Summer is here, and one question on our minds: how do we create a sensory-friendly and fun summer for our kids with sensory issues? While many kids look forward to summer-related activities, such as playing with sand on the beach, parties with friends and family, and even the Fourth of July fireworks, for many of our kiddos, the noises, lights, and sensations of summer aren’t always so easy to navigate, or enjoy. Summer can be a challenge for kids and parents alike, not to mention all the planning that goes into helping our kids with sensory issues get the most out of summertime.
Planning for the summer with the kiddos might seem daunting, but we’ve put together this sensory-friendly summertime guide full of tips and resources from OTs, psychologists, and other experts to help you and your family have a fun, safe, and sensory-friendly summer. We also collected proven tips from parents on the Undivided team. Here’s a sneak peak:
“Summer parties are filled with opportunities for movement. Activities like swimming, tag, slip and slide, etc. can help sensory seekers engage in activities and get the input they need. For children who are hesitant to movement, help them engage at their level. This could include some floating pool toys at the steps of the pool, engaging in seated party games like sidewalk chalk, and being the person who applies the dish soap to the slip and slide.” – Katie Krcal, MSOT, OTR/L
Sensory processing difficulties and common interventions.
Worried about overstimulation? Enter the sensory diet. “The real idea behind the sensory diet is self-regulation and to find that just-right place for our children [sensorily] so they can actually function,” Occupational Therapist Kelli Smith says. “It’s really to help our children understand why they may like something or not like something.”
Some examples include wearing noise-canceling headphones when overstimulated by sound, wearing compression and/or weighted clothing to reduce physical anxiety from sensory overwhelm, or exploring sensory rooms, which can help kids take a break from feelings of overwhelm and help them regulate when seeking more sensory input. Read more tips for sensory processing issues in our article Sensory Processing Disorder and Sensory Diets.
How to: navigating summer travel, fireworks, parties, and more.
Nervous about the fireworks? Occupational Therapist Katie Krcal tells us to prime kids, provide sound protection, and more. Heading to the beach? Krcal says if this is your child’s first trip to the beach, prep them for the sand by getting some kinetic sand, or a sandbox, and work your way up to the beach. This way they are familiar with the feeling of the sand. Find more tips like these in our article Holiday Survival Guide for Families Raising Kids with Disabilities.
Do haircuts or dentist visits make your child anxious?
Many kids have sensory issues around these experiences — the feel of another person touching their hair and face, the strong smells of hair and dental products, sitting in a dentist’s or stylist’s chair for a long period of time — all can lead to sensory overload. Here’s a tip for you: before the appointments, build some familiarity and prime them with books, videos, Social Stories, and pretend play. This can involve watching videos about haircuts and dentist appointments, playing with toy dental and haircut kits, or showing your child someone their age who is calmly going through the same activity. Find more helpful tips in our articles 10 Tips for Making Haircuts Easier for Kids with Sensory Processing Issues and 10 Tips for Making a Dentist Visit Easier for Kids with Disabilities.
❤️ One Undivided parent shared with their Navigator, “In the fall, [we] had a rather traumatic experience at the dentist. But yesterday, we were successful! We prepared [our daughter] better (with the help of my friend and advocate at Undivided) and we tried a different dentist. She was so proud of herself, beaming from the inside out. When we left the office she said, ‘I love you! I’ll miss you!’ Naturally we got some frozen yogurt to celebrate after.
Undivided Conversations: Device Addiction. Join us on Friday, July 5, at 12:00 p.m. PDT in conversation with Erin Cantwell, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist at CARE-LA, and Alishia Quadri, doctoral extern, as they share their insights on managing device addiction in children. We cover topics like healthy device usage, how to handle screen time for kids who use devices for communication, setting device usage boundaries, and so much more! Tune in at noon on Friday for the stream on our Facebook page!
CalABLE: Essentials and Why It Matters: Virtual Summer Training Series. Looking to save for your child’s future without affecting their eligibility for government programs? Join us in a live conversation on Thursday, July 11, 1:00-2:00 p.m. PDT with CalABLE Outreach Specialist Madeline Handy as we look closer at how parents of kids with disabilities can use this program to help provide for our children’s care. Register for this free event as part of our summer training series here on our RSVP page!
Office Hours with Lisa Concoff Kronbeck
On Wednesday, July 10, 12:00-1:00 p.m. PT, Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck will be available for Undivided Office Hours, where she’ll answer questions about getting our kids what they need from Medi-Cal, Regional Center, and other government programs. Bi-weekly Office Hours are virtual Q&A sessions with experts that are open to Undivided members only, so if you’d like to attend, sign up here to begin your free Kickstart!
- What are your favorite products for your child’s sensory needs? Join the discussion with other parents in our private Facebook group→
- Looking for a sensory specialist to work with your child? Check out our YouTube channel for tips from Dr. Marielly Mitchell on what to look for in a clinician→
- If you know a dentist, hairstylist, or other professional who’s particularly good with kids with disabilities, we’d love to hear about them! Give them a shoutout on our LinkedIn→
- If something you’re trying isn’t working for your child’s sensory issues, you don’t have to give up! Hear some words of advice from OT Kelli Smith on our Instagram→
