Got bored kids at home?  Keep them busy with items from around your house!

Is your sensory seeking kid getting bored with things from around the house? They always turn to mom or dad for ideas.  Give them something new to try instead of suggesting the same old games and toys.

No need to go shopping either!  Prep these easy to make activities ahead of time and pull them out next time your child says, “Mom I’m bored!”

Homemade Sensory Bin

For this activity, all you need is a plastic bin and sensory type trinkets.  Put the stuff in the bin and you’re all set!  Here are things you can use for the homemade sensory bin:

• Uncooked rice
• Uncooked pasta or noodles
• Buttons
• Shredded paper
• Scraps of cloth

Add some plastic cups, bowls, and spoons for your child to scoop and pour.  Turn it into pretend play with little cars, action figures or animals.

Shaving Cream

Some kids prefer squishy textures.  Shaving cream is perfect for that.  For this activity, all you need is a cookie sheet, plastic mat or even a window and non-gel shaving cream!

Practice writing numbers, letters, or draw pictures with fingers.  Turn it into a car or animal wash by letting the toys run through the shaving cream.  Scrub with toothbrushes.  Rinse off in a bowl of water.

Bubble Monster

Put a new spin on blowing bubbles!  For this activity, all you need is:

• Sock
• Tube
• Sudsy dish soap water.

Simply put the sock over the end of the tube and dip into the sudsy water.  Blow into the other end of the tube and watch the bubble monster form!

Box Reading Cubby

Have a large box from Amazon?  Turn it into a cozy reading cubby or nook!  Let your child decorate the outside however they wish with markers or stickers.  Cut out windows or simply leave one end open.  

Put in some soft blankets and pillows and your child has quiet spot to read, rest or take a break.

Tin Can Stilts

Looking for a fun way to walk around?  Make your own stilts!  For this activity, all you need is:

• 2 large tin cans
• Sturdy rope, twine or jump rope.

To make the stilts simply turn the can over so the bottom is facing up.  Punch two holes across from each other on the sides near the rim.  Run the rope through the holes. 

To walk on the stilts all your child needs to do is place their feet on the bottom of the cans and hold the ropes in each hand a start walking!

Balance Beam

Have some 2×4 planks of wood?  Turn them into a balance beam.  Place 1 long piece of wood on the floor.  Nail or glue a shorter piece of wood at either end of the long beam to make a T at each end.  Turn it over and you have a balance beam!

Floor Maze

Make a life-size maze for your kids to walk through!  For this activity, all you need is masking tape or blue painters tape. Tape out a maze design and that’s it! 

You can also make an indoor hopscotch game out of tape.

Human Burrito or Pizza

For the kid who loves deep pressure, this one is for them.  Layout a blanket out on the floor along with some pillows.  Have your child lay in the middle of the blanket.  Take their food order (cheese, meat, veggies) and squish a pillow on them for each ingredient.  

Next, wrap your child up with the pillow in the blanket and let the burrito or pizza bake.  Apply deep pressure up and down as the food bakes.

Try out one of these 8 easy to make sensory activities next time your kid looks bored!  They will enjoy the new ideas as they work on self-regulation and you won’t have to spend a dime!

Elizabeth Purpero

Elizabeth Purpero is a licensed school counselor and licensed professional counselor-in-training.  She has her master’s in counseling psychology.  Elizabeth has worked as an autism therapist with children and teens.  During her career, she has worked in intensive at-home therapy programs utilizing ABA and play therapy along with OT and speech therapy techniques.  She has also worked as a mental health therapist helping clients address their mental health issues as it relates to autism.  Elizabeth’s background working with the autism community has greatly helped her work with students in schools too.  She has helped teachers implement effective strategies, create goals for IEP’s and make classrooms more sensory-friendly.  Mark Twain once said, “Write what you know about,” and Elizabeth enjoys writing about autism-related topics and providing additional resources to help those impacted by autism.

If your child or loved one has autism it’s easy to focus on the negative things.  Extra challenges. Special education. Sensory issues. Social delays.

It’s good to know about the issues your kid has and how to help them.  At the same time only doing that gives you tunnel vision. You only see the bad side of autism.  And these challenges really aren’t bad.  

Have you ever taken time to focus on the positive traits of autism?  You probably see many gifts in your child. The cool thing with autism is that some of these gifts are only unique to ASD and most other people don’t have them!

Let’s take a moment to look at the bright side of autism and how these gifts can be used in everyday life.  Here are the top 10 positive traits of autism!

Great Attention To Detail

It’s amazing the things kids with autism notice that we usually overlook.  Patterns on the floor. The way sunlight reflects a rainbow. They take in information through detail!  

Kids with this trait makes them correct and precise!  There are many opportunities to apply this gift in life.  Attention to detail helps people be good musicians, artists, cooks and computer programers!  There are a lot more ways kids can use attention to detail for good.

Analytical

Kids who are analytical are good at noticing patterns and repetition.  They are very patient as they analyze information and detail.

Using this methodical approach helps children grow to be excellent researchers, mathematicians and problem solvers!

Innovative

Thinking outside the box is a great trait for kids with autism.  It gives them a unique thought process to everyday problems. It brings creativity to many solutions.

Being innovative helps others see that there is more than one way to get things done.  

Focused Observation

Because kids pay attention to detail they are obviously focused.  They have the ability to concentrate and drown out distractions. They are great at finding facts.

Children with this trait can be excellent students.  They also become great experts in their areas of high interest! 

Creative

Kids with autism have great imaginations!  They come up with the best ideas when it comes to pretend play and expressing themselves.  Children often crave creative outlets.

The creative trait helps kids be excellent artists and crafters. They also are skilled in drama and acting.

Determination

Determined kids don’t give-up and that’s a good thing!  When faced with obstacles children with autism keep working hard to get over the challenges.  The fact that kids on the spectrum have more difficulties than others they have greater success at beating the odds!

Not giving up is an excellent trait to have when it comes to playing sports.  Losing can be hard, but with a lot of practice you can get better and better!

Easily Accepts Others

Where some people notice differences and make judgements, kids with autism don’t always pick up on those things.  This in-turn helps them accept differences.

This trait is helpful to have when making friends.  Kids are loyal to their friends and don’t care if someone is not a certain way.  It helps others feel welcome and appreciated.

Honesty

Kids with autism aren’t afraid to tell you what they think.  They can be bold and frank with their comments. This is a form of honesty!  Honest children don’t worry about the consequences for telling the truth, they just do it.

People can always gain something from honesty.  Honest kids gain trust and respect from others.

Experts

With great focus and attention detail comes the ability to gain knowledge.  Kids with autism are excellent studiers and become experts in many topics. They are always eager to share their findings with others too.

An expert kid is a great trait to have when it comes to school and work.  People can take pride in knowing how to do their job well and being a great student.  Kids with this trait will be sought after because they know so many facts!

Lives In The Moment

Kids with autism often don’t worry about tomorrow or dwell on the past.  This is a very freeing trait to have! Living in the moment offers great opportunities to enjoy things as they are as they happen.  Many people strive to live in the moment, but kids with this trait don’t have to.

Every child with autism is unique.  Some have one of these traits. Some have all.  Most have several.  

What do you see in your child?  When you focus on their positive traits and how they can use them it makes having autism special.

These top 10 positive traits of autism will help you focus on the gifts and talents of your child and see their potential!

Elizabeth Purpero

Elizabeth Purpero is a licensed school counselor and licensed professional counselor-in-training.  She has her master’s in counseling psychology.  Elizabeth has worked as an autism therapist with children and teens.  During her career, she has worked in intensive at-home therapy programs utilizing ABA and play therapy along with OT and speech therapy techniques.  She has also worked as a mental health therapist helping clients address their mental health issues as it relates to autism.  Elizabeth’s background working with the autism community has greatly helped her work with students in schools too.  She has helped teachers implement effective strategies, create goals for IEP’s and make classrooms more sensory-friendly.  Mark Twain once said, “Write what you know about,” and Elizabeth enjoys writing about autism-related topics and providing additional resources to help those impacted by autism.

Travel plans sidelined?  What now?

There are many benefits to staying home for vacation.  You can control your environment, which is important if you have a child with special needs.  You get to decide what to do while staying in the comfort of your own home. You save money. Don’t have to deal with crowded airports.   

So you see the plus side of a staycation.  Still not sure how to fill your days? You can turn your staycation into a vacation!  Here are five staycation ideas you need to try!

Theme Days

Pick a theme for each day of the week and do activities around that theme.  Here are some ideas:

• Beach Day:  Wear beach gear, play with kinetic sand, set up a kiddie pool indoors, watch a beach themed movie
• Fiesta Day:  Have a pinata, taco party, salsa dance party
• Pirate Day: Scavenger hunt for gold coins, decorate eye patches, dress up like pirates, 
• Science Museum Day:  Go on a virtual science museum tour, checkout Pinterest for science experiments, make your own slime or oobleck

Movie Day

Brighten up a rainy day with a movie marathon!  Here is a way to make the day fun:

• Make an at-home “movie theater” with chairs or pillows and turn off lights
• Serve popcorn, candy and soda 

A Day At The Park

Turn your backyard into a park!  Here are some ideas to make backyard play more exciting:

• If you have a play structure turn it into a ninja course or set up an obstacle course and have races.
• Play backyard games like bean bag toss, relay races, or ladder golf
• If it’s nice out set up a splash pad with kiddie pool, sprinklers and hoses

Olympic Day

Set up a day of sporting activities:

• Go for a bike ride
• Basketball shooting contest
• Soccer shoot out–shoot goals into a net
• Play a game of catch or home run derby

Camping

Turn your yard into a camping excursion!  

• Pitch a tent
• Build a campfire in a fire ring–roast marshmallows and hotdogs
• Go to a park with hiking trails and take in a hike

Staying home for vacation can be just as fun and relaxing. Try these five staycation ideas and you will feel like you’re traveling the world!

Elizabeth Purpero

Elizabeth Purpero is a licensed school counselor and licensed professional counselor-in-training.  She has her master’s in counseling psychology.  Elizabeth has worked as an autism therapist with children and teens.  During her career, she has worked in intensive at-home therapy programs utilizing ABA and play therapy along with OT and speech therapy techniques.  She has also worked as a mental health therapist helping clients address their mental health issues as it relates to autism.  Elizabeth’s background working with the autism community has greatly helped her work with students in schools too.  She has helped teachers implement effective strategies, create goals for IEP’s and make classrooms more sensory-friendly.  Mark Twain once said, “Write what you know about,” and Elizabeth enjoys writing about autism-related topics and providing additional resources to help those impacted by autism.

Do you have a youngster that struggles with emotional regulation?  Do they have a hard time handling their feelings?

Emotions and autism go together like oil and water.  They don’t mix well. Kids on the spectrum have difficulty recognizing and regulating emotions. That doesn’t mean you can’t make it work. 

With some spices and seasonings, you can mix great salad dressings out of oil and water.  Same with emotions and autism. With a few extra ingredients, like a feelings chart, you can teach a kid with ASD how to handle their feelings and understand emotional regulation. 

Try out this fun feelings color chart with your child to teach them emotional recognition in three easy steps.

Feelings Color Chart

I used to use this emotional regulation activity in different social skills groups.  Understanding feelings in self and others is an important part to learning how to interact with friends.  This lesson greatly helped teach kids how to handle feelings.

Materials Needed:

• 8×11 paper
• Markers: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue Purple
• Pen

1. Create Feelings Color Chart

First step create the feelings color chart:

• With pen draw a vertical line down the middle of the sheet
• At top of paper in left hand column write “When I Feel”
• At top of paper in right hand column write “I Can Do”
• At the left side of the paper write out color names down the side of the sheet spaced several inches apart 
• Optional draw a horizontal line to separate each color and to make boxes for the columns

2. Label “When I Feel”

Second step label the feelings under the emotion column to go with the following colors:

• Red=angry, upset, frustrated, yelling/hitting, out of control
• Yellow=frustrated, worried, silly, excited, some loss of control
• Green=happy, calm, okay, focused, ready to listen
• Blue=sad, sick, tired, bored, moving slowly
• Purple=shy, confused, nervous, scared

3. Label “I Can Do”

Third, write down actions your child can take to get regulated in the “I can do” column.  I highly recommend sitting with your kid for this step and either have them come up with ideas or go over suggestions with them.  Ideas will vary depending on what works for your youngster. The following is an example:

• Red=take a break, count to 10, take deep breaths
• Yellow=go for a walk, jump on trampoline, squeeze stress ball
• Green=work on homework, read a book, do a chore
• Blue=ask for help, hug a stuffed animal, take a break
• Purple=use calming kit, draw a picture, listen to calming music

And that’s it!  You have a great feelings color chart to use with your kiddo.

Using The Feelings Color Chart

Here are some easy tips to follow to teach emotional regulation in three easy steps using the feelings color chart.

1.  Review Feelings Color Chart

• Review emotion definitions under “When I Feel” column
• Practice the actions under “I can do” column when your child is feeling good

2. Use Feelings Color Chart As A Visual

• Hang feelings color chart up in an easy to see spot
• When your child is expressing emotions on the chart refer to the visual
• Point out feeling and coach your child on choices of actions he or she can do to get regulated

3. Check-In With Child Using Feelings Color Chart

• During normal transitions, like waking up or getting home from school, check-in with your child using the chart
• Ask your child, “how are you feeling?” or “what color are you feeling now?”
• Child can either tell you or point to the color that matches to how they are feeling
• Help your child find the action they can take to help them get regulated

With the help of the feelings color chart you will be able to teach emotional regulation in three easy steps!

If you need help teaching emotions to your kids be check out this fun emotion flash card activity!

Elizabeth Purpero

Elizabeth Purpero is a licensed school counselor and licensed professional counselor-in-training.  She has her master’s in counseling psychology.  Elizabeth has worked as an autism therapist with children and teens.  During her career, she has worked in intensive at-home therapy programs utilizing ABA and play therapy along with OT and speech therapy techniques.  She has also worked as a mental health therapist helping clients address their mental health issues as it relates to autism.  Elizabeth’s background working with the autism community has greatly helped her work with students in schools too.  She has helped teachers implement effective strategies, create goals for IEP’s and make classrooms more sensory-friendly.  Mark Twain once said, “Write what you know about,” and Elizabeth enjoys writing about autism-related topics and providing additional resources to help those impacted by autism.

Tough times happen.  Sometimes they are expected other times they are not.  Illness, job loss, death of a loved one, all are hard to deal with!  Kids may not always understand what is going on when your family goes through tough times.

How Do You Talk To Your Kids About Tough Times?

You might be wondering if you should say anything at all.  Pretend it’s not happening. Kids are smarter than we think they are.  They can pick up on stress in the house. Don’t leave them guessing. It’s okay to tell them what’s going on.

Social Stories To The Rescue!

Social stories are a great tool to help kids learn about what’s going on.  Keep reading for tips on how to talk to your kids about tough times and a social story that helps you do that!

Tips To Talk To Your Kids About Tough Times

When it comes to talking to our kids about tough times it’s normal to not know what to say.  Will my child understand? How much should I tell them? Sometimes we don’t always know what is going on.  It’s stressful trying to be strong for our kids.

To ease the stress of talking to kids about hard situations try the following:

• Keep language simple instead of a lot of details
• Use specific examples rather than vague information
• Give the information they need to know
• Tell them what they can expect to go through and what they won’t go through
• Offer reassurance
• Try to answer their questions as best you can
• Label feelings that they might feel

Social Story For Tough Times

Here is a little social story to help you as you talk with your child about tough times.  You can fill in the blanks so the story fits your situation.

1. Sometimes bad things can happen.  Our family is dealing with ___________(insert situation.) This is called a tough time. You may not know what to think or feel.
2. It can be scary to go through a tough time.  You may feel sad, confused or scared. It’s okay to feel this way.
3. When you feel this way it’s okay to talk about it.  Tell someone you love when you feel sad, confused or scared.  They can help you with your feelings.
4. Peope who can help you are  __________(insert name of persons who can help), _________, or _____________.
5. You can do things so you don’t feel sad confused or scared.  You can turn off the TV or stop googling things. You can do things that make you feel calm and happy.
6. Things that make you calm and happy are ________(list favorite calming activities), __________, or ____________.
7. There are people who are helping with ___________(insert situation) too.
8. ______________(insert name of person or profession like doctor) is working hard to help our family.
9. You will be okay and soon ________ (insert situation) will go away.

Tough times are never easy for anyone.  Talking to kids about tough times isn’t easy either.  If you’re stressed about it, go easy on yourself. This social story will make talking about tough times with your kids a whole lot easier.

Elizabeth Purpero

Elizabeth Purpero is a licensed school counselor and licensed professional counselor-in-training.  She has her master’s in counseling psychology.  Elizabeth has worked as an autism therapist with children and teens.  During her career, she has worked in intensive at-home therapy programs utilizing ABA and play therapy along with OT and speech therapy techniques.  She has also worked as a mental health therapist helping clients address their mental health issues as it relates to autism.  Elizabeth’s background working with the autism community has greatly helped her work with students in schools too.  She has helped teachers implement effective strategies, create goals for IEP’s and make classrooms more sensory-friendly.  Mark Twain once said, “Write what you know about,” and Elizabeth enjoys writing about autism-related topics and providing additional resources to help those impacted by autism.

Schools out for the summer!  Now what?

Before you know it summer will be here and school will be out.  That means a lot more freedom to fill your days. How can you make the change easy on your kids?

To ease the transition here are some tips to help those long lazy days of summer not feel so long.

Scheduled Summer Activities

Having a break from a 7 hour school day is nice in the summer.  With the warmer sunny days, kids want to be outside and have fun.  They don’t always know how to fill their time though. Luckily scheduled activities are a great way to keep boredom away. Most activities keep kids learning through the summer too.  

It can be hard finding things for your kid with autism though.  Not all programs can handle kids with special needs. Staff don’t have the training or the spaces aren’t the best environment.  There are options out there though. Here are some ideas to look at:

• Summer school classes through your school district
• Summer programs at children’s therapy clinics
• Sensory friendly activities at local libraries or museums
• Day camps that offer 1:1 staff for kids with special needs
• Adaptive sports activities
• Swim lessons with smaller class size 
• Sensory friendly sports like gymnastics, ninja warrior, martial arts or swimming

Create A Summer Routine At Home

Several of my past clients had difficulty in the first few weeks of summer.  They went from having a regular routine at school to nothing. It’s common to think kids will go with the flow and just throw them into the mix.

Kids on the spectrum need a routine.  While you don’t need to follow a strict schedule it is a good idea to make your day predictable. That way your child will know what to expect and can help your day run smoothly.   Here are some ideas to create a regular routine at home:

• Wake-up at the same time every day
• Follow the same get-ready-for-the-day routine
• Create a flow to your day be scheduling things like screen-time, outdoor time and play-time
• Have designated snack and lunch time 
• Spend time outdoors

Summer Break Rules

You probably have certain house rules that are already in place.  You may need to add a few more to the mix. For example at my house screen time isn’t an issue during the school year.  My kids are too busy with school, homework and other activities. When they are home with more free time they need screen time limits.  Summer break rules to consider:

• Limits on amount of snacks
• Screen time
• Designate boundaries for riding bikes, walks and playing outside 
• Daily reading or learning activity time
• Implement chores

Summer Chores

Messes can pile up when kids are home for the summer.  They also want and need things throughout the day. We can clean up after them and wait on them hand and foot and drive ourselves crazy.  Or we can teach them responsibility and the concept of pitching in and helping out.

Giving kids more responsibility is a great way to keep them learning in the summer.  It’s a good idea to keep the tasks simple and age-appropriate. Assign duties that you know your kids can complete without issues. Here are some simple chores kids can do:

• Make bed
• Put dirty clothes in the wash
• Pick out own clothes
• Clear dishes after snacks or meals
• Pick-up toys at end of the day
• Water flowers or garden
• Help put groceries away
• Set the table

Summer Visuals

To help you keep everything organized use visuals so you and your kids can refer to it. Teachers post things so kids know how to use them.  Visuals are also reinforcing for kids with autism. Here are some ideas for visuals: 

• Daily schedule
• Summer Rules
• Chore chart
• Getting ready for the day checklist

One visual I like is a “when can I have screen time” sign.  Last summer I implemented this visual to let my kids know when they could have screen time.  I listed things they needed to do before they got screen time. The list included getting ready for the day, playing with a toy, playing outside,  reading, and completing a chore.   

Incentive Program

Rewarding kids for good behavior and helping out is a great thing to have in the summer.  Getting praise for doing good things and motivation to help out makes everyone happy.

You can keep rewards simple like an ice cream outing, trip to a favorite park or pick out a toy from the dollar store.

A reward program I did with a social skills group I ran in the summer  was the “Filler Up Cup.” I drew 3 lines around a cup. My children got a bead to put in the cup for doing good things. I gave them beads for showing random acts of kindness, completing activities and or having a great day.  As the cup got filled up to each line they got a reward. Other incentive programs include:

• Sticker chart
• Give treat tickets or vouchers
• Extra screen time
• Pick favorite meal or restaurant
• Date day with mom or dad

With any of these ideas, there is room for flexibility.  You don’t have to follow schedules to-a-tea. Impromptu plans come up.  Some days might be rough and you need to lower expectations. Or it’s a rainy day and the best thing to do is have a movie marathon and eat popcorn all day.  

You will have an awesome summer trying these 6 effective strategies!

Elizabeth Purpero

Elizabeth Purpero is a licensed school counselor and licensed professional counselor-in-training.  She has her master’s in counseling psychology.  Elizabeth has worked as an autism therapist with children and teens.  During her career, she has worked in intensive at-home therapy programs utilizing ABA and play therapy along with OT and speech therapy techniques.  She has also worked as a mental health therapist helping clients address their mental health issues as it relates to autism.  Elizabeth’s background working with the autism community has greatly helped her work with students in schools too.  She has helped teachers implement effective strategies, create goals for IEP’s and make classrooms more sensory-friendly.  Mark Twain once said, “Write what you know about,” and Elizabeth enjoys writing about autism-related topics and providing additional resources to help those impacted by autism.