For many children with autism, transitions—not learning—are the hardest part.
Moving from early childhood services into a kindergarten classroom brings a lot of change at once: new spaces, new routines, new expectations, and new people. Even children who are doing well developmentally can struggle when familiar structure shifts too quickly.
A recent Autism Spectrum News article,
“Supporting Children with Autism Through the Early Childhood to School-Age Special Education Transition,” explores why these moments are so challenging and what helps most. The authors emphasize that transitions aren’t a single event that happens on the first day of school—they’re a process that works best when families and providers start preparing early.
👉 Read the full article here: https://autismspectrumnews.org/supporting-children-with-autism-through-the-early-childhood-to-school-age-special-education-transition/
One of the article’s key points is that children with autism often experience transitions as “stacked change.” New environments bring increased sensory input, less predictable routines, and higher social demands. When those shifts happen all at once, stress can show up quickly.
The authors highlight practical ways to reduce that stress: gradual exposure to new settings, practicing routines ahead of time, using visual supports, and making sure adults understand the child as an individual—not just a set of goals or services.
This perspective resonates deeply with what we see at Friendship House.
Families often reach out during periods of change—a move from preschool to kindergarten, a new classroom, or rising expectations that suddenly feel harder to manage. Much of our autism work focuses on helping children navigate those in-between moments: transitioning from one activity to the next, adjusting to new environments, and building confidence across settings.
Rather than focusing only on isolated skills, we spend time supporting routines, predictability, and flexibility—because those are often what make learning possible in the first place.
This same thinking is behind an exciting new project at Friendship House. Through grant funding awarded by Leadership Lackawanna, a new autism transition classroom is being created at our Autism Center. The classroom is designed to mirror a kindergarten-style environment, allowing young children to practice expectations, routines, and transitions in a supportive setting before entering a traditional school classroom.
It’s a simple idea with a meaningful impact: prepare children for change before it happens, instead of asking them to catch up after.
For families facing an upcoming transition, the takeaway is an important one. Difficulty with change doesn’t mean a child isn’t ready—it often means the transition itself needs more attention. With thoughtful preparation and collaboration, transitions can feel less like a disruption and more like a bridge.