Successfully Transitioning from the School Year to Summer with Your Autistic Child

The Challenge of Transitioning from School Year to Summer

Table of Contents

• The Challenge of Transitioning from School Year to Summer

• Why Autism Summer Transitions Matter

• Strategies for a Smooth Summer Transition

  • Use a Visual Schedule

  • Prepare with a Summer Social Skill Story

  • Maintain a Routine

  • Introduce New Activities Gradually

  • Create a Summer Transition Kit

• Get Your Free Autism Summer Transition Tips Handout

• Conclusion

• References
  

The Challenge of Transitioning from School Year to Summer

For children with autism, transitioning from the structured routine of the school year to the more relaxed and unpredictable summer can be particularly challenging. As a parent or educator, it’s important to recognize these challenges and proactively address them to ensure a smooth and enjoyable summer for everyone.

Why Autism Summer Transitions Matter

Maintains Consistency

Consistent routines provide a sense of security and predictability, which is crucial for children with autism. Maintaining a structured approach helps ease anxiety and provides a framework for daily activities during the summer months. It is not necessary to plan every step of each day; however, if you put in place a general structure, it should be fairly easy to maintain. For instance, every morning after breakfast, play outside; before lunch, play a game; after lunch, rest time; and play inside after rest time. With this type of schedule, you can include any play activities or games for each day, but the child knows to expect a game or play activity of some sort.

Reduces Anxiety

The sudden shift from a school routine to a less structured summer can lead to increased anxiety for autistic children. Planning and preparing for this transition can significantly reduce anxiety and make the change more manageable.

Autism Visual Schedule

Since children with autism are often strong visual learners, it may be helpful to use a calendar with pictures to discuss upcoming summer events. This can include counting down to different activities each evening, such as summer camp or a trip. Additionally, preparing for these events can be done with the use of a social skill story. For further information on social skill stories, consider exploring the resources provided in this post. Social stories are a valuable tool for teaching and improving social skills, particularly for individuals with autism. They offer structured narratives that can help in understanding social cues, reducing anxiety in new situations, and learning appropriate behaviors. For more information about social skill stories read this post.

Positive Behavioral Management

A structured routine is essential for managing behaviors and setting clear expectations for children. By implementing visual aids like sticker charts or punch cards, parents and caregivers can effectively reinforce positive behaviors and help children adapt to various situations.

Positive Behavioral Punchcards

Positive Behavior Examples:

1. Create a sticker chart with images representing the behaviors you are working on, such as brushing teeth or completing homework. Each time the child successfully performs the task, they can place a sticker on the chart. This visual representation helps track progress and encourages consistency.

2. Another practical idea is to use punch cards to reward desired behaviors. For instance, a child can earn a punch on the card for completing chores or following instructions. Once the card is filled, they can redeem it for a predetermined reward, reinforcing positive behavior.

To learn more about the effectiveness of punch cards in behavior management, consider reading further on the topic in this post.

Pictures to place on autism visual schedule for swim class

Strategies for a Smooth Summer Transition

1. Use a Visual Schedule

Autism Visual Schedule for Play

A visual schedule provides a visual representation of daily activities, helping children understand what to expect each day or time period. This can include:

• Daily Routine: Outline daily activities such as meals, playtime, and bedtime.

• Special Events: Include trips, outings, or special activities, such as swim class.

• Mini-Schedules: Schedules can be made for activities within a larger activity such as playtime or bedtime

Autism Visual Schedule for Bedtime Routine

Visual schedules are available in various formats, including:

• Flip Up Schedules (with magnets or Velcro)

• Move the Picture Down (with magnets or Velcro)

• Stationary

• Drawn on Dry Erase Board

• Schedule on a Tablet or Phone

To learn more about using visual schedules, consider reading this post.

To learn more about visual schedules check out this post.

2. Prepare with a Summer Social Story

Social stories can help children understand and prepare for the transition to summer. These stories use simple language and visuals to explain changes and new activities, reducing uncertainty and anxiety.

You can make your own social skill story and personalize it with photos of your child and activities or purchase a social skill story here or a summer bundle of social skill stories here.

Transition to Summer Social Skill Story

To learn more about what a social skill story is check out this post or if you are during the summer or make your own with personal photos of your child and activities.

3. Maintain a Routine

Maintaining a consistent routine can help provide a sense of continuity and structure for your child. Remember, thought that the key is to strike a balance between having a framework for the day and allowing for flexibility to accommodate your child's preferences and the mood of the day.

Suggestions:

• Consistent Wake-Up and Bedtime: Keep sleep schedules similar to the school year.

• Regular Mealtimes: Maintain regular times for meals to provide consistency and eat at a consistent place.

• Playtime: Every day after lunch

• Bath: Before bed each day

• Book: After bath each day
  

4. Introduce New Activities Gradually

When introducing new activities to your child, it's important to take it slow and steady. For example, if your child loves drawing with colored pencils, you can start by introducing a new type of material, such as marker, watercolor markers, or crayons. Let them get comfortable with this new activity before moving on to something completely different, like sticker books.

Another example could be if your child enjoys playing outside, you can gradually introduce new outdoor games for them to try. Start by just letting them do whatever they want with a ball and gradually introduce new ideas such as rolling the ball down the slide or kicking the ball into a goal.

Remember, the key is to give your child time to adjust and feel comfortable with each new activity before adding more to their routine. This way, you can avoid overwhelming them and make the learning process more enjoyable for everyone involved.

5. Create a Summer Transition Kit

From road trips to summer camps, swim classes, and fast-food ventures, summer provides many new things that kids have to adjust to. Consider preparing a summer transition kit that a child can take with them. It could be as simple as items in a large zip lock bag or a small backpack with the child's name.

Consider including 🌞🕶️🌊

• Favorite Toys: Include comforting and familiar toys.

• Sensory Toys: Add sensory-friendly items to help with self-regulation.

• Visual Aids: Include visual schedules or picture communication cards

• Sunscreen

• Water bottle

• Snack

• Sunglasses
  

Get Your Free Summer Transition Tips Handout

Sign up for our email list to receive a free Summer Transition Tips Handout. This resource offers practical tips and strategies to help your child adjust smoothly from the school year to summer.

Conclusion

Transitioning from the structured school year to the relaxed summer can be challenging for children with autism. By using visual schedules, social stories, and maintaining routines, you can create a smoother and more enjoyable transition. Explore our summer transition products to further support your child’s needs and promote a successful summer experience.

Visit Rainbow Autism Resources to purchase our Summer Autism Visual Schedule and Summer Social Story today!

References

1. Hume, K., & Reynolds, L. (2010). Implementing work systems to improve transition and independence for students with autism spectrum disorders. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 42(6), 6-13.

2. Mesibov, G. B., & Shea, V. (2011). The TEACCH program in the era of evidence-based practice. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41(5), 1156-1162.

3. Koegel, L. K., Koegel, R. L., & Surratt, A. V. (1992). Language intervention and disruptive behavior in preschool children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 22(2), 141-153.

4. Machalicek, W., O’Reilly, M. F., Beretvas, N., Sigafoos, J., Lancioni, G., & Sorrells, A. (2007). A review of school-based instructional interventions for students with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1(3), 304-323.

5. Carter, A. S., & Van Hecke, A. V. (2005). Stress in families of children with autism spectrum disorder. In F. R. Volkmar, R. Paul, A. Klin, & D. Cohen (Eds.), Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders (pp. 879-893). John Wiley & Sons.

6. Stahmer, A. C., Schreibman, L., & Cunningham, A. B. (2011). Toward a technology of treatment individualization for young children with autism spectrum disorders. Brain Research, 1380, 229-239.

Keep in Touch!

• Website: Autism-Talk.com

• Email: RainbowAutismResources.com
  

Feel free to share this blog post with friends, family, and fellow educators. Enjoy your summer!