sensory Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

How to Build in Digital Breaks – Spring Brain Breaks Game

Paula — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 14:36:00 +0000

When my kids were younger, we incorporated a lot of brain breaks into the day. Physical activity was and still is a huge priority. But, these days, as we all know, the world is a wildly different place than it was just in 2019, a couple of years ago. Still, I am working on taking spring brain breaks often. Here’s Why Brain Breaks Matter Right Now Our Brains and Bodies are Taxed. Our brains are on all the time these days and they are often overwhelmed and at the tipping point with stress, anxiety and virtual life. Brain breaks are still vital, in fact, even more than they ever have been, I think. That’s why I thought this Spring Brain Breaks game would be perfect to share right now. What is a Brain Break? Basically a brain break is a form of self care. It’s recognizing that you are overwhelmed, or there is too much noise going on. Sometimes the sensory input contributes to that and you just need quiet or calm, or you need to switch gears before you holler at someone to BE QUIET. Sensory Processing When Ainsley was younger, she was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder and that meant we had to get creative with breaks. She needed more breaks at home and at school. Spring brain breaks were easy because she could get outside and run, or splash in puddles or fly a kite. That kind of sensory activity appealed to her and eventually calmed her down. Temperature Check With Coronavirus and the threat outside our homes, we are all being extra cautious. Well, at least here in my home and province, people are following stay home orders. That’s the reality right now. It’s not possible to go do the therapy horseback riding By Spring and Summer, hopefully the numbers of people diagnosed with COVID-19, has lessened and then we can all breathe a bit easier. But for now we follow the rules which means kids are often home doing virtual activities or none at all. They spend time gaming, or learning or watching Netflix. I am not faulting anyone for this. It is simply our current reality. So, how do we work with that and build in brain breaks, or moments of digital detox? Nobody can handle computers and digital learning and social media 24 hours a day. It its harmful to sit and stare that long at devices. I am as guilty as anyone here working long hours trying to build in content when I have a moments between appointments and tech mishaps and the usual domestic activities. So, anyways that got me to thinking about brain breaks and that led me to this spring brain breaks concept. Everyone here has been getting outside all year long. The art of walking has been elevated to a new level in my family. We go walking in rain or shine and nothing will stop me, even when it is drizzling or miserable out. I am Canadian after all and we know to expect bad weather. Getting Outside this Spring But, the spring months for many families mean coming out of hibernation and walking more than usual and getting ready for summer games and gardening. So, with that in mind I thought that I would offer up this adorable Spring Brain Breaks game. How to Download and Use Spring Brain Breaks Dice Click on the download link and print the dice template out. Cut out the images and glue them onto the dice, then tape or glue the square together. Use this as a tool to break out quietly when you suspect that they need a brain break. To be honest I am working on brain breaks. This has become a big thing here for me. There are times when my teens have clearly spent far too much time working on their computers and phones and social media when they come out of their rooms and are either irritable as heck, or can’t stop talking. Stop the Noise Let’s be clear I enjoy conversations with my kids. But there are also times I am still trying to work and they want to talk for hours about TikTok, or memes or things that they’d typically speak to their friends about. There are days when I can’t wait for them to return to actual in person school to find their people again. And there are times also when I don’t want to hear anything else about Glee or the latest crime documentary, when I am the one needing the brain break. How to Take a Brain Break? I am still working that out as an adult. With kids who are neurotypical or kids who are back at in person school I suspect this is a much easier process. Lately, I do work on saying I need a brain break. If I am in the van driving and there’s too much noise and someone has the radio on and is also talking non stop right now I will say: “There’s too much noise. That hurts my ears. I need a moment.” Sometimes that is enough to get them to pause for a moment. With younger kids you can use redirection and games to get them invested in switching gears. It might not work all of the time, but it will work some of the time and that might be all that you need. Other Easy and Free Activities for Kids

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Sensory Friendly Halloween Costumes for Children with Sensory Sensitivities

Paula — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 13:03:00 +0000

If you have a child with sensory sensitivities then you know how important it is to find them sensory friendly Halloween costumes. Halloween Should Be Scary, Not Scratchy Both of my girls have always had different levels of sensory sensitivities. In fact, it was the sensory reactions that first alerted us to Ainsley’s sensory processing disorder. Over time, that evolved into a couple of other diagnoses. But, the sensory processing was a huge factor for many years. It still is, even long after my daughters have outgrown trick or treating. Over a course of several Halloweens we learned a few tricks and we found many sensory friendly Halloween costumes. When the World is Too Bright or Too Loud Many children with Autism, ADHD, FASD and Anxiety struggle with sensory overload. Basically, the world can be too bright, too loud, too scratchy and simply too much at times for these children. So, that presents a challenge to parents trying to support their child while also exposing them to the usual childhood experiences. School can be harsh when the lights are too bright and the noise is too much to handle. Holidays Can Be Challenging Family vacations and holidays can be hard to negotiate and can even end in a teary mess. Screaming, withdrawal and fight or flight all come into play when kids are unable to regulate emotions and communicate during a sensory meltdown. So, how does that impact Halloween, for instance? Well, starting with sensory friendly Halloween costumes can help a lot. Halloween and Sensory Sensitivities October 31st is a special day that children look forward to all year. However, if you’re the parent of a child with sensory sensitivities, the idea may conjure feelings of dread. Will the costume be too scratchy? Will it make him or her sweat? You worry if your child doesn’t wear a costume, he may feel excluded or scrutinized by other parents when they show up at the door. And you worry the night might be too much ending in a meltdown after all the sensory input. Sensory Friendly Halloween Costumes Good news. There are easy DIY costumes that can work and tips for sensory friendly Halloween costumes. With a few tweaks and an adjustment of expectations it’s easy enough to make Halloween successful and memorable. Tips for Halloween Success When SPD is on Board Start with a basic sketch of an idea and the material. The material is vital. When my daughter was small we learned that cotton was the only way to go. This applies to Halloween costumes too. Start with a cotton base and build on it. The layer closest to the skin needs to be soft and not scratchy. Adjust your expectations. If your child can only do 10 houses before they show complete exhaustion, then let that be the end of their night. Why not use what you already have handy? If you have a red cotton shirt and black pants that your child already wears often and it’s the right feel/ material, then you can easily build on that. Consider pyjamas as the base. Whatever works. Costume Bases Most costume bases can easily be created with a sweatsuit, or t-shirt, and leggings. Once you choose your base outfit, just a few accessories help create the perfect, sensory-friendly costume. Exact reproduction is not what’s most important; it’s how the costume makes your child feel. Black and White Bases Angel: Pair a white base with a white nightgown and a simple lace headband. Angels make easy sensory friendly Halloween costumes. Nurse/Doctor: Use a white base with an oversized, button-down white shirt, kept open for a doctor, buttoned up for the nurse. Accessorize either of these sensory friendly Halloween costumes with a toy stethoscope. Simple and effective costume for someone with sensory processing disorder. Witch: Pair a black base with a skirt and hat. For a more authentic look, add a straw broom, that is, if you don’t mind carrying it. Skeleton: All you need is a little glow-in-the-dark fabric paint on a black base. Paint some spooky bones on the arms and legs. Add ribs in the stomach area. One year my older daughter did this costume super easily and with a whole lot of creativity. Perfect sensory friendly Halloween costume. Darth Vader: Start with a black base, by using a man’s black t-shirt. If you have sewing skills, create a cape with ties and sew it on. Hot glue it to the back of the shirt if you can’t sew or don’t have time. If your child tolerates a hat, a black cap with some painted black playing cards glued around the bottom so they flare out like Darth Vader’s helmet is an authentic touch. Bat: Measure from wrist to wrist for wingspan. Cut black fabric to that length and scallop bottom edge. Attach the top edge to each arm of a black shirt. Pair with black pants. So simple. This is one of my favourites because it is so easy. Minnie/Mickey Mouse: Pair a white t-shirt with a red skirt, black leggings, and a red bow for Minnie, or red pants for Mickey. Add soft mouse ears and a tail, if your child can tolerate it, for full effect. True story. We had a red Minnie Mouse dress from Disney one year and after a trip we repurposed it and used her Mickey Mouse ears. CUTE. Black Cat: Attach ears to a headband or hoodie, tail, and whiskers. If your child wants to be an orange cat, feel free to take the leap. Cats make simple and sensory friendly Halloween costumes. Homemade Halloween Costumes – Colourful Options for Bases Devil: With a red base, you can easily create a devilish costume. Add red horns and forked tail made from felt. You can easily use a favourite pair of your child’s black pants to go with this one. Jack-O-Lantern: An orange base can create a super cute jack-o-lantern. Cut out and attach face shapes from felt. For a fancier costume, you might try Halloween-patterned leggings and an orange tutu. If your child doesn’t mind, add an orange cap embellished with a green felt stem and leaves. Pikachu: A yellow base makes it easy to create this cutie. Cut two feather shapes from yellow card stock and color the tips brown. Hot-glue to a hoodie or headband. Create a lightning bolt tail if your child is okay with that. For a more feminine Pikachu, add a tutu. Finish the look with pink cheeks. Frankenstein: Use green turtle-neck and a comfortable jacket and pants, then fringe the sleeves and pants so they look ragged. A simple long-sleeve shirt with patches will work too. Paint two small thread spools gray and glue to sides of the shirt neck for bolts. Finish with green face makeup if your child allows. Robot: Pair a gray base with a hat made from a gray-painted box with knobs to make a cute robot. If you’re feeling creative, decorate the shirt to increase the robot effect. Lion: Create an adorable lion from a brown base. Add a mane by cutting a 4-inch wide strip of felt long enough to go around the hoodie. Fringe edges and attach. If you are feeling extra creative, roll the fringe to look like curls and secure. Cookie: Using a tan base, add brown felt triangles to the front of the shirt. Luke Skywalker: With a tan base, add a white robe, brown sash, and tall brown socks or boots for this look. Have a light sabre around? Then add this to the costume. Any Color Base Clown: Affix multi-coloured polka dots randomly. Pair with colourful shoes and a fun hairstyle if your child will oblige. Please note though – if they are scared of clowns and younger in age, then this one is not right for your child. Crayon: Write the colour name vertically down the shirt. Create a simple cone hat with 12” x 18” coloured paper. Lego: Find a pool noodle that matches your base and cut rounds of about 2 inches. Glue to the front of the shirt in pairs. Now that you have the idea, see how many sensory-friendly costumes you can design with just a simple base and a few key accessories. Happy Creating!!

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