Tips for a Successful School Vacation Week
A school vacation week can be a difficult and trying time for a child with autism. Many children with autism thrive in structure and predictability. It’s impossible for a family to recreate the same structure provided at school. However, there are a few things you can do to help make the week go smoothly. Here are our tips for a successful school vacation week and a free downloadable tool kit.
1. Bring communication devices home.
If your child uses augmentative communication (such as an iPad or a PECS book), your child should have access to it outside of school hours. It is your child’s voice. Unfortunately, it is not always the case. A few weeks before break, send an email to the school requesting the communication device be sent home for your child to use.
2. Schedule additional in-home services.
If your child receives in-home services from an ABA or PCA provider, ask them to schedule extra sessions this week. This will help provide additional structure and support. This is a great time to do make-up hours. If you are low on hours, the providers can submit a request to the insurance company for additional hours. Finding staff is extremely difficult, so making this request as early as possible is essential.
3. Get copies of current behavior plans.
If your child has a behavior plan at school, it’s important you have a current copy. This will help ensure consistency across all environments. If you do not have an updated copy, ask the teacher of BCBA for a meeting to review the current behavior plan. Are there strategies you can implement at home? For example, a child may use a token board in school. It could use this token board at home as well. We have provided you with a free printable token board below.
4. Use visuals support at home.
Visual supports are often very helpful for children with autism. Check in with our child’s teacher to see what visual supports they use at school. These can often be used at home as well. You can ask for copies to be sent home to use during the break. We have also included a free printable visual schedule for you to use below.
5. Use calendars to structure the week.
Use a calendar to help structure the week. It can be helpful for your child to see what activities are planned and provide structure for the week. Your child may also benefit from knowing when they go back to school. In the tool kit below, we have provided several different options. Pick the style that works best for you.
6. Teach a new skill.
Is there a skill you have held off working on due to the time commitment it would require? This could include toilet or sleep training. Vacation week is the perfect time to tackle these skills. If you have in-home provides, collaborate with them to develop a plan.
7. Address home safety concerns before break.
Your child will be spending more time than usual at home. Before vacation week, address any outstanding safety concerns. Are there any exposed outlets? Has your child been trying to open the window? Has your child been trying to leave the home? You can avoid potentially dangerous situations by addressing safety concerns before vacation week. If you struggle to find a solution, check out our home safety assessments for support.
Download your Free School Vacation Week Tool Kit
This free tool contains everything you need to help make the week go smoothly. It contains a data tracking form, a ABC chart, token boards, calendars, visuals and more.
