Our Low-Key Summer School Start

After a week of “summer vacation,” where my husband and I took our student to the local zoo, visited grandparents, and had an art + fun-filled day with a visiting cousin, we eased back into a mini-school schedule.

My goal was to help her get used to having a morning routine with me again. (Quick catch-up: We just finished a year of traditional school in a special day class and will return to homeschooling in the fall, so we’re starting fresh this summer.)

My student likes a checklist. She can’t tell me why, but she enjoys going through each task. That’s how I approach school with her.

Our time looks like this:

Trampoline: Any kind of movement is great to start with—she loves her trampoline (she’s almost 12 and has gone through 4 or 5 of them!). I tell her it’s time to start school, and first on her list is trampoline time. She can jump as long as she needs while I prep or take a quick break nearby.

Calendar: We go over the day, month, and day of the week. I also added “What is your name?” and “How old are you?” Over time I’ll add the weather, clothing choices, etc.

Read a Book: I choose from our big collection—storybooks, phonics, anything. She hands me her iPad, we get her fidgets ready, and read. She didn’t always like it, but with practice she’s much more interested. Once she started reading words herself, everything changed.

Break Time! Yes, even early on we took breaks if she wanted them. That’s okay! When she’s ready, she hands back the iPad and we move on.

Reading and Writing: Vocabulary, word families, AAC work, worksheets—just one or two to start.

Another Subject: Depending on the day, it might be Social Studies, a science experiment, or a velcro-interactive social story. Short and sweet.

Another Break.

Art/Craft: She loves to paint, glue, and create. I usually prep something tied to the topic of the day or upcoming holidays. Sometimes she requests a specific animal to color, so I add that too.

Outside Time: We head out briefly to water plants, climb the jungle gym, draw with chalk, or walk for fresh air. It’s getting hot earlier, so this one is flexible.

That was our weekday schedule for about two weeks into summer school. The rest of the day was playtime and spontaneous learning led by her interests. She still needs vacation time after a year of traditional school. But having a small routine each day keeps her busy, helps her stay on track, and prepares us both for when fall comes and we add more subjects.

Now that it’s July, I’ve added one or two more tasks between breaks. I’ll find YouTube or Vooks.com videos that match the topic of the day and create AAC supplement documents for reading.

We also venture to parks, playgrounds, museums, or activity centers. Plus, she has swim lessons and speech therapy, so there’s a good variety of activities alongside schoolwork.

Is it perfect or what everyone else needs to do? Nope! But she’s learning, I’m weaving in her favorite topics (animals are a big win here), and trying to keep her regulated and happy along the way.

All in all, our summer school approach is gentle, flexible, and designed to meet her where she’s at. It’s not about copying a traditional classroom but about building comfort with routines, exploring favorite topics, and making space for growth without pressure. Every family will find their own rhythm, and that’s the beauty of homeschooling. If you’re easing into summer learning too, I hope this gives you ideas—or simply reassurance that it can be simple, playful, and perfectly tailored to your child’s needs.

Jennifer Bullock, Contributing Author

Homeschooling-experienced mom to a tween, non-speaking daughter, Jennifer is also Marketing Outreach Coordinator for The Autism Oasis. With 20+ years experience in marketing, advertising, and social media communications, you will see her occasionally supporting the blog and social media channels with various content related to Autism Oasis.