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Spring Transitions: Helping your child adjust to the transition from winter to spring

MARCH 31, 2025

Spring is full of changes – longer days, blooming flowers and warmer weather. But for children
with autism and sensory sensitivities, these shifts can also be overwhelming. A new season can introduce
unfamiliar elements, such as changes in temperatures, new smells and sounds, and increased outdoor activity can
disrupt their sense of routine.

The good news? There’s a lot to adapt to when transitioning from winter to spring, so understanding common
challenges and preparing in advance can help make the transition smoother and more enjoyable for your child.

We’re sharing some practical tips and strategies to help your child cope better with springtime changes while
keeping their sensory needs and safety top of mind.

Helping your child transition: 3 practical tips

1. Talking about what to expect

We all appreciate the feeling of being ready and prepared. Taking the time to talk to your child about upcoming
changes in a new season can help them feel more confident and familiar with what’s to come.

Using visual supports like pictures, videos or social stories, can be a great way to introduce spring-related concepts
and explain the anticipated changes. This can include:

  • Describing changes in temperature, smells and sounds and how their senses might react
  • Showing them examples of new animals or bugs they might see
  • Explaining how they’ll be switching from their winter clothes to spring outfits
  • Discuss potential changes in their daily routines, especially with spring and summer break or later sunsets
    affecting bedtime

Every child is different, so find the approach that works best for your family. The most important thing is to help
your child understand and experience some of the new sensory stimuli and provide space to ask questions, express
concerns, and feel ready for change.

Young woman smiling and playing with child under a rainbow parachute.
Young woman smiling and playing with child under a rainbow parachute.

2. Make the transition fun and personalized

While preparation is key don’t forget that it can also be enjoyable! Going from the cold weather to warmer
temperatures allows for more variety in activities to explore.

When discussing changes with your child, make sure to leave room to talk about what they might be excited about.
You can offer your child different types of spring-friendly activities that fit their interests and comfort levels. Some
spring activities might include:

  • Painting natural objects (rocks, leaves, etc.)
  • Taking sensory walks to explore new environments
  • Picking out their choice of clothes for the upcoming season
  • Playing with outdoor sensory bins
  • DIY arts & crafts in the backyard or park

Change can be hard for all of us, but especially for children with autism and sensory sensitivities. By making it
enjoyable, we can help our children feel less stressed. Introducing fun activities they enjoy can help expose them
to some of the new sensations, smells, sounds or textures of spring.

Olivia Hagemeyer, Director, Children and Youth Services, really emphasizes the value of including your child in
these changes.

“Making changes enjoyable and tailored to your child’s interests is crucial. By following their lead and giving them the chance to make decisions, you empower them to feel in control and confident.” — Olivia Hagemeyer, Director, Children and Youth Services

3. Establish a smooth transition plan

So, we talked about the importance of getting prepared and involving some fun. Now, we’re ready to create a
plan. A plan can look very different from one family to another. It can take time, but it’s good to figure out what
feels right for you and your child.

One effective tool is creating a visual schedule with your child so they know what they can expect and how their
new routine will look. Visual schedules are supports that provide your child with information about what will
happen during various times throughout the day.

These can have customized goals and include:

  • A variety of formats, such as cartoons, pictures, and written lists
  • Step-by-step instructions for a new routine like getting ready for a park visit
  • Schedules that outline the activities happening throughout an entire day to set expectations. Slowly
    introducing these expected changes through a visual schedule, such as adjusting bedtime routines, new
    spring activities, or rules and expectations that come with outdoor play, can give your child a tangible
    item to see what’s coming up and providing them time to prepare

Welcome spring with confidence

Any type of transition can be hard and anxiety is a normal reaction. Supporting your child through these changes
and validating their feelings is key. Offering gradual exposure can also help them understand what’s to come so
they can feel more confident. Trust your instincts and remember to do what you feel is best for your child and
yourself.

Need more support? Explore our Resources Page for expert tips, downloadable guides, and tools to help your child
transition smoothly into spring.

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By 2 months

Has your baby had their hearing screened? YES NO

By 6 months

Does the child?

Startle in response to loud noises? YES NO
Turn to where a sound is coming from? YES NO
Make different cries for different needs (hungry, tired)? YES NO
Watch your face as you talk? YES NO
Smile/laugh in response to your smiles and laughs? YES NO
Imitate coughs or other sounds such as ah, eh, buh YES NO

By 9 months

Does the child?

Respond to their name? YES NO
Respond to the telephone ringing or a knock at the door? YES NO
Understand being told no? YES NO
Get what they want through using gestures (reaching to be picked up)? YES NO
Play social games with you (Peek-a-Boo)? YES NO
Enjoy being around people? YES NO
Babble and repeat sounds such as babababa or duhduhduh? YES NO

By 12 months

Does the child?

Follow simple one-step directions (sit down)? YES NO
Look across the room to a toy when adult points at it? YES NO
Consistently use three to five words? YES NO
Use gestures to communicate (waves hi/bye, shakes head for no)? YES NO
Get your attention using sounds, gestures and pointing while looking at your eyes? YES NO
Bring you toys to show you? YES NO
Perform for social attention and praise? YES NO
Combine lots of sounds together as though talking (abada baduh abee)? YES NO
Show an interest in simple picture books? YES NO

By 18 months

Does the child?

Understand the meaning of in and out, off and on? YES NO
Point to more than 2 body parts when asked? YES NO
Use at least 20 words consistently? YES NO
Respond with words or gestures to simple questions (Where's teddy? What's that?)? YES NO
Demonstrate some pretend play with toys (gives teddy bear a drink, pretends a bowl is a hat)? YES NO
Make at least four different consonant sounds (p ,b, m, n, d, g, w, h)? YES NO
Enjoy being read to and sharing simple books with you? YES NO
Point to pictures using one finger? YES NO

By 2 years

Does the child?

Follow two-step directions (Go find your teddy bear and show it to Grandma.)? YES NO
Use 100 to 150 words? YES NO
Use at least two pronouns (you, me, mine)? YES NO
Consistently combine two to four words in short phrases (Daddy hat. Truck go down.)? YES NO
Enjoy being around other children? YES NO
Begin to offer toys to other children and imitate other children's actions and words? YES NO
Use words that are understood by others 50 to 60 per cent of the time? YES NO
Form words or sounds easily and without effort? YES NO
Hold books the right way up and turn the pages? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 30 months

Does the child?

Understand the concepts of size (big/little) and quantity (a little/a lot, more)? YES NO
Use some adult grammar (two cookies, bird flying, I jumped)? YES NO
Use over 350 words? YES NO
Use action words such as run, spill, fall? YES NO
Participate in some turn-taking activities with peers, using both words and toys? YES NO
Demonstrate concern when another child is hurt or sad? YES NO
Combine several actions in play (puts blocks in the train and drives the train, drops the blocks off.)? YES NO
Put sounds at the beginning of most words? YES NO
Use words with two or more syllables or beats (ba-na-na, com-pu-ter, a-pple)? YES NO
Recognize familiar logos and signs involving print (Stop sign)? YES NO
Remember and understand familiar stories? YES NO

By 3 years

Does the child?

Understand who, what, where and why questions? YES NO
Create long sentences using five to eight words? YES NO
Talk about past events (trip to grandparents house, day at child care)? YES NO
Tell simple stories? YES NO
Show affection for favourite playmates? YES NO
Engage in multi-step pretend play (pretending to cook a meal, repair a car)? YES NO
Talk in a way that most people outside of the family understand what she/he is saying most of the time? YES NO
Have an understanding of the function of print (menus, lists, signs)? YES NO
Show interest in, and awareness of, rhyming words? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 4 years

Does the child?

Follow directions involving three or more steps (First get some paper, then draw a picture and give it to Mommy)? YES NO
Use adult type grammar? YES NO
Tell stories with a beginning, middle and end? YES NO
Talk to try and solve problems with adults and with other children? YES NO
Show increasingly complex imaginary play? YES NO
Talk in a way that is understood by strangers almost all the time? YES NO
Generate simple rhymes (cat-bat)? YES NO
Match some letters with their sounds (letter b says buh, letter t says tuh)? YES NO