7 Winter Wellness Tips for Children and Adults with ASD

How does autism affect people in winter and why is it important?

Shorter days and colder weather affect children and adults with ASD, typically due to one or multiple adaptive changes like:

• Fewer sunny days
• Large shifts in the landscape
• Different wardrobe requirements
• Emergency weather-related events
• Temperature fluctuations and drops

Remember, changes of any kind – however seemingly small – are occasionally huge transitions for someone who is on the autism spectrum.

Have you heard? Help us further our FUNdamentals Kitchen initiative to bring cooking to students with ASD.

7 Winter Wellness Tips To Avoid The Cold Weather Crash For Adults With ASD

Want to make the experience more enjoyable? Consider each individual’s personality, interests, likes, and dislikes when planning these activities.

1. Maintain Your Daily Routines

Visual aids can help tremendously while including one or multiple people. Create a visual schedule for your daily, weekly, or monthly routine. This is especially useful during scheduled breaks for students.

Try organizational tasks such as updating a visual schedule together, and make it fun! Use tools like color coding, labels, stickers, markers, or tabs to show time blocks, organized activities, mealtimes, and menu options. Don’t forget to include and highlight transition periods between activities to reduce stress on you and your loved one.

2. Structured Creativity

Do you know of any introverted creatives in the house with ASD?

Step-by-step crafts or similar activities encourage creative minds to express themselves in a controlled and safe setting. Examples of structured activities:

• Using coloring books or fill-in-the-pattern art
• Follow cooking recipes
• Building models or puzzles
• Preferred medium art

You can keep creative time quiet or add tunes to your art-making sessions if that’s more your jam. These activities are great for those who enjoy solitary activities like coloring, reading, drawing, or building at their own pace.

3. Create Sensory-Friendly Activities & Environments at Home

Creating sensory-friendly environments at home is about making small adjustments that help everyone feel more at ease. Here’s how to turn your space into a cozy retreat:

1. Set up a dedicated quiet space for decompression to make room to unwind and recharge
2. Use lighting to your advantage and control it with dimmers, seasonal, or soft lighting to significantly reduce sensory overload
3. Keep comfortable textures close at hand, like soft blankets and cozy clothing as these material comforts can provide a sense of security when needed
4. Keep noise-canceling headphones handy as they can be a fantastic way to offer peace in an otherwise chaotic or loud environment

This last one is more of a courtesy, but it’s still nice to check in and ask your loved one about their comfort level before diving into planned activities. Getting any other concerns or issues out of the way upfront further supports a well-balanced environment.

4. Share Special Interests

Where are the space enthusiasts? What about Lego lovers? And, who can’t wait to get outside for some fresh air?

Winter breaks bring families together, sometimes, longer than expected in one home. Add some harsh winter weather and there’s no better time to connect! Understanding someone with autism means exploring their favorite activities, special interests, and new areas of interest.

For adults with ASD:

• Cultivate and care for your collections
• Expand your interests by joining online communities and clubs
• Document your discoveries through photos, a blog, or a journal
• Prepare a presentation for family or friends about your special interests

Ready to make a difference right away? Further our impact by donating to our FUNdamentals Kitchen initiative.

5. Take Dance Breaks

Ever feel like you need a social calendar for your social calendar?

Especially around the holidays, work and life stress can feel overwhelming. Between your to-dos, daily routine, and countless other responsibilities, you must still do what you can for yourself to be a solid foundation for your family. This is why we’re also recommending that you give yourself 5 minutes every day to let go and dance it out.

The instructions are simple: Block 5 minutes in your day to put on a song and bust your favorite moves for a few minutes. Shake it off, hit refresh, and refocus.

6. Plan Outdoor Activities Ahead

Outdoor environments can be unpredictable. For individuals with ASD, sensory overload can stem from unexpected noises, crowded spaces, and sudden weather changes.

Make your outdoor plans more manageable and:

• Scout locations to choose quieter parks or less busy times for outings
• Create a visual plan using pictures or maps to outline the destination and talk through potential plans
• Bring along items like noise-canceling headphones or fidget toys just in case
• Select warm winter clothing that fits and feels comfortable

Looking for a more advanced activity to do together? Cooking just might be your next big project.

7. Spice Up Mealtimes

Cooking is a lifelong skill that builds confidence, fosters communication, and encourages independence, making it essential for all learners, especially those with autism.

Make each recipe mean something by sparking imagination and creativity while celebrating each win along the way.

Ready to tack on a holiday twist to your cooking session? Try this ever-famous recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake. It’s sure to be a smash hit wherever you show up!

Speaking of mixing things up around here…we need your help!

FUNdamental Kitchen is a Chance to Bring Everyone to the Table

We aim to raise $75,000 to renovate the kitchen at our Springtime School, providing a safe space for cooking and collaboration. With your support, we know we can drive our mission forward, doubling our kitchen space to create a culinary hub where students can get moving while enhancing their social skills and practicing life skills.

It’s time to make room for everyone at the table and in the kitchen. We believe food and collaboration bring people together. Support our expansion.