This Special Life

Autism Advocacy & Support

sensory

Survive the Holidays With This Easy To Make Calming Kit

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The holidays are upon us and with all of the festivities come mixed up routines and travel.  For kids with autism that may mean extra anxiety and stress!

Our youngsters depend upon predictability and stability.  When they are put in an unfamiliar environment it may not always be merry and bright for them.  Thanks to the calming kit though, you and your child will be equipped to cope with any situation that pops up this season.

What is a Calming Kit?  It’s a great little tool I’ve used with many of my clients.  It’s perfect to use when you knowingly are going to a new event or are traveling to a different place.

Keep reading to learn how you can put together a calming kit to help you and your child survive the holidays.

What Is A Calming Kit?

A calming kit essentially is a collection of small items that your child can use to calm down or cope when put in situations or environments that may be upsetting, overwhelming, or stressful.  

Typically there is an object that relates to each of the 5 senses that kids can use to help with self-regulation and sensory input.  Depending on the situation, children can pull out the appropriate item to use or play with as a way to calm down.

Creating A Calming Kit

If your child is old enough, they definitely can help you put it together.  First, start with getting a little tote to keep all of the items. A small drawstring backpack or purse is perfect.

I will provide ideas of calming trinkets, as they correspond with each sense, to help you get an idea of what to put in your child’s kit.  Before we get into that though here are some tips to help you personalize your calming kit.

  • Take inventory of your child’s preferences.  Select items that are either a favorite or you know your child finds calming.
  • You don’t have to include an item for all 5 senses.  For example, if you have a child that is very tactile you may select a variety of tactile toys instead.
  • Have your child help pick out items so they know what is in the calming kit. 
  • If it’s easier for you to select items, show your child what you picked out.

Here are some ideas of toys to use for the Calming Kit:

Visual Toys

  • Sunglasses
  • Liquid motion toys
  • Spinning toys
  • Small puzzle or maze
  • Favorite book

Auditory Toys

  • Noise cancelling headphones
  • Small instrument like a shaker or maraca
  • Rainstick
  • Headphones and device to stream calming music
  • Sound fidget

Tactile Toys

  • Theraputty
  • Small playdough
  • Fidget toy
  • Stress ball
  • Stuffed animal

Oral Sensory Toys

  • Chew toy
  • Small bubbles
  • Pinwheel to blow
  • Bubble Gum

Olfactory Toys

  • Scratch and sniff stickers
  • Scented anything like chew toys, putty, bubbles, crayons
  • Diffuser necklace or bracelet

Additional Items

  • Coloring or activity books
  • Card games
  • Lovey
  • Little toys like cars or balls
  • Snacks

Using The Calming Kit

Before heading out review the items in the calming kit with your child.  Help them see what their options are in the event they need to use it. When you get to your destination your child can either keep the calming kit in their possession or find a safe spot to store it.

You might want to roleplay with your child how to use the kit ahead of time.  Help them come up with a dialogue so they know what to say to you if they need the calming kit.  Something simple like, “Mom/Dad, I need my kit.”  

Let them know what cues you will use to instruct them to play with the calming kit at the event.  You could say, “If I see you getting upset I will hand you your backpack.”

Depending on the situation, you might want to pick a spot away from the action for your child to go to if they need a spot to calm down and play with the toys in the calming kit.

Look for signs of stress or anxiety in your child and implement the calming kit as needed.The calming kit is also a great tool to simply keep kids entertained.

While the holidays are typically a time for fun and excitement it can also be a time of stress with all of the extra activities and changes to routine.  With the calming kit you and your kiddo will be equipped to survive the holidays!

Our Experts Reveal 6 Easy Strategies To Have A Sensory Friendly Holiday

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Not sure how to support your autistic child through the holidays? Worried it’ll be too much for him or her?

The holiday season has a way of sneaking up on us every year. Before you know it, you’re in the thick of lists, decorations, giving away toys to make room for new toys, ordering online, shopping in crowded malls and grocery stores, planning elaborate meals, and making more lists.

You’ve barely had time to mentally prepare yourself, let alone your children. And if you have a child on the spectrum or who is otherwise sensory sensitive, the holidays can become even more stressful. 

You may feel like you are fighting a losing battle in trying to protect your child from overstimulation. Or, you may be unsure of how to handle situations where your child seeks out highly stimulating holiday-related experiences, but becomes over excited easily. In this article, we will talk about a few simple strategies that can make all the difference in balancing sensory input over the holidays. 

If you don’t celebrate Christmas, or you celebrate other holidays like Hanukkah or Diwali, we’ve designed this how-to guide to be applicable across holidays and busy seasons in general. With flexibility and intentionality, you and your children can enjoy this time together, and make special memories that won’t stress you out to look back on.

Set Goals

Whether you go all out or tend to be more minimalist with holiday celebrations, it’s important to be intentional. Goal setting for the holidays will help you decide what you want to prioritize and what you can let slide. By identifying what you’ll do (and what you won’t do) in advance, you’ll set yourself up to feel successful when things get busy. 

For example, if hosting an annual Christmas or New Year’s Eve party is one of your valued traditions, prioritize that while bumping attendance at other parties off the “must do” list. Or, perhaps Christmas is an important holiday for your family to go visit grandparents who are a long drive or flight away – and so, for New Year’s, you might stay in and watch a movie with popcorn and hot chocolate.

Have Doable Days

In addition to Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day, November and December in general can be stressful. And, you may have up to two weeks of full days with your children at home due to school breaks. During this time, understand that though they might not show it or tell you, your child is working really hard to cope with changes in routine and extra sensory input. 

Think about how you can decrease demands on them and on yourself. That way, they can keep directing energy toward self-regulation, and you can keep supporting them to do this and helping them recharge. It’s a full time job and you need to give yourself room to do it.

Let Go of Expectations

When you let go of expectations for what your holidays will look like, you create space to enjoy the small moments with your child. For example, you might not make it to the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at your local park, and that’s OK. You don’t have to do things that are overtly holiday-themed in order to enjoy the holiday season with your family. That night might be spent at home reading books like Llama Llama Holiday Drama (buy on Amazon here) or Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree together, or playing music in the background while working on a puzzle or drawing. 

Be ready to let go of expectations in the moment. Especially for children with ASD, the ability to regulate in overstimulating situations can vary from day to day or even hour to hour. You may make plans and then break them. On Christmas, if you are staying local, you may not make it to visit every family member’s home as you’d planned. 

If you’re traveling and visiting family out of state, you might be helping your child learn to operate a new toy or take turns playing with cousins instead of sitting down to a family meal. If you let go of expectations ahead of time, you’ll have more fun going with the flow wherever you are on the big day.

Dealing with Overstimulation

There are two skills to have in your toolbox when it comes to dealing with overstimulation around the holiday season: how to avoid it, and how to problem solve when you can’t. To avoid overstimulation, you can do things like skip the crowds by shopping online, visit Santa Claus on a weeknight rather than during the weekend, and wrap gifts in hand-stamped brown paper instead of glitter and curly ribbons. 

But it’s not always possible to avoid situations that will become overstimulating around the holidays, and you shouldn’t have to. Maybe you really want to go to that block party in your neighborhood where there will be lots of kids running around, or maybe you can’t get out of shopping on the weekends due to your work schedule. That’s why you need strategies to deal with sensory overstimulation in the moment.

3 Strategies To Deal With Overstimulation During The Holidays

1. Carry a “sensory shield kit” in your car. 

Stock it with noise cancelling headphones, fidgets, sleep masks, a favorite book or stuffed animal, and whatever other items work best for your child to help them calm down or tune out too much stimulation.

2. Introduce Fewer Gifts & Toys

If your child receives more gifted toys with all the bells and whistles than you were expecting, don’t hesitate to put some away in the closet for a rainy day in January. Sometimes opening a brand new toy a month or two after Christmas Day means your child can enjoy it more.

3. Have an early New Year’s 

Netflix offers a pre-recorded countdown, so you can celebrate New Year’s at whatever time works best for your child. Balance festivity with consistency by integrating fun activities with established routines. This helps your child practice successfully dealing with stimulation that is a little bit more than what they’re used to, without pushing them too far past their sensory comfort zone.

Dealing with Dysregulation

Perhaps the most important thing you can do to have sensory sensitive holiday season is to know ahead of time that there will be hiccups, and that is normal! Sensory input is one way that children on the spectrum can learn from their environment, and sometimes they’ll learn through situations that don’t go so well. 

For example, despite all your best efforts your child might have a tantrum because they don’t want to leave the play area at the mall. Or, they might get so excited about watching their favorite Christmas movie on Christmas Eve that they have difficulty calming down to go to bed.

Consider using a system like the Zones of Regulation or the Incredible 5-Point Scale to help you and your child cope, either in the moment or while debriefing later. Focus on modeling being calm in the moment to help them regulate, and be as neutral as you can (even though it’s totally normal for you to feel stressed, too). Later, talk about or practice how the situation could be handled differently next time, with your child or partner, but don’t overthink it too much. 

Parenting a child on the spectrum is a master class in flexibility, and you’re constantly going at a hundred and ten percent – so give yourself a break during this holiday season, too.

The Best Sensory Toys on Amazon, Hands Down.

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Not long ago, the best resources for high quality sensory toys were commercial suppliers for occupational therapy clinics and intervention centers. These days, we are living in the golden age of sensory products that fulfill physical regulation needs of children on the spectrum, enhance sensory play areas in the home, and are easily and quickly accessible via online ordering. 

The flip side, however, is that it can be overwhelming and time-consuming to sort through the many options available through store websites and online catalogs. 

In this article, we will pinpoint the 10 best sensory toys available on Amazon for children with autism and other special needs in the early childhood range (ages 3-8), so you can spend less time evaluating products and more time enjoying them with your child.

Our Criteria

We evaluated potential sensory toys according to three overarching criteria: 

  • cost
  • versatility 
  • longevity

Cost

Sensory toys shouldn’t break the bank. It’s important for families to be able to access a variety of high quality toys that are also reasonably priced. These toys are fewer and further between as you scroll through your search results in your Amazon store app, but they are out there. 

Each product on our list is under $100, with most falling in the $10-$50 range.

Versatility

Sensory toys should address a variety of stimulation needs of your child across tactile, visual, and auditory inputs. For example, an ice cube is cool to the touch (tactile), seems transparent but is opaque if held up to the eye (visual), and makes a clattering noise if dropped into the sink (auditory). 

Sensory toys also facilitate play-based exploration of whole-body systems. These include proprioception (awareness of how one’s body moves and is positioned in space), the vestibular system (the sense of gravity and balance), and emotional and physical regulation.

For the purposes of this article, we will not be addressing olfactory or gustatory input of toys (smell and taste), though these are ideal sensory experiences to incorporate at mealtimes.

Longevity

Sensory toys are not a passing fad; they are a useful and aesthetically pleasing addition to your home as well as fun and educational. The toys on our list are durable and resilient, increasing the likelihood they will stand up to heavy usage and the test of time. 

They also meet our criteria for longevity in providing appeal for a variety of age groups, so your child can love them for a long time – but also, so parents and siblings can join in genuine enjoyment of collaborative and social play.

Magna-Tiles 

magna tiles

Magna-Tiles provide sensory input across tactile, visual, and auditory channels. Build small and large structures with pieces that are easy to hold and attach to each other, but also provide challenge opportunities to practice more complex fine motor skills via idiosyncratic tile combinations. 

Look through the tiles to change the color of the environment, or hide toys inside structures to see how they look different but don’t disappear completely. The tiles also make a satisfying clicking sound when attached, and louder cascading noises when structures are collapsed. 

The 32 piece starter set is around $50, and for folks able to spend a bit more, the 100 piece set is about $120. 

As for longevity, I bought the 100 piece set for my firstborn in 2012. The tiles have seen daily and weekly use ever since, but still look brand new. They remain a favorite toy for him seven years later, and my second child now joins in on family sensory play time with the tiles as well. 

There are also myriad alternative brands of magnetic tile sets available on Amazon in different styles, colors, shapes, and combinations.

Buy it here

Tee Pee Tent or Pop Up Play Tent

pop up tent

Again, you will find tons of options for either style of play tent on Amazon – but the overall idea is to provide a whole-body sensory experience for your child that allows them to engage in extended independent playtime as well as shared leisure time (like reading books together). 

Size permitting, these tents can grow with your child from facilitating beginning sensory and cognitive skill building experiences (object permanence, for example) to intermediate play and pre-academic skills later on (prepositions, following directions, and sequenced pretend play, to name a few).

Buy the tee pee tent here

Buy the pop up play tent here


Goodnight Moon Story Puppet & Props

good night moon puppets

Early literacy for your 3-8 year old can also come to life in sensory play. A compact set like this one is perfect for playtime on the go or in a small living space, but you can also find a variety of puppets in all sizes on Amazon as well as larger felt board storytelling sets. 

Sensory benefits of this type of toy include tactile engagement with characters and objects, auditory stimulation through children listening to the adult model the words of the story as well as vocally imitating words or sounds, and multimodal visual input through seeing two-dimensional pictures in the book come to life in 3D. 

Buy it here

Weaving Looms

loom set

There’s a reason why potholder looms have been around forever. In addition to their sensory benefits, these tactile close-ended activities also provide opportunities to practice beginning advocacy skills like asking for help as well as frustration tolerance and delayed gratification. 

There are a variety of looms available on Amazon ranging from those more appropriate for the very young to lap looms that can continue to provide productive and sensory-fulfilling entertainment well beyond early childhood. 

Buy it here

Modeling Clay

modelling clay

Another timeless classic, the sensory and creative possibilities with clay-based play are almost endless. Modeling clay can be a bit harder to manipulate than play dough or silly putty, but the extra effort required can provide valuable sensory input for children on the spectrum who seek tactile resistance to make sense of their environment. 

For facilitated family sensory playtime, download a beginner level stop motion app to your tablet or smartphone and create short movies together by posing your clay creations in component positions that create the illusion of movement – like waving or doing a yoga pose. 

For vestibular practice and further proprioceptive input, have your child star in a stop motion movie too, by mimicking the positions of clay creatures as you take pictures of each movement. Then, practice the movements in real time and compare how different that feels.

Buy it here

Boomwhackers

boom whackers

Boomwhackers are not for the faint of heart, to be sure, as they can produce somewhat loud noises – but they are an excellent auditory and proprioceptive sensory toy. 

Boomwhackers can be used to create musical tones when “whacked” against any surface, including arms and legs without causing any pain or injury because they are hollow and so light. Because each tone makes a specific musical note, boomwhackers are also a great way to encourage early foundations for musical awareness and creativity.

Buy it here

Planetarium Projector

planet projector

These nightlights are a simple solution for comfort needs at bedtime or creating a sensory calming area at home, but that’s just the beginning. Turn on the planetarium projector in a darkened room during the day to provide variety in visual sensory input, or engage in beginner sensory visual play like shadow puppet games or variations on peekaboo and hide and seek. 

As children grow, the planetarium projector can provide a jumping off point for scientific exploration and spark curiosity about astronomy. Many of these projectors are designed to be portable so you can bring your child’s calming space wherever you go, either for short outings or longer travel.

Buy it here

Hammock Swing

hammock

One of the most tried and true sensory toys for children on the spectrum is an indoor swing. Amazon has myriad options for sensory swings that are child-focused as well as full-size swings you can install for the whole family to use that will also suit your home’s aesthetic design. 

However, these swings also come with the caveat that you will need to spend extra time and money to install them safely, possibly even going into your attic to secure additional 2x4s to existing studs to create a sturdy way to attach your weight-bearing swing. 

You can also invest in a freestanding swing stand, but this will most likely drive your costs over $100 by a significant margin. As an alternative, consider a freestanding hammock like the one linked above, which is under $100 and comes extremely well-reviewed. A bonus – it works for adults as well as children, so you and your child can spend quality time together reading or playing with legos in a comforting sensory environment.

Buy it here

Multi-Solution Wooden Puzzles

wood puzzle

Multi-solution puzzles such as this one provide opportunities to successfully complete single step problem solving as well as invent new ways to play by rearranging the pieces and testing which pieces will fit where. 

These puzzles provide tactile and visual sensory input as well as stimulation for your child from early developmental play to more complex problem solving as they grow. P’kolino puzzles are designed to withstand long term use and maintain their quality over time, but there are lots of 2D and 3D multi-solution wooden puzzles available on Amazon from other brands, too.

Buy it here

Construct and Play Sets

robot dog building sets

Construct and play sets allow for sensory experiences while building, as well as resulting a toy that can be used on an ongoing basis for additional sensory play – or taken apart and rebuilt as many times as desired. The most famous construct and play sets are Legos. 

But today you can find a variety of brands and styles of construct and play sets depending on your child’s preferences and fine motor readiness. In addition to tactile and visual input, these toys facilitate extended play opportunities and can easily be combined during imaginative play with other toys in the home to target the individual sensory needs of your child. 

Buy it here

Is It A Temper Tantrum Or A Meltdown?

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We get it – it’s really hard to tell if your child with autism is having a sensory meltdown or a temper tantrum. And knowing the difference is really important – you want to deal with temper tantrums differently than a sensory meltdown! 

As parents of autistic children, we want to be sensitive to our child’s specific needs. We certainly don’t want to discipline them if they’re in sensory overload. It’s serious enough that you should learn the difference.

So, in the heat of the moment, how do you know?

According to experts, temper tantrums occur when your child doesn’t get what he or she wants. Your child is firmly in control of their behavior, and trying to get YOU – the parent – to do something.

A sensory meltdown, on the other hand, occurs when your autistic child loses complete control of their behavior. It’s a psychological traffic jam of information.

Here’s some key things to look out for if you’re not sure whether your child on the spectrum is having a temper tantrum or a meltdown.

Is It A Tantrum?

  • Goal oriented – your child is making a scene to get what they want
  • Watching for reactions – your child wants to see what you’ll do now that they’re making a scene
  • Injury avoidance – your child avoids things that might hurt them
  • Ends when the goal is met – your child stops having a tantrum when they get what they want
  • In control of behavior – your child can start and stop their tantrum

Tantrums are appropriate for infants and toddlers, and help your child learn self control. They’re an attempt to manipulate you, and an attempt to “test the boundaries” of what you’ll allow. 

Is your child checking out how you respond, or does the fit increase or decrease in intensity based on what YOU do? 

Is It A Sensory Meltdown?

  • No goals – your child doesn’t ask for anything and isn’t making a scene to get their way
  • Ignores your reactions – your child isn’t interested in what you’ll do
  • Ignores harm – your child is reacting (not thinking or manipulating) and ignores potentially dangerous situations
  • Slow to end – your child doesn’t stop or only stops when they’re not in sensory overload (meaning, they don’t stop when you give in to their demand).
  • Not in control of behavior – your child goes into “survival mode” due to being over stimulated and react instinctively

Meltdowns occur with children (and adults) who struggle with flexibility and self-regulation. They occur when the individual has too much information to process and can’t process it in a regulated way.  

Unlike tantrums, your child doesn’t care what you do – they flip into survival mode and want to get away from all the stimulation. The meltdowns don’t end quickly, and they stop when a trusted adult helps them calm down or they exhaust themselves. While you can soothe a temper tantrum, you can’t soothe a meltdown. 

While each child with autism is an individual, some general warning signs of meltdowns include spacing out or stimming prior to the meltdown.

5 Tips For a Safe & Fun Sensory Play Area

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Sensory games are perfect for children on the spectrum. They can prevent meltdowns, keep your child engaged with their world, and more. 

Setting up a fun play area in your home is simple. You can use a spare corner in their bedroom, or have a whole room devoted to sensory play.

In this article, we’ll share some tips for quickly creating a fun and safe sensory play area for your family to enjoy,

Keep It Easy

With sensory games, you want your child on the spectrum to stay focused and avoid overstimulation. So keep the play area neat, without too many other toys in the area. You want their focus only on the sensory activity. Similarly, if you have a variety of activities planned, just do one game at a time.

Let Them Explore 

You want your little ones to explore the world and discover an engaging activity for themselves. This fosters independence. So keep it safe, but let your child explore the sensory activity at their own pace. You should still engage with your child, but let them decide how they’ll play with the activity. 

If your child on the spectrum doesn’t like certain textures, it’s okay if they avoid part of the activity. Just let them have fun on their own terms, and enjoy engaging with their environment.

Avoid Food-Related Activities

While candy can make a good reward, with sensory games, you don’t want food play to be the focus. You don’t want your child associating food with play time. Choose activities that involve shaving cream, paint, or other toys instead of food. Particularly if your child has friends over – you don’t know if those children have food allergies!

Buy Sensory Game Toys At The Dollar Store or Amazon

You don’t have to spend a lot to create a fun play area. There’s many items you can get for just a $1, such as shaving cream, many kinds of paint, or foam stacking blocks. You can also have them sent directly to your home from Amazon. As sensory games become more common, you can find more and more ideas online.

Make Clean Up Easy

To make play time fun for both your child AND you, structure your activities so clean up is easy. Keep wipes and paper towels handy, and try to keep play limited to a certain area (such as a table). Be sure to fully clean up one activity before moving onto the next one.

If your child tends to be messy, choose activities that are easy to clean up, such as blocks, peg boards, fabric scraps, etc.