If you are on a budget and want to run a Son-Rise Program, do not let finances hold you back. Get started right away with the following ideas!
Playroom Ideas:
- Instead of setting up a specially adapted playroom, you can use your child’s bedroom for now. Clean out the clutter to make it distraction free and store things elsewhere temporarily for your playroom sessions.
- A dresser can be used for your playroom shelving if your child is smaller. If they are taller, you can use the top level of their closet and keep the door open so everything is on display.
- If you are toilet training your child or they tend to make a bit of a mess while eating, you can lay down a tarp on the floor for easy clean up at the end of the playroom session.
- To use space effectively in your playroom, you can also strip the bed of sheets, blankets, and pillows.
Toy Ideas:
- Go through the current toys your child has and see what you can use that will encourage interaction. As long as there are no electronic toys/devices or highly distracting items, less is actually more. Take a look at this list of toys which are great for the playroom!
- Because you will be focusing on bonding and interacting with your child, we suggest you have puppets and dress-up clothes in your playroom. Instead of new and expensive dress-up clothes, go to a second hand store and buy a bunch of items (hats, dresses, scarves etc). Use your imagination with this!
- Try creating some of your own puppets from some old socks. You can draw eyes on a pair of white socks or glue googly eyes on them.
- Other items to put in your playroom that you may have around the house or could easily obtain are an office chair for rides, or a large cardboard box or laundry tub for pretend car/washing machine/spaceship/train, etc. A paper towel roll tube can be used as a musical instrument/telescope/tunnel. Paper cups/plates can be used for tea party or pretend restaurant games. Markers and paper, bubbles, and balloons are all inexpensive items you can use to create games in the playroom as well.
Other Resources:
- We have an incredible archive of free blogs and articles that you can use for daily inspiration along with a YouTube Channel that offers fun activities, tips, and testimonials!
- We recommend you purchase a couple of books to get started before you are able to attend an In-Person Start-Up or begin using The Son-Rise Program Online. Each book offers great tips and advice to get started with The Son-Rise Program techniques.
- Autism Breakthrough by Raun K. Kaufman
- Autistic Logistics by Kate C. Wilde
- We often have Facebook Live Q & A sessions on our Facebook page where you can learn from our Son-Rise Program staff and ask questions. Follow us on Facebook to watch past Q & A’s, find information about upcoming events, and for daily tips and inspiration!
Remember that The Son-Rise Program lives and breathes through you as the parent or caregiver. This means that you do not actually need much to be able to immerse your child in an attitude of love and acceptance, and to create a space that is low on distractions and prioritizes a large sense of trust and control for them.
Written by Becky Damgaard, Son-Rise Program Senior Teacher