How to prepare a child with autism for the return to school: a practical guide for a smoother transition
Learn how to prepare a child with autism for the return to school using a gradual transition, organization, visual supports, and stress-reduction strategies.
9/4/202612 min read
Going back to school can feel like starting all over again
For many families, the return to school means buying supplies, getting uniforms ready, and settling back into regular schedules.
But for a child with autism, going back to school can involve much more.
Schedules suddenly change.
They have to get up earlier.
School transportation starts up again.
Crowded hallways reappear.
Classes, teachers, classmates, the cafeteria, recess, and all the demands of the school day return.
Even if the child is already familiar with the school, the shift from vacation mode to the school routine may require a period of readjustment. Preparing for this transition in advance, practicing the routine, and making changes visible can help make those first few days more manageable.
The good news is that you don’t have to wait until the first day to get started.
You can prepare for the return gradually.
1. Don’t wait until the first day to change the schedule
It is normal for schedules to become more relaxed during the holidays.
Perhaps the child goes to bed later.
Wakes up later.
Eats at different times.
Has more time to play.
The problem arises when everything changes overnight.
A gentler strategy is to gradually shift the schedule closer to the one they will follow during the school term.
For example:
Vacation: waking up at 9:00.
Then:
8:30 → 8:00 → 7:30.
The same can be done with bedtime.
You don’t need to change everything in a single day.
Gradually adjusting sleep and morning schedules can ensure the first day doesn't feel like such a jarring change.
2. Gradually get back into the morning routine
A school morning involves many steps.
Waking up.
Using the bathroom.
Getting dressed.
Eating breakfast.
Brushing teeth.
Packing the backpack.
Putting on shoes.
Leaving.
During the holidays, some of these steps may have fallen by the wayside.
That’s why you can start practicing the sequence a few days in advance.
You don’t need to get up at the exact school-day time right away.
You can simply practice the order of events.
For example:
Wake up → bathroom → clothes → breakfast → teeth → backpack → shoes.
Repetition helps make the sequence feel familiar again.
3. Create a visual schedule specifically for the return to school
You don’t have to use the same schedule you use during the rest of the year.
You can create a special one for the first few days.
MY SCHOOL MORNING
🛏️ Wake up
🚽 Bathroom
👕 Get dressed
🥣 Breakfast
🪥 Brush teeth
🎒 Backpack
👟 Shoes
🚌 School
You can use photographs, pictograms, drawings, or words.
Visual aids can help represent the sequence of activities, anticipate transitions, and foster greater independence.
4. Start talking about school before going back
Don't wait until the night before.
You can gradually introduce conversations about the return.
But avoid turning every conversation into:
“Are you nervous about going back?”
That can cause the entire conversation to focus on worry.
You can also talk about specific details:
“You’ll see your classroom again.”
“You’ll take your backpack.”
“There will be a new routine.”
“After school, we’ll come back home.”
Conversations can be simple and concrete.
5. Use photos of the school
A photograph can explain something that many words fail to convey.
If possible, get images of:
the entrance
the classroom
the playground
the cafeteria
the restroom
the teacher
the pickup spot
You can create a small album:
- “My return to school”
This is my school.
This is my entrance.
This is my classroom.
This is where my teacher will be.
This is where I’ll keep my backpack.
After school, I’ll come back home.
Transition resources for autistic children recommend—whenever possible—becoming familiar with the building beforehand and using photographs or visual stories.
6. Visit before the first day
One of the most useful strategies is to return to the school before classes begin.
You don’t need to plan a long visit.
It can simply be:
arrive → enter → see the classroom → walk around the space → leave.
For some children, a second visit might include meeting the teacher.
A third visit could involve practicing the route to the classroom.
Gradual familiarization can reduce the number of unknown elements encountered all at once on the first day.
7. Practice the route to school
Whether the child walks to school or takes the bus, car, or another form of transport, you can practice the journey.
You can do a trial run before the first day:
leave home → arrive at school → identify the entrance → return.
If they use school transport, you can also practice:
getting ready → leaving → waiting → boarding → arriving.
Transport-related transitions can become an added challenge, especially when the route, schedule, or vehicle changes. Practicing beforehand can help make the sequence more familiar.
8. Pack the backpack together with the child
The backpack can serve as a tool for anticipating what’s to come.
Instead of packing it entirely while the child is away, you can involve them.
For example:
“First, we put in the books.”
“Then, the water bottle.”
“Now, the pencil case.”
“The backpack is ready.”
This turns an everyday object into a signal:
“School is coming up.”
You can also go over which items will be different this year.
9. Don’t introduce everything new at once
New backpack.
New shoes.
New clothes.
New teacher.
New classroom.
New route.
New schedule.
All on the same day.
For some children, too many new things happening at once can be hard to process.
Whenever possible, introduce some elements beforehand.
You can try out the shoes.
Use the backpack for an outing.
Visit the classroom.
Meet the teacher.
That way, when the first day arrives, some things will already be familiar.
10. Talk to the school before starting
This step is very important.
The family shouldn't have to handle the entire transition on their own.
You can share relevant information with the teacher and the appropriate staff.
For example:
What helps the child calm down.
Which stimuli are difficult for them.
How they communicate that they need help.
What signs indicate they are starting to feel overwhelmed.
Which changes tend to be particularly challenging for them.
School transition guidelines also highlight the importance of sharing information about the child's needs with the educational team and, where appropriate, planning specific supports.
11. Ask about the small details that shape the day
Sometimes parents prepare for the return thinking only about:
“Who will the teacher be?”
But there are other important questions.
- Ask:
Where will they sit?
Where will they keep their things?
What will recess be like?
Where will they eat?
Who will pick them up?
What happens if they need to use the restroom?
Where can they go if they need a break?
What happens during a different type of activity?
The more concrete information the family has, the easier it will be to prepare the child.
12. Identify potential sensory challenges
School can be very different from home.
There may be:
bells
voices
moving chairs
crowded hallways
lights
smells
physical contact
noise in the cafeteria
If you know that certain stimuli are difficult for your child, let the school know in advance.
You can also discuss reasonable accommodations with the school, within their capabilities.
Supports can vary greatly from one child to another.
There is no universal sensory solution.
13. Prepare a plan for difficult moments
It is not enough to simply think:
“Let’s hope everything goes well.”
It is better to think:
“What will we do if things get complicated?”
For example:
- If the child becomes overwhelmed by noise:
Can they use a coping strategy they already know?
- If they need a break:
Is there a quiet space available?
- If the teacher changes:
Who can explain the change to them?
- If transportation is late:
Who will accompany them?
A "Plan B" can reduce stress for the whole family.
14. Practice how to ask for help at school
This is a particularly important skill.
The child can learn a simple way to communicate:
“I need help.”
“I need a break.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I want to go to the bathroom.”
“Too much noise.”
Communication can be verbal, gestural, visual, or via an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system, depending on the child's needs.
Practicing these signals before classes start can make them easier to use when the child really needs them.
15. Don’t focus only on what might go wrong
It is important to prepare for challenges.
But it is also important to build realistic, positive expectations.
You can talk about:
their favorite place
an activity they enjoy
recess
a classmate they know
a subject they like
a teacher they feel comfortable with
This doesn't mean saying:
“Everything will be perfect.”
It means showing that school involves familiar elements and experiences that can be enjoyable.
16. Use a visual countdown
For some children, saying:
“There are two weeks left.”
can be too abstract.
You can use a calendar.
For example:
7 DAYS TO SCHOOL
7 → 6 → 5 → 4 → 3 → 2 → 1 → SCHOOL
Each day can be marked off in a simple way.
A countdown can help turn an abstract date into something visible and understandable.
But pay attention to the child's reaction. If looking at the calendar increases your anxiety, you can use it only during the last few days.
17. Do a morning dry run
A few days beforehand, do a quick practice run.
Set the alarm.
Get up.
Get dressed.
Have breakfast.
Pack the backpack.
Put on shoes.
Leave the house.
You don't need to physically go all the way to the school.
The goal of the practice run is to check:
Where do we get held up?
Which part causes stress?
What do we need to prepare the night before?
This helps parents, too.
18. Prepare the night before
A calm morning often starts the night before.
You can get the following ready:
clothes
backpack
shoes
breakfast
water bottle
school supplies
It’s even better if the child helps with the preparation.
This reduces the number of decisions that need to be made in the morning.
19. Allow extra time during the first few days
The first few days might take longer.
The child might stop along the way.
They might need to check their schedule.
They might forget something.
They might get distracted.
They might need a break.
So, try not to plan the morning with only a five-minute margin.
A few extra minutes can significantly reduce the pressure.
NHS recommendations for helping autistic children with the school commute also advise allowing extra time whenever possible and using advance warnings for transitions.
20. Don't expect the first day to be perfect
This point is crucial.
The child might get ready perfectly well and still have a hard day.
They might cry.
They might be tired.
They might need to rest when they get home.
They might be more irritable.
They might sleep poorly.
That doesn't necessarily mean the transition is failing.
The first day involves many demands.
For some children, the impact is seen even after they return home.
Behavior after school can also tell a story.
A child might spend the whole day trying hard to adjust.
When they get home, they might:
crying
withdrawing
being very tired
seeking silence
showing more repetitive behaviors
having lower tolerance for demands
That is why it is not always a good idea to fill the afternoon of the first day with extra tasks.
They may need:
food + rest + a familiar activity + low demands.
After-school behavior can provide information about how much effort the day required and what supports might be needed during transitions.
A very useful strategy: “school → recovery”
During the first few days, you might consider a sequence like this:
School
↓
Arriving home
↓
Afternoon snack
↓
Rest
↓
Pleasant activity
↓
Dinner
↓
Bedtime routine
Not all children need this structure.
But it can be helpful for those who arrive home especially tired or overwhelmed.
What should you do if the child says, “I don’t want to go back to school”?
Don’t immediately dismiss the statement.
It could mean many things.
They might be worried about:
the noise
a teacher
a subject
a classmate
the cafeteria
transportation
a past experience
fatigue
separation from parents
a demand they consider too difficult
Instead of just saying:
“You have to go.”
you could try:
“Tell me what is difficult.”
If talking is difficult, you can offer options:
Is it the noise?
The class?
The bus?
The cafeteria?
Recess?
This can help uncover a specific problem that can be addressed.
The first few days: observe before changing everything
It can be tempting to make ten changes after a difficult day.
But try to observe.
What worked?
What didn't work?
When did the problem arise?
Was it in the morning?
At recess?
In the cafeteria?
Upon returning home?
Was there an unexpected change?
With that information, you’ll be able to speak to the school in much more concrete terms.
The 7-day routine
Here is a plan parents can use.
7 days before
Gradually shift schedules closer to the school routine.
Talk briefly about the return to school.
Prepare a visual schedule.
6 days before
Look at photos of the school.
Talk about the classroom and the people who will be there.
5 days before
Practice the morning routine.
Check how much time is actually needed.
4 days before
Pack the backpack.
Try on clothes and shoes.
3 days before
Practice the route to school or the commute.
Review what will happen upon arrival.
2 days before
Do a full run-through of the morning routine.
Get everything ready for the first day.
Review the plan for asking for help or taking a break.
1 day before
Don't introduce a flood of new information.
Simply review:
morning → school → classroom → teacher → routine → coming home.
Lay out clothes and pack the backpack.
Afterward, return to a quiet activity.
The first day
The morning routine should be as clear as possible.
You can use:
“Now: breakfast.”
“Then: shoes.”
“Then: school.”
Avoid giving too many last-minute explanations.
Upon arrival at school, use the same information you practiced.
If visual aids are available, use them.
And when the day ends:
“School is over. Now we’re going home.”
What to do after the first day?
Don't immediately turn the afternoon into an interrogation.
Instead of:
“What happened?”
“Did you like it?”
“What did the teacher do?”
“Who did you play with?”
...you might let them rest first.
Later, you can ask a very specific question:
“What was the best part of the day?”
or
“What was hard?”
You can also use drawings, images, or a simple scale if that form of communication is more accessible to them.
If the first day was difficult
Don't think:
“Everything went wrong.”
Think:
“What did this day teach us?”
Perhaps we discover:
the cafeteria is too noisy.
Then we can talk to the school.
Perhaps:
*the transition between classes is too fast.
We can look for a support strategy.
Perhaps:
the morning needs more time.
We can get up earlier.
Perhaps:
the child needs a break after getting home.
We can reduce afternoon demands.
A difficult day can turn into useful information for adjusting the next one.
What NOT to do before returning to school
❌ Changing the entire routine all at once
Make gradual changes whenever possible.
❌ Constantly talking about how worrying school will be
Keep the conversation balanced and concrete.
❌ Promising that everything will be exactly the same
Changes can happen.
It is better to explain:
“This is the plan. If anything changes, we will explain it to you.”
❌ Expecting the child to remember every step
Use visual aids when needed.
❌ Filling the first few days with extra activities
They may need time to recover.
❌ Immediately interpreting refusal as misbehavior
First, try to figure out what is making the transition difficult.
Parent Checklist
Before returning to school, check:
☐ Is the sleep schedule close to the school schedule?
☐ Have we practiced the morning routine?
☐ Is the backpack ready?
☐ Is the child familiar with the school?
☐ Do we have photos of the classroom and key areas?
☐ Do they know their teacher or who it will be?
☐ Is the school aware of their main needs?
☐ Do we know how they communicate that they need help?
☐ Do we have a plan for moments of overwhelm?
☐ Have we practiced the commute?
☐ Is there extra time during the first few mornings?
☐ Do we know what they will do after getting home?
☐ Do we have a backup plan if something changes?
The idea that can make the biggest difference
Don't try to prepare the child for “school” as if it were a single thing.
School is made up of many experiences. Getting up.
Getting dressed.
Leaving.
Traveling.
Entering.
Finding the classroom.
Sitting down.
Learning.
Recess.
Lunchroom.
Transitions.
Returning home.
When you break the return to school down into small steps, it becomes much easier to identify where support is needed.
Conclusion
Preparing a child with autism to return to class does not mean ensuring they feel no anxiety at all.
Nor does it mean creating a routine so rigid that nothing can ever change.
It means reducing the unknown and increasing the amount of useful information the child has before starting.
Gradually adjusting schedules, practicing morning routines, visiting the school, getting familiar with the spaces, preparing materials, talking to the educational team, and using visual aids are strategies that can ease the transition.
But it is also important to acknowledge a key reality:
the first day can be difficult, even with excellent preparation.
That doesn't mean you’ve done anything wrong.
Observe.
Listen.
Adjust.
And try again.
The goal isn't a perfect return.
The goal is a return the child can manage with the support they need.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start preparing my child to go back to school?
There is no single right date for every child. Some may benefit from several weeks of preparation, especially if a major change is involved. Others might feel more anxious if the return is discussed too far in advance. Observe how your child responds and adjust the preparation timeline accordingly.
How can I reduce anxiety about returning to school?
Make the return more concrete: use photographs, visit the school, practice the morning routine, prepare materials, and explain what will happen step-by-step.
Should I change bedtime before school starts?
It can be helpful to gradually shift the bedtime closer to the school schedule, rather than making an abrupt change right before the first day.
Can a visual schedule help with the return to school?
It can help some children understand the morning routine, anticipate transitions, and know which activity comes next. You can use photographs, drawings, words, or a combination of these.
Should we visit the school before the first day?
Whenever possible, yes—it can be very helpful. A preliminary visit allows the child to become familiar with the building, the classroom, and key people before the full school day begins.
What should I do if my child doesn't want to go back to school?
Don't ignore their reluctance. Try to identify which part of the experience is worrying them—transportation, noise, the classroom, the teacher, recess, the cafeteria, academic demands, or a past experience. Then, share this information with the school to discuss possible adjustments.
What should I do if my child has a meltdown after coming home from school?
Focus on recovery first, not demands. Reduce sensory input, allow time for rest, and reflect on what happened during the day. An intense reaction after school can be a sign that the child has built up a lot of stress throughout the day.
Should I ask the school for accommodations?
Yes. When a specific need interferes with access, participation, or school transitions, it is reasonable to communicate this to the educational team and discuss what supports can be implemented within the school setting.
What happens if the first day goes badly?
It doesn't mean the year will go badly. Use the first day as a source of information: identify the most difficult moment, what triggered the problem, and what support might make things easier next time.
Explore
Join us in the adventure of parenting.
Resources
Support
2021 © 2025. All rights reserved.