Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate our loved ones! Like any holiday, children with ASD may experience anxiety when celebrating an unfamiliar holiday. In this blog post, we’ll share some ideas to make Valentine’s Day a stress-free occasion!
We’ll also provide tips for helping your child with ASD understand the meaning of Valentine’s Day and how to celebrate it in a way that’s fun and safe.
Talk About the Meaning of Valentine’s Day
With so many vibrant colors, candies, and cards, some children are confused about why we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Sit down with your child and tell them that Valentine’s Day is to show how much you care about your loved ones. If your child responds well to social stories, download our free Valentine’s Day social story.
Practice Giving Valentine’s
Learning the unwritten rules of Valentine’s Day can make any child nervous! To alleviate anxiety before the big day, break down the steps of giving a card to someone and act it out at home. For example, your list might include:
Look at the card
Pick up the card
Walk up to someone
Say, “Happy Valentine’s Day!”
Hand them the card
Let go of the card
Walk away
During ABA Therapy, our staff will break down complex concepts into easily manageable steps and gradually build the steps into a single skill. This is the perfect model to use for Valentine’s Day, especially if your child is old enough to attend school and attend Valentine’s Day parties.
Make a List
Deciding who receives a Valentine’s Day card can be daunting for some children! To help your child with this task, write down the names of special people in their lives. This can include family, friends, and teachers! If your child is older, you can ask them to come up with one special thing about this person. Ask them open-ended questions like “What’s your favorite thing about grandpa?” or “Do you like playing with your best friend?” Record the answers, and you’ll have a personalized Valentine’s Day message for your child’s loved ones.
Decorate a Valentine’s Day Card
Help your child express their creativity by designing their very own Valentine’s Day card! For this activity, you’ll need:
A large white paper, cardboard, or poster board
Different colored paints
Optional: disposable latex gloves, markers, crayons, glitter pens
To start, draw a small heart in the middle of your paper. Then, paint your child’s hands or dip them in paint (if they have sensory issues, you can use gloves for this part.) Press their hands onto the paper, and you have a custom Valentine that your family will love! You can customize your valentine further by writing one special thing about the recipient, like in step two.
Make a Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin
A holiday sensory bin is a fun and safe way to celebrate Valentine’s Day! For this project, you’ll need:
A clear bin
Heart-shaped foam pieces
Pink sprinkles
Colorful pom-poms
Pink sensory sand
Shredded paper
Polished rocks and stones
Plastic rings
Colorful beads
While you won’t need all of these items, adding pink, red, or white elements will get your child into the holiday spirit!
Happy Valentine’s Day from Essential Speech & ABA Therapy!
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