School is over, What’s Next? 4 Tips for Your Child with Autism

 

When the school year ends, children with autism often feel stressed and anxious. While other students are excited to be released from the structure of the school day, kids on the spectrum may feel overwhelmed and unprepared for a summer that seems unstructured and free-flowing. To help you and your child with autism prepare for summer vacation, we've compiled these five tips.

1. Make sure your child is informed about what to expect from summer vacation. Depending on their age, you may want to make something like a calendar so they can see when school is over, and what days they'll have camps or playdates.

2. Make sure your child knows when school will start again. Again, depending on their age, you may want to put together something visual—a countdown to the first day of school is a good way to help them understand how long it will be before they're back in class with their teacher and classmates.

3. Maintain a regular schedule over the summer months as much as possible. Keeping bedtimes consistent and having meals at the same times each day can help your child feel safe and secure during an otherwise chaotic time of year.

4. Encourage socialization whenever possible by planning playdates with friends from school or activities like camps.