fbpx

Preparing for Holiday Meals

The holidays are quickly approaching, which means family, festivities, and food! While the holidays can be fun for the whole family, they can also be a stressful time for children on the autism spectrum due to the changes in typical routines and settings. Holiday meals with extended family can present issues for a child with autism, including trying new foods, sitting among loud family members, and being in an unfamiliar location. Here are some helpful tips to make the holiday experience more enjoyable for the whole family.

Prepare your child for the event.
Use photos, a social story, or show them a video, modeling what will be expected of them. Will they need to sit at a communal table surrounded by family? Will they be expected to try new foods? How about preparing your child for the family members who will be present? You can practice with role play at home with real or fake food so your child is familiar with the expectation of the meal. To make it easier this time of year, you can also bring some favorite foods along that you know will be successful.

Support them during the event.
Bring activities and toys so your child has something to do while waiting for the meal to begin. If your child is very picky with food, bring some preferred alternatives that they will eat so they don’t become agitated while waiting and to remind your child of familiar food routines.

Give them a chance to escape if they need it.
If your child becomes overstimulated by loud noises or holiday lights and decorations, find a quiet place in the home for them to decompress and take a break. Your child can rejoin the family once he or she feels comfortable doing so.

While holiday meals can be stressful, hopefully these tips will help keep everyone’s spirits bright!

 

– Sarah Low, M.A., BCBA

Holiday Gift Guide for Children with Autism

By Kelly Namanja

Selecting suitable toys for a child’s holiday or birthday gifts can be challenging, especially when the recipient is a child with autism. This handy list includes a number of popular, age-appropriate toys for children up to five years of age. Parents should keep in mind, however, that every child is unique and will respond differently to certain toys and teaching materials. You can check with your child’s therapist or teacher to determine what’s most appropriate for your child’s needs and interests.

Under 3 years old:
-Shape sorters
-Puzzles (wooden with a peg on each piece)
-Board books (including touch and feel books)
-Stacking/nesting blocks and cups
-Cause-and-effect toys with buttons, lights, sounds, and music
-Dolls and large action figures

Ages 3-5:
-Games (e.g., Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Don’t Break the Ice, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Memory, Hi-Ho Cherry-O, Zingo)
-Puzzles (up to 25 piece jigsaw)
-Action figures/dolls and related accessories
-Dress up items and beads
-Pretend play toys (e.g., kitchen, construction, doctor kit, etc.)
-Art supplies (e.g., markers, crayons, stickers, construction paper, glue)
-Play dough and/or Moon sand
-Small building blocks (e.g., LEGOS)
-Cars, trucks, trains, etc.
-Lacing cards
-Sports sets (e.g., plastic bowling ball and pins, plastic baseball, bat, and tee)

All children 5 and under:
-Large building blocks (e.g., Mega Blocks or Duplo)
-Electronic learning toys (e.g. Leap Frog, V-Tech)
-Fisher Price Little People sets
-Plastic animal figurines
-Magna-Doodle
-Musical instruments (e.g. drums, cymbals, maracas, keyboard)

Read Reducing Holiday Stress for Families of Children with Autism

For more tips, check out the Toys R Us Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids