Scenario: Kris is sitting on the floor playing with a train. She becomes excited by the sound of the train banging against the floor.  She repeats. As a parent, you notice her quickly becoming more and more activated. Her body’s moving quicker, she’s jumping, getting louder, less focused and less intentional with her actions. ASAP – use visual timer transition intervention*

Introduce Structured, Step-by-Step, Activity (simple, fun, repeatable, physical).

Example Activity: Toy Car Wash (“I need your help washing these toy cars, they are so dirty”). 

3 Simple Repetitive and Regulating Steps (using her body):

1)   Dip and scrub car in a small bucket of warm soapy water

2)   Rinse car in small bucket of warm water

3)   Dry car with dishtowel.

Afterwards: This is a great time for a rhythm building exercise**  to help child take her sense of balance and calm back into next spontaneous play activity.  

* refer to post on visual timers.

** Any exercise that regains the body’s natural rhythm: rocking back and forth while taking deep breaths, walking up and down the stairs while counting to 4, etc.