What To Put In A Sensory Travel Toolkit

Ever wondered what to take with you when you’re out and about with your neurodivergent child? It can be really tricky for ND kiddies with sensory needs to stay regulated when out, especially in unfamiliar environments. In this post I’ve put together some ideas of regulating items you could include in a sensory travel toolkit.

What is a sensory travel toolkit?

A sensory travel toolkit is basically a bag of essentials that you take out and about with you, containing sensory aids to help your neurodivergent little one stay regulated and calm. If your child is able/willing enough to carry the items themselves, maybe in a backpack, then that’s even better as it means they’re engaging in heavy work, which is super regulating!

What to put in a sensory travel toolkit

An important thing to note is that what you choose to put in your sensory travel toolkit is going to be wholly dependent on your child. All kids have different sensory profiles, meaning they need different types of sensory input in order to regulate themselves. So the items I’ve listed below are just suggestions and ideas; they will need to be tailored to suit your individual child.

So what could you put in your sensory travel toolkit?

Fidget tools

Fidget tools are massively popular with many children, but they are exceptionally useful for neurodivergent kids. Not only are they helpful for keeping little hands busy, but they can be great for regulation too. There are endless options when it comes to fidgets, so try to include a variety that incorporate different textures and movements.

An example of a good mix of fidget tools might include: a fidget cube, monkey noodles, mini squishies, an infinity cube, a tangle and a Popit.

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Ear defenders/earplugs

Many neurodivergent children are highly sensitive to loud noises or to lots of different noises at once. Ear defenders can be invaluable to reduce overwhelm in noisy environments, or earplugs if your child prefers. Loop or Flare earplugs are meant to be great.

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Tablet/iPad

A tablet or iPad can be very regulating for many ND children. NeuroWild has a fantastic explanation about the benefits of screentime.

Chew necklaces

If your child has a sensory need to chew, there are lots of different chew necklaces available. They can be the saviour of many t-shirt collars and sleeves! Do check that they are made from safe BPA-free materials though.

Slime, playdough or putty

Slime and putty are rather love-hate; some kids can’t get enough of them but others won’t go anywhere near them! But if your child is a sensory seeker who loves textures, then slime can be a brilliant regulating tool.

Sunglasses

Some children can be particularly sensitive to bright sunlight, especially when there is a sudden contrast – e.g. coming outside into the sunshine after being indoors. Sunglasses can be really useful to take the edge off and keep them regulated. Even the fluorescent lighting in supermarkets can be really harsh and overwhelming for some children so sunglasses could be helpful in that situation too. A hat or cap with a visor can be very handy for protection from sunlight too.

Snacks

Snacks can be a really good grounding tool when a child is feeling overwhelmed or anxious, and can provide a good distraction when a child just needs a bit of space and time to themselves. They can also give excellent sensory input, so try to include different textures, e.g. crunchy (breadsticks, crackers, carrots etc) and chewy (Gummy bears, chewing gum).

Cold water/fizzy drink

I’m not necessarily recommending feeding your kid a load of fizzy drinks, BUT for some children, fizzy drinks can provide really good sensory input. Cold water is also great – adding ice cubes to water bottles works well or using a small ice pack to keep the water cold. Use a water bottle with a straw if possible as the sucking motion is also great for sensory feedback.

Squishy ball

A squishy ball is really good for children who crave deep pressure. Obviously, carrying around weighted items when out and about is not really feasible but a squishy ball is a good compromise as the action of squeezing it can be very calming and relaxing.

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Soft toy

A small soft toy or plushie is great as an emotional comfort, and can also be useful to aid with transitions to different places. If a child struggles with going to new places, or moving from one place to another, it can really help if they carry a familiar, safe toy with them. Touching or stroking a soft texture can also provide really good sensory input too.

Colouring activities

Colouring can be a lovely relaxing activity, especially if you have a mindfulness colouring book or similar.

Bubbles

Blowing bubbles can be a great calming sensory activity for many children, so keep a small pack of bubbles in your sensory toolkit.

Something visual

If your child likes observing visual patterns, watching things move etc, try including a small item like a kaleidoscope or a light-up spinning wand in your sensory toolkit.

Something scented

Engaging a child’s sense of smell can be very regulating, so include something lightly scented, like lip balm. This is particularly useful as a distraction if your child becomes dysregulated when faced with strong smells in the environment.

Specialist interest items

If your little one is autistic, they may have a particular specialist interest. Including an item related to this in your sensory travel toolkit can be really great for helping a child if they’re distressed. So it may be a mini vehicle, or figurine, or even a picture – anything that’s not too big or heavy!

Sunflower lanyard

And finally, this is not strictly a sensory item (although yours may have a fidget of some kind on the end of it!) but a sunflower lanyard can be really useful to keep in your toolkit. If your little one does go into meltdown, a sunflower lanyard worn by the child or yourself, can help members of the public realise that they may need some space, time and understanding due to a hidden disability.

Sunflower lanyards can be purchased from https://hdsunflower.com/

I hope this post was helpful! What do you put in your sensory travel toolkit for your little one?

Thanks for reading! Til next time,

Hannah xx

You might like these posts:

• Gifts for Sensory-Seeking Kids
• Bedtime Tips for Neurodivergent Children
• 20 Simple Calming Down Strategies For Kids

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