all of these where possible.
Session 1: Understanding sensory processing issues and helping children and teenagers to manage them
13th February – 7 – 8.30pm
Children and teenagers with ADD/ADHD frequently find it difficult to tune out sensory information. This can be very overwhelming and dysregulating. Can you imagine what it’s like to be in a classroom where you notice and are distracted by every movement the other students make, what’s happening outside the window, the noise of the radiator? This talk will provide insights into the types of sensory processing issues experienced by children and teenagers with ADD/ADHD and give some practical solutions and techniques that can help.
Session 2: Understanding the role of executive functioning (planning, organising, starting tasks and persevering etc.) manage them
20th February – 7 – 8.30pm
Executive skills allow people to organise what they do over time and be able to resist immediate demands in order to achieve longer term goals e.g. resist playing computer games in order to do homework so as to achieve well in exams. Executive skills help people to plan and organise activities, sustain attention and to keep going in order to complete a task. They are also involved in managing emotions and in self-monitoring. This talk is aimed at parents, carers and those who work with teenagers with ADD/ADHD. I will give an introduction into the development of executive function and the specific emphasis on children/teenagers with ADHD. There will be lots of tips as to how to help children and teenagers develop skills in this area.
Session 3: Changing ‘challenging behaviours’ into problems to be solved
27th February – 7 – 8.30pm
Children and teenagers with ADD/ADHD are often misunderstood. People who don’t understand their struggles can be tempted to think that they ‘should just try harder’ or that ‘they’re deliberately being challenging or difficult’. This attitude can lead to the child feeling misunderstood and frustrated which can compound the issues. This talk will help participants have a deeper understanding of the lagging skills and environmental issues that can cause ‘challenging behaviours’. Participants will learn how to reframe challenging behaviours into problems to be solved and to analyse why these problems might be occurring. This talk will then be followed by the next three which all build on helping the child to learn to ‘solve problems’ and thus reduce ‘challenging behaviours’.
Session 4: Capturing the child’s perspective – how to listen and respond so they’ll talk
5th March – 7 – 8.30pm
This talk builds on the learning from the last talk in which participants learned how to reframe challenging behaviours into ‘problems to be solved’ and to be able to analyse why these difficulties might be occurring. Participants will learn how to move into the next phase of the process of helping children become problem solvers. We will discuss ways in which to listen and learn from the child so that we can help a child communicate and understand why they might be struggling in an area. We will discuss co-regulation and self-regulation and how to be an empathetic listener.
Session 5: Working with the child to devise plans to help them manage when it’s hard to meet adult expectations
12th March – 7 – 8.30pm
This talk builds on the learning from the last two talks. Participants will learn how to help children draw up plans to help themselves manage and reduce what would traditionally have been called ‘challenging behaviours’. We will discuss what is entailed in such a plans, how to help the child put a plan together, how to monitor the plan and change it if it doesn’t work.
Session 6: Building problem solving skills and self-esteem
19th March – 7 – 8.30pm
This is our final talk in the series. We will consolidate the learning from the other sessions and facilitate participants to be ready to use the techniques and strategies that they have learned. We will also discuss the importance of building self-esteem in children and teenagers with ADD/ADHD and discuss ways we can foster resilience and well-being going forward.
Book your place for free by clicking here!
Early Communication/ The Building Blocks of Language
Speech and Language Talks with CAINT
Maynooth Library – 11th April 2024 – 7pm
This talk will outline early communication development and the important foundations skills of attention, imitation, play and social integration that are the foundations of language and communication in young children. Fun activities will be discussed to support parents and their children in promoting early language skills. Strategies to facilitate early first words and phrases will be discussed and how to build towards early sentences.
Book your place for free by clicking here!
Supporting non-verbal/minimally verbal children
Speech and Language Talks with CAINT
Celbridge Library – 9th May 2024 – 7pm
This talk will outline how and why children communicate beyond the spoken word. It will help parents to identify their child’s communication profile. Alternative and Augmentative communication options will be explored and the use of visuals to support your child’s communication and engagement.
Book your place for free by clicking here!
Yoga and Sensory Play
With Stephanie Bolger
Naas Library – 11th May 2024 – 11am
Athy Library – 11th May 2024 – 2pm
Yoga is about feeling good in your body and these sessions are designed specifically for neurodiverse children. They can come to a class and feel free to explore a wide range of sensory based activities at their own pace and if it’s suitable they can engage in some fun Yoga games.
Most children know what they need to support regulation, each child is so unique and different that by providing a range of activities to explore they will naturally be guided towards what they need in that moment.
Book your space for free by clicking here!
Lámh Module One – Online Course
Online – 10th Feb 2024 – 9.30am – 1pm
Online – 20th April 2024 – 9.30am – 1pm
This course is for staff members and professionals who have started to work in an environment where Lámh is used and covers 100 Lámh signs and how to support a Lámh user. No previous Lámh training required.
Course Content:
- Module One Lámh signs (100+)
- Alternative and augmentative communication (AAC)
- Lámh – brief history and development
- Lámh signing environment
By the end of this course, participants should be able to:
- Use the 100+ signs from the Module One Book
- Use Lámh as an effective communication tool
- Contribute to assessment or decision-making around Lámh use
- Participate effectively in an established Lámh environment.
Accreditation Achieved: Module One Certificate
Course Schedule:
Online participant led training via the Lámh website will take place in advance of a Tutor led Zoom session. Participants will receive a learning pack from Lámh following completion of the course.
Group 1: Zoom led tutor session on Saturday 10th February, 9:30am – 1pm
Group 2: Zoom led tutor session on Saturday 20th April, 9:30am – 1pm
This event is currently fully booked, but you can join the waiting list by clicking here!
Occupational Therapy Talks
With Sarah Butler
Interoception: What is it and how to build it
Newbridge Library – 9th April 2024 – 7pm
Hunger, thirst, emotions, tiredness, pain, toilet, temperature come to us as internal sensations. These messages can be hard to notice, or overwhelming, for some people. Learn about interoceptive awareness if you know, or are, someone who is always/never hungry or thirsty, over-heats, has 0-90 emotional reactions, varying response to pain, varying awareness of the need to go to the toilet. This sense of our internal sensations can vary in people, and has a huge, often hidden, impact on our wellbeing.
Book your place for free by clicking here!
What’s behind that movement – let’s explore vestibular sensory processing
Athy Library – 25th April 2024 – 7pm
“Can’t sit still, always on the go” or “very cautious moving, scared of heights” can describe someone with vestibular processing issues.
This important sense in our body influences movement, body awareness and confidence. It underpins our listening and communication, as well as our ability to control our movements.
Learn more about this sense and what activities support it.
Book your place for free by clicking here!
Play in every way
Kildare Town Library – 2nd May 2024 – 7pm
Consider the different types of play you can do with a child or let them do it themselves. Play that builds muscle, relationships, and brains/emotional regulation. Explore play that both adults and child can enjoy. Discuss the things that can make play hard for both parents and children.
Book your place for free by clicking here!
Kildare Library Service 
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