By Shannon Lopez – Clinical Psychologist

For many families, the festive season and summer school holiday period signals a time to celebrate and reflect on the year gone by, and to decompress from the modern families often gruelling schedule of school, work, sport and other activities. Whilst this time may still represent this for neurodivergent families and children, the festive period is often more challenging.

Neurodivergent children, especially autistic and ADHD children, rely on predictable routines to feel safe, regulated and confident. Though the routine and schedule of school and after school activities, followed by the weekend, can often be difficult to manage for these children and their families, it is often the absence of this predictability which is even more difficult to cope with. When school ends, daily timetables loosen, new people appear, environments change and expectations shift, the result can be heightened anxiety, sensory overload, meltdowns or withdrawal.

The festive season is full of demanding social gatherings, expectations, crowds, noise and loud music, bright lights and unpredictable changes in routine. In short: when predictable patterns shift, children who rely on them for regulation may struggle.

Strategies for maintaining a sense of structure and calm

While you might not be able to rigidly “copy” the school-term routine during a holiday, you can build in anchors so that your child still feels grounded. Here are some effective strategies:

1. Keep key anchors

Focus first on the “big three” – roughly consistent mealtimes, sleep/bed-wake windows, and some daily “quiet time.” For example, even if the day’s activities differ, try to keep breakfast and dinner at similar times and ensure a wind-down routine before bed. Research highlights that for neurodivergent kids, this kind of predictability helps reduce anxiety.

2. Use visual schedules and prepare for change

Visual timetables, countdowns or social stories about “what will happen today” give children a glimpse of the day ahead and help to they reduce uncertainty.

If a big change, or something different to the usual routine is happening, it can be helpful to talk about it ahead of time, show photos  or role play or walk through the plan

This can help the “unexpected” feel a bit more familiar. Examples of events where it might be helpful to storyboard it out, and walk it through with your child might be Christmas Day, sleepovers, parties, road trips, or anything that is a bit different to usual. Other examples of when this might be helpful is to help children feel more prepared for what is expected of them, such as when an extended family member gives them a present and they don’t know what to expect.

3. Build in downtime and sensory-safe spaces

Holiday activities often ramp up in stimulation—new people, new environments, more noise. It is helpful to understand using the “spoon method” or energy budgeting what is likely to drain your energy, and what is likely to give you some energy back. Proactively scheduling rest and downtime ensures that big energy drainers can be navigated more smoothly, and also helps to set realistic expectations for everyone’s regulation abilities.

4. Be pragmatic with expectations and let go of “perfect”

For neurodivergent children and for families, the holiday mindset of “everything should be magical and perfect” can create additional pressure. It’s okay to pick what works, skip what doesn’t, and redefine traditions.

Holiday Programs via Spencer Health

When holidays hit, having a rough schedule in place and to be able to return to familiar environments can be really helpful.

Our School Holiday Programs are extensions of their KidsLink Social Skills Groups—designed with a neurodiversity-affirming foundation and themed around interests like Minecraft, LEGO, Roblox and more. These groups provide:

• Structured, low-demand inclusive sessions where kids can socialise and build skills without pressure.
• Opportunity for children to spend part of holidays in a predictable, supportive environment rather than complete unstructured time.

This kind of “bridge” between school term and holiday can reduce the “gap” in routine and help maintain momentum in regulation, social-skills and connection. For many families, these are a practical extra layer of support beyond what parents manage at home—especially helpful when holiday pressures (travel, family events, sensory overload) intensify.

In summary

Holidays don’t have to be a time of increased stress for neurodivergent children. With intentional planning, some stabilising anchors and the right support, you can help your child thrive through change. Keep routines flexible yet grounded, include choice and downtime and acknowledge when things feel hard.

To find out more about our school holiday programs, keep an eye on our website https://spencerhealth.com.au/school-holiday-program/ or get in touch at groups@spencerhealth.com.au or on 1300 PSYCE (1300 799 243) to register your interest an secure your spot.