Baseball and your sensational sweetie!
Now that we are getting closer and closer to the mask mandates being lifted, lots more people are getting out and about. One of my family’s favorite pastimes is to go to baseball games! This year, it’s going to be a bit different. They have spent the last 18 months cooped up with not a lot of stimulation. I have to think ahead about what I’m going to bring when I go to a sporting event in order to make sure my sensational sweetie does not get sensory overload.
Here are a few of my favorite sensory ideas for baseball games:
Supportive seat.
First off, bringing along a stadium chair with a back it’s a great tool for a kiddo with low tone or has difficulty with postural control. These kiddos often are our under responders to sensory input. We don’t want to forget about them! They have a real hard time sitting still. They are constantly standing up and down, not able to sit still because the effort it takes to maintain postural stability is too much. Providing a back for the child to lean against is a great way for them to be able to maintain their stable base of support for a longer period of time. Don’t get me wrong, they are probably still going to stand up and want to move around but you might get a few extra minutes of sitting time for the game!
Keep their mouth busy.
Another way to help kiddos who are super fidgety is to give them something to do with your mouth. Yes, we all want to avoid as much sugar as possible but real sugary bubblegum is probably the most satisfying proprioceptive input they’re going to get for their mouths ever! Sometimes, I give my kids two or three pieces. (Just make sure you brush their teeth when they get home). The satisfaction of oral heavy work will help to keep their mouth moving while their body stays still.
Sunglasses or a hat with a visor.
Bringing along some thing to help their sensitive eyes such as a pair of sunglasses or a hat with a visor. This will help them and you be able to enjoy the baseball game just a little longer. Keeping the bright sun out of their eyes is important for kids with sensitive eyes and for eye health!
Hydrate hydrate hydrate.
Bring along a sports water bottle with a resistive valve. The heavy work of drinking water from their bottle will be very helpful for keeping their bodies calm and alert during the game. Also has the added bonus of keeping your child hydrated. This will prevent meltdowns from feeling thirsty!
