PSG's visit to Domino's Pizza

FGA's Parent Support Group had organised an outing for the members, last Saturday morning, to visit Domino's Pizza to see how pizza is made. It was a good outing. My son saw the process first hand from how the pre-kneaded dough was formed into a base for pizza to slicing the pizza in the delivery box. I remembered to bring my camera this time but it ran out of battery when I took the first shot! LOL

Prior to the trip, I had gone into YouTube to show him a video of the process (search for "making domino's pizza). I did that because I wanted to build up some excitement for the visit, and to prepare him on what to expect. You see, if he were in a crowded shop waiting for something to happen, but not know what to anticipate, he is unlikely to be able to wait patiently. That's especially so if the noise level is high, which is likely as people's voices bounce off the walls of a confined space.

Thankfully, he didnt kick up a fuss while waiting for the "tour" to start, even though the place was a bit small, with many people talking, and with some people moving around. I think it was because he was distracted by the "shower cap" that had to be worn for hygiene reasons. He felt uncomfortable with that cap on and pulled it off many times (sensory issue?).

He didnt want to try to knead the dough into a pizza base or place the toppings or sprinkle the cheese. It would have been a good OT activity for him. But he was rather short for the worktable so I didnt push it. But he did agree to my suggestion to use playdough when we got home, to make pretend pizza.

He was rather focused on watching the pizza, very slowly, move under the heating elements (it was placed on a wire grille that moved mechanically past the heating elements). I guess his love for cars isn't confined to just vehicles, but to things that move in general! LOL.

We were offered the baked pizza but he didnt want any. The smell of freshly baked pizza was sooo tempting, but I didnt have any either cos I was having low grade food poisoning (again!). I was in fact, a bit hesistant to go for the visit that morning, in case I had an urgent need for the toilet, but the medicine helped (at least until I got home).

We left early cos my son did a poo-poo in his diapers and it would have been too much of a hassle to clean him up in the toilet there. I do wish we got a breakthrough in getting him to poo in the toilet. It'd be much easier when we're out and about on such trips.

When we got home, I did a follow up activity with him using playdough. He did try to knead it into a pizza base but used his pointer finger instead of his whole hand. I'll need to do more activities that require him to open his palm. I was the one who made pretend toppings, but he placed them on the pizza. I didnt mind that cos I wanted him to break the habit of pinching off tiny bits of playdough and scattering them about. I helped him to slice the pizza with a normal play knife, and then he tried it himself, which is good.

I would like him to put the toppings on a store bought frozen pizza base, and help place it in the oven. I think my helper had done that with him in last year, but I'm not sure. I think he'll like that - to be able to "cook" and eat his creation - so I'll try it next month.