• Worksheets keep your special needs or atypical child busy during those long breaks, such as Spring, Winter, or Fall Breaks. It can become tiring to hear “Mom, I am bored” every day, hour ond minute. LOL! So, it is imperative to find online worksheets mostly FREE that engage you kids and keep them not only occupied but learning something new as well.

• Chores are great to teach your children responsibility, life skills, adaptability, and social skills as well.

• Cooking is something everyone should learn in their lifetime, but when it comes to an individual on the spectrum, this is literally life changing and so important. So, during these downtimes from homeschooling breaks, cooking anything and everything is a must and just to have them in the kitchen watching what you do and participating is teaching them a life skill.

• Playing Games is fun for the entire family, but especially for special needs individuals, who may need to work on taking turns and patience, but especially how to lose gracefully without a meltdown, right? All things that need to be learned and practiced every day, even if it is a game of UNO or Sorry.

• Organization is something that we all need to do from time to time to keep our heads clear, but also our spaces clear as well. We are currently cleaning out our son’s bedroom of clothes, knickknacks, and anything else that he has had for over 5 years or more (maybe even less). Our autistic son, as well as I tend to hang on to stuff that we really don’t need but sometimes have an emotional attachment to. Helping your son or daughter clean out their closets, drawers, etc. is teaching them the value of organization and letting go. If you haven’t used, worn, or played items in your home it is time to donate them.

I hope this gives you a place to start when it comes to long holiday breaks and how to use this time wisely and teach them life skills to last a lifetime.

~M.