The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and that means fireworks, parades, and huge crowds. While these types of events bring joy to many, they can often be overwhelming for children and adults with autism or anyone who struggles with loud noises and crowded environments. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to avoid the celebrations – with a little preparation, you can provide your child with an opportunity to enjoy the fun. Below you’ll find a few ideas that may be beneficial to some.

1.     Visual Schedules: Visual schedules can help give children prepare for what’s coming. Before a big event, put together a visual schedule that outlines all of the activities, like fireworks or parades. You can use pictures or symbols to represent each event and go over the schedule periodically so they are familiar with what’s going to happen. You can find lots of customizable visual schedule options over at Teachers Pay Teachers.

2.     Preparation: Obviously, fireworks can be extremely loud and scary. Leading up to the holiday, try showing homemade or prescreened youtube videos using no/low volume and gradually increasing the volume over time.

 4.     Designate a Quiet Space: Stake out a quiet spot ahead of time if you can. When crowds and loud sounds become overwhelming, many people find comfort in a space to take a break and regroup. Before heading to an event, explore the area and identify a couple of options for taking a break.

Do you have any other tips or suggestions? We’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below. We hope you have a safe and happy July Fourth weekend!

As a reminder, the suggestions outlined in this blog are not individual-specific. Always refer to your child’s health and behavior specialists before implementing any new programming.