Promoting Your Child’s Development During the Busy Holiday Season

From the perspective of a Pediatric Occupational Therapist

The holiday season can be beautiful with special traditions, time with family, and more. However, it can also be busy, unpredictable, and possibly overstimulating for kids. Between break from school, travel, visitors, and changes in routines, many families can often notice more meltdowns, increased picky eating, more rigidity, or difficulty with transitions this time of year. There still is of course hope for a joyful end of year! With small, intentional choices, the busy season can become a rich opportunity to support your child’s developmental, sensory, and social-emotional growth. Here are some OT-informed strategies that hopefully won’t add more to your to-do list but will help your child thrive while still enjoying the season.

1. Build a Sense of Predictability Into the Unpredictable

Schedules often shift from day to day. Majority of children thrive in the predictability of routines, so these changes can feel exciting but also unsettling for young children or kids who rely heavily on routine.

Try:

• Visual schedules: Draw or use simple pictures to outline the day (“Breakfast → Abuela’s house → Playtime → Dinner → Lights tour → Bedtime”).
• Countdowns: Use a paper chain or other visual calendar tracking for big holiday events to help with anticipation.
• Transitional cues: Before leaving or ending an activity, give a 2-minute warning or use a simple timer. Include what is going to happen after the time is up.

Why it helps: Predictability gives kids a sense of control and reduces the chance for anxiety, making transitions smoother. Additionally, you can add opportunities for choices and/or options where its available. (“Are we going to have pancakes or cereal for breakfast?” “You get to choose what story for bedtime”)

2. Aim to Keep Sensory Systems in Sync

Seasonal gatherings often mean louder noises, stronger smells, new environments, and more people—lots of sensory input! In these situations, children can often struggle to process and adequately respond to this environmental stimulation. Some children seem to shut-down and others may seem to act-out in these situations.

Try:

For calming:

• Deep pressure hugs, burrito blankets, or a quick “squeeze and let go” muscle relaxation.
• A quiet “cozy corner” at home or a portable one to go to other houses—just a pillow, stuffed animal, box of strategies, and dim light are enough.

For energizing:

• Movement breaks such as wall push-ups, animal walks, or jumping on a mini trampoline before sitting for meals or long car rides. Keeping these strategies structured is necessary to avoid increasing the overstimulation (ie: pair it with a task: collect a puzzle piece with each animal walk, jump in the shape of letters to spell your name)

Why it helps: Meeting sensory needs reduces the chance of overwhelming the system and helps kids stay regulated and engaged during busy days.

3. Turn Holiday Tasks Into Developmental Opportunities

Many seasonal activities naturally build fine motor, gross motor, and executive functioning skills.

Fine motor:

• Decorating cookies → squeezing icing tubes, sprinkling toppings
• Wrapping gifts → cutting, folding, peeling tape
• Ornament hanging → grasping, pinching, coordinating both hands

Gross motor:

• Carrying shopping bags or helping move chairs for gatherings
• Outdoor play in winter clothing—movement in heavier layers boosts proprioception
• Family dance parties to festive music

Executive functioning:

• Let kids help write the to-do list or plan part of the holiday menu
• Have them choose gifts, stick to a budget, or make simple lists
• Give jobs like “set the napkins,” “arrange the cookies,” or “find three books for the trip”

4. Preserve Routines… Just a Little

You don’t need to keep everything the same, but anchoring the day with key routines can make a big difference.

• Consistent sleep and wake windows when possible
• Regular mealtimes to support behavior and blood sugar
• Daily movement breaks (even 10–15 minutes helps regulate mood)

5. Support Social & Emotional Learning

The season and social gathering bring lots of social expectations—greeting relatives, sharing toys, waiting turns, and handling disappointment.

Coach ahead:
“Lots of people will want to say hi today. If you don’t want hugs, you can wave or give a high-five.”

Use emotion words:
“This room is loud—your body might feel overwhelmed. Let’s take a break together.”

Offer choices:
“Do you want to take your new toy or your other one to share with your cousins?”
“Would you rather put green beans or rice on your plate?”

Keep instructions concise:
“Wash hands, get a plate, then meet me here”

“Shoes on, get bag, then car”

6. Create Space for Connection and Rest

Even fun events can drain a child’s internal battery.

• Build “buffer time” between activities
• Keep one day per week low-key if possible
• End the evening with grounding routines such as, storytime, dim lights, calm breathing

Remember: A calm, connected caregiver is one of the strongest developmental supports a child can have. The season doesn’t have to go flawlessly to be meaningful. By weaving sensory-friendly strategies, predictable routines, and playful developmental opportunities into your season, you can help your child feel stable, confident, and ready to embrace the joy of this time of year.