Neurodiversity & Children's Wellbeing | Busy Scribbles

At Busy Scribbles, neurodiversity isn't an afterthought — it's baked into everything we do. Our journals were designed from the very start with neurodiverse children in mind, because the children who need these tools the most deserve resources that actually work for them.

We believe that every brain is brilliant. Some just need a little more space, a little more colour, and a whole lot less judgement.

Neurodiversity simply means that all brains are different — and that's a wonderful thing. Some children's brains are wired in ways that make certain things harder, but almost always come with incredible strengths too.

You might be here because your child has a diagnosis. Or because something just feels a little different and you're trying to figure out what they need. Or maybe you're a parent who, like me, is on their own neurodiversity journey alongside their kids.

Wherever you're starting from — you're in the right place.

Here are some of the ways neurodiversity shows up in the children we create for:

ADHD — Big energy, creative minds, and a brain that's always buzzing. Focus can be tricky, but the ideas? Absolutely endless.

Autism — Deep thinkers who experience the world with incredible intensity. Often highly empathetic, wonderfully detail-oriented, and brilliantly unique.

Dyslexia — Words on a page can be hard work, but these children often have remarkable problem-solving abilities and some of the most creative minds around.

Anxiety — A mind that's always switched on and preparing for the worst. Exhausting to live with, but often a sign of deep empathy, huge imagination, and a child who cares enormously about the world around them.

My name is Kate. I'm a mum of four absolutely marvellous, wonderfully neuro-spicy children. I'm also a Key Stage 2 Teaching Assistant — and I received my own ADHD diagnosis in my 40s, which explained rather a lot about my earlier years (sorry, Mum).

Busy Scribbles wasn't created in a boardroom or by a marketing team. It was created at a kitchen table, by a mum who couldn't find resources that truly worked for her own children — so she made them herself.

Every single page of every Busy Scribbles journal has been designed with lived experience at its heart. Not just good intentions. Real, messy, wonderful, neuro-spicy lived experience.

My children are what I lovingly call neuro-spicy. Each one thinks, feels and experiences the world a little differently. Some days that's the most beautiful thing. Other days it's really, really hard. I created Busy Scribbles because I wanted something that met them exactly where they were — not where the world expected them to be."

Kate, founder of Busy Scribbles

We didn't just slap a rainbow on a notebook and call it inclusive. Every design decision in our journals was made with neurodiverse children in mind:

Bright, engaging layouts — Visually stimulating pages that hold attention and spark curiosity, without tipping into overwhelm. Designed for visual thinkers and sensory-sensitive children alike.

Write OR draw — No pressure to use words if pictures feel easier. Children can scribble, doodle, colour or write — whatever works for their brain on that particular day.

Short, structured activities — Perfect for children who struggle with open-ended tasks or who need a clear starting point before they can dive in.

Worry dump pages — A dedicated space to offload worries from their mind and onto the page, so they don't have to carry them around all day. Particularly powerful for anxious and overthinking children.

Mindfulness through doing — Colouring pages, zentangle drawing and creative activities that build calm and focus without asking children to sit still and think about their breathing (because, ADHD).

Zero pressure, zero judgement — There are no wrong answers in a Busy Scribbles journal. No marks. No grades. No one reading over their shoulder. Just a safe little space that belongs entirely to them.

If you've ended up on this page, chances are you're doing the beautiful, exhausting, never-quite-knowing-if-you're-getting-it-right job of raising a child whose brain works differently.

You're not alone. We see you. And we made this for you — and for them.

Neurodivergent children don't need fixing. They need understanding, the right tools, and people in their corner who genuinely believe in them. We hope Busy Scribbles can be one small but mighty part of that. 💜