Tag: Sensory Processing

Visiting the New York Hall of Science with Kids (A Sensory-Friendly, Low-Stress Family Outing in Queens)

On By justmymomsenseIn new york, TravelLeave a comment

My husband and I recently took our 11- and 9-year-old to the New York Hall of Science, in Queen, NY and I’m already looking forward to going back.

If you’re searching for any of the following, then I’m happy to share our family’s experience:

  • Things to do in Queens with kids
  • Sensory-friendly museums in NYC
  • Indoor activities for kids in New York
  • STEM activities for tweens

Why We Chose the Hall of Science

The Hall of Science has been on our “we should go there someday” list for a while. But recently, my kids have been on a serious science kick. We recently got the book ‘The Mysteries of the Universe’ during a trip to Barnes & Noble, we’ve been watching Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs on Netflix and my 9 year old used her money to buy a microscope.

Needless to say, it felt like the right time.

Library Passes

We got free passes through our local library. This is such a huge perk of having a library card. For anyone that does, check your local library, wherever you are located, to see what passes they have available.

Of course free is always nice but it can change the way you move about the museum as well. When you don’t feel like you’ve just spent a significant amount of money, you don’t feel pressure to: stay for hours just to “get your money’s worth,” see every single exhibit or push tired kids past their limit. We could move at our own pace and when the kids were done, we left without guilt or stress.

Is the New York Hall of Science Sensory-Friendly?

I love how many museums, theme parks and even movie theaters are offering sensory-friendly aspects to their experience. The Hall of Science was no different.

The museum provides information for sensory-sensitive visitors, including a Sensory Hour on Saturdays, a Sensory Sensitive backpack with tools that can help kids get through the museum easier and more! You can read all about the Hall of Science’s Sensory Sensitive offerings by visiting their website.

The space is hands-on, interactive, and allows kids to engage at their own comfort level. My kids gravitated toward the exhibits that let them experiment.

Practical Tips for Visiting the Hall of Science in Queens

  • Parking is $15 (free with many library passes)
  • There’s a café and gift shop (we skipped the café this time)
  • It’s a great indoor activity for winter in NYC
  • Check the website for sensory and neurodiverse programming before you go

We’ll absolutely return be back and can’t wait to see the exhibits we missed and get to play some mini golf when the weather is nicer!

Routines That Actually Work: The 10-Minute Reset

On By justmymomsenseIn Parent LifeLeave a comment

If your house feels loud, if your kids feel dysregulated, if you feel one small request away from losing it…

This is your reminder: You don’t need a perfect schedule. You need a predictable anchor. Routines aren’t about rigidity. They’re about safety.

For kids (especially anxious, sensory-sensitive, or neurodivergent kids) routines reduce the invisible “what’s next?” stress that drains their nervous system all day long. When the rhythm of the day is predictable, their bodies can finally exhale.

And here’s the part no one talks about:

Routines regulate us too.

When you don’t have to reinvent the day every morning, your brain rests. You stop decision-fatiguing yourself by 9:12 a.m.

So instead of building an Instagram-worthy color-coded schedule, start here:

The 10-Minute Anchor Routine

Pick one transition that’s currently chaotic:

  • Mornings
  • After school
  • Bedtime

Then create a simple, repeatable 3-step rhythm.

For example (after school):

  1. Snack
  2. 10 minutes quiet decompression (audiobook, coloring, Lego, swing)
  3. Review the plan for the afternoon

That’s it. No charts. No bribes. No overhauls. Just predictability.

And when it falls apart (because it will)? You don’t scrap the system. You return to the rhythm.

Consistency beats intensity every time.

7 Sensory & Emotional Regulation Printables (Calm Down Corner Must-Haves)

On By justmymomsenseIn Printable ResourcesLeave a comment

If you’ve ever found yourself Googling:

  • “How to help my child calm down”
  • “Printable calm down corner tools”
  • “Brain breaks for kids at home”
  • “Emotional regulation activities for kids”
  • “Meltdown support for neurodivergent child”

You’re not alone. Big feelings are part of childhood. But for sensory-sensitive kids, neurodivergent kids, or simply overwhelmed kids, those feelings can escalate fast.

Here are the sensory and emotional regulation printables parents that I have created for my Etsy Shop:

1. Brain Break Cards for Kids (Movement + Reset Tools)

When focus drops or frustration rises, kids may just need movement.

Brain breaks help regulate the nervous system, increase oxygen to the brain, and improve attention. These printable Brain Break Cards include simple, kid-friendly movement ideas that work:

  • At home
  • In the classroom
  • During homework
  • Before tests
  • After screen time

If your child struggles with transitions, attention, or restlessness, brain breaks are a game changer.

Perfect for: ADHD, sensory processing challenges, classroom reset moments.

2. Calming Strategy Cards + Feelings Cards Bundle

You can’t expect a child to “use their words” if they don’t have the words.

This calming strategy and emotion identification bundle helps kids:

  • Identify what they’re feeling
  • Connect feelings to body signals
  • Choose a calming tool
  • Build emotional vocabulary

These work beautifully in a calm down corner, therapy room, or homeschool setup.

Perfect for: Emotional regulation skills, social emotional learning (SEL), and teaching coping strategies.

3. Meltdown Support Toolkit for Kids

Meltdowns are not misbehavior. They’re nervous system overload.

The Meltdown Support Toolkit is designed to support parents during high-stress moments, not after the fact. It gives you:

  • Visual supports
  • Grounding tools
  • Simple regulation prompts
  • Easy printable pages to use immediately

This is especially helpful for parents of neurodivergent children who need concrete, visual tools.

Perfect for: Autism, sensory overload, anxiety spikes, after-school meltdowns.

4. Kids Sensory Journal (Weekly Reflection)

Sometimes regulation doesn’t happen in the moment, it happens in reflection.

The Kids Sensory Journal helps children:

  • Notice what triggers overwhelm
  • Track patterns
  • Reflect on what helped
  • Build self-awareness over time

This is especially powerful for older elementary kids who are starting to understand their sensory profile.

5. Emotion Identification Cards for Kids

If your child jumps straight from “fine” to “exploding,” they may need help recognizing emotions earlier. Emotion identification is foundational to regulation.

These printable emotion cards are:

  • Visual
  • Simple
  • Developmentally appropriate
  • Great for therapy, home, or classroom use

They help kids build the language they need before things escalate.

6. Sensory-Friendly Vacation Prep Kit

Travel is exciting but it can also be dysregulating.

The Sensory-Friendly Vacation Prep Kit helps families prepare kids for:

  • Schedule changes
  • New environments
  • Travel days
  • Waiting in lines
  • Disrupted routines

This reduces anxiety before you even leave the house.

If you’ve ever searched “how to prepare my child for vacation,” this is for you.

7. Mom & Me Journal (Connection Before Correction)

Regulation is relational. This printable Mom & Me Journal creates intentional connection time so kids feel safe, heard, and grounded.

Because a connected child regulates better.

Printable emotional regulation tools are powerful because they:

  • Give kids visual supports
  • Reduce verbal overload
  • Create predictability
  • Support executive functioning
  • Build independence over time

You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect calm down corner. You just need simple, consistent supports.

If you’re interested in starting a simple Calm Down Corner, begin with:

  • Feelings cards
  • Calming strategy cards
  • Brain break cards
  • A cozy seat
  • A small basket for tools

That’s it. Keep it accessible. Keep it simple. Keep it consistent.

I’m a parent. I understand sensory challenges. I believe in supporting kids, not shaming them.

These tools are designed to feel:

  • Gentle
  • Encouraging
  • Practical
  • Easy to implement

If you’re looking for calm down corner printables, emotional regulation worksheets, brain break cards, or meltdown support tools, you can browse everything here:

Shop Just My MomSense Printables on Etsy

What Is Co-Regulation? How Borrowing Your Calm Helps Kids Handle Big Emotions

On By justmymomsenseIn Parent LifeLeave a comment

Let’s talk about co-regulation.

Before our kids can regulate themselves, they borrow our nervous systems.

When your child is melting down, spiraling, shutting down, yelling, crying, freezing, their brain is in survival mode. The logical, problem-solving part? Offline. Gone. On vacation.

What brings it back?

Not lectures. Not consequences (yet). Not “calm down.”

Connection.

Co-regulation is the process of helping your child return to a regulated state by staying regulated yourself or at least regulated enough.

And yes. That’s the hard part.

Because when your child is dysregulated, it’s dysregulating. Especially if you’re tired. Or overstimulated. Or carrying your own stress.

But here’s what co-regulation can look like in real life:

  • Lowering your voice instead of raising it
  • Sitting beside them instead of towering over them
  • Saying, “I’m right here,” instead of “Go to your room”
  • Taking one deep breath out loud so they can hear it
  • Offering pressure (a hug, a hand squeeze) if they’re open to it

You are not rewarding bad behavior. You are helping their nervous system feel safe enough to think again.

Once they’re regulated, then you can talk about what happened. Then you can problem-solve. Then you can teach.

Self-regulation grows from co-regulation.

And if no one co-regulated you as a kid? This can feel almost impossible. You might not have had someone model calm in chaos. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn it now.

Start small.

Next time things escalate, instead of asking, “How do I stop this?” try asking:

“How can I lend my calm?”

Sometimes that’s enough to shift everything. We’re not aiming for perfect. We’re aiming for safe. And safe builds skills.

When the Holidays Are Too Much: Navigating Anxiety & Sensory Overload as a Family

On By justmymomsenseIn Anxiety, PodcastLeave a comment

Although the holiday season can be magical, joyful, and full of tradition, it can feel loud, overwhelming, unpredictable, and exhausting. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

On my latest Just My MomSense podcast episode, I talk more about why the holidays can be so overstimulating, how anxiety and sensory challenges feed into each other, and what we can do to help our kids (and ourselves) move through the season with more calm.

You can listen here or on your favorite podcasting platform!

Helpful Tools and Resources for Parents

On By justmymomsenseIn neurodiversity, Podcast, Sensory ResourcesLeave a comment

Parenting doesn’t come with a manual, but I’ve found tools and resources that make the tough days a little smoother. Whether you’re navigating sensory processing challenges, school struggles, or just need a moment to breathe, these resources have been a lifesaver for our family.

Below, you’ll find links to other sites I’ve found helpful, as well as my Favorite Things page, podcast episodes, and items from my Etsy shop, all curated to bring practical support, calm, and comfort to your parenting journey.

Explore these resources to help you manage parenting stress, neurodivergent needs, and everyday challenges with confidence.

Sensory Spectacle YouTube Channel

STAR Institute

These are a few of my Favorite Things

Embracing Neurodiversity with Dr. Matt Zakreski | Just My MomSense Podcast

Understanding How We Learn with Dr. Val | Just My MomSense Podcast

Just My MomSense Etsy Page

Understanding Different Types of Therapy for Kids and Families

On By justmymomsenseIn therapyLeave a comment

This household is very pro therapy! However, it’s so hard to know where to start, what the different types of therapies mean and what may be best for you or your child. With it being Sensory Processing Awareness Month, I thought I would explore the many types of therapy available for children and families; from occupational and speech therapy to CBT and talk therapy.

Occupational Therapy (OT)

Occupational Therapy helps kids build the skills they need for everyday life, from tying shoes and brushing teeth to regulating their emotions.

Common goals:

  • Improving fine and gross motor skills
  • Building independence with self-care
  • Supporting emotional and sensory regulation

Speech Therapy

Speech therapy goes beyond pronunciation. It can also help children who struggle with communication, social interaction, and feeding.
Speech therapists work on everything from articulation and expressive language to understanding nonverbal cues.

Common goals:

  • Improving clarity and confidence in speech
  • Strengthening language comprehension
  • Supporting social communication and pragmatic skills

Physical Therapy (PT)

Physical therapists help children build strength, balance, and coordination. This therapy is especially beneficial for kids with developmental delays, low muscle tone, or motor planning challenges.

Common goals:

  • Increasing strength and endurance
  • Improving posture and balance
  • Building coordination for daily tasks and play

Play Therapy

Play therapy uses play, a child’s natural form of expression, to help them process big feelings and experiences. It can be especially effective for children who have anxiety, trauma, or difficulty expressing emotions verbally.

Common goals:

  • Building emotional awareness
  • Developing coping and problem-solving skills
  • Strengthening trust and communication with caregivers

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of talk therapy that helps children (and adults) recognize negative thought patterns and replace them with more positive, realistic ones.
It’s a powerful tool for anxiety, depression, and emotional regulation. Therapists often use visual aids, role-play, and journaling to make CBT age-appropriate and engaging.

Common goals:

  • Managing anxious or negative thoughts
  • Building resilience and confidence
  • Developing coping strategies for real-life challenges

Talk Therapy

Talk therapy provides a safe, judgment-free space for both kids and parents to explore feelings, relationships, and stressors. For parents, it can also be an invaluable form of support when navigating a child’s diagnosis or behavioral challenges.

Common goals:

  • Reducing stress and overwhelm
  • Improving communication within families
  • Processing emotions in a healthy, supported way

Feeding Therapy

Feeding therapy helps children who struggle with eating, whether due to sensory sensitivities, oral motor challenges, or anxiety around food.
A therapist might use gradual exposure, play, and desensitization to help make mealtime more positive and successful.

Common goals:

  • Increasing comfort with new foods
  • Building safe swallowing and chewing skills
  • Reducing mealtime anxiety and power struggles

Parent and Family Therapy

Therapy isn’t just for kids, it’s for families, too. Parent coaching or family therapy can help improve communication, set boundaries, and strengthen relationships.

Common goals:

  • Building teamwork between caregivers
  • Creating consistent routines
  • Understanding and supporting each child’s needs

Therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Every child and every family is unique. What matters most is finding the right combination of support that meets your child where they are.

Whether it’s OT for sensory needs, CBT for anxiety, or play therapy to help your child open up, each form of therapy is a step toward greater understanding, connection, and confidence.

Understanding a Sensory Diet

On By justmymomsenseIn Sensory Processing Awareness, Sensory ResourcesLeave a comment

Although we tend to think of food when we hear the word “diet,” a sensory diet isn’t about food at all. It’s about providing the right kind of sensory input throughout the day to help kids (and adults) regulate, focus, and feel their best.

For our family, learning about sensory diets was so helpful. My kids both experience the world in ways that can sometimes feel “too much” or “not enough.” One might crave constant movement, while the other gets overwhelmed by sound or touch. Once we started understanding sensory needs, things began to make a lot more sense. Sensory diets are something I go back to a lot when I feel we’ve gotten too caught up in the day-to-day.

A sensory diet is a personalized plan of activities and strategies designed to give the brain the input it needs to stay regulated. It might include things like:

  • Deep pressure (weighted blankets, tight hugs, compression vests)
  • Movement breaks (jumping, spinning, swinging, or even pushing a heavy laundry basket)
  • Oral input (chewing gum, crunchy snacks, or using a chew necklace)
  • Calming input (soft lighting, noise-canceling headphones, or fidget tools)

Occupational therapists often create sensory diets tailored to a child’s specific needs, but parents can also integrate small strategies at home once they understand what works best for their child. Think of it as feeding your child’s sensory system the “nutrients” it needs to thrive.

Sensory input directly impacts how we feel, think, and behave. When a child’s sensory system is out of balance, they might seem “hyper,” “zoned out,” or “meltdown-prone.” These aren’t bad behaviors, they’re signals.

A well-balanced sensory diet helps:

  • Improve focus and attention
  • Reduce meltdowns and anxiety
  • Support better transitions between activities
  • Promote self-regulation and independence

You don’t need fancy equipment or a sensory room (though those are fun if you have the space). Start with small, intentional moments throughout the day:

  • Morning: Use a weighted blanket, bear crawls, or a quick dance session to wake up the senses.
  • Midday: Add movement breaks such as wall pushes, jumping jacks, or animal walks.
  • Evening: Try calming input before bedtime, like soft music, dim lights, or a lavender bubble bath.

Pay attention to your child’s reactions. What helps them focus? What calms them? What overstimulates them? That’s your roadmap.

If you’re just starting to explore sensory diets, take a deep breath. It’s a learning process and may be a game of trial and error until you figure out what works best. Some strategies might work one week and not the next (trust me, I’ve been there).

You know your child best. You see the cues others might miss. By tuning into their sensory needs, you’re helping them build lifelong skills in self-awareness and regulation.

A sensory diet isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” plan. Some days it’s five minutes of jumping on the trampoline and other days it’s a long walk outside after school. What matters most is consistency and compassion for your child and yourself.

When we start viewing behavior through a sensory lens, everything starts to click.

Understanding Sensory Processing Symptoms

On By justmymomsenseIn Sensory Processing AwarenessLeave a comment

If you’ve ever wondered why your child covers their ears at the sound of a vacuum, avoids certain clothes, or seems to crave movement all the time, you’re not alone. For me, I felt like I had pieces of a puzzle and on their own, they didn’t mean much but when I started putting them together, a bigger picture was being formed.

Sensory processing is how the brain receives and responds to input from our senses (touch, sound, taste, smell, sight, movement, and body awareness). For most people, the brain organizes these signals automatically. But for those with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) or sensory differences, the system can get a little tangled.

Some pieces of the puzzle we were collecting back when my 11 year old was 3:

  • Back in 2017, he wanted to be Woody for Halloween. The back of his costume closed with velcro. This was the first time we really noticed a piece of clothing bothering him. The sound, the feel of it, everything bothered him. To this day, he cuts all tags out of his clothing.
  • 2017 was also when his sister was born. If we were in the car and she started to cry, he would start to cry and beg us to help her and take him home. He had similar reactions to others crying, including friends.
  • He was visibly overwhelmed in crowds and even during a drive-thru Christmas light display.

I talked in an earlier blog on how I started collecting these pieces and googling, while also consulting with his speech therapist. The experience opened our eyes to what sensory processing really means and how it affects everyday life in ways most people don’t even notice.

At 11, he’s able to recognize when things are too much or too overwhelming for him. His sister has had her own sensory experiences. It’s been interesting to see the overlaps and the differences in what can affect them in their individual sensory processing.

Sensory processing symptoms can vary wildly, but they often fall into two main categories: sensory avoiding and sensory seeking.

Sensory Avoiding

Kids who are sensory avoiders might:

  • Cover their ears or run from loud noises (like hand dryers or fire alarms)
  • Refuse certain fabrics, tags, or seams in clothing
  • Dislike being touched or hugged unexpectedly
  • Avoid crowded or visually “busy” spaces
  • Prefer dim lights and quiet settings

They’re not being “difficult,” their brains are simply trying to protect them from sensory overload.

Sensory Seeking

On the flip side, sensory seekers might:

  • Constantly move, jump, spin, or crash into things
  • Touch everything within reach (including people!)
  • Make loud noises or seek vibration
  • Love messy play or crave strong tastes and textures
  • Find calm through deep pressure, like a weighted blanket or tight hug

Kids (and adults) can also be sensory seeking with certain things, but sensory avoiders with others.

Recognizing sensory processing symptoms isn’t about labeling a child, it’s about understanding them. When we start to see the “why” behind behaviors, everything changes. Instead of frustration, there’s compassion. Instead of punishment, there’s support.

Here are a few small ways to make a big difference:

  • Create a sensory-safe space or bucket at home. For example: a cozy corner with fidgets, soft lighting, and weighted items.
  • Build sensory breaks into the day: a swing in the yard, a walk after school, or quiet time with a favorite texture.
  • Work with an occupational therapist (OT) who specializes in sensory integration.
  • Follow your child’s lead. They’ll show you what they need, sometimes with words, sometimes with behavior.

Sensory processing isn’t about “fixing” our kids. It’s about understanding their world and helping them feel comfortable in it. Every sensory system is unique and that’s what makes our kids who they are.

If this topic speaks to you, you might also enjoy my post on my favorite sensory tools and items that have helped in our home.

You know yourself and your child best. Trust your gut, trust your “MomSense” because having the knowledge and the right tools can make all the difference.