Tag: Holiday

Sensory Friendly Gifts, Activities And Holiday Crafts

Written by Hgrant on November 21, 2018. Posted in Recreation and Fun.

The shopping season is in full swing as the holidays have whipped everyone up into a cheery frenzy. You probably have a lot of people on your “nice” list that you need to find the perfect gifts for. If you have a loved one with autism, picking the perfect gift for them this holiday season can be daunting and even frustrating. You imagine purchasing cute clothes or the latest gadgets for them, but those gifts cause over stimulation and make your loved one uncomfortable.

Navigating the holiday season in a comfortable manner for someone with autism can be difficult for family members, especially extended family that aren’t as well informed about their specific needs. Everything from travel, gift giving, traditional holiday activities, and even baking or crafting can be a source of anxiety and frustration.

Luckily, the massive network of experts and families have created a roadmap to navigate the holiday season, while making it fun and exciting for the whole family. Lexington collected the best of the best, so we offer you this guide on the best gifts, activities, and make-it-at-home goodies for loved ones with autism. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Sensory Friendly Gifts

Tactile

Air-Lite Ball Pit from Fun and Function- a cushioned, sensory friendly ball pit which improves body awareness and sensory integration
Sensory Sox by Sanho Yopo – known as the “time in” sensory product, the sensory sock improves body and spatial awareness, helps with self calming, and heightens movement creativity. Plus they look super fun!
Fidget Cube from Antsy Labs – Glides, flips, rolls, and clicks for maximum tactile enjoyment.

Visual

Liquid Motion Bubbler from Super Z Outlet – Descending soothing bubbles that provide endless hours of calming visual entertainment.
Lava Lamp – There are a ton of models on the market, but this classic novelty light is really great for children with visual sensory needs.
Gears! Gears! Gears! Starter set from Learning Resources – Connect and build this set for visual entertainment while improving fine motor skills and problem solving skills.

Vestibular/ Movement

Air-Lite Barrel Roll from Fun And Function – A rollable flocked-covered vinyl barrel that helps improve balance, motor planning and sensory integration.
Skycurve Hanging Platform Rope Tree Swing by Hearthsong – A large swing with a sturdy frame that can fit multiple children, can be used indoors or outdoors.
3’ Trampoline from Little Tikes – A great 1 person trampoline with a safety handle for stability.

Oral

Chewy Cubes from ARK – “Chewelry” is the new option for people with oral sensory needs. Strong products appear just like stylish jewelry but can be chewed on.

Proprioception

Spikey Soft Glove Visual Sensory Fidget Toy by Magical Land Store – Made of super soft, stretchy non-toxic material that allows for proprioceptive input.

Auditory

Noise Reduction Headphones by Fun And Function – These headphones are meant specifically for children with autism and others with auditory processing disorder. They are comfortable and great for crowded places.
Rainmaker Toys – These toys offer calming sounds for auditory needs and help develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

While all of these products are great for kids with specific sensory needs, this is not an exhaustive list. Many children with autism benefit from weighted blankets, which help to calm and comfort them.

Clothing is a huge point of contention for children with autism and we can’t make specific suggestions for the broad range of children. Most kids do not like itchy tags or invasive seams, so those are important to watch for. You can look for clothing made specifically for kids with sensory needs from companies like SmartKnit Kids and Kozie clothing.

If you know your child’s needs well, incorporate them into your gift giving. If you are, say, a grandparent that might not be fully aware of all their specific needs, then a little discussion with their parents and some pre-planning might be a good idea.

Fun Holiday Activities

Here are some fun things that you can do this holiday season with your loved one. Some should be familiar and some might be new to your family!

Tree decoration – If you decorate a tree for Christmas, make sure your child gets in on the action. Don’t push the activity too quickly though. Instead, maybe take a gradual decoration approach. Pull the tree out and set it up by Thanksgiving and put a few ornaments on every day until Christmas.
Autism Friendly Santa – Millions of children are penning their wish lists to send to the jolly old soul as this is written, but some kids are not as apt to fight the mall crowds to meet Santa. Caring Santa is a program that caters to people with special needs, sensory issues, and developmental needs and he will be at the Arizona Mills Mall in Tempe for the first two weekends in December. You can also visit Santa at Park West in Peoria on December 9th from 10-12 pm for sensory safe time.
Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings – Lots of families see movies over the holiday season. Christmas day is one of the biggest theater days of the whole year. Luckily for kids with sensory needs, Harkins Theaters offer Sensory Friendly Screenings once a month.

Depending on how your child handles certain stimulating circumstances, there are a lot of things going on during the holidays that might be perfect for your family’s needs.

Seasonal Crafts

If your loved one isn’t up for heading out into the fray for holiday activities, you can always stay in and craft up something fun. Here are our suggestions:

Peppermint Playdough – Fun to play with and has a great seasonal smell!
Paper Chains – A holiday classic.
Santa Wreath – A festive, simple and easy to make wreath.
Make Your Own Snow Globes – Everyone loves snow globes!

Something To Be Thinking About This Season

This guide is not comprehensive or perfect for every child. We think of autism on a spectrum for a reason and what works best for one child will not be the best thing for a different loved one. People tend to get reminiscent and idealistic in this holiday season, picturing times gone by, but it’s important to remember that the needs of a loved one with autism must be taken into account. Don’t feel frustrated if you have to make adjustments to your holiday plans. You can accommodate the whole family’s holiday plans and make the holidays fun for a loved one with autism by just making simple adjustments.

At Lexington Services, we prioritize our members and their needs so they can thrive in their daily lives. From helpful advice like this, through in-center or home based services, to quality alternative education for students with autism, we are a comprehensive source for your loved ones. For more information, contact a staff member today.

Click here to read the previous blog.

Happy Holidays from Lexington Services!

Holiday Travel Tips For Family Members With Autism

Written by Hgrant on November 16, 2018. Posted in Recreation and Fun.

The holiday season is right around the corner and you can feel it in the air, as brisk temperatures move in, people break out the jackets, stocking caps, and hot chocolate. This season also comes with a general sense of togetherness and a desire to be close to family. As a result, many people travel over the holidays to see family and close friends. This can be stressful for family members with autism, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. You can make preparations beforehand and while you are on the trip to make the excursion memorable and fun for the whole family.

Preparing For A Trip

The preparation phase of your trip planning will be crucial to maintaining a stress-free trip for everyone. Make plans and prepare for the journey as much as possible so you can anticipate your family member’s needs. Some things you could do beforehand include:

Build Excitement For The Destination

While the actual process of travel can be tough and stressful no matter who you are, you can make your journey a success with relative ease. Start by building excitement with your child about the destination and some things they will get to do on the trip.

While holiday travel destinations are usually much more limited in scope than typical vacations because you want to see family and friends, allowing your child to be an active participant in the planning will help generate excitement and make sure that they feel their interests are being taken into account.

If they are particularly close to any of the family members you are visiting, show them pictures and get them excited to see family. Research around the area you are traveling and find activities you can do that they can look forward to on the journey.

As with many stressful activities and changes in routine, especially with nonverbal children, creating a social story with pictures of specific places and people is going to be extremely beneficial. Do your research online, look at pictures and videos, and even do some practice or role-play traveling before the trip.

Make Arrangements Beforehand

To make things easier on yourself when the moments get stressful, get your arrangements set ahead of time. If you are flying, call the airline and let them know your situation. You should also call the hotels you will be staying at. Try to secure a quiet room at the hotel to make it comfortable for your child. If family is picking you up, make sure they are going to be there, prepared and ready to meet your child and understand their needs.

Packing

Seasoned travelers whose children have autism suggest you pay extra attention during the packing phase of your trip. Make sure that all the clothing you pack is not going to cause overload for your child and that they will be comfortable in the destination you are heading. Holiday trips can be particularly hard because of the varied climates across the country.

Pack your carry-on bag with essentials that your child might need at any time, including medications and snacks. Some experts recommend that you pack at least one or two comfortable outfits for your family member with autism in your bag, in case there is a bag mix up.

In your loved one’s carry on, make sure to pack any emergency sensory supplies that you would keep in a meltdown kit, including noise cancelling headphones, sunglasses, and fidget toys. Pack whatever is going to keep them soothed and occupied, no matter how you are traveling and where you are traveling to.

On The Journey

After all the anticipation, then comes the journey. Traveling can either be stressful or a breeze and sometimes it’s out of your hands how it’s going to be. Good preparation is key. While you are traveling through any type of security, there are obviously safety and separation concerns so being ready ahead of time will help. Medical bracelets or necklaces, or even identifying clothing with your contact information is a good idea in case you get separated. If you are flying, you can contact TSA Cares within 72 hours of your flight to prepare special accommodations for your family while you travel.

Make sure that family and friends are aware of the unique needs of your family member while you are visiting. Travel is far outside of their routine so a willingness to understand and adapt will make any holiday gatherings enjoyable for the whole family.

Don’t forget how stressful travel can be for your loved one while you are having a good time with other missed family members. Try to imagine the trip from their perspective, with all of the external stimuli they must adjust for. Breaks from all of the commotion and to center before a triggering event are vital to an enjoyable vacation.

The Return Home

The return journey has the potential to be just as stressful as the departure, if not more depending on how your loved one is feeling. Go over the steps from the departure that you took and do them in reverse. Arrange for a later check out with your hotel to give you time to make 100% sure everything is ready to go. Pack the night before you leave to assure you have all the essentials and you aren’t crunching when you are trying to get out the door. If you are traveling by plane, call the TSA again and let them know about your return journey. You should also notify the airline of your child’s needs.

Basically, you need to be the organizational zen master of your journey, making sure that everything is done ahead of time. If you can manage that, you can have a safe, successful, and fun holiday trip.

A Travel Take Away

Travel is one of the most freeing and enjoyable activities that humans take part in. Holiday trips give you the opportunity to see family and spend quality time with loved ones. When you take your children on these trips, you’re giving them the opportunity to build strong memories for the rest of their lives. For children with autism, getting them away from their routine might be stressful, but it also gives them the opportunity to expand their worldview and their social skills while creating lasting memories.

At Lexington Services, we are dedicated to the quality of life for people with autism and special needs. Whether it’s education options, quality services, or home/attendant care, Lexington humbly serves the Phoenix community. Contact Lexington today for more information.

Click here to read the previous blog post.