• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • New? Start Here!
  • About GHOK
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Policies
  • Blog
  • The Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
Growing Hands-On Kids

Growing Hands-On Kids

Child Development Tips, Tools, and Strategies

You are here: Home / Sensory & Behavior / 6 Sensory Solutions for Kids and Fireworks

6 Sensory Solutions for Kids and Fireworks

June 19, 2014 By Heather Greutman 6 Comments

Like what you read? Share it!

1.3Kshares
  • Share 396
  • Tweet
  • Print
  • Email
6 sensory solutions and strategies for kids and fireworks.

Affiliate and Referral links are used below to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission on any purchases made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.

If you have a sensitive child, firework season can be a stressful time, especially if they have auditory sensitivities. Today I am bringing you 6 great tips from moms who have children with sensitivities and how they deal with fireworks each year.

6 sensory solutions and strategies for kids and fireworks.

6 Tips from Moms for Dealing with Sensitive Kids And Fireworks

 1. Using Fidget Items – Kim Kintner, Kim's C@fe

One thing that has helped our son with sensory issues is preparing him ahead of time with what to expect. We have often found that supplying extra “busy” items also helps him to not focus as much on the noises and focus more on the other items given (comfort items from home, food, glow sticks, pinwheels, etc). Sometimes the extra distractions help him so that the rest of the family who enjoys fireworks can enjoy them and he can still be there enjoying himself as well. We don't give him the extra items, except for his personal comfort items from home, until we are there for the fireworks (which makes it seem more special).

We have also sat in the car to watch fireworks before to help tone down the noise factor. It provides a bit of a safety zone. Remember no matter what that if your child needs to sit in the car or wants to cover up with a blanket over their head, it is OK for them to do that. Even if others do not understand your child, you do and you care about how they feel.

Kim Kintner blogs at Kim's C@afe about faith, adoption, foster care, marriage and parenting. You can also find her on Facebook.

2. Finding a More Secluded Spot to Watch – Stephanie, Parenting Chaos

My daughter has always enjoyed fireworks, but they always send her into meltdowns. The two items that have helped us the most are our hearing protector earmuffs and a weighted blanket. It has always worked awesome to snuggle up on a picnic blanket and watch them together. Last year we tried something new (in attempts to avoid traffic) and it will be our go to from now on.

Instead of going down to the park where we would be right under the fireworks and in the crowd, we went hunting weeks before for an awesome parking garage downtown. The roof top parking was absolutely awesome for us. We were able to avoid the crowd, had an amazing view of the fireworks, and we were far enough away from them that they were not deafening loud. This will be our go to plan for years to come.

Stephanie blogs at Parenting Chaos about parenting, education, kids, family life, recipes, and more! You can also find her on Facebook and Pinterest.

3.  Preparing Your Child Ahead of Time – Tonia, The Sunny Patch

Before we view fireworks I always prepare my daughter. Telling her it will be loud and crowded. We find a spot that isn't too close and use noise canceling headphones or an ipod and headphones to combat the noise. Holding her close helps too. That way we can enjoy the bright colors but cut down on the distractions around us.

Tonia blogs at The Sunny Patch about homeschooling, books, kitchen ideas, growing your blog, and frugal tips. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

4. Using Earmuffs to Soften the Noise – Jenna Fisk, Called Home

My eldest child has trouble coping with a lot of sensory stimulation, and will become agitated, jump around, cover his ears, yell, etc.

One thing we have tried is earmuffs, which work well. Before we are going somewhere we think we will need them, we explain that they are his and that when there will be something loud, we will tell him and he can put them on.

We have also tried this at the movies, as it can be quite loud there too, and he got through no problems at all.

Jenna Fisk blogs at Called Home about loving, living and learning at home! You can also find her on Facebook and Pinterest.

5.  Resting Before the Noise – LaToya Edwards, Learning to Let Him Lead

For a long time I avoided the fireworks with my boys. My son's SPD leaves him very sensitive to sounds and I wasn't sure how to handle it. As he has gotten older I've found a few things that help him cope and enjoy the fireworks. We usually spend the day with friends that live minutes from the beach. My son gets to run around, swim, swing and jump on the trampoline for hours before the fireworks start.

I also make sure that he does not eat a bunch of food that have dyes and preservatives in it. I know it's the holiday but there are ways to have treats and snacks without the junk. Because the fireworks start when my son would normally be in the bed I try to make sure that he takes at least an hour to rest before we head to see the show. I find when he's well rested he can handle the noise better.

I have earplugs for him if he needs them. I make sure that we have a place with enough room for him to run around if he needs to during the show. If things get to be too much for him I will try some compression by bear hugging him or we head home.

LaToya Edwards blogs at Learning to Let Him Lead about her homeschool journey as a single mom, special needs topics, encouragement for moms, and more! You can also find her on Facebook and Google+.

6. Finding Quiet Indoors -Betsy Finn, BPhoto Art

We attended two events with fireworks last year, and my then-two-year-old did not like the noise at all. The first time was at a neighborhood gathering, with bottle rockets and smaller “booms” — We ended up going inside and watching the fireworks through the window with him on my lap. For the second fireworks event, we knew about the issue, so we brought along noise reduction earmuffs. He still didn't like being out in the grass while the fireworks were going off, so we retreated to the nearby building and watched from there. Even though he couldn't understand the science of fireworks as an older child might, talking to him about how the fireworks “go boom” seemed to help take away the mystery and fear to some extent.

Betsy Finn blogs and runs a photography business at BPhoto Art. She shares her adventures as a mom, artist and photographer. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

I want to thank all the moms who have shared their awesome tips with us all today. Be sure to check out their blogs and visit them on social media to say hi.

You can also find more tips for special events and holidays in my post below:

  • 5 Tips for Dealing with Sensory Overload During the Holidays

I also have a few Pinterest boards that you can find many more ideas on:
Follow Heather @ Golden Reflections Blog's board Occupational Therapy Tips on Pinterest.

Like what you read? Share it!

1.3Kshares
  • Share 396
  • Tweet
  • Print
  • Email

Filed Under: Sensory & Behavior Tagged With: Autism, Everyday Life Skills, For Parents, Sensory, SPD

Reader Interactions

CONTENT DISCLAIMER: Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.
All information on the Website is for informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice from a physician or your pediatrician. Please consult with a medical professional if you suspect any medical or developmental issues with your child. The information on the Websites does not replace the relationship between therapist and client in a one-on-one treatment session with an individualized treatment plan based on their professional evaluation. The information provided on the Website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.

Do not rely on the information on the Website as an alternative to advice from your medical professional or healthcare provider. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment as a result of any information provided on the Website. All medical information on the Website is for informational purposes only.

All activities outlined on the Website are designed for completion with adult supervision. Please use your own judgment with your child and do not provide objects that could pose a choking hazard to young children. Never leave a child unattended during these activities. Please be aware of and follow all age recommendations on all products used in these activities. Growing Hands-On Kids is not liable for any injury when replicating any of the activities found on this blog.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY The Website was developed strictly for informational purposes. You understand and agree that you are fully responsible for your use of the information provided on the Website. Growing Hands-On Kids makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees. You understand that results may vary from person to person. Growing Hands-On Kids assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions that may appear on the Website.

Comments

  1. Jenny says

    June 19, 2014 at 10:41 am

    We’ve watched fireworks from inside the car.

    Reply
    • Tami says

      July 4, 2014 at 1:41 am

      Last year we did a social story with an app called i Get Fireworks and made a book with our own pictures and story line and this year when we showed my son last years story he actually is excited to go with us. Guess we will be bringing his iPad to remind him that he is excited 🙂

      Reply
  2. Theres Just One Mommy says

    June 20, 2014 at 12:27 pm

    Some great tips! Ear muffs have become a standard around here when we go places with a lot of noise lately. Going to say watching them where there are less people around is a great tip, too!

    Reply
  3. Emma @ P is for Preschooler says

    June 24, 2014 at 7:02 am

    I love the earmuffs idea, especially! I could have used that idea when I was younger (I hated the noise!)

    Reply
  4. Jamie Williamson says

    June 26, 2014 at 8:33 am

    Really useful tips I have shared the post on our community for parents raising highly sensitive children.

    Reply
    • Heather Greutman says

      June 26, 2014 at 8:34 pm

      Wonderful Jamie!! Thanks for sharing my post!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Fine Motor Skills checklists

Get This Free Fine Motor Checklist!

Sign-up for my weekly child development newsletter and receive this free fine motor checklist for ages 0-6.

Website Terms and Policies

Welcome to Growing Hands-On Kids! My name is Heather and I’m a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with experience in school-based Occupational Therapy. I use my background to share child development tips, tools, and strategies through hands-on activities. You can read more about me by clicking here.

The 8 sensory systems printable packet.

Get This FREE 8 Sensory Systems Handout

Sign-up to receive my 9-day sensory processing email series and get this 8 sensory systems handout in English & Spanish!

Website Terms and Policies

Footer

Growing Hands-On Kids

Growing Hands-On Kids, LLC 2020. All content, photos/graphics, video, printables and ebooks written or created by Heather Greutman of https://growinghandsonkids.com are copyright of the owner. You may not alter or reuse text/content, photos/graphics, or videos in any way (print or digital use) without express written consent from Heather Greutman. For more details, please read our website terms of use and policy page.


PRIVACY POLICY

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT