Anyone familiar with autism will also be familiar with the autistic need for routine! For most kids, school trips are the highlight of each term but for autistic children, they can sometimes come with a lot of anxiety!
A whole day in a new place with a new routine? It can be a lot to take in. However, school trips are there for a reason, and with the right adjustments, our autistic girls can reap the benefits along with their classmates!
Before the trip
The key to a successful school trip experience is planning. If your autistic student knows exactly what to expect, the day will be a lot easier and she may even start to look forward to it!
If you’re a teacher, make sure to provide your student with a written itinerary and don’t be afraid to go into plenty of details! What time will the coach arrive? Will there be any stops on the journey? What are the planned activities? When is lunch and where will it be eaten? With a whole gaggle of children, school trips may not always go to plan so include any variables. For example, “If it’s a sunny day we will have lunch on the field. If it’s raining, we’ll eat in the cafeteria.” A lot of school trips will split classes into groups and rotate them in activities. If this is the case, make sure your autistic student knows what group she will be in and what order her day will go in advance.
Make sure your student knows what to do if they become overwhelmed. Its important that they know there is a safe place available and how to access it. You may want to appoint an adult that the student knows she can speak to throughout the day. Make this adult aware of all her extra needs as well as her schedule.
We recommend having a meeting with the autistic student (and perhaps her parent or guardian) a couple of weeks in advance of the trip. Here, they can ask any questions they may have and this will allow her plenty of time to process the day. (Remember to let her know if there are any changes to the plan!)
Visual planning can also be useful. If the venue has a website, you may be able to show her exactly what the place looks like and if it’s nearby, she may even be able to go first with a parent so she knows exactly what to expect.
During the trip
Depending on her needs, it can be useful to let those who work at the venue know about your student’s autism. This will prevent any unnecessary alarm at her behaviour and maintain consistency in how things are handled. For example, if she stims, someone who doesn’t know her may ask her to stay still or keep quiet or if she becomes overwhelmed and struggles with contact, they will know not to try and comfort her with physical touch. Make sure that there is always a nearby adult that she knows well.
If socialising is something she struggles with, keeping her in groups with her friends may help to alleviate any stress from the new environment. Again, depending on her needs, make sure she has access to any sensory tools she may need such as headphones or fidget toys and knows where she can go if she gets overwhelmed. Regular check-ins can be a godsend for autistic girls who can sometimes have difficulty speaking up when something is wrong.
After the trip
It’s always a good idea to have a debrief after school trips. She may have unanswered questions or perhaps she didn’t get time to write down and absorb all of the information. If nothing else, a chat at the end of the trip can be a ‘what went well?’ activity and improve the experience for next time.
School trips don’t have to be a stressful experience for autistic students. As always, take her lead her lead when coming up with reasonable adjustments and keep communication open with teachers, parents and the student. It may end up being her favourite part of school!