Keeping Calm and Thankful: Supports for the Holiday Break
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, many families are preparing for changes in routine, travel, and time away from school. For some children, especially those who thrive on structure, these changes can bring extra stress.
To help make the transition smoother, LASARD has created a set of Thanksgiving-themed supports you can use at home or on the go:
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🗓 Visual Schedule: A simple, picture-based schedule to help your child understand what’s happening next during Thanksgiving break.
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📖 Social Narrative: A short story that explains what Thanksgiving is, who your child might see, and what they might do — helping them know what to expect.
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🔔 Change Alert: A tool for preparing your child when plans or routines change — before, during, or after the holiday.
These resources can help reduce anxiety, build independence, and create a more enjoyable experience for the whole family.
Thanksgiving Social Narrative
Help your child or students know what to expect during schedule changes with our Priming for Thanksgiving Break social narrative.
✅ Preview what will happen during the break
✅ Talk about what might look different at home
✅ Reduce anxiety and build confidence through predictability
Visual supports like this help students feel calm, prepared, and ready to enjoy time with family.
Change Alert
Change can be hard — especially when routines look different! 🚌➡️🏡
Our “Change Alert” visual helps students understand that during Thanksgiving break, they’ll stay home
instead of going to school.
Use this visual to:
✅ Prepare for changes in daily routines
✅ Reduce anxiety and confusion
✅ Support smooth transitions between school and home
Visual supports like this make schedule changes more predictable and comforting for students.
Visual Schedule
Help your child or student prepare for changes in routine with a Thanksgiving-themed visual schedule!
Visual schedules are great tools for easing anxiety, building independence, and helping learners understand what to expect before, during, and after the holiday. This special version includes visuals for both school days and home days, so families can stay consistent and reduce stress leading up to the break.
Perfect for:
✅ Students who thrive on routine
✅ Families wanting smoother transitions
✅ Teachers preparing for holiday activities
