Help Autistic Children Build Self-Understanding this Summer!

When school ends for the summer, adults may wonder how to continue to support Autistic children. They may wonder how to help them keep learning and developing and thriving?

But summer gives Autistic children something very important: real experiences in real places.

There are MANY Summer Experiences

As an occupational therapist, I once knew a child who joined a music group in the summer and discovered that singing feels fantastic and what an fantastic singer he was! But, the instruments felt overwhelming. Another child I knew took swimming lessons and we all soon realized that they learn better on quieter days with fewer children.

During summer there are many opportunities for kids to explore the world and explore how they feel and fit in the world.

A child may go to the beach and note that sand on their feet is dysregulating. This is important information for an adult to know, but it is even more important that kids discover what works for them and what doesn't work.

Another example may be during a typical run to the grocery store when they notice a busy farmer's market in the parking lot and realize that this changes how their body feels.

These moments may seem small to adults. But they can become powerful opportunities for self-understanding for the children themselves.

We can think of self-understanding as the process of helping a child notice what works for their body and what does not.

Why is Sensory Self-Understanding Important?

For many Autistic children, sensory experiences can affect regulation, energy, attention, communication, and participation. A child may know that something feels wrong before they can explain what is wrong. They may move away, become quiet, move closer to a trusted adult, cover their ears, refuse to enter a space, or suddenly appear “done” with an activity that seemed fine a few minutes before.

Adults may interpret these responses as refusal, avoidance, or rigidity. But when we look through a nervous system lens, we may begin to see something different.

We may see information.

The child who does not want to walk on the sand may be learning that certain textures overwhelm their body. The child who struggles before entering the store may be responding to the unexpected noise and movement in the parking lot. The child who does not want to play instruments may be showing us that singing is the part of music that feels accessible. The child who participates better in quieter swimming lessons may be showing us that noise, crowding, and unpredictability affect their capacity to learn.

Self-Understanding Leads to Self-Advocacy!

This matters because self-advocacy (and a sense of autonomy in the world) begins with self-understanding.

A child cannot easily say, “I need a quieter space,” if they do not yet understand that noise affects their body. A child cannot ask for water shoes if no one has helped them notice that sand feels painful or dysregulating. A child cannot say, “I learn better when there are fewer kids,” if adults have never helped them connect their experience in a busy lesson with how their body responds.

This is where I find adults can make a difference!

For example . . .

At the beach, an adult might say, “The sand feels rough on your feet. Let’s try standing on the towel and see if that feels better.” At the farmers market, an adult might say, “It got louder when we walked closer to the music. Your body moved closer to me. We can stand back here for a minute.” After swimming lessons, an adult might say, “Today had fewer kids in the pool. You seemed more ready to listen and try things.”

These comments are not lectures, but are rather gentle ways of connecting the child’s experience to their body, their comfort, and their participation.

Over time, these moments help build a child’s understanding of their own sensory processing. They begin to learn: this feels good, this feels like too much, this helps me feel ready, this makes it harder for me to participate.

That information is valuable.

When adults understand this, summer can become a season of noticing. A season of learning what supports regulation. A season of discovering what helps a child feel capable in their own body.

When children understand themselves clearly, they are better positioned to communicate what they need.

And when adults listen to that information, we can support participation in ways that fit the child, instead of asking the child to push through environments that do not fit!

How do you try to support Autistic students at the end of the school year?

Share in the comments!

More from Dr. Lisa Marnell and Kids Master Skills . . .

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As always, feel welcome to touch base with me by e-mail at KidsMasterSkills@gmail.com

I would love to hear about your successes, your struggles, your feedback, and any questions or comments you have! Let me know if this post was helpful.