Family vacations offer many families a welcome anticipated change. However, the disruption to the regular schedule can be stressful for many in the neurodiverse population and for the people with whom they are traveling. We have received feedback that using Floreo to help Learners prepare for travel events has been extremely helpful. 

Let’s begin, as many trips do, with airports. An airport is often a confusing and intimidating place for anyone who is not used to it, regardless of your cognitive profile. One arrives at the airport and the bustling crowds seem to know where they are going and which of the long lines they should be standing in to help get them to their destination. The airport security check, in particular, is a section of the airport that is not intuitive, and there are often no specific instructions to let you know what you need to do. When a novice traveler can observe the behavior of other people in the same line and follow suit (perhaps find and read a relevant sign and ask a quick question here or there), the event may very well proceed without significant incident. But, for many Floreo Learners, these are exactly the types of skills that are challenging.  

Floreo currently has two lessons that address navigating airport security. Both lessons offer the experience of moving through the designated line, talking to a security guard, getting your personal items checked, walking through a metal detector, or moving through a body scanner and retrieving your personal items.  Airport Security Check is largely directed by the Coach. The Coach reads banners that explain the process step by step and helps the Learner orient to the relevant people and equipment in the area. The Coach can adjust the language to meet the needs of the Learner who is moving through this experience. In Understanding Airport Security, a voiceover provides instructions to the Learner and additional details about the security point process are explained. Consider that many large events that are frequented during the summer, such as baseball games, concerts, or amusement parks, have similar security checks. It follows that knowledge learned in these airport lessons about how security works, may be easily transferred to similar environments for many Learners. 

Your Learner may be using another type of transportation this summer such as the train. While our other train-oriented lessons don’t address travel training, some younger Learners find the train-based lessons entertaining and helpful in anticipating and overcoming travel stress points. Floreo’s train lessons (Watch the Train and Spatial Concepts: Where is the Train?) both use the same track, whereas Spatial Concepts: Left & Right introduces a new track as well as a variety of trains. The train lessons offer opportunities to expand their language (increase their vocabulary, listening comprehension, and expressive language) about this fun mode of transportation.

Families who are going on extended trips may find it helpful to bring Floreo with them. Once in the Floreo lesson, Learners can be immersed in a comforting space. The portability of Floreo allows the Learner to be instantly transported back to a familiar, predictable space to chill out in the aquarium, become alert with a marimba, or simply talk to some characters who they know. 

For more information on one of our partners, the Phoenix Center, that used Floreo to help students understand Airport Security, read here.