Building A Supportive Home Environment
Hi there! How are you? It’s so nice to see you here!
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS QUARTER:
We’re starting the year off by discussing just what neurodivergence means in 2026, routines & rhythms to create a supportive home environment for your learner & a little spring reset to calm the chaos.
FEBRUARY 2026
For many neurodivergent children, the world can feel loud, fast, and unpredictable. That’s why the environment you create at home matters. This February, we’re focusing on crafting a home environment that works with your learner so they can regulate, recharge, and grow.
A Supportive Environment for Neurodivergent Learners Through Sensory Smart Space
Sensory tools are not toys, they are essential components in helping a learner’s nervous system regulate, finding calm & focus.
The truth is not every learner will use an item in the same way as the next, making it important to explore how your learner uses that item ahead of time. And honestly, most toys on the market can be used as a sensory tool and some sensory tools can be used as a toy.
We want to encourage our learners to use these items to regulate not to play. Play can certainly come later, but first we must teach them the important life skill of self regulation and using tools that support them in the right way.
Take note in how your learner responds to using certain items.
Is it heightening their behavior?
Is it promoting calm in their body that you can see?
If your learner can describe it to you, talk with them about how the item makes them feel (super silly vs. calm & ready)
Look around at the items your learner uses at home for calming and regulation. Set them aside.
Model how they can use the item and remind them the purpose it serves.
The pay off will be big later.
COFFEE BREAK COACHING MOMENT:
Using a Calming Corner & Visuals as an Anchor
How to use a safe space like a calming corner
First, it's not like you put it out and say - well, there it is!
You have to show your learner how to use it.
How do we do that?
By modeling what to do in the safe, calming space such by:
Offering times to access the space when they are regulated to explore it through pre-teaching.
Promote and prompt the space during times when they need to re-regulate.
Pre-Teaching
I like to pre-teach how to use the area before my learners actively need it so they understand the boundaries of the space and how to use the tools appropriately.
How Do I Pre-Teach?
I like to practice going through items in their sensory kits and seeing if the item is a tool or a toy.
First, they teach me how to use the item.
Next, based on how they use it, we decide if its a tool or a toy.
If its a toy, we put in a place they can play with it instead.
While in the space, we also set a timer to practice the transition out of the space. We talk about expectations when the timer goes off ("when the timer goes off I will exit the space, but I can come back if I need to”) and follow the expectation together.
When our learners do need to access the space, I tend to limit how much language I use because when our bodies are dysregualted the last thing your brain wants to do is hear more directions coming in.
Instead, I use visuals to redirect my learners to the space, and try to do so before I notice they're beyond the point where they will accept using this space appropriately.
Since we've already explored this space and they're familiar with it, our learners will gravitate towards items they need and find comfort it.
I do exit the space if they ask or stay close by if I notice they're needing more support from me to help regulate.
Visuals as an Anchor
If you’ve been a frequent reader for a while, then you know my love for visuals.
Visuals, visual schedules and the like, when used appropriately, are a tool that acts as an anchor for neurodivergent learners.
Take a visual schedule for example.
Visuals like pictures, text, phrases, even calendars, all serving the purpose to inform, creating predictability and structure.
Schedules make daily tasks really clear because it outlines exactly whats coming and it gives learners confidence to complete a task or routine with greater independence because they know what to do within a day or set amount of time.
Where is the real magic here?
Visual schedules for small routines used consistently.
Nothing complex, just simple, clear steps your learner can go through, at their pace. With the space to complete the task and the steps to do, it can be really encouraging.
We use them in our home all the time for:
Getting ready in the morning
Daily living skills (bathroom, washing hands, brushing teeth)
Leaving our home/coming home
Going to bed at night
Check out this quarter’s FREEBIE featuring a visual schedule sample for transitioning in to the house that you can print out and use today!
Calm spaces help calm minds, for you & your learner.
Micro-Shifts That Make a Big Difference
Sensory needs are not picky behaviors.
They are real neurological experiences, not just preferences.
The way a neurodivergent learner experiences the 5 senses can vary drastically. Understanding this can change the way we view and support them because it's not just a matter of pickiness.
I've had learners:
completely disrobe because the tag on their shirt was botheirng them or the line on their sock went under their big toe.
Refuse to come to school on a rainy daybecause they didn't like getting wet from the rain even with all of the rain gear on.
Even my own sibling would gag when feeling certain textures on her hands or in her mouth.
These aren’t matters of pickiness.
These are genuine experiences and those learners need support to feel regulated.
So what did we do?
We found shirts without tags and seamless socks.
We crafted creative ways for our learner on a rainy day to come inside and avoid all of the puddles. (And we worked on puddles and water in different ways to help them with that sensory experience.)
And my family worked with my siblings related service & medical team to slowly introduce certain textures on her hands & in her mouth.
All responses are real and all responses deserve respect.
COFFEE BREAK COACHING MOMENT:
Packing a Transition Toolkit & Home Lighting
Packing a Transition Toolkit
Here’s what you’ll need:
A bag of choice
5 items your learner frequently uses for regulation
Core visuals your learner uses to regulate (schedules, cue cards, etc.)
A common location for “base”
Here’s what you’ll do:
Find an easy to carry bag you already have at home
Inside, pack the top 5 items your learner uses in their sensory space or uses to help them to re-regulate. (I like packing travel size items for small fidgets, a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, a favorite stuffed animal, or more. There's so much available but grabbing just what your learner needs eliminates the decision fatigue and narrows it down to what your learner knows works best.)
I also include a few core visuals as well that my learner uses at home that they are successful with.
Hang the bag up in the location your family commonly leaves from so you can can grab it on the way out.
Now you're prepared for the next adventure ahead.
Home Lighting
Did you realize the lighting within a space can make all the difference?
Lighting is not just about aesthetics. Lighting has the ability to create a calm environment for relaxation and focus.
Unfortunately, not all lighting is created equal!
Overhead floursecent lights can be harsh and LED lights tend to flicker at higher more irregular rates that can be seen to those with a more sensitive visual sensory system.
Switching to natural sources of light or soft light bulbs can make all the difference in your daily life. Soft lighting from side table lamps, tap lights, etc, reduces sensory overload from the visual sensory system.
Now hear me out, I’m not suggesting going out and replacing your light bulbs or buying a new tap light or side table lamp.
Instead, I’m asking you to shift your view on lighting in your home by:
Opening up the blinds to bring in natural light
Minimize the amount of overhead lights you turn on (maybe turn on every other or half if you can)
If you have some play silks or scarves, you can use them over a lamp or LED light to dim the light so it is not as harsh.
You can explore light cover alternatives for fluorescent lights at home and they vary in price point, but again, this part is entirely your call.
The next time you're noticing dysregulation beginning in your learner, consider turning off the overhead lights and turning on the side table lamps, or open up the shades in the window to welcome the natural light from outside and encourage a calming atmosphere with softer light and relaxed setting.
You deserve peaceful moments.
Take time to rest your mind & recharge your soul.
Routines vs. Rhythms: Why Flexibility Matters
Every learner’s experience is their own.
All neurodivergent learners are not the same.
Neurodivergent learners are all different. Each with their own unique experiences and needs.
Much like fingerprints, no two learners are alike. What a beautiful thing!
I always encourage collaboration and sharing ideas so you can try a new strategy to see if it works for your learner too. And if it doesn't, thats ok, there are plenty of others to try, because what works for your learner may not work for your friends learner or another parent's learner you read about online.
Every neurodivergent learner's needs are unique to them. Let's celebrate those differences and embrace their uniqueness for empowerment!
COFFEE BREAK COACHING MOMENT:
Simple Tools for Transitions & a Nature Walk
Simple Tools for Transitions (Music & Timers)
In our home, we pair sounds with the ending of an activity like going from a bedtime routine to being in bed as well as when it is time to transition to the next event like going from play to dinner time.
As my learners are getting older, I'm beginning to pair a visual timer with the music as they are responding well to us using the auditory reminder because now the visual timer is giving a more concrete understanding of when the auditory cue will come.
We've recently started using this during our night time transition routine from dinner time, to clean up to bed time routine. It's been making such a big difference in helping my learners navigate clean up and motivating to get to their favorite parts of our bed time routine.
If you're looking for some suggestions, I've included some of my favorite visual timers are listed in this quarter's freebie on our website so be sure to check that out and download!
Taking a Nature Walk
These's something about the crisp fresh air this time of year that really is revitalizing.
Research suggests taking brief nature breaks, even just a few minutes outside can reset your sensory system and helping with focus.
A nature walk can be a full sensory experience:
Feeling the fresh air fill your lungs with deep breaths
Watching “clouds” (water vapor) leave your mouth as you breathe into the cold air
Feeling the sun on your face
Listening to the snow or ground crunch under your feet
Feeling the grass beneath your feet
Touching the cold snow (with or without gloves)
Feelings the cool air on your cheeks
Feeling the air blow past your skin
Listening for sounds of nature around you (birds, animals, etc.)
It's an instant reset for your mind and body. Its calming and grounding.
And it costs us nothing but a few moments of our time.
Check out this quarter’s FREEBIE with a list of visual timers
Recharge your energy to face the week with strength.
Family Flow: Support For All Without Burning Out
Supporting your learner at home does not need to be expensive, elaborate, or over complicated.
Simple adjustments make a huge difference, without creating an entire Pinterest board.
COFFEE BREAK COACHING MOMENT:
Activity Kits & Sensory With Connection
Activity Kits
These tiny kits can be your secret strategy to help your learner transition between activities at home or in the community. It’s even a great way to include all of the members of your family for some connection time too!
What could be in an activity kit?
Item that generate creativity such as:
Favorite books
Coloring books
Puzzles
Sticker books
Water color/pen activities
Sensory tools
An eye spy game like Spot It! (one of our family favorites)
I tend to steer away from items that require batteries or have lights and sounds that can be overstimulating.
The goal here is to promote calm and regulation.
How do you make an activity kit?
It’s really simple.
A small bag (if traveling)
A small container (for an in-house transition kit)
The 2-3 activities (like mentioned above)
Throw the activities into a transition basket on your counter or toss a few into a small bag you place in your transition tool kit. It's a simple way to build connection and creativity.
What does our family do?
For us, we've read a books together while eating dinner at home or in between making a meal.
Sometimes I’ll bring paper, crafting scissors and glue and let my learners sit at the counter while I cook making fun creations.
When we’re on the go, we’ve brought paint markers and construction paper and let our learners make cards or draw whatever came to mind. Then we’d play a guessing game to guess what they had drawn while we'd wait for our meal at a restaurant. It was a really fun way to promote regulation and connection for all of us while we waited.
Simple is sometimes better.
Sensory With Connection
When we’re working on providing sensory input, we can also be deepening our connection with our learners.
Here are 2 different ways how you can:
Deep Pressure: Did you know that deep pressure inputs calm into the nervous system through hugs, squeezes or even weighted items?
While not everyone's favorite feeling, deep pressure can give a feeling of safety and security in our bodies (if and when our bodies are receptive to that pressure.)
If our learner is one that does not enjoy deep pressure or the feeling of being squeezed, please do not try to force it. It may just be a different type of input they are needing. But if your learner does enjoy it, there are so many options to explore.
While an Occupational Therapist would be who I recommend to consult with directly on deep pressure, especially when exploring weighted items because you to make sure the item meets your learner’s specific weight ratios, I've worked with learners that enjoy sitting under a beanbag or weighted stuffed animal, going into a squeeze machine in the OT room, or using a body sock to give their body input. Some learners would even ask for a gentle squeeze.
These various ways to provide deep pressure give input to our brains to help us feel grounded and can also promote connection with our loved ones
Creating A Small Space (Fort): We all love that feeling of building a fort together and then crawling inside with a flashlight, maybe playing pretend too.
Building a fort is another way to provide sensory input because it supports so many of our sensory systems from feeling different textures, engaging in body awareness (proprioceptive) with pushing, pulling and crawling in and out of smaller, tight spaces, along with visual and auditory systems too.
Plus, this is such a fun way to include the entire family in creating something fun and then playing in the space together.
Pause. Breathe. You are enough.
"“I am creating a peaceful, supportive environment for my family. Every small effort builds a home where my learner can thrive. I believe in my families power to create calm. "
If you’re wondering what to do and want to collaborate on sustainable behavior based strategies you can stir into your day, let’s chat over a coffee break together and refuel over a warm up with small sips of strategy to create a plan!
Make sure you’re following along on Instagram @coffeemugsandclipboards as we bring this quarter’s content all about the holiday season to life!
I hope your day goes as smoothly as you wish and as always,
I’m so glad you stopped by!
