Happy 4th of July!

So full of fun with BBQ’s, sunshine, water play and more! Some children love the idea of watching a large firework show and get amused by all the colors, shapes and sizes. Others struggle to tolerate the extreme loud noises/booms and bright flashing lights that fireworks bring.

So how do we balance this out? What can you do to prepare those who struggle beforehand and after so they can have an enjoyable experience? Below are some ideas to help as well as some fun fine motor 4th of July theme activities to do before, during or after the holiday!

There is always so much excitement that comes with The 4th of July. Whether it be being outside and playing in the pool/sprinkler/water play, the food/sweets or the firework show, it is a sensory experience! Some kiddos can tolerate that overload and have a nice time. Others, get overloaded auditorily (noise), visually (bright lights/colors), tactilely (touch), olfactorily (smell) or with taste etc. This overstimulation to our senses can cause dsyregulation. Dsyregulation is when our nervous system is “out of wack”, “off”, or unbalanced. It can look like Too much of something is never good for anyone so helping a sensory sensitive kiddo get balanced can improve regulation and help them feel more regulated internally.

Ways you can help regulation during 4th of July:

• MOVEMENT, MOVEMENT, MOVEMENT!! Encouraging a child to move PRIOR to and FOLLOWING the fireworks can help their nervous system or internal body tolerate the stimulation (loud noises, bright/flashing lights, sitting on grass etc) to make for a more fun experience. Here are some ideas for heavy work from Growing Hands on Kids before, during or after the fun :)

• HEAD PHONES. This is a must for kiddos who are sensitive to loud noises in general. So for kiddos who can tolerate things around their ears then I would recommend noise cancelling headphones. This takes away from the intenseness but not the fun. There are other forms of headphones/plugs that can also decrease the intensity of the decibels of the booms. Linked here are some options for kids and adults.

• VIEW FROM AFAR. No harm in staying away from the crowds and watching the fireworks from your car or home. It decreases the business, noise and traffic :). This can also help give your kiddo space if they need to get up and move around.

• BRUSHING/MASSAGE. This is a technique used by therapists to help calm the nervous system when there is a heightened state of arousal. If you do not know how to do this protocol therapeutically then, a simple bear hug or massage/deep input on extremities of your kiddo can also help during the show.

• WEIGHTED ITEMS. Weighted blankets, weighted lap pads, heavy backpack (bag of rice or beans) or neck pillow can be helpful on the lap or shoulders of your kiddo. That added weight gives appropriate signals to the nervous system to calm and regulate when needed, especially when you are sitting and watching.

4th of July themed fine motor handouts are also fun for day of for some down time before the events or after to write about their experience! Here are some activities and writing/drawing activities that can keep the fun going!

We hope you have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

-SP4K