My Supermarket Visit - An Autistic Child's Workbook
My Supermarket Visit is a colourful, autism-friendly seven-page workbook designed to help autistic children experience shopping trips with greater predictability, understanding and emotional safety. Supermarkets can involve bright lighting, crowded aisles, unfamiliar smells, trolley movement, checkout beeps, waiting and many rapid choices. These sensory and communication demands can quickly become overwhelming for an autistic child.
This resource helps autistic children and their trusted adults prepare before leaving home, notice sensory and emotional needs during the visit, find achievable ways to participate, understand what happens at the checkout and plan for recovery afterwards. It does not expect a child to tolerate distress, behave in a particular way or complete every part of a shopping trip. Instead, it encourages calm communication, realistic expectations, visual preparation, choice, movement, comfort tools and an agreed exit plan.
Inside the workbook
- A simple introduction to what a supermarket may look, sound and feel like
- A preparation page for deciding who is coming, what is needed and what support to take
- A sensory body check-in covering lights, sounds, smells, movement and busy shelves
- Child-led ways to help, choose, point, find or communicate
- A checkout and leaving plan
- A gentle recovery menu for quiet, movement, comfort and connection
- Reflection spaces for what went well, what felt difficult and what adults need to understand
- Four real-life supermarket photographs
- Small rainbow details and neurodiversity infinity symbols
- A dedicated guide for parents and carers
Guide for parents and carers
The parent guide explains how to prepare visually, communicate in short and concrete language, support sensory needs without requiring the child to earn help, recognise early signs of distress, leave without blame and allow recovery time afterwards. It reinforces that an autistic child's distress is communication and that safety and regulation matter more than finishing the shopping list.
Who it may help
The workbook is designed particularly for autistic children, including children who communicate without speech, use alternative communication, experience sensory overwhelm, need strong predictability or find waiting and transitions difficult. It may also support parents, carers, therapists, teachers and support workers who want to prepare for community activities in a respectful, neuro-affirming way.
How to use it
Complete the workbook before a supermarket visit, use it as a visual discussion aid or revisit it afterwards. Children can write, draw, point, tick, use symbols or communicate through a trusted adult. Not every prompt needs an answer. Adapt the visit to the child's communication, mobility, sensory and safety needs. When using a trolley, follow the supermarket's guidance and use an approved child seat or other suitable support where required.
Important note
This is an educational and reflective resource, not a behavioural programme or substitute for individual professional advice. A child's distress is communication. If the environment becomes too much, pausing, leaving or trying again another day are valid responses.
