Tips to Enjoy Downtime and Decrease Stress
It’s hard enough to occupy your child’s time during summer, but now that school is back in session, their anxiety and stress levels may be hitting a new high. That, coupled with lack of peer to peer interaction, could make your child on the spectrum feel uneasy.
Since these are new times for all of us, we wanted to share some ways to help you and your child enjoy whatever break time you get.
Here are 30 ways to help you and your child unwind and enjoy down time.
- Make them a bath
- Encourage them to learn something new
- Listen to some guided relaxation with them
- Write in a journal
- Walk outside
- Watch your favorite movie or tv show
- Eat in silence
- Examine an everyday object with fresh eyes
- Color with crayons
- Do some gentle stretches
- Paint on a surface other than paper
- Play an instrument
- Take and online class
- Turn off all electronics and engage in pretend play
- Go for a run
- Meditate
- Read a book together
- Listen to music together
- Take a swim
- Take a hike
- Sit in nature
- Call a friend
- Walk on the beach
- Put music on and dance
- Play with your pets
- Go to the park
- Take a bike ride
- Play family games
- Engage in small acts of kindness
- Plant a garden