Taking a break while in the classroom

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One of DS6's goals this year is to learn to self-regulate -- to notice when he is becoming upset and to ask to take a break. In the meantime, the teacher or aides are to keep an eye on him and take him to have a break when they see him getting upset.

Unfortunately, the breaks they have identified all involve leaving the classroom -- to go jump on a trampoline, run around the track, or be squished by beanbags -- and he gets even more upset because he doesn't want to leave his classmates and do these things. Does anyone have suggestions of things that could be done while remaining in the classroom? Part of the problem is that when he gets upset, he also gets noisy and is disturbing the other students.

We have had a "space place" in the classroom for DS and other kids to go to when they need a break. Its just a somewhat secluded corner space with a cushion in it. DS would often go there when he was unable to sit in circle and he would hear and sometimes even respond to what was going on in circle, he just wasn't able to sit with the other kids.

there are lots of things you can use/do in the classroom but it really depends on what is triggering the overload and how he needs to relieve it.

simple activities can be done like jumping jacks, or you can incorporate things in the class to help with sensory needs, like sensory sacks, fidgets, weighted vests/lap blankets, headphones. it all depends on what he needs tho.

My DS' physical therapist suggested we buy him a tight fitting long sleeve shirt to wear underneath his clothes to help him with self regulating. The kind that's made by sports brands like Under Armour or Nike. The thing is, we live here in GA and it is hot and humid. But I definitely plan on using this technique once the weather gets cooler.

Couple of suggestions, some which I've heard and some which work for DS.
(The first two are ones we've tried at school)
* A separate space to go draw or read (picture books or comics) inside the classroom, but outside the "learning space"
* A desk immediately outside the classroom door

* A beanbag chair he can "crash" into and envelop himself in (we've tried this at home with success)
* A fidget, such as a rubber band across the legs of the chair. (heard about it, haven't tried it)
* A balance board (we have a round Reebok one at home) to stand on, if he can do that without disrupting the class.

Good suggestions. My older son had difficulties with this in kindergarten during "circle time" when the kids would sit on the floor together and listen to the teacher read a book and go over the calendar. What they did:

1. Give him a sensory ball any time that he was going to have to sit on the floor with the other kids for an extended period of time.
2. Make sure that he was seated near the front (where he could see everything) and beside a friend.
3. At the first sign of figiting, they would get him up and let him go sit by himself at his desk to draw or read a picture book. (My older son with classic autism would never just suddenly erupt. He would always start looking around and squirming first. At home, I could always tell when it was time to change what we were doing in order to head off a meltdown.)
4. Teach him to his hand and ask if he needed something or needed a break instead of acting out.
4. Remove him from the class only if he was actually having a meltdown.

I also wanted them to give him a classroom copy of whatever book the teacher was reading because I felt that would help keep him engaged and allow him to follow the lesson better rather than getting bored or confused and just erupting. A visual schedule that told him what to expect might have also helped, as well as giving him more visual aids. I also requested that he be given a simplified written summary of what he was expected to learn since he could read.

Lack of educational accomodations were a big issue for my son in kindergarten, and his frustration was a big part of the problem, I think.