Sensory Kidz Universe

If your child turns into a feral kangaroo the second pyjamas go on… welcome to the club. The running. The jumping. The flapping. The spinning. The sudden urge to parkour off the sofa like they’ve just downed three espressos. Bedtime hits and instead of winding down, they’re winding UP . Before you blame sugar, screen time, or your parenting skills (spoiler: it’s not you), here’s the truth: 👉 Bedtime zoomies are incredibly common for sensory and autistic kids — and they’re not bad behaviour. They’re regulation. Why Sensory Kids Get Zoomies Before Bed 1. They’ve Held It Together All Day School. Rules. Noise. Transitions. Social stuff. By bedtime, their nervous system has had enough and needs to release all that built-up energy. Zoomies = pressure valve opening. 2. Their Body Is Seeking Sensory Input Movement helps regulate the nervous system. Jumping, spinning, flapping, crashing into cushions — it’s their body saying: “I need input to calm down.” Ironically, stillness ...

Sensory Children Aren’t Overreacting — We’re Just Still Expecting Them to Cope We call it overreacting because it makes us uncomfortable. The crying feels too loud. The flapping feels too much. The meltdown feels sudden, embarrassing, inconvenient. So we reach for the easiest explanation: “They’re overreacting.” But what if they’re not? What if what we’re seeing isn’t an overreaction at all — but a nervous system that’s already been pushed past its limit? Overreacting Assumes Choice And sensory overload removes it. When we say a child is “overreacting,” we’re implying that they could respond differently if they tried harder. That there was another option available. For many sensory children, there isn’t. Sensory overload isn’t a tantrum. It isn’t defiance. It isn’t attention-seeking. It’s a physiological response — the body’s alarm system switching on when too much information hits at once. Noise. Light. Crowds. Smells. Textures. Transitions. Individually, ...

  If you’ve ever looked at your child and thought, “Okay… they’re about to explode,” then congratulations — you’ve met overstimulation . It happens FAST. One minute they’re fine, the next minute they’re vibrating like a phone on full blast. Autistic and sensory kids aren’t “being dramatic.” Their brain is trying to process too much at once — noise, smells, lights, emotions, movements — and it becomes overwhelming. Here’s how to spot the signs before the meltdown hits… and what you can do right there and then to help. 🌟 Signs Your Child Is Becoming Overstimulated 1. Suddenly Hyper or Silly (Not in a Fun Way) They start running, spinning, climbing, talking faster, or acting “wild.” This isn’t misbehaving — it’s a stress response. 2. Covering Ears, Eyes, or Hiding Their Face A big clue that the sensory world is too loud, too bright, or too “too much.” 3. Irritable Over Small Things A crumb on their sock = full meltdown. The straw isn’t straight = devastation. (It’s...

 If your autistic child wakes up in the middle of the night fully refreshed, smiling, and ready to repaint the living room at 2am… you are NOT alone. Night wakings are one of the most common autism sleep struggles — and one of the most misunderstood. It’s not “bad behaviour.” It’s not “defiance.” It’s not “poor routine.” It’s neurology . And once you understand the why , the what helps gets so much easier. ⭐ 1. Their Melatonin Timing Is Different Autistic children often have: delayed melatonin release early melatonin drop irregular melatonin cycles So they fall asleep… and then BOOM — their melatonin vanishes too early, and their brain thinks: “Okay! New day!” ⭐ 2. Their Brain Stays More Awake Between Sleep Cycles Most people drift through light sleep → deep sleep → dream sleep …but autistic kids often get stuck in the “light sleep” phase. That means: tiny noises temperature changes movement internal sensations …can fully wake them ins...

  AKA: The magic calming tool that saves our sanity daily. If you’ve ever handed your child a sensory bottle and watched them go from feral gremlin to peaceful fairy soul in under 10 seconds, you’ve probably thought: “Wait… why does this actually work? What witchcraft is inside this bottle?” Good news: It’s not witchcraft (though honestly, it might as well be). There’s ACTUAL science behind why sensory bottles help calm overwhelmed, overstimulated, and dysregulated kids. And I’m breaking it down the non-boring , parent-friendly way — no 40-page research papers required. ⭐ 1. Sensory Bottles Give the Brain a ‘Visual Anchor’ When kids are overwhelmed, their brain is basically shouting: “TOO MUCH. TOO LOUD. TOO FAST. TOO MANY FEELINGS.” A sensory bottle gives them: ✨ One thing ✨ One movement ✨ One focus …which instantly reduces chaos in the brain. Watching glitter slowly fall or beads swirl gives the mind a single, soothing point to concentrate on — this is called vi...

 If you’ve ever found yourself whispering “please don’t lick the window today” while bribing your kid with snacks at 8:03am… welcome. You’re in the club. Membership includes messy hair, a Mary Poppins bag, and a permanent state of “Is it sensory or is it chaos?” Parenting a neurodivergent child is beautiful, exhausting, hilarious, messy, magical, overwhelming and sometimes all of those at the same time. Here are the signs you’re definitely one of us… ⭐ 1. You have snacks on you at ALL times You might not have your keys. You might not have your dignity. But you have a snack. A sensory parent’s bag is basically a mobile buffet. ⭐ 2. You do the scan everywhere you go You know the one: Where are the lights? Where are the crowds? Where are the noises that’ll send us straight into meltdown world? You walk into a room like a secret agent doing sensory risk assessment. ⭐ 3. Your house has a dedicated ‘calm zone’ Other families have a reading corner. YOU have: a ...

 Transitions… AKA the silent boss level of parenting a neurodivergent child. If you’ve ever said, “Right, shoes on!” and watched your child descend into chaos like you’ve just asked them to climb Everest barefoot… you’re not alone. Autistic kids often struggle with transitions — big ones (starting school, going on holiday) and tiny ones (turn off the iPad, dinner time, put your socks on). And honestly? It’s not bad behaviour. It’s not “naughtiness.” It’s a brain difference . And once you understand why , everything becomes easier. Let’s break it down like two tired parents whispering in the school car park. 🧠 Why Transitions Are So Hard for Autistic Children 1. Their brain LOVES predictability The autistic brain thrives on routine and sameness — it’s safe, it’s calm, it’s soothing. A sudden change? Even a tiny one? Feels like a glitch in their internal matrix. Think: “Move from thing I understand → to thing I don’t understand yet.” That’s a big ask. 2. They’re ...