Piano
Since Mikey loved every musical instrument, we picked up a keyboard and put it right on the floor in our basement playroom for him to use whenever he wanted. It seemed to relax him, and he used it often.
As you observe your child and notice the things that calm them, give them access to those things so that they can self-soothe when they are anxious or upset.
A Handy Trick
If the volume on the piano (or any toy that makes noise) is too loud and your child can’t learn to turn it down themselves, apply layers of scotch tape over the speakers until the loudest volume is tolerable. They can still lower the volume when they learn how, but even the loudest volume won’t drive everyone else nuts.
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About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
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