the ant plan
Practical emotional aid
What is an ANT Plan?
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An ANT Plan is a resource designed to help children who struggle with emotional regulation cope with situations they find challenging through following a simple process:
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Identification and naming of the 'tricky thing' (the situation/trigger - things that are known to lead to emotional dysregulation/meltdown)
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How the tricky thing makes them think and feel
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What strategies will help them cope with the tricky thing/what plan can be put in place to help them cope
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Review and revision of the plan
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A check-in on how they are feeling about the tricky thing after the plan has been implemented​
ant plan resource pack
You can purchase an ANT Plan resource pack from my Etsy shop for £18 including postage & packaging (UK only). Each pack contains the following:
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1 x plastic folder
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1 x 'My FANTASTIC Plans' cover, plus 1 x spare
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1 x laminated reusable dry-wipe plan template (colour-coordinated with ant charm)
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20 x paper black & white plan template sheets
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1 x laminated reusable dry-wipe doodle sheet (colour-coordinated with ant charm)
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1 x box
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1 x box decoration sheet, plus 1 x spare
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Box 'bedding'
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1 x dry-wipe pen
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1 x clay ant charm ​​
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Alternatively you can download the free printable resources from the links in the gallery below.
plan guidance
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A recommended age range for this resource is 5-9 years.
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Always approach the idea of an ANT Plan when the child is calm and in preparation for known triggers.
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Only encourage, never force a child to communicate about their experience in relation to these resources/use these resources.
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You can trial whether ANT Plans are helpful by using the free pdf downloads.
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The child can personalise their 'My FANTASTIC Plans' cover sheet by adding their name, their photo/self portrait, colouring in and naming their ant.
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For plans that are purchased through my Etsy shop which include the ant charm, please note, these are made from polymer clay and contain small parts (the eyes, central joining wire and charm string attachment) so are not suitable for very young children or children who have a tendency to bite/chew/eat objects. They are homemade and not designed as a toy therefore can only withstand light handling.
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The charm is intended to be a visual reminder/prompt to help the child remember they have a plan in place in tricky situations or something they can show to an adult if they wish to communicate their needs or start/re-visit a plan.
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The child can personalise their ant's 'home' (box) with purchased plans by colouring in the various decorations on the sheet provided.
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For the 'Aware' section on the plan template, encourage the child to think about physical symptoms as well as thoughts and emotions.
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Sometimes, the child may have difficulty verbally communicating their thoughts and feelings around the tricky thing. The dry-wipe doodle pad in the resource pack can be used as an alternative way to communicate with the child through images, written messages or other mark making. Even if not for the purposes of a plan, drawing and writing can be helpful for children in processing their experiences (and adults too!).
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The laminated plan template in the purchased packs is a great way to experiment with ideas for a plan before finalising on paper.
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Due to sensory difficulties with touch, the laminated templates in the resource packs provide an alternative surface and medium for children to use other than pencil and paper where this is an issue.
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Please contact me with any feedback/suggestions :)
printable resources
gallery
