With the arrival of spring, churches and homeschool groups begin planning Easter celebrations. These events are great outreach opportunities, but they are not always fun or safe places for kids with special needs. To reach this growing part of the community, there are simple things you can do to make these families feel comfortable. They will appreciate your effort, and your church or homeschool group will become known as an organization that welcomes and is considerate of families with special needs.
Simple ways to make Easter celebrations safe and fun for kids with special needs:
Food. Food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances are a growing issue that families face. If your celebration involves candy, consider getting lots of different kinds of candy and avoid anything with peanut butter or peanuts. Since many children are also sensitive to food dyes, consider having some inexpensive toys or small gifts as prizes instead of having candy exclusively.
Gospel presentation. Most Easter celebrations hosted by Christian organizations have some sort of presentation of the gospel. To engage all of the children, including those with special needs, you need something very interactive, something that will draw the kids in and allow them to get involved. I have seen this done very successfully with Resurrection Eggs. Whatever you choose, having a multisensory experience is critical.
Activities. There can be a lot going on at a big celebration, including bounce houses, face painting, and games. These situations can be overwhelming to children with sensory issues, so it’s important to make sure that there’s a quiet space where they can go when they’re feeling overwhelmed. A well-organized and monitored art or craft area can meet this need, and it will provide another activity for families to take advantage of.
Egg hunt. Many kids look forward to an egg hunt, but for kids with sensory issues, motor coordination problems, or struggles with information processing, the egg hunt can be a nightmare. These kids can get run over by other kids, confused in all the activity, or overwhelmed by everything that’s going on. Any of these situations can lead to a meltdown or to a child’s withdrawal and refusing to interact with anyone. That makes it not quite as much fun for the child or caregivers. One way to avoid this is to have egg hunts separated by age or ability level. Or, possibly have a separate place to hunt for kids with special needs, a place where the pace is slower and they have the opportunity to walk away with at least a few eggs—and their feelings and sense of calm intact. This worked really well at a celebration we attended last year. It was the first time in years that my younger daughter has gotten more than one egg, has not gotten knocked down by other kids, and has left with a smile on her face.
These may seem like small modifications to make, but to the special needs family, they can mean the difference between an Easter celebration they look forward to attending again and a miserable day they don’t care to repeat.
What tips do you have for making Easter celebrations better for special needs families?
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