Times are crazy and social distancing doesn’t help. This social withdrawal is particularly difficult for our kids on the spectrum, who not only already have trouble socializing and understanding the unwritten rules there in, but also heavily rely on and cling to steady schedules. All of a sudden, schools are closed, parents are home 24/7, shopping is hurried and stressful, parks and playgrounds are out of the picture and explanations are difficult and scary for any child, let alone those with verbal delays. So what do we do, besides stress quietly with a smile plastered on our face? We get creative.
Here are some suggestions that have worked for my little guy:
- Walk up the street to the canal to feed the ducks and look at the water
- Decorate the side of the house with chalk art.
- Throwing water balloons at mommy.
- Mini Dance Parties with funky lights
- Bouncing on our trampoline
- Sticker Art anywhere and everywhere. Band-aids and tape work too.
- Sensory Bin. Have fun with textures; ooey-gooey, fuzzy, sandy, smooth…
- Water Play. Don’t forget the suds.
- Go for a ride in the wagon. Go fast, go slow and be sure to hit every bump.
- Take the dog for a walk. Hook up a second (longer) leash and give it to your little helper for a sense of accomplishment.
- Family movie and story time with plenty of preferred snacks. Use this time to encourage some cuddles.
- Learn to ride a tricycle.
What ever you do, enjoy yourself. The increased, uninterrupted family time is a definite positive note to social distancing,
I’m continuously looking online for new activities that might be great for our little guy. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please leave them in the comments.