Sunday, April 1, 2018

Resources for Helping Families Affected by Autism Celebrate Easter

Photo of children participating in an Easter egg hunt
Photo of kid participating in an Easter egg hunt by Steven L. Shepard.



Easter is an exciting holiday filled with traditions, rituals and special meaning for those who celebrate it. When you consider all of the special days and events that build up to Easter Sunday—including Lent, Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Week—it is easy to understand why Easter season is so important to families. Children usually look forward to enjoying treat-filled baskets, taking pictures with the Easter Bunny and dressing up to attend church on Easter Sunday.

Parents of children with autism and other disabilities want to enjoy the festivities with their children just like other families do. The following resources will help you plan and prepare for an Easter holiday that will be both fun for everyone in your family.

Sensory Friendly Easter Bunny Experiences

Noerr Programs and its partners present private, sensory-friendly bunny photo experiences that support the sensory, physical and development needs of children with autism and other disabilities through its Bunny Cares, Caring Bunny and Sensitive Bunny programs.

Autism Friendly Easter Baskets

All kids love Easter baskets! Make your child’s Easter basket extra special by including items that address their unique individual needs such as sensory toys, calming objects, books that can be used to develop social stories and other gifts that are of special interest to your child.

Check out this compilation of autism and sensory friendly Easter basket toys by a mom who has a son with autism. Then, take a look at this video about making your own sensory- friendly Easter basket by the dad of a girl who has autism.


Religious Observations

This article is helpful for preparing children with autism for what to expect at an Easter church service and teaching social skills for attending church. These tips help families prepare their children with autism for Easter and Passover celebrations.

No comments:

Blog Archive