Movement Minute from Kidisthenics

Holiday Travel Hacks: Resistance Band Can Ease Transition Anxiety

by Kylie Capuano

Movement Minute from Kidisthenics

With the holiday season underway, many families are preparing for busy airports, long waits, and the stress of travel. For individuals with autism, these environments can be especially overwhelming. That’s why our team at Kidisthenics Fitness Company wanted to share a few simple, targeted movements families can use to help manage travel anxiety. These exercises require only a resistance band and can be performed right from an airport chair, making them both practical and effective in moments of stress.

Proprioception – sometimes called the “sixth sense” – is the body’s ability to perceive its own position, movement, and force in space. This sensory input helps us coordinate movements, regulate pressure, and maintain a sense of stability. For individuals with autism, proprioceptive processing can look different: some may be oversensitive to certain movements or pressures, while others may seek out intense input through repetitive motions.

When the proprioceptive system is under stress or out of balance, the result can be agitation, anxiety, or difficulty with self-regulation. By intentionally engaging this system through movement, individuals can achieve a calmer, more focused state. In other words, proprioceptive exercises can act as a reset button for the nervous system, helping reduce travel-related stress and promoting confidence in overstimulating environments.

In this edition’s Movement Minute video, we demonstrate a short series of resistance band exercises designed for use during holiday travel. Each movement can be done from an airport chair, providing accessible tools for moments when anxiety begins to rise. From cross-body banded bear hugs, to resistance band leg extensions and rows, these exercises are practical ways to support regulation without disrupting the flow of travel. The key lies in the resistance itself: as the body pushes, pulls, or stretches against the band, the muscles and joints send feedback to the brain about position, pressure, and force. This targeted proprioceptive input helps organize the nervous system, offering a grounding effect that can reduce anxiety and improve focus.

Movement is more than physical exercise – it’s a pathway to self-regulation, confidence, and calm. By incorporating sensory-informed activities into stressful situations like travel, families can give their children or dependents with autism the tools to navigate transitions with greater ease.

This holiday season, let these simple, proactive movements become part of your travel toolkit. Sometimes, the smallest motions can make the biggest difference.