Thanksgiving is just a few days away!  Here are 2 Quick and Easy ideas to help you prepare for Thanksgiving:

1) Plan out your Thanksgiving Day - Know your Environment

Here are some important things to think about to help set your child up to succeed on

• Thanksgiving:
  • Whose house will you be at?
    • Is there any area for your child to play?
    • Is there any area for a quiet time or break?
  • Who will be at Thanksgiving?
    • Will it be quiet or loud?
    • Will there be other children to play with your child (older or younger)?
  • Can I bring activities for my child?
    • Will I be cooking/entertaining others the whole times?
    • Is there any older sibling or cousin that can help my child?

Once you know the answers to these questions, then you can plan your child’s Thanksgiving.  Use their visual schedule to map out each event visually so they can prepare and know what to expect next.

2) Thanksgiving Bag of Trick

Thanksgiving may not go exactly as you planned.  You can prepare for this by making a Thanksgiving “Bag of Tricks”!  Your child might get overwhelmed with all the Thanksgiving activity, new people, loud noises, unfamiliar smells and pressure to be social.  The last thing they may want to do is to sit at a table for a long period of time.  Having a “Bag of Tricks” ready to go will be a lifesaver.  Even if your child is the center of attention at the dinner table and can’t get enough sweet potatoes, having a “Bag of Tricks” will help your child know what to expect, emotionally regulate, socialize with their family members and much more.  Here are some ideas of what to include in your “Bag of Tricks”:

• Visual Schedule
• Any visuals you may need that day: core vocabulary, music folder, art folder, etc.
• Thanksgiving books
• Thanksgiving activities: coloring pages, color by number, connect the dots, word searches, etc.  You can bring items for your child and the other children in the family so that they are all doing things together.  Here are a few links where you can find some free printable activities
  • www.dltk-holidays.com/thanksgiving/mthanksgivingposter.htm
  • www.coloringpages.net/thanksgiving.html
  • http://holidays.kaboose.com/thanks-color.html
  • www.coloring.ws/thanksgiving.html
• Group Thanksgiving activity: You can bring items for each child to help make turkey napkin ring holders, turkey painting (big butcher paper), etc.
• Favorite toys: puzzles, cars, Mr. Potato Head, etc.  You want to bring things that your child can play with alone and things that they are okay with sharing.
• Games: Board games, jigsaw puzzles, card games, etc.
• Soothing object: stuffed animal, blanket, pillow, etc.
• Electronics: If you allow your child to play on the Wii, iPhone, iPad, etc., remember to limit the time they are allowed to play with it and try to make it social by taking turns with a cousin, etc.

Enjoy this wonderful holiday while focusing on family and food with your child!  Happy Thanksgiving!

~KidSpeak, LLC
www.kidspeakdallas.com