These 10 Calming Strategies for Children with Autism will help your child relax, reduce tantrums, and promote family peace and harmony! They are also perfect for classroom use. Choose your favorite strategies for calming your children, or try them all. Many of these techniques are quick ways to calm down, although some take a little longer to set up and start.Be sure to print your Calm Strategies Checklist PDF to get the most out of this publication!
Why do we need calming strategies for children with autism?
Relaxation techniques are essential for spreading peace, harmony and joy in your home or classroom. Wearrelaxing activities for kids in the classroomIt is crucial to provide a calm, structured and relaxing environment for your students. Wearcalming strategies at home, ensures a happier and more peaceful day for your child and the whole family.
By using these techniques and strategies with your young students on the autism spectrum, you are teaching your child or students how to answer the question, "What can I do to calm myself down?" alone or with your help.
Don't leave without downloading your free printable PDF of Calming Strategies!
When to use calming strategies for children
These activities can be used to keep your child or students calm and happy and to avoid stress and challenging behavior. They can also be used in response to a meltdown or when your child's or students' behavior is getting a little out of control.
The goal is to use these techniques and activities to avoid stress and also manage it when it (inevitably) occurs.
How to use calming strategies for children with autism at home or in the classroom
First, you need to know if you are using these activities to avoid stress, hyperactivity and nervous breakdowns or if you are responding to a nervous breakdown.
I encourage you to plan your days to avoid stress and hyperactivity, and also to keep this article handy when the going gets tough and you need to use one of these strategies in response to a meltdown.
Don't leave without downloading your free printable PDF of Calming Strategies!
10 ways to calm down (the best techniques to calm down)
I have used these calming techniques and strategies in my classroom, therapy, and home programs for nearly 20 years. They've helped hundreds of kids I've worked with personally, and they've also helped the kids I coach online. They can help you too, whether you are a parent, teacher or therapist helping autistic children.
1. Relaxing classroom activities
Keeping your child or students busy is one of the bestrelaxation strategies for kids. Children on the autism spectrum are often stressed because they don't know what to do. If you create a structured plan for them, they'll get through their day more easily and have a happier, more productive day. use mineAutism activity book packto plan and print your activities in advance so you know exactly what you will be teaching or working on during the day.
2. Soft music in the classroom
I love using relaxing music with my little students. In fact,calm music for childrenIt's a wonderful tool to add to your classroom, home, or therapy program to increase joy and calm. I use calming music for lessons in my own autism class and often have relaxing music playing in the background for lessons while the kids study.
I love playsoft relaxing classical musicin the background and noticed a significant change in the children's behavior when they play in other activities. Try it, maybe it will help you too!
Don't leave without downloading your free printable PDF of Calming Strategies!
3. Relaxing videos for kids
Another way to increase calm is to use one of my favorite calming strategies:play relaxing videos. Videos are a fantastic tool and can be featured as one of the best calming techniques for preschoolers or relaxation activities for elementary school students.
I love using these video collections.
- Peppa Pig-Videos
- Blippi-YouTube-Videos
Relaxation for children - the Koeppen technique
I also love using videos that really model relaxation techniques, like the beautiful animated video below.
Video of Body Scanning Meditations
If your child or students can follow along with this video, it will also show them a powerful relaxation strategy.
4. Quiet games
As for relaxing activities for kids, perhaps relaxing games are the most fun!
These are some of my favorites
- Yoga flash cards for kids– Yoga is a fantastic relaxing activity. Why not make yoga for kids a fun game?
- calm down bingo- This cute printable bingo is a great way to relieve pressure and develop relaxation skills.
Don't leave without downloading your free printable PDF of Calming Strategies!
5. Teach him techniques to calm down.
It is important that your child or students learn to calm down. Of course, you want to be there to help them calm down when they're experiencing complicated emotions or feeling overwhelmed, but wouldn't it be even better if they had their own calming strategies that they could use themselves?
Some techniques you can teach are
- deep breath
- cepa
- polichinelos
- design
- reading
- drink a glass of water
- Take a shower (if possible) or soak your hands in cold water.
- Place a cool, wet towel on your forehead.
- playing with asensory toy
Don't leave without downloading your free printable PDF of Calming Strategies!
6. Fun sensory activities
Some of the best relaxing activities for kids are sensory boxing.
These are some of my favorite sensory boxes on the blog.
- Create a sensory container
- Recipiente Sensorial Einhorn
- sensory garden bucket
- sensory ocean tank
7. Quiet corner technique
The idea behind a quiet corner is to have a specific spot in your home or classroom where your child or students can go, you guessed it, quiet! It's important to point out that I don't recommend that you use this space as a punishment. This should be a positive space that will help your children calm down quickly. Thatsensory space tipscan help you install one in your home or classroom.
If you need more help setting up your breakout nook, I'd love to.Quiet corner printable kit.
Don't leave without downloading your free printable PDF of Calming Strategies!
8. Oral sensory information
this collection ofchew toy for autismIt is invaluable for providing oral sensory information that can help your child or students calm down. Use chew toys to provide sensory input, replace chewing behavior, and help your child release tension.
9. Relaxing group activities
If you are working with a group of children, eg. For example, in a classroom setting, or even with multiple children at home, consider using group calming activities to help your child or students calm down and calm down.
Any idea
- polichinelos
- dance party
- water source
10. Increase physical activity
Regular physical activity is a powerful antidote to hyperactivity, stress and overstimulation. Engage your child or students in yoga with theseyoga videos for kids, jumping on the trampoline, taking a walk or enjoying other thingsOutdoor activities for an autistic child.
Keep a list of relaxing things to do
It can be hard to know exactly what to do when the going gets tough. When a crisis strikes and you're dealing with multiple children at home or in the classroom, it's hard to know exactly what to do. I recommend the expressionPDF checklist I prepared for youso you can keep a copy of these ideas handy, whether in your child's home program folder or in the classroom.
Download your free printable PDF Calm Strategies Checklist!
Don't leave without downloading your free printable PDF of Calming Strategies!
More Strategies for Classroom Management
Use this additional list of classroom management strategies to provide a calm and happy classroom for your students.
- usage concerns
- Use autism worksheets
- Use liquid activity timers
Calming strategies (visual)
Using visual cues for these activities makes them even easier to set up and use effectively with your little ones.
Download your free printable Calm Strategies Checklist!
Print this checklistand hang it around the house or in your autism classroom so you'll never run out of relaxing activities for your child or students. You can even place it in your child's startup folder.
More learning resources about autism
- Successful Interaction Course with a Child with Autism– Learn to better understand your autistic child or student with this comprehensive course.
- Autism activity book pack- Build communication skills, fine motor skills, sensory play skills, and everyday life skills with these fun, educational, and printable activities while helping your child or students successfully manage challenging behaviors.
- Sensory communication notebook.– Develop communication skills with simple sensory activities.
- How to Create a Guide and Workbook for Communication Folders- Learn how to create a communication folder for your child or student with autism using real photos. Follow my expert guide to learn how you can use it to improve your communication skills.
- Autism-adapted book pack- a collection of 10 books tailored to help you develop your communication skills while learning over 120 vocabulary words.
- Play Knetmatten Zoo Animals Set- Use this printable play dough mat to work on animal names, build language skills, and improve fine motor strength and accuracy in a fun, sensory way!
Calming strategies for children with autism
Let us know what strategies and techniques you'd like to use at home or in the classroom in the comments below. Do you have any other ideas to add to the list?
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First published April 12, 2017. Last updated June 16, 2021 with more information, additional tips, and improved readability.
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