Surviving the Holidays: Making the holidays fun

1
Surviving the Holidays Making the holidays fun
festive for your child with spd

• Pediatric Therapy Center
• 932-2782 www.ptcne.org

2
General Strategies for Enjoying the Holiday
Season

• -Try to maintain a typical daily routine as much
  as possible
• -Provide a lot of preparation for changes to
  routines and schedules
• -Consider in advance the sensory-based challenges
  your child will face and be prepared
• -Provide sensory preparatory activities before
  multisensory activities
• - Create Social Stories to introduce and prepare
  for new activities and experiences

3
Holiday Party Happiness

• -Provide lots of preparation about going to the
  party, when, who will be there, what you will do,
  etc.
• -Provide sensory preparation activities before
  the party for calming and organizing the sensory
  system
• -Dont force participation in any activity
• -Find a place to take a break if necessary and
  bring helpful calming items from home

4
Mall Madness

• -Provide lots of preparation talk about what
  will happen there
• -Sensory prep activities before leaving home
• -Try to have a plan what stores you will visit,
  how long you will be there, when you will take a
  break, etc. Keep kids involved in the plan and
  talk about changes
• -Go prepared take calming items from home,
  earplugs may be helpful or a fidget toy to carry
• -Get kids involved let them pick out toys for
  siblings or other family members -Make clear
  expectations
• -Write down/review a plan or use a picture
  schedule
• - Use a first/then chart

5
Sitting With Santa

• -Lots of preparation and sensory prep activities
• -Have a practice run through at home
• -Try to go when lines will be shorter and take
  fidgets, books, or games to play with while in
  line
• -Dont force your child to participate
• -Be creative sit in front of Santa, stand next
  to him, high five, etc.
• -Let them watch other kids and choose what they
  want to do
• - Social stories

6
Christmas Break

• -Try to maintain a daily schedule with frequent
  prep for any changes
• -Use the time off to add in more sensory-based
  activities into the day
• -Let your child take sensory breaks as necessary
• -Get your child involved in holiday activities
  (wrapping gifts, making cookies, decorating, etc.)

7
Holiday Visitors

• -Prepare for the visit and maintain sensory-based
  calming activities during the day
• -Make sure your child has a place to take a break
  when they are overwhelmed
• -Maintain your childs schedule as much as
  possible
• -Involve your guests in sensory activities with
  your child

8
Christmas Eve

• -Try to maintain a normal bedtime routine
• -Talk about the Christmas morning activities
• -Take breaks during the festivities for
  calming/sensory-based activities
• -Work together to make a schedule for Christmas
  Eve and Christmas Day events
• - Use first/then chart

9
Christmas Day

• -Plan for kids to be overwhelmed and excited, and
  plan for some breaks to calm down during
  activities
• -Schedule in some quiet time and/or sensory
  breaks during the day
• -Follow a schedule as much as possible and talk
  about any changes before they happen
• -Try to maintain typical mealtimes, naptimes,
  sensory breaks, etc.

10
Fun Holiday Activities

• Make sensory activities out of holiday fun
• Wrapping gifts make this into tactile sensory
  fun. Feel the different paper textures, ribbon,
  etc.
• Making cookies or other holiday treats roll out
  the dough, decorate with sprinkles, etc.
• Decorating the house pushing, pulling, and
  carrying boxes, decorating the Christmas tree,
  etc.
• Take a walk or drive to look at Christmas lights
• Make a holiday obstacle course around the house
• Bundle up and play outside in the snow, make a
  snowman, snowangels, etc