The Decompression Toolkit — Printable Sensory Activity Cards, Visual Schedule & Calm-Down Signs for ADHD & Autistic Kids (PDF)

The plan on the wall — not in your head. The Decompression Toolkit turns an after-school calm-down routine into things you can print, cut, and tape up tonight: picture cards your child points to, signs that keep siblings out for 20 minutes, and trackers that show you the pattern instead of the chaos.

It's the hands-on companion to Sensory-Friendly Evening Decompression Plans, and every piece works on its own — no reading required in the moment.

Who this is for

In the middle of a hard arrival, nobody's reading a guide — you need the card, the sign, and the schedule already on the wall. This is for you if your child answers pictures better than questions, your other kids need a sign that says "twenty minutes," and you'd rather see the pattern on paper than carry it as worry. If tonight needs tools instead of theory, this is the print pile.

What you'll print (16 pages)

• 16 activity cards with original picture icons — 8 "Move My Body" heavy-work cards and 8 "Rest My Body" low-stimulation cards. Offer two; your child picks.
• Body Check card — Revved / Flat / Mixed faces your child points to instead of answering "how do you feel?"
• 2 door signs — a Landing Zone sign and a 20-Minute Timer sign with a write-in end time for siblings and visitors
• Arrival Strip — Greet → Fuel → Land, three pictogram steps posted at child height
• Evening visual schedule — write-in times, icons, and dry-erase checkboxes from arrival to lights out
• Monthly Arrival Tracker — color-in intensity dots that turn four weeks of hard evenings into a readable pattern
• 4 parent pocket cards — Say This / Don't Say / Yellow Zone / Red Zone, sized for a wallet or car visor
• Caregiver Handoff card for grandparents, sitters, and co-parents, plus 6 bin labels and a fill-in Note to the Teacher

Details

• 16 pages, US Letter, prints in black & white or color; cardstock or lamination recommended for the cards
• Instant digital download (PDF)
• All icons are original line art — clean, calm, and screen-free

Best paired with the full guide (see The Evening Decompression Bundle to get both and save). Educational and organizational resource only — not medical or clinical advice. Instant digital download; sales are generally final — see our Satisfaction & Refund Policy.