your smartphone, you can also have
your child listen to a quick, kid friendly,
meditation. Check out the app “Smiling
Mind” for ideas.
Create an activity bag.
Keep a bag of fun things to do in
your car. This bag only comes out when
you are going to a family party. Include
a variety of activities that travel well and
will not be too disruptive. Pull them out
as needed when you start to see signs
that your child is starting to get over-
stimulated. I would also have a list of
meaningful busy work my child could
do at the party. For example, handing
out napkins, counting the number of
guests, helping to bring things from one
place to another, etc.
If your child is prone to over-stim-
ulation and it is important for you to be
at this event, use the tips above to put
together a simple plan to make the get
together more enjoyable for both you
and your child.
Helpful Sensory Books
The Out-of-Sync Child: Rec-
ognizing and Coping with Sensory
Processing Disorder by Carol Stock
Kranowitz (2005)
Raising a Sensory Smart Child:
The Definitive Handbook for Help-
ing Your Child with Sensory Pro-
cessing Issues by Lindsey Biel and
Nancy Peske (2009)
Growing an In-Sync Child:
Simple, Fun Activities to Help
Every Child Develop, Learn and
Grow. By Carol Kranowitz and
Joyce Newman (2010)
No Longer A SECRET: Unique
Common Sense Strategies for Chil-
dren with Sensory or Motor Chal-
lenges by Doreit S. Bialer and Lucy
Jane Miller (2011)
Building Bridges, Through
Sensory Integration: Therapy for
Children with Autism other Per-
vasive Developmental Disorders.
By Ellen Yack, Paula Aquilla, and
Shirley Sutton (2002)
Tools for Tots: Sensory Strate-
gies for Toddlers and Preschoolers.
Diana Henry, Maureen Kane-Wine-
land and Susan Swindeman (2010)
November 2018 WNY Family 13