Keeping Routines Steady Through a Busy Holiday Season

November brings excitement, celebrations, and opportunities to connect with family and friends. It can also bring changes to the routines students depend on. Shortened school weeks, special events, substitute teachers, travel plans, and shifts in transportation can make familiar days feel less predictable.

For some students, these changes can affect participation, communication, and independence. A little preparation can help students understand what to expect, navigate transitions, and take part in new experiences with greater confidence.

At STAR Autism Support®, we know that predictable routines and individualized supports can make a meaningful difference. This month, we're sharing practical ways to prepare for seasonal changes, maintain consistency across settings, and help students build skills they can use throughout the holiday season and beyond.

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Start With a Familiar Structure 

When the calendar gets busy, familiar routines can provide a helpful foundation. Even when activities change, keeping some parts of the day consistent gives students a recognizable starting point.

Consider maintaining a familiar order for circle time, literacy, math, small groups, and other daily activities whenever possible. If a school day is shortened or a special event interrupts the usual schedule, plan ahead for how students will move through the adjusted day.

The Themes First! unit Thankful for Friends offers a predictable monthly structure with weekly lesson plans and a Monthly Calendar for organizing classroom activities. Theme Extension Activities provide additional options for shortened weeks, schedule adjustments, or days when plans need to change, while the free Classroom Name Labels can help students identify their spaces and materials when classroom arrangements or staffing change.

Try this: Identify which parts of the daily schedule can stay the same during a holiday week. Make those routines visible, and clearly communicate any changes to the activities that will look different.

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Make Changes Easier to Understand

A change is often easier to navigate when students know what is happening, what comes next, and what is expected of them. The "My Schedule Might Change" Discussion Story helps students understand that changes happen and how to manage when they do.

• Routine Essentials: "My Schedule Might Change" Discussion Story (Primary)

• Routine Teaching Units: "My Schedule Might Change" Discussion Story (Secondary) (English | Español)

Remember that preparation looks different for every learner. Some students may benefit from reviewing a visual schedule at the beginning of the day. Others may need an individual preview immediately before a change, additional practice, or a familiar support they can carry between settings.

Try this: Before a schedule change, review the familiar routine with students. Show what will stay the same, identify what will be different, and make the next step clear. When plans change unexpectedly, update the visual support and help students understand the new plan.

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Practice Transitions Before They Happen

Arrival, dismissal, moving between classrooms, and traveling to unfamiliar places can all become more complicated during the holiday season. Rather than waiting until a change occurs, educators can use everyday instruction to practice the skills students will need.

Links® Routine Teaching Units offer opportunities to teach and practice routines in meaningful contexts.

• Transition Strategies: Practice following visual or written schedules and moving between activities, classrooms, and locations with the Transition Supports: Changing Activities Sequence Strip (English | Español).

• Going to and Leaving School: Teach arrival and dismissal steps, including managing materials, greeting others, and following school procedures, using the Arrival Checklist or Transportation Home Chart.

• Planning for a Trip: Help students explore trip planning, scheduling, packing, transportation, and other travel skills with the "Planning for a Trip" Social Script.

These routines can be especially useful before school breaks, special events, or planned family travel. Practicing familiar steps ahead of time gives students opportunities to build independence and become more familiar with what a new experience may involve.

Try this: Choose one routine that will change this month. Break it into manageable steps, identify where students may need support, and practice those steps before the actual event. For travel, this might mean reviewing a packing sequence, discussing transportation, or using a visual or social script to preview an unfamiliar experience.

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Make Changes Visual

Visual supports make changes concrete. A wall or portable schedule shows the day. First-then charts show what’s happening now and what comes next. Line Up Cards help with moving between locations.

Use a sequence strip to show the steps of an activity. Pair the template with the matching pictures so you have everything you need:

• Routine Essentials: Transition Sequence Strip Template (English | Español) + Transition Routine Pictures (English | Español)

• Routine Teaching Units: Changing Activities Sequence Strip (English | Español)

Every learner prepares differently. Some students need to review the schedule each morning. Others need a preview right before the change, or a familiar support they can carry with them.

Try this: Before a change, show what stays the same, what’s different, and what comes next. If plans change unexpectedly, update the visual and walk through the new plan.

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Plan for Consistency Across People and Settings

School isn't the only place students experience routines. Holiday schedules may also affect family activities, transportation arrangements, community outings, and time spent with caregivers. When the adults supporting a student share information and use familiar strategies, it can be easier to maintain continuity across these settings.

Consider communicating schedule changes to families in advance. Share relevant visual supports or routine information that caregivers can use at home. At school, make sure staff members know about changes to arrival and dismissal plans, classroom responsibilities, and student supports.

Arrival and Departure resources can help teams organize transportation information during weeks when pick-up and drop-off arrangements may differ. The Routine Essentials Routine Planning Form (Primary) and the Routine Teaching Units Teaching Routines Planning Form (Secondary) provides a structured way to prepare for these changes and support consistency across settings. The Riding in a Vehicle Sequence Strip (English | Español) can also help students understand and anticipate the steps involved in traveling by car or other vehicles, especially when transportation routines change.

Try this: Before a break or special event, identify the information families and staff need to know. Share changes to schedules, transportation, and familiar routines early, and provide any visual supports that may help everyone prepare.

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Explore More Resources From STAR Autism Support

Looking for practical ways to prepare your classroom for the holiday season?

Explore the STAR Media Center for Themes First!, Routine Essentials, and classroom planning resources. For additional instruction in everyday routines and life skills, explore the Links Curriculum and its Routine Teaching Units. Connect with our team to learn more.

You can also join our FREE WEBINAR, Keeping Routines Steady Through Seasonal Changes, Celebrations, and Special Events, on November 11. Explore practical strategies to reduce uncertainty, support communication and self-advocacy, and help learners navigate everyday transitions with confidence.

Register for Keeping Routines Steady Through Seasonal Changes, Celebrations, and Special Events →

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