1. Weighted lap pad: Lap pads offer a great way to take advantage of the benefits of deep pressure therapy while on the go. The extra weight helps calm the nervous system, and a lap pad can be applied to an individual’s lap, back, or shoulders for sensory input when needed.

2. Adjustable ear defenders: Perfect for blocking out overwhelming noises from large crowds as well as any other difficult noises or triggers that might cause a meltdown.

3. Calm down jar: The attention-grabbing sparkly objects within these bottles coupled with the auditory component of the glass beads makes these an excellent tool for diverting meltdowns.

4. Squeeze balls: Perfect for helping children (and adults!) focus, squeeze balls also help alleviate anxiety in high-stress situations.

5. Essential oils: Known to help children stay calm during transitions and sleep more soundly, more and more people are turning to essential oils to help restore and maintain a sense of calm in the face of autism.

6. Collection of calming songs: Soft, relaxing music is said to help reduce the severity of meltdowns in autistic children, and the prevalence of smartphones makes this an easy tool to have on end if and when a meltdown occurs.

7. Anger Management Calming Strategy Cards: It’s important to help your child differentiate their own varying emotions as well as the intensity with which they feel them, and these Calming Strategy Cards (which are free to download!) offers a great tool to empower your child to choose different strategies to help manage big emotions.

8. Bubbles: Slow, deep breathing is a well-known relaxation technique, and if a child is unable to engage in slow, deliberate breathing, blowing bubbles is an excellent tool to help restore a sense of calm.

9. Kaleidoscope: Kaleidoscopes are an excellent tool to help promote a sense of calm and relaxation and decrease stress levels by minimizing distractions and increasing focus.

10. Fidget toys: Fidget toys are fabulous for self-regulation and to help children focus by promoting movement and tactile input. They come in many different shapes and sizes and serve different sensory needs. You can find heaps of them on Amazon!

11. Dreampad music app: The new Dreampad music app includes a rhythmic breathing exercise to reduce stress and engage your nervous system’s relaxation response and lower blood pressure and heart rate. You can download it here.

12. I Spy bottle: Similar to a calm down jar, an I Spy bottle is a fabulous tool to redirect focus and promote relaxation.

13. Pipe cleaners and popsicle sticks: Yup. You read that right. Pipe cleaners and popsicle sticks can help teach kids how to be more flexible. Read more about how to use this technique over on Connected Families.

14. Chewing gum: For some children, chewing gum can help reduce anxiety and increase focus while also making transitions less stressful. It can also help alleviate a child’s dependence on fidget toys and make them less likely to bite clothes, toys, fingers, etc.

15. Books: Books offer a great way to not only teach kids about their meltdowns, but also make them feel less alone by showing them that other people experience them as well. There are heaps of great books to choose from that include relatable stories, coping strategies, and workbooks. Peter Panda Melts Down by Artie Bennett, Totally Chill: My Complete Guide to Staying Cool a Stress Management Workbook for Kids with Social, Emotional, or Sensory Sensitivities by Christopher Lynch, and Angry Octopus: An Anger Management Story introducing active progressive muscular relaxation and deep breathing by Lori Lite are 3 great books to start with.

16. Favorite shows on an iPad: If you’re on the go and cannot avoid a trigger situation and/or sense a meltdown coming on, equipping your child with a pair of noise-cancelling headphones so they can watch their favorite shows on an iPad is a simple distraction that can work wonders.

17. Mirror and paper: For older kids, a great strategy to help understand big emotions is to look in the mirror so they can observe their emotions, and then provide them with a pen and paper so they can express how they feel through drawing, writing, etc. This offers a great way for caregivers to try and connect and understand what is going on, and collectively come up with solutions to restore a sense of calm.

18. Pinwheel: Similar to bubbles, a pinwheel is a great tool to help teach children the art of deep breathing to promote relaxation, and the spinning movement combined with bright colors can help distract from meltdown triggers before big emotions take over.

19. Activate the vagus nerve: The vagus nerve is the most important nerve in the parasympathetic system, which is sometimes referred to our ‘rest and digest’ system. If the vagus nerve isn’t working correctly, it can lead to all kinds of disorders, including anxiety and depression, and activating the vagus nerve through cold exposure, singing, laughing, deep breathing exercises, exercise, use of probiotics, and massage may reduce the severity of autistic meltdowns. You can read more about the importance of the vagus nerve here.

20. Calm down cubes: Cool Down Cubes offer a fabulous DIY tool to calm down an angry child by allowing them to come up with their own strategies to cool off when they become overwhelmed. Learn how to make your own set of Cool Down Cubes here.

21. Hug: While there are heaps of different tools you can make or buy to help calm an autistic meltdown, sometimes the best remedy is a bear hug. Applying deep pressure may help them calm down and feel better faster. Just be mindful of how overwhelmed the child is feeling as not all kids like to be hugged, and if a child already feels overwhelmed, they may not welcome additional sensory input.

This post contains affiliate links.