The team at Autism Horses Australia have come up with a fun and innovative way to teach bedtime routines through a three-hour slumber party program held in the school holidays.
Director Cristelle Capitani explains, “Upon arrival they exercise with their therapy horse, which can include a walk over obstacle courses or a ride, depending on the participant.
“We then go into the barn where the participant makes their horse ‘dinner’. While the horse eats its meal participants will also have a snack.
“Participants will then brush their horse and put on their horse’s pyjamas, which incorporates fine and gross motor skills, relationships building and communication feedback loops.
“Using a permanent marker they will outline their hand onto the horse’s pyjamas and write their name inside their hand — this is an interoception activity and we discuss internal feelings during the process.”
Encouraging children to brush their teeth is a universal parenting challenge! Participants in the AHA program brush their therapy horses’s teeth. while the importance of dental health is discussed, and by observing how much their horses enjoy the process they are motivated to join in themselves. The secret to the horses enjoyment is that their ‘toothpaste’ is actually molasses!
Cristelle says, “As you can imagine, the novelty of seeing a horse have its teeth brushed and enjoying it is very motivating and encourages independent functioning.
“For children on the spectrum, novel experiences are how they best learn new habits.”
The horse then gets to enjoy having night story read to them and participants can sit on the horse or give them a cuddle before putting them to bed.
“We try to emulate the individual habits done at home for this part, so that the progression becomes automatic,” says Cristelle.
Thanks to sponsorship from Colgate and Gingin Dental, Autism Horses Australia will be running these sessions in the next school holidays. For people interested in booking you can text ‘slumber party’ to 0422 518 955.
