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Free for teachers & parents · companion to the podcast
The Focus Toolkit
For the kid who shuts down on a busy page. Six printable tools built for easily-overwhelmed learners — one task per page, breaks built in, and the design doing the heavy lifting instead of willpower. Born from Episode 3 of The After-School Huddle, "When Learning Is Harder: Supporting Kids with Learning Disabilities."
The idea behind it
It's not a character flaw — it's wiring. A kid who can't start a crowded worksheet doesn't need a firmer voice; she needs a calmer page. These tools give structure instead of asking for willpower: fewer choices at once, a built-in place to stop and breathe, a break that's part of the plan instead of a reward to earn. Start the work the right size, and the kid meets it.
The tools
Do 3, Stretch, Do 3 More
A reusable rhythm card: do three, take a movement break, do three more — then a DONE! strip to close the loop.
First / Then Planner
First this small piece of work, then the break they chose. Predictable, and the kid helps pick the "then."
Focus Helper
A calm navigation card for mid-work moments: "Where am I working?" and "What do I need?" — point, don’t argue.
Move-It Break Cards
Eight cut-apart movement cards — bird flaps, frog jumps, bear stretches. The break that makes the next three possible.
One-Thing Window
A cut-out frame that slides over any worksheet so the kid sees one problem at a time. The whole page stops shouting.
Ready to Learn
A calm-start checklist: desk clear, pencil ready, name on paper, sitting in my spot. Same start, every day.
A Note to Teachers
One page for the teacher who is exhausted and wondering if she’s reaching that kid. You’re not failing that kid.
Free, always. Print them, cut them apart, tape them to desks, hand them to parents at conferences. No account, no card — that's the point.
These are classroom attention supports, not a diagnosis or a treatment. If you suspect a learning disability, work with your school's evaluation team or a specialist.
Hear the episode behind the toolkit
Dana and Chris on what actually helps kids with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and attention struggles — and the five principles these tools are built on.