Thanksgiving can be a beautiful mix of routines, foods, smells, and family connection, but it can also be overwhelming for autistic children. New environments, big gatherings, and sensory overload can make the day feel unpredictable.
At Autism Homeschooling, we believe the holidays can be peaceful, predictable, and meaningful with the right supports. This year, we created a collection of Thanksgiving tools to help your child communicate, participate, and feel confident, at home, with family, or out in the community.
Whether your child is a communicator, an emerging communicator, or uses AAC, every child deserves to be included at the table.
Below is a cozy guide to helping your Thanksgiving run smoothly, with gentle strategies and the resources you can use right away.
Support Communication With Our Thanksgiving Communication Board
Many children with autism rely on AAC to express themselves, and holidays are the best time to create authentic communication moments.
Our Thanksgiving Communication Board (made in collaboration with Playful Paths Speech Therapy) gives your child words for:
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Foods
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Routines
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Feelings
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Requests
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Social interactions
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Holiday-specific vocabulary
You can model without expectation during:
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Cooking
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Setting the table
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Watching the parade
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Eating together
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Visiting family
✨ Tip: Keep the board nearby, on the table, in the kitchen, or clipped to a clipboard so communication stays accessible everywhere.
Cook Together With the Thanksgiving Visual Cookbook
Cooking is one of the most functional, meaningful life-skills activities and it’s fun for kids! Our Visual Thanksgiving Cookbook turns cooking into a step-by-step, predictable routine your child can follow with confidence.
Inside you’ll find:
Photos of ingredients
Simple directions
Sequencing steps
Recipes kids can actually help with
Children can practice:
✅ One-step directions
✅ Sequencing
✅ Vocabulary
✅ Fine motor skills
✅ Joint attention
✅ Life skills that carry into adulthood
This is a beautiful activity to do together the day before Thanksgiving or on the morning of, while the kitchen is already busy.
Prepare for the Day With Our Thanksgiving Social Story
Social stories are a gentle way to help children understand what will happen before it happens. Our Thanksgiving Social Story come in two levels to support various learners.
They help prepare your child for:
Guests arriving
New foods
Loud noises
Change in routine
Waiting
Sharing
Sensory moments
You can read the story:
The night before
In the morning
In the car
Before transitions
Whenever your child needs reassurance
This simple tool reduces anxiety and builds confidence by giving your child predictability and a plan for what to expect.
Make Thanksgiving Hands-On With Our Activity Book
If your child thrives with structured activities, visuals, and simple tasks, the Thanksgiving Activity Book will be perfect. It includes:
Prewriting lines and strokes
Letter practice
Listen-and-learn comprehension
Coloring pages
Matching cards
Fine motor tasks
Early literacy skill-building
These pages are ideal for:
Morning work
Quiet time
Independent practice
Keeping kids engaged while cooking
Travel activities
Sibling participation
Everything is differentiated, visually clear, and created with autistic learners in mind.
Remember: Thanksgiving Doesn’t Have to Be “Picture Perfect”
Your Thanksgiving doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.
You can:
Keep it small
Keep it quiet
Keep it simple
Take sensory breaks
Let your child eat preferred foods
Skip traditions that don’t work
Create new ones that do
You’re not “doing it wrong.”
You’re doing what works for your family.
And that is worth celebrating.
🍁Preview Our Upcoming Counting Book!🍁
Looking for calm, visual, autism-friendly math practice? Our Counting 1–5 Book is almost here and we can’t wait to share it with you! It’s designed with clear visuals, simple directions, and hands-on activities that help every learner feel confident and successful.
🎉 To celebrate, we’re giving you a FREE Thanksgiving Counting Activity (1–5) to enjoy right now!
Perfect for:
✅ Early counters
✅ AAC users
✅ Visual learners
✅ Homeschool routines
✅ Therapy sessions
✅ Holiday week activities
Grab your freebie and get a first look at the style, structure, and supports included in the full Counting Book.
Ready to Use These Resources?
Check out all of our Thanksgiving resources and more at:
🌐 www.autismhomeschooling.com
📘 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Autism-Homeschooling/author/B0FXY6HNNJ?ccs_id=6f40a299-3d20-4062-ae37-6888e244d2d4
🧩 Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/autism-homeschooling
