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The “Routine Gap”: Fort Myers ABA Therapy Tips for Maintaining Your Child’s Progress During Winter Break
‘Tis the season and the halls are decked, the house smells like cookies, and your child is buzzing with excitement about two glorious weeks of freedom. While winter break is a wonderful time for family connection and holiday magic, many parents of our Fort Myers ABA therapy patients have noted something concerning when regular schedules resume in January: their child seems to have taken a few steps backward with certain skills they’d worked so hard to master.
We call this the “Routine Gap”—and it’s more common than you might think. Preparing for it now can make a big difference when it’s time to get back to “real life” in a few weeks.
Why Does Regression Happen During Break?
The consistency of school routines, therapy sessions, and structured learning creates powerful neural pathways in developing brains. When these routines suddenly get thrown for a few weeks, children — especially those receiving Fort Myers ABA therapy, speech therapy, or occupational therapy — can experience what therapists call “skill regression.”
But here’s the good news: regression during break can be reversed, and often prevented. You don’t need to turn your home into a classroom or sacrifice holiday fun. With some creative planning, you can keep your child’s progress alive through activities that feel like pure play. (After all, play is how children learn best!)
Your Winter Break Therapy Maintenance Checklist
For Speech Therapy Goals
✓ Holiday Cooking Projects Baking cookies isn’t just delicious. It’s a speech therapy goldmine! Use it to practice:
- Following multi-step directions (“First crack the egg, then pour it into the bowl”)
- Sequencing words (“first,” “next,” “then,” “finally”)
- Describing textures and temperatures (“sticky dough,” “hot oven”)
- New vocabulary (whisk, spatula, sprinkle, frost)
✓ Story Time with a Twist Instead of just reading, pause frequently and ask:
- “What do you think happens next?”
- “How does that character feel?”
- “Can you tell me what happened so far?” This reinforces narrative skills and expressive language without feeling like work.
✓ “I Spy” During Holiday Drives Stuck in traffic looking at lights? Play targeted “I Spy” games:
- For articulation: “I spy something that starts with /s/”
- For categories: “I spy something you wear”
- For describing: “I spy something red and shiny”
For ABA Therapy Goals
As a leading Fort Myers ABA therapy clinic, we know that maintaining behavioral gains requires consistency—but that doesn’t mean drilling flashcards during vacation!
✓ Build Choice-Making into Daily Routines Practice decision-making skills naturally:
- “Do you want apple slices or orange slices?”
- “Should we read this book or that book?”
- “Red shirt or blue shirt today?”
This reinforces autonomy and communication while preventing prompt dependency.
✓ Turn Waiting into Learning Holiday season means lots of waiting—at restaurants, in checkout lines, visiting relatives. Use this time to practice:
- Taking turns during simple games on your phone
- Waiting quietly for 2-3 minutes (start small!)
- Using appropriate indoor voice levels
- Greeting people and making eye contact
✓ Create a Visual Schedule for Break Days Just because school is out doesn’t mean structure should disappear. Make a simple visual schedule showing:
- Morning routine (get dressed, eat breakfast)
- Activity blocks (play time, outing, quiet time)
- Evening routine (dinner, bath, bedtime)
Visual schedules reduce anxiety and help maintain the behavioral gains your child has made at our Fort Myers ABA therapy clinic.
✓ Practice Social Skills During Family Gatherings Holiday parties are perfect for working on:
- Greetings and farewells
- Sharing and turn-taking with cousins
- Asking for items instead of grabbing
- Staying seated during meals
Prep your child beforehand with social stories about what to expect, and celebrate small wins afterward.
For Occupational Therapy Goals
✓ Fine Motor Skill Builders Disguised as Crafts
- Stringing popcorn or beads for garland (hand-eye coordination)
- Wrapping small presents with tape (finger strength)
- Making paper snowflakes (scissor skills)
- Playing with Play-Doh or modeling clay (hand strengthening)
✓ Sensory Activities with Holiday Themes
- Build a sensory bin with rice, small ornaments, and scoops
- Make “snow” with shaving cream and baking soda
- Create textured ornaments with different materials
- Bake gingerbread for olfactory input
✓ Gross Motor Movement Breaks Keep those big muscles working:
- Dance parties to holiday music
- “Reindeer races” across the yard
- Building snowmen (or sand sculptures if you’re in Florida!)
- Obstacle courses through the house
The 15-Minute Daily Rule
Pro tip: you don’t need hours of structured activities to prevent regression. Just 15 minutes of intentional, play-based practice each day can maintain skills.
Set a daily “play date” with your child where you incorporate their therapy goals into games they already love. Building with blocks? Add requesting language and turn-taking. Playing with dolls? Practice social scripts and emotional vocabulary. The key is consistency, not perfection.
When to Reach Out for Support
While mild skill maintenance is normal during break, reach out to your therapy team if you notice:
- Significant loss of previously mastered skills
- Increased challenging behaviors
- Heightened anxiety or resistance to former routines
- Difficulty re-engaging with familiar activities
At FOCUS Therapy, our Fort Myers ABA therapy clinic team, along with our speech and occupational therapists, are always here to provide guidance—even during the holiday season.
Planning Ahead: The Smooth Re-Entry
About three days before your regular routine resumes, start reintroducing structure:
- Resume normal bedtimes and wake times
- Bring back visual schedules
- Review school/therapy routines and expectations
- Talk about exciting things coming up at school/therapy
This “bridge period” helps children transition back without the shock of going from zero structure to their regular, full-day routines.
Remember: Progress, Not Perfection
The holidays should be joyful, not stressful. If you skip a day of “therapy homework” because you’re building memories with extended family or just need a cozy movie day, that’s absolutely okay. Encouraged! The goal isn’t to replicate your child’s full therapy schedule at home. It’s simply to keep skills active through natural, playful interaction.
The “Routine Gap” is real, but with a little creativity and 15 minutes of daily intention, you can help your child start the new year strong, ready to build on all the incredible progress they’ve made.
FOCUS Therapy is a comprehensive pediatric therapy clinic in Fort Myers, FL, offering ABA therapy, ADOS testing, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, and behavior consulting for parents.
Additional Resources:
Preparing for the Holidays, Oct. 14, 2024, By Claudia Addeo, MS, Autism Parenting Magazine
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