Greetings once again to all my visitors!
Wow, it is so hard to believe that we are half way through the year and summer is once again upon us. Many of us look forward to the break from school lunches, school buses, ARD meetings, etc. but the fact is, some of those things autism children thrive on! Routine and consistency are so important to children with autism, but summer is a great time to work on social skills, sensory issues and having fun!
For Children with Autism, sensory can be such a huge issue. I have found that water is a great outlet for them. If you don't have a pool, check out your local YMCA or other local community pool. Find the time of day that perhaps is not horribly crowded and see if swimming does not only make your child happy, but calm them down as well. It can be scary at first, but I find in most cases, water is a good thing. You can even get a backyard pool from WalMart. Letting them splash and cool off can address many issues for a child with autism, as well as being summer fun! Swinging is also a great sensory calming experience for many children. When is the last time you were in a swing? Try finding a couple swings side by side and find out how relaxing it can be, and how much your child will appreciate this shared opportunity!
If you are traveling anywhere as a family group, one great security measure we have always used are bright yellow shirts. Everyone in the family wears the same color (our family prefers bright yellow, as they seem to be the easiest to recognize in crowded places.) On the front of each child's shirt put their name, and on the back you cell phone number. Then, you can choose to personalize your shirt any if you like - but I have been told my numerous security people this is a great idea, and also inexpensive.)
Want to go to the races???? If your child does not cross the midline yet, crayon races are a great exericse. Just spread paper out across a flat surface such as your table. You stand on one side and have your child on the other. Then using only 1 hand, you have a race to see who can get their crayon from on end of the table to the other the fastest. This helps them work on midline issues but you have turned it into a fun racing game.
Try playing jacks, bouncing, picking up, catching. Go outside and blow bubbles. Many children with asperger have trouble with blowing. This fun time with you can make their next birthday a better experience because with all the practice you have this summer, blowing out those candles will be a breeze! These are all great skills. Sidewalk chalk is fun, colorful and something you can always do with your children. Quality time with your children is so important to you both!
Wanna go out back and really have fun. Go to the patio table and play with some cold coolwhip. Again you get to play, address sensory issues to touch and taste. Afterwards a running through the sprinkler is a fun way to clean off!
Sometimes parents push themselves too hard trying to open doors with autism. It's okay to take a bit of a break during the summer while finding ways to continue working on their issues while having fun at the same time.
Whatever you family does this summer, I hope you find much joy, laughter and love. Summer is a wonderful time to make learning fun! God bless each of you and remember: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."
Wishing you days filled with summer smiles!
Carlene
