If you’re like me, you’ve spent the last few years dealing with a number of special needs children in your life. While they may be different from each other in lots of ways, they all tend to share one thing: how much they love to talk.
The good news is that talking is not going away anytime soon! But what if I told you that there are some simple things that we can all do to help them feel more engaged and get their feelings out? Here are five ways:
Feeling frustrated and angry? Use art or music to get it out.
If you’re feeling frustrated and angry, use art or music to get it out.
Art and music are two of the best ways to express how you feel. It can be something as simple as drawing, painting, or writing in a journal about what’s on your mind.
Or it could be singing along to your favorite song—it doesn’t matter if it’s complicated or simple; just make sure that whatever form of art/music you choose is something that helps release some of those emotions so they don’t build up inside anymore!
Try out dance or music for better communication.
You may be surprised to learn that dance and music are great ways for special needs kids to communicate.
It’s difficult for them to vocalize, but they can express themselves through movement by moving their bodies in ways that are meaningful and expressive.
This method of expression is called “dance-based communication” or “dance therapy,” and it uses simple movements like sequences, patterns, routines, and improvisation (just like in ballet).
The goal is not just to get your child moving—it’s also about getting you both moving together! The more you move together as a family unit, the better communication will occur between all members of the family.
Let your kids write their own stories.
When it comes to expressing themselves, children with special needs often have a hard time getting their point across.
Because of this, they can get frustrated and discouraged when they don’t understand what you are saying or why something is happening in their world.
The best way for them to express themselves is by writing down all the thoughts and feelings that come into their heads.
This allows kids with special needs such as Asperger’s syndrome (AS), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and ADHD/ADD an outlet for expression through writing as well as reading aloud from these writings later on down the road when no one else will be around anymore but yourself!
Use pictures to help your child communicate.
- Pictures help your child communicate.
- Pictures can be a great way to help a child express themselves, especially if they are not able to talk or even understand what you say. This can be accomplished by using pictures that are familiar to the child, such as their favorite animal or toy—or even just showing them an object that has meaning for them in their life (e.g., an umbrella), and letting them draw it themselves so they feel like the experience is theirs alone!
Try using instruments together to make music.
Sometimes it’s fun to have a special needs child play an instrument and sing along with you, but not everyone is comfortable with this.
If you’d like your child to participate in songwriting or playing an instrument, try using one of these ideas:
- The piano or guitar can be used as a drum roll when singing or performing songs by artists such as Adele and Taylor Swift (and many more). You’ll need some basic percussion equipment like maracas and shakers if possible—but don’t worry! These are easy enough for most kids who want something new!
Don’t forget playtime!
Playtime is a great opportunity to let your kid do something that they enjoy and be able to show off their skills.
They will not only be learning new things, but they will also feel less stressed out because they are having fun!
If you have older children who need help with this part of the day, try having them join other kids in activities such as soccer or dance lessons so that they can socialize while getting exercise at the same time.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways to help your special needs children express themselves. You may find that some of these activities work better than others and that it takes time to find what works best for your child and family. But if you stick with it, there’s no doubt that you’ll succeed!
