Travel Tips: A parent's guide to traveling with a child
who has autism
Melanie Goulet - Senior Therapist, B.A.
It's important to remember to plan activities for your child to engage
in while on route to your destination. Whether that be flying, driving,
taking the train, bus, or boat, having these activities on hand and easily
accessible will play a key factor in decreasing inappropriate behaviours.
Here's a list of activity ideas you'll find useful (some of
these may need to be modified depending on the needs and age of your child):
- Colouring books – work on grip and writing skills, receptive and
expressive language.
- Dot to Dot worksheets – within these worksheets you can work
on number sequencing, writing and language skills.
- Word search worksheets – word and letter recognition, reading,
writing and independence skills.
- Math and time worksheets – here you can work on time telling,
number recognition, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division skills,
as well as writing and independence skills.
- Tracing and printing worksheets – lots of free printable worksheets
on-line that are fun and will help your child work on their writing skills,
receptive and expressive language skills.
- Puzzles – great way to work on visual and turn taking skills,
receptive and expressive language skills.
- Shape sorter – work on visual and turn taking skills, receptive
and expressive language skills.
- Play dough – here you can work on fine motor and play skills.
- Cutting and pasting tasks – making a collage or picture using
magazines or travel brochures.
- Make and write in a journal – great for cutting, gluing, drawing,
writing and independence skills.
- Books – great for receptive and expressive language skills reading,
math and independence skills. For example, find all the green items or
what’s this called? or Read this word for me please or Count all
the stars you see on this page.
- Songs – great for intraverbals (fill-ins), imitation, fine and
gross motor skills, receptive and expressive language skills, math, reading
and requesting skills.
Other important tips to remember are: to work on "waiting" skills, make
a social story about what's going to happen, bring familiar toys and edibles
(juices and snacks), fidget toys, bring a visual schedule with you, and
if your child enjoys music bring an iPod or CD player with favourite songs/CDs
or DVD player with favourite movies.
For more information, contact the IBI staff at YOUR HEALTH Wellness Centre.