Whether you are staying home, going across the state, or going across the country, Spring Break season is here and that usually means Fun! While spring break trips are meant to be fun, with the change in routine and time off school, it can cause some difficulty and extra stress as families need to adjust to this new schedule. Luckily, there are some Sensory Strategies and tips that can be used during your spring break to decrease some of the extra stress these trips may bring:
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Maintain routine/consistency as much as possible during spring break – easier said than done, but if possible when traveling try to keep some aspects of the normal routine present, for example – having the same nighttime routine, going
to bed and waking up at the same time, eating meals at consistent times, etc. -
Give your child options as much as possible – for example “do you want to watch this movie or that movie?”, “do you want pasta or pizza for dinner?”, “do you want 1 bedtime story or 2” etc. Doing this will provide your child with some control of their environment helping to decrease some of their anxiety/frustration due to the change in routine.
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As much as possible, provide your child with lots of movement and play breaks throughout the day to provide them with a positive sensory outlet for any extra energy they may have after sitting for a long time in a car or airplane.
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Provide your child with opportunities for calming activities during the day (playing calming music, dimming the lights, wrapping up in a blanket, reading a story, etc.) to help your child calm before and after stressful events.
to bed and waking up at the same time, eating meals at consistent times, etc.While it may be hard to incorporate all of these strategies, incorporating some of them will hopefully result in a less stressful and more relaxing spring break for you and your family. Enjoy!
Michael Jankowski, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist