Triveni Goswami Vernal
(Registered Special Educator A64010)

With the impending heat wave, and summer coming in earlier than usual, how do we keep the children engaged, constructively? I think it is very important that all children (whether neurotypical or neurodiverse), understand the concept of a vacation.

I agree all children are different and some may require more structure than others, but even then, the activities that the child is expected to be engaged with during the day, can be more fun, activity based or experiential, than otherwise.

At the end of the day, we must always keep in mind, that children, neurodiverse or neurotypical, are children first, and they shouldn’t spend all their time, going from one therapy centre to the other, or be pressured to do only “academic work.”

Some suggestions to keep the child engaged are:
1) Visit a Zoo: Visiting the zoo, closer to its opening time, early mornings, are a good way to beat the heat, as well as get a glimpse of the animals’ feed times. These days, most Zoos allow for tickets to be booked online, earlier, on their websites. This helps cut the time standing in the serpentine queues at the ticketing counter. Depending on what the child’s interests are, the parent/caregiver can prepare a worksheet with pictures of the animals present in the zoo, a few facts about them and then help the child correlate between what they see in person and what they read/see on the paper. The worksheets can be prepared almost a week in advance and can be used to prepare the child, for the zoo. The other thing, I find very helpful, is to show short videos (on YouTube) of that particular zoo, to the child, so that they can be mentally prepared to expect what to see there. Also remember to carry ample water/juice etc in steel bottles and snacks or food in steel containers (Most zoos don’t allow any form of plastic to be carried inside, within its premises).

2) Go for a Movie: A lot of children on the Autism spectrum have sensory sensitivities for various frequencies of sounds or intensities of light, and hence avoid visiting a cinema hall. But one can try going to a cinema hall like PVR PLAYHOUSE, that is essentially geared towards kids and they have a muted light on, throughout the entire show and there are playhouse props all around and no one really minds children running around or just playing, during the movie. Also, because it is for children, most of the movies they run, are based on themes for children or young adults.

3) Go for a Picnic:  Keeping all the safety precautions in mind, zero in on a spot, in a park or a grassy field under the shade of a few trees, on the outskirts of the city limits. Get the child involved in the packing of the food, toys, mats, things the child likes and make it a fun activity to look forward to, for the child.

4) Create a Movie Hall experience at home: If one cannot take a child out for a movie, one can create a similar atmosphere at home. Put on his favourite movie, dim the lights, get packets of popcorn/snacks and juice and let him and everyone else, enjoy the “movie time” at home. To make it even more authentic, one can make paper tickets and show timings (which the child can choose).

5) Go to the Planetarium and the Science Museum: If the child is interested in the Solar System and Space, take the child to the Planetarium. Prepare the child, in advance, for the darkness to be expected within the Planetarium. The Science Museum, is another place that can keep the child engaged, with practical, life- sized experiments, games, puzzles etc.

Thus, we see that there are plenty of experiential activities one can create for the child during the vacations. Each of the activities mentioned, are a great way to teach the child about various concepts, not just academic, but also things like how to navigate various sensory spaces that are visually and auditorily overwhelming, waiting for one’s turn in a queue, asking for help, expressing their need to use the washroom etc. 

The key to all these activities is to Prepare the child in advance through social stories or worksheets or YouTube videos, such that they know what to expect when they are there.
The parent / caregiver has to go the extra mile, to help the child ease into the new experience. It might not be successful the very first time, but repeated exposure, will help the child get used to it, over time.

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Author Triveni Goswami Vernal

Triveni Goswami Vernal is an Autism advocate, registered Special Educator (CRR A64010) and an Independent Researcher. Her areas of interest include Autism, Disability Rights, Gender, Art and Northeast studies. She is a mum to an 12 year old on the Autism Spectrum.

Artwork “Landscape”
Artist Kabir Vernal
Acrylic Ink on Canvas