skybreaktherapy

Resources for Helping Our Children Have Fun for Halloween

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 05:56:02 GMT

There are so many great things about this time of year. It can also be a difficult time as well. For me, October, November and December seem to go so quickly that I often think now that it's October, 2022 is over and 2023 is already here. And it can seem like that. We put out decorations for one, and before we know it, we are taking those decorations down and we're setting things back up for another holiday or even skipping thanksgiving and going straight for Christmas. We blink and months go by. I know we can each have intentions to celebrate in fun, small ways with kids but if we aren't careful, time will escape us and we realize we're out of time to do any celebrating.

For those parents that have a child with a diagnosis where sensory processing challenges occur, difficulties in celebrating many holiday's may be your reality. To help support parents and children of all abilities to prepare for, play and have fun during this time of year, whilst continuing to develop gross motor and fine motor skills, there are two resources that I hope you can use:

1. The Halloween Bucket List! A great resource for doing something fun each day to celebrate the holiday - (opens a new window)

2. Halloween Tips for Children with Sensory Processing Challenges

General Information

Halloween can be very overwhelming for children with sensory processing challenges. With special planning for your child’s needs and preferences, Halloween can be enjoyable.
Remember to encourage your child to use previously established self regulating strategies. Adults can remind the child to use deep breathing, deep pressure, and similar strategies to remain optimally regulated.
Use books and social stories to prepare your child for many of the Halloween sights, sounds, and routines.

Costumes

For several weeks before Halloween, provide opportunities for your child to practice.
wearing a variety of potential costumes. The child should develop a preference and be more pre- pared for the “real event”.
Do not compel your child to wear a mask or other uncomfortable clothing.
Offer your child a costume that is comfortable. Perhaps a soft cotton sweat suit with a seasonal design on the front of the shirt. Add a tail to soft sweatpants or attach bunny ears to the hood of a sweatshirt.
If your child opts to wear a costume, bring along a comfortable Halloween themed alternative if he/she can no longer tolerate the costume.

Going House to House

Some children are just not ready to go from house to house. Perhaps the child could be the person that passes out the treats at his own house.
Some children may be ready to walk to a few houses, but may become overwhelmed by face to face encounters with strangers. Perhaps the child’s sibling or friend could collect the treat.
Your child may benefit from starting early to avoid the dark.
Some children may benefit from “trick or treating” at one or two homes. Select places your child is familiar and comfortable with, such as grandparents and other close relatives/friends.
For several weeks before Halloween, provide opportunities for your child to practice “trick or treating” while in their home. He/she may approach family members to role play the “trick or treat” experience.

Halloween Parties

Your child may need to be one of the first to arrive when the crowd is small. At the beginning of the party there should be less noise (auditory) and things to look at (visual input).
Your child may need to be one of the first to depart, before the experience becomes too intense.
Look for a place to take your child if a retreat is needed. Even a brief time in the car may suffice.

The above tips were provided by toolstogrowOT.com .

The greatest joy I have as a parent is watching each of my children and see the joy and happiness through their eyes. I hope you see that this coming holiday. Be safe and enjoy the celebrations. I hope you are able to make great and lasting memories! Happy Halloween.

School: Is It That Time of Year Already?!?

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 06:16:59 GMT

How is it already the end of summer and heading into a new school year? What does this mean for most parents - books, homework, late night projects, sending off a child to enter the big education world for the first time and more! It can be a time where some parents celebrate kids going back to school (yay!) and also a sad time for others who might be sending their first OR last child to school before they become adults.

If you're like me, time has escaped you and it seems there isn't enough time to soak up the last of the summer vacations, time with your kids and time to prep your little kindergartener to have a good start to the year.

Here are a few suggestions for your little ones to help as you begin transitioning to a new school year:

Pre-K (ages 3-5)

1. Begin making things with various nature items.

Go on scavenger hunts, finding things that are hard, smooth, rough, shiny, clear, green, brown, red, yellow, plus other things and create an art project or complete a color scavenger hunt or even a name art project. This is a great way to learn about nature, colors, their own name and use creativity.

2. Help your child to grasp a pencil in a good grip.

Using a little play dough where to place fingers, small broken crayons, or holding a little cotton ball or ball of paper with your pinky and ring finger are some simple suggestions that can help support a good grasp. Connect with an OT for more ideas!

3. Play outside!!

Kids need more time outside. Splash pads, painting with washable paints, drawing with chalk onside walks, looking for bugs, rock collecting, and many more activities! There are so many pluses to doing this: counting, coordination activities through hop scotch or climbing on playground equipment, gross motor, fine motor, bilateral coordination, socialization, writing, coloring, drawing. If you child is fearful in playing on equipment or swinging on the swings, please speak to an OT to see if any support can be provided!

4. Create curiosity with reading and sounding out simple letters or words as appropriate.

Kindergarten

1. Practice having your child eat with a 10-15 min timer to begin understanding how much time they have for eating lunch. There are a lot of children within an elementary school that all need to eat within a short amount of time. Help them learn how to begin managing their time.

2. Have them practice opening their own food and bag containers: sandwich bags, backpacks, lunch pails, pencil cases, etc, etc, etc. These are not only good fine motor and bilateral integration skills (use of both sides of the body (ie. hands) together), but they also won't panic when they have other kids around them staring at why they are struggling to open a container or to keep up with the teacher.

3. Begin talking about transitions and what to expect. Be sure to take a visit on meeting and greeting your child's teacher, seeing the classroom and discussing changes and how it can be good.

4. If your child is feeling anxious:

Validate their feelings and that it can be be tough to be going into a new experience. Build confidence in them, letting them know they can do it. Help coach them on what they can do and discuss previous experiences that they were successful in. You may provide something small they can have to help them remember how to be brave: a penny, a feather, a rock. Something that can help them remember that they can do it.

If you do feel like you are needing more suggestions or would like additional help for sensory, behavior, movement or communication and language difficulties, come see us at SkyBreak Therapy. We want to support you in helping your child to thrive!