by Bec Oakley, author of Snagglebox.com
Field day, sports day, athletics carnival... no matter what it's called where you live, these annual school sporting events can be hard for kids with autism or sensory processing disorders.
Often held in the spring or autumn, these day-long events require kids to compete in different sports or activities (athletics, egg and spoon or sack races) set up at stations around a playing field.
While a lot of kids enjoy the break from being in the classroom, others find it noisy, chaotic and confusing. So let's take a look at why, and some things you can do to make the day more fun for them...
so everyone can join in!
WHY THE DAY CAN BE TOUGH FOR THEM
There are kids cheering for their team, announcements over the PA, starting pistols or horns... and most of these noises aren't predictable and start or end suddenly.
There's people everywhere - some are participating, some are waiting, others are cheering or wandering about - and loads of sensory distractions like pom poms, grass and whistles.
There’s less supervision
The teacher-student ratio might just be doable in a classroom, but head outside and it becomes much more difficult to keep everyone under control.
Classes are mixed together
These events can often be run across age groups with classes joined together, or with an unfamiliar teacher assigned to supervise. This can be disorienting for kids who are just getting comfortable with their classmates.
To read more, click here....