Encouraging Speech and Sensory Exploration this Summer

Summer is a wonderful time to let go of inhibitions, embrace spontaneity and just enjoy the tide of life- but these are all easier said than done when you’re a parent whose child feels the opposite. When children feel anxiety and/or resist the unknown, spontaneity feels less like an exciting endeavor and more like a recipe for disaster.
Here are some tips for those that want to plan a beach trip this summer, but feel like it’s an impossible task:
1. Create a social story
Ask your therapist to assist you in the creation of a Social Story for your child prior to making the trip. Social Stories are narratives that assist in helping individuals, typically those with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), deal with a challenging situation, skill or concept.
They are also often written to provide praise. Written in a first-person point of view, Social Stories help improve an individual’s perspective of a situation to make it more meaningful. With the help of your speech-language pathologist (SLP) and/or occupational therapist (OT), you can utilize a narrative to read with your child about the fun day of exploration they will have!
2. Utilize sensory bins

For children with sensory aversions to various stimuli, consider creating and utilizing sensory bins in your home that can help familiarize your child with “all the feels.” Invest in some clear plastic bins and fill them with materials you might see on your adventure to the beach. Ideas include filling bins with:
- sand
- water
- rocks
- rocks in water
- shells
- sand with water
- (which will help with sand castle building!)
While tactile play with hands is great exposure, |