Activity library

This activity focuses on establishing a calming and consistent bedtime routine that encourages better sleep patterns for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental conditions. It integrates fun, interactive elements to make the bedtime routine something children look forward to, contributing to improved sleep habits.

• Routine Establishment
• Emotional Regulation
• Sensory Processing

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Things Required

• A selection of storybooks
• Soft blanket
• Small night light
• Soothing music (optional)

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Introductions

• Discuss with your child the importance of a good night’s sleep for feeling happy and energetic.
• Introduce the new bedtime routine as a special “Slumber Party” they get to have every night.
• Show them the items you’ve prepared for the routine and explain how each will be part of their bedtime.

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Environment Setup

• Ensure the bedroom is dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature.
• Remove electronic devices from the bedroom to reduce stimulation.
• Prepare any necessary items for the bedtime routine (e.g., storybooks, a soft blanket, a small night light).

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Instructions

• Start the routine at the same time each evening to establish consistency.
• Begin with a warm bath or shower to signal to the body that it’s time to wind down.
• Transition to a calming activity, such as reading a favorite story or doing a gentle sensory activity.
• Encourage the child to express any worries or excitement about the next day, helping them clear their mind.
• Guide the child to bed, reinforcing that their bed is a comfortable and safe place.
• Use a small night light if complete darkness is uncomfortable, and play soft, soothing music if it helps them relax.
• Stay with the child for a few minutes, offering calm reassurance until they begin to settle.

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Interactive Practice

• Make bedtime storytime interactive by choosing books that allow for simple decision making (e.g., choosing which path the character takes), which can help the child feel more involved and relaxed.

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Encouragement

• Praise your child for each step they complete as part of the bedtime routine.
• Celebrate the mornings after successful sleep nights with a small reward or extra cuddle time.
• Remind your child how proud you are of them for trying their best to follow the bedtime routine.

Transition time-outs from a punitive to a positive learning experience with the Cool-Down Corner. This activity creates a calming space where children can learn self-regulation and coping strategies. Instead of emphasizing punishment, focus is on mindfulness and understanding emotions.

• Self-regulation
• Emotion recognition
• Calmness
• Mindfulness

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Things Required

• Cushions
• Soft rug
• Favorite toys
• Lava lamp or slow-moving mobile
• Feelings wheel (homemade or printed)

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Introductions

• Talk with your child about the Cool-Down Corner explaining its purpose as a special place to go when feeling overwhelmed, upset, or angry.
• Emphasize that the Cool-Down Corner is not a punishment, but a place to find peace and learn how to manage difficult emotions.

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Environment Setup

• Choose a quiet corner away from the main play or work area.
• Fill the space with comforting items: a soft rug, cushions, a few favorite toys, and calming visual elements like a lava lamp or a slow-moving mobile.
• Ensure the cool-down corner is easily accessible, but separate enough from other activities to limit distractions.
• Optionally, include a few pictures or cards that illustrate simple breathing exercises or calming techniques.

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Instructions

• Gently guide your child to the Cool-Down Corner when you notice signs of distress or undesired behavior.
• Suggest picking a comfort item or engaging in a calming activity available in the corner.
• Encourage quiet self-reflection or practice breathing exercises together if your child needs support.
• After a few minutes, discuss with your child what they felt and how the cool-down time helped them.

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Interactive Practice

• Create a ‘feelings wheel’ together. Use it to help your child identify and express their feelings before, during, and after spending time in the Cool-Down Corner.
• Involve your child in choosing what goes into the Cool-Down Corner, empowering them to contribute to their space of solace.

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Encouragement

• Praise your child for using the Cool-Down Corner when they needed a break.
• Positive reinforcement: Acknowledge your child’s effort in recognizing their emotions and taking steps to calm down.
• Share a moment of calmness with your child in the corner, reinforcing that feeling peaceful is rewarding.

This activity focuses on encouraging children to maintain eye contact, helping improve their non-verbal communication skills. By incorporating a magical and playful element, children are motivated to engage in the activity, making it a fun learning experience.

• Non-verbal communication
• Social interaction
• Focus and attention

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Things Required

• A colorful object or toy
• Stickers or small rewards

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Introductions

• Sit face-to-face with your child in the comfortable seating arrangement.
• Show your child the colorful object or toy to capture their attention.
• Explain to your child that you will play a magical game involving the toy to learn about looking into each other’s eyes.

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Environment Setup

• Choose a quiet and comfortable space free from distractions.
• Place a comfortable seating arrangement facing each other.
• Select a colorful object or toy that can hold the child’s interest.

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Instructions

• Hold the colorful object near your eyes to encourage your child to look towards your face.
• Slowly move the object closer to your eyes, eventually placing it between your eyes, encouraging the child to focus on your eyes.
• Praise your child every time they successfully make eye contact, even for a brief moment.
• Gradually increase the duration of eye contact by delaying the praise and rewards.
• Repeat the game several times, making sure to maintain a positive and encouraging tone.

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Interactive Practice

• Play ‘Find the Magic in the Eyes’ where you hide a small sticker or a dot of face-safe paint between your eyes. Ask your child to find the magic by looking into your eyes.
• Turn it into a playful role-reversal game by allowing your child to hide the ‘magic’ and you find it by looking into their eyes.

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Encouragement

• Cheer and praise your child enthusiastically for each successful attempt at maintaining eye contact.
• Offer tangible rewards like stickers or a favorite snack for prolonged eye contact.
• Celebrate small achievements with a happy dance or a high five, making eye contact a positive and rewarding experience.

A soothing activity designed to help children with ASD reduce stress and anxiety by focusing on popping bubbles, where the act of popping serves as a form of negative reinforcement by removing the stress factor.

• Stress management
• Sensory processing
• Fine motor skills

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Things Required

• Digital tablet or smartphone
• Bubble popping app

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Introductions

• Sit down with the child in the chosen room.
• Explain to the child that they will be playing a fun game of popping bubbles on a screen.
• Show them the app and demonstrate how to pop the bubbles by tapping on them.

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Environment Setup

• Choose a quiet, comfortable room free of distractions.
• Prepare a digital tablet or smartphone with a bubble popping app installed.
• Adjust the volume to a comfortable level for the child.

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Instructions

• Let the child start tapping the bubbles on the screen.
• Encourage them to focus on the bubbles and pop as many as they can.
• Guide them to use their fingers to correctly tap on the screen if they struggle.

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Interactive Practice

• Turn the act of popping bubbles into a game, counting how many bubbles they can pop in a set time.
• Celebrate their successes with cheers and positive reinforcement.
• Introduce more challenging levels or speeds in the app to keep the game engaging.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child for every bubble they successfully pop.
• Remind the child that they are doing a great job focusing and calming themselves.
• Use positive reinforcement to motivate the child to continue playing and focusing.

This activity is designed to enhance visual motor integration by engaging the child in puzzle-solving tasks. Through this fun and interactive play, the child will work on improving the coordination between their visual perception and fine motor skills, which are crucial for tasks such as writing, drawing, and handling small objects.

• Fine Motor Skills
• Visual Perception
• Hand-Eye Coordination

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Things Required

• Puzzles of varying difficulty

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Introductions

• Show the child the puzzle pieces.
• Explain that the task is to fit all pieces together to complete the picture.
• Demonstrate how to pick up and place a puzzle piece.

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Environment Setup

• Choose a quiet and well-lit room.
• Spread out a comfortable mat or rug on the floor.
• Select puzzles of varying difficulty suitable for the child’s age and skill level.

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Instructions

• Encourage the child to pick up pieces one at a time, trying to fit them into the puzzle.
• If they struggle, guide their hand to help them place the piece.
• Praise any correct placement or attempt, even if unsuccessful.

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Interactive Practice

• Turn the puzzle-solving into a game, where each completed puzzle awards points.
• If possible, use puzzles with themes of the child’s interests to increase engagement.

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Encouragement

• Offer verbal praise for effort and success.
• Celebrate each puzzle completed, regardless of how long it takes.
• Remind the child that it’s okay to make mistakes and to keep trying.

This activity is designed to boost fine motor skills through the fun and colorful task of sorting rainbow-colored rice. It offers a sensory-rich experience, enabling the child to improve precision, coordination, and focus.

• Fine Motor Development
• Sensory Processing
• Attention and Concentration
• Color Recognition

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Things Required

• Colored rice (various colors)
• Several small bowls or containers (for sorting)
• Tweezers (optional for an added challenge)

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Introductions

• Explain to the child that they will be playing a fun sorting game with colorful rice.
• Show the child each colored bowl and match it with the rice of the same color.
• Demonstrate picking up a handful of rice, and sorting the rice into the matching-colored bowl.

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Environment Setup

• Create a large, clear workspace.
• Prepare several small, colored containers or bowls.
• Color rice using food coloring in various colors and let it dry.
• Spread the colored rice in a large tray or shallow box.

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Instructions

• Encourage the child to pick up rice with their fingers or tweezers and sort it into the correct colored bowl.
• Guide them to work one color at a time for easier focus and success.
• Challenge the child by mixing multiple colors in their hand or on the workspace for them to sort.

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Interactive Practice

• Turn sorting into a game by timing each sorting round and celebrating faster times.
• Create patterns with the sorted rice in the bowls and ask the child to replicate the patterns.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child for each color correctly sorted.
• Celebrate their focus and patience during the activity.
• Use phrases like ‘Great job!’ or ‘You did it!,’ especially when they improve their sorting speed or make fewer mistakes.

This engaging activity aims to help children with ASD and other developmental conditions learn the essential skill of tying their shoelaces, enhancing their fine motor coordination and promoting independence. Through a creative and interactive approach, children will navigate the ‘Magic Shoe Wonderland’, where every successfully tied shoe brings them closer to finding the hidden treasures.

• Fine Motor Skills
• Independence
• Focus and Attention

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Things Required

• A shoe with laces
• Rewards or small toys
• Stickers or symbols for progress tracking

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Introductions

• Introduce the shoe as a ‘magic shoe’ that holds secrets and treasures.
• Explain that by learning to tie the laces, they can unlock these mysteries.

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Environment Setup

• Prepare a comfortable sitting area with ample lighting.
• Place a shoe with laces on a low table or the floor in front of the child.
• Decorate the area with colorful items or toys to create a ‘wonderland’ atmosphere, encouraging the child’s imagination.

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Instructions

• Demonstrate slowly how to thread and tie the shoelaces, breaking down the steps into simple, easy-to-follow actions.
• Encourage the child to mimic your actions, guiding their hands if necessary.
• Utilize a catchy rhyme or song about tying shoelaces to make the process more memorable and enjoyable.

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Interactive Practice

• Hide small rewards or toys under the shoe or nearby, revealing them as the child progresses in their lace-tying skill.
• Create a ‘treasure map’ leading to the shoe, with each successful attempt at tying a lace revealing more of the map.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child vividly for each attempt, focusing on their effort rather than perfection.
• Use stickers or symbols on the ‘treasure map’ to visually mark progress.
• Celebrate every small victory, making the child feel like a true explorer in the wonderland.

Finger Fun Fiesta is a playful and engaging activity designed to enhance finger strength and coordination in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental conditions. Through a series of fun exercises, children will improve their ability to perform tasks requiring fine motor skills, such as pinching, grasping, and manipulating small objects.

• Fine motor skills
• Pinching
• Grasping
• Finger coordination

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Things Required

• Cotton balls or pom-poms
• Small stones
• Non-toxic paint
• Paper
• Beads or buttons
• Containers for sorting

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Introductions

• Start by showing the child the items required for the activity.
• Explain to the child that you will be having some fun together strengthening your fingers with these items.
• Demonstrate each exercise briefly before asking the child to try.

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Environment Setup

• Ensure you have a comfortable and stable working surface.
• Gather all the items required for the activity.
• Ensure the child is seated comfortably with the items within easy reach.

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Instructions

• Pinch Practice: Have the child pinch small, soft items like cotton balls or pom-poms between their thumb and each finger.
• Stacking Stones: Using small stones or similar items, encourage the child to stack them using only their fingers.
• Finger Painting: Using non-toxic paint, have the child use each finger to paint on paper, focusing on using one finger at a time.

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Interactive Practice

• Play a game where the child has to pick up and sort small items, like beads or buttons, into different containers using only their fingers.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child for any effort, regardless of the outcome.
• Celebrate small successes and encourage the child to try again if they encounter difficulty.
• Use positive reinforcement like verbal praise or a small reward for each exercise completed.

An engaging activity designed to develop gross motor coordination through fun exercises,

• Gross Motor Skills
• Balance
• Coordination

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Things Required

• Comfortable clothing
• Non-slip mat (optional)
• Upbeat music (optional)

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Introductions

• Inform the child that they will be doing a fun exercise called Jumping Jacks Star that will make them strong like a superhero.
• Demonstrate a jumping jack to the child by standing with legs together, then jumping to a position with legs wide while simultaneously clapping hands overhead, and returning to the original position.

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Environment Setup

• Choose a clear, open space free of obstacles and hazards.
• Place a comfortable and non-slip mat on the floor, if available.

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Instructions

• Ask the child to stand on the mat or clear space.
• Encourage the child to mimic your actions as you do the jumping jacks together.
• Start with slow movements, gradually increasing the speed as the child becomes more comfortable.
• Aim to complete a set of 10 jumping jacks, taking short breaks as needed.

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Interactive Practice

• Turn this into a game by playing upbeat music and encouraging the child to ‘catch the beats’ with their jumps.
• Engage in a friendly competition to see who can do the most jumping jacks in a minute.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child for every successful jump, emphasizing their strength and agility.
• Use stickers or a reward chart to track progress and provide visual encouragement.

In this activity, the child will engage in a fun-filled ‘Follow the Leader’ game where they will be encouraged to imitate a series of gross motor movements demonstrated by their parent or caregiver. This game is specially designed to foster physical coordination and the ability to follow complex instructions through the imitation of movements such as hopping, skipping, jumping, and galloping.

• Physical Coordination
• Following Instructions
• Gross Motor Skills

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Things Required

• Large open space
• Comfortable clothing
• Optional: small hoops, soft ball

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Introductions

• Explain to the child that you will play a fun game called ‘Follow the Leader’ where they get to imitate your movements.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm and positivity about the activity to get the child excited.
• Let the child know that they can also choose to be the leader at some point, encouraging them to think about which movements they would like to demonstrate.

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Environment Setup

• Select a spacious and safe area free of obstacles.
• Gather any props that might be needed for the activities, such as a small hoop or a soft ball.
• Make sure both the child and the caregiver are wearing comfortable clothing suitable for physical activity.

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Instructions

• Start with simple movements such as raising arms, jumping on the spot, and clapping.
• Gradually increase the complexity of the movements by introducing hopping, skipping, or galloping.
• Encourage the child to watch closely and mimic your actions as accurately as they can.

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Interactive Practice

• Incorporate interactive play by using props or obstacles. For example, hop through a series of small hoops placed on the ground, or jump over a soft ball.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child enthusiastically after each correctly mimicked movement.
• Celebrate their effort and improvements, regardless of their level of accuracy initially.
• If the child struggles with a particular movement, demonstrate it again and encourage them to try once more, emphasizing that it’s okay to take their time.

This activity is designed to enhance the child’s dynamic balance and coordination by challenging them to walk along a designated path, mimicking an adventure trail. By engaging in this playful exercise, the child will work on maintaining balance while navigating turns and minor obstacles, essentially boosting their coordination, balance, and motor skills.

• Dynamic balance
• Coordination
• Motor skills

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Things Required

• Colorful tape
• Soft pillows or foam blocks

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Introductions

• Explain to the child that they are going on an adventure along a special trail.
• Show them the start and end points of the trail.
• Encourage them to complete the trail while stepping over obstacles and following the tape.

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Environment Setup

• Choose a safe, open indoor or outdoor area free of hazards.
• Create a ‘trail’ using colorful tape on the floor. Include straight lines, curves, and simple shapes like circles or squares.
• Place a few minor obstacles along the path, such as soft pillows or foam blocks, to step over.

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Instructions

• Guide the child to start at the beginning of the trail.
• Instruct them to focus on stepping over obstacles and following the path without straying off.
• Encourage slow and steady movements, ensuring safety throughout the activity.

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Interactive Practice

• Turn the activity into a game by pretending the floor around the trail is ‘lava’ or water, enhancing the child’s motivation to stay on the path.
• You can also create themed adventures, such as a jungle expedition or a treasure hunt, to make the activity more engaging.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child for each successful step along the trail.
• Celebrate their effort and progress, regardless of how small.
• Encourage them to try again if they step off the path, emphasizing that practice makes perfect.

This fun and engaging activity is designed to enhance walking skills, focusing on improving balance, coordination, and the development of a proper gait. It can be a wonderful way to help your child enjoy the process of learning to walk better.

• Walking
• Balance
• Coordination

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Things Required

• Soft, cushioned objects or commercially available stepping stones

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Introductions

• Start by demonstrating how to step from one “stone” to the next.
• Encourage your child to watch you as you carefully balance and step.

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Environment Setup

• Find a safe, open area in your home with soft flooring or outside on grass.
• Lay out several soft, cushioned objects or stepping stones at varying distances.

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Instructions

• Guide your child to step onto the first stone, helping them balance if necessary.
• Encourage them to step from one stone to the next, holding your hand if needed.
• Gradually increase the distance between the stones as your child becomes more confident.
• Praise your child for each successful step and for trying, even if they miss a step.

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Interactive Practice

• Turn this activity into a game by pretending the floor is lava or water, and the only safe spots are the stones.
• Encourage creativity by asking your child to imagine what could be in the water or lava – friendly fish, sea creatures, or magical lava monsters.

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Encouragement

• Celebrate every successful step and comfort in case of falls.
• Encourage trying again, emphasizing the fun of the game and the adventure.

This activity focuses on enhancing visual discrimination skills by guiding children on an exploratory journey through a variety of shapes and patterns, mimicking a safari adventure. It’s designed to make learning and identifying differences and similarities among various shapes both fun and educational.

• Visual Discrimination
• Fine Motor Skills
• Cognitive Development

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Things Required

• Cutouts of various shapes
• Plush animals or jungle-themed drawings
• ‘Binoculars’ made from toilet paper rolls

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Introductions

• Explain that we are going on a Shape Safari to discover different kinds of shapes in the jungle.
• Show the child how to use the ‘binoculars’ to spot shapes.
• Demonstrate identifying a shape by its name and one characteristic (e.g., ‘This is a circle because it has no corners’).

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Environment Setup

• Create a safari-themed play area with plush animals or drawings.
• Prepare various cutouts of shapes (circles, squares, triangles, etc.) in different sizes and colors.
• Spread the shape cutouts around the play area.
• Have a ‘binoculars’ made out of toilet paper rolls for each child to ‘spot’ shapes.

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Instructions

• Guide the child to use the ‘binoculars’ to find shapes around the room.
• Ask the child to pick up the shape and name it.
• Encourage them to describe the shape by mentioning one characteristic (e.g., ‘This is a square because it has four equal sides’).

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Interactive Practice

• Turn the activity into a game by challenging the child to find all shapes of a certain color or all instances of a specific shape.
• Encourage pretend play by asking questions like, ‘What animals might like this shape?’ or ‘Where can we find this shape in the jungle?’

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Encouragement

• Praise the child for every shape correctly identified and described.
• Celebrate the exploration effort, regardless of accuracy, to promote a positive learning atmosphere.
• Offer stickers or stamps of jungle animals as rewards for completed tasks.

Enhancing the ability to simultaneously process multiple tasks or pieces of information.

• Attention
• Multitasking

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Things Required

• Puzzle
• Coloring book and crayons
• Timer

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Introductions

• Explain to the child that they will be doing two fun activities today.
• Demonstrate briefly how to engage in each activity.
• Emphasize that they will be switching between the two activities.

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Environment Setup

• Choose a quiet room free from distractions.
• Prepare two activities: 1. A puzzle (appropriate to the child’s skill level) and 2. A simple art and craft activity, like coloring.
• Set up separate work areas for each activity.
• Have a timer ready.

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Instructions

• Start with the puzzle. Set the timer for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, switch to the art and craft activity.
• Set the timer for another 5 minutes before switching back.
• Continue this cycle, gradually increasing the amount of time spent on each activity.

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Interactive Practice

• For the puzzle, guide the child to find the correct pieces.
• For coloring, engage by choosing colors and talking about the artwork.

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Encouragement

• Praise for completing each cycle.
• Celebrate the child’s ability to switch tasks.
• Reward with a small break or a favorite snack after completing multiple cycles.

This activity is designed to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental conditions enhance their immediate memory skills by repeating information or actions immediately after being shown. The activity can be easily set up and guided by parents to create a supportive and fun learning environment.

• Immediate Memory Retention
• Listening and Following Directions
• Verbal Communication

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Things Required

• List of simple words or phrases
• Props or toys (optional)

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Introductions

• Greet the child warmly and explain that you will play a fun game called ‘Echo Me.’
• Tell the child that they will need to listen carefully and repeat exactly what you say or do.

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Environment Setup

• Choose a quiet and comfortable space free from distractions.
• Prepare a list of simple words, phrases, or actions that are familiar to the child.
• Ensure the child is seated comfortably and ready to engage in the activity.

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Instructions

• Start with simple words or actions and gradually increase the complexity based on the child’s response.
• Say a word or perform an action and ask the child to ‘Echo’ you. For example, if you say ‘apple’, the child should say ‘apple’ back to you.
• Praise the child for their efforts, regardless of accuracy, to keep them motivated.

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Interactive Practice

• Incorporate actions like clapping hands, stamping feet, or making simple gestures as part of the game.
• Use props or toys during the game to make the practice more engaging. For example, show a toy car and then hide it, asking the child to remember and say ‘car.’

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Encouragement

• Offer abundant praise and positive reinforcements for every attempt, whether correct or not.
• Celebrate each success with claps or a happy dance to make the activity more joyful.
• Encourage the child to try again gently if they don’t get it right the first time, emphasizing that practice makes perfect.

This activity focuses on enhancing the child’s ability to attend to a teacher or peer during group interactions, using engaging circle time routines to foster active listening and participation skills.

• Active Listening
• Group Participation
• Attention to Detail

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Things Required

• Visual aids (pictures, objects related to the topic)
• Stickers or a chart for positive reinforcement

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Introductions

• Explain the purpose of circle time in simple terms, such as ‘We sit together to listen and learn from each other.’
• Introduce visual aids to the child, explaining what they represent.
• Let the child choose a comfortable spot in the circle.

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Environment Setup

• Choose a quiet room with minimal distractions.
• Arrange seating in a circle, ensuring the child can see both the teacher and peers.
• Use visual aids related to the activity, such as pictures or objects, to hold the child’s interest.

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Instructions

• Encourage the child to look at the person talking.
• Use visual aids to illustrate points during the discussion, linking them to the speaker’s words.
• Prompt the child to ask questions or comment using the visual aids as reference points.

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Interactive Practice

• Incorporate a passing game where the child has to pass a visual aid related to the topic when it’s their turn to speak. This keeps the engagement high and teaches turn-taking.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child for maintaining eye contact or focusing on the speaker.
• Reinforce positive behavior with stickers or a chart for active participation.
• Celebrate every attempt to interact or ask questions, regardless of accuracy, to boost confidence.

This playful activity is designed to enhance the child’s engagement and listening skills by turning the act of listening into an exciting adventure. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder often benefit from activities that stimulate their auditory sensitivity in a controlled manner, and ‘Sound Safari’ does just that by encouraging them to focus on and identify different sounds in a fun setting.

• Listening
• Auditory Processing
• Social Engagement

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Things Required

• Device to play sounds (e.g., phone, tablet, computer)
• List of sounds
• Optional: Animal plush toys or pictures

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Introductions

• Explain to the child that they are about to go on a sound safari, and their mission is to listen carefully to identify the sounds of different ‘animals’ or ‘objects’ they might encounter.
• Tell them that for each sound they correctly identify, they will earn a ‘safari point’.

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Environment Setup

• Create a quiet and comfortable indoor or outdoor space free from distractions.
• Prepare a list of easily recognizable sounds (e.g., a ringing bell, animal noises, musical instruments) that can be played from a device.
• Ensure the child is seated comfortably in front of the device ready to begin the adventure.

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Instructions

• Play the first sound and ask the child to listen carefully.
• After the sound is played, ask the child if they can identify what made the sound.
• If the child answers correctly, celebrate their achievement and award them a ‘safari point’.
• Repeat the process with different sounds, ensuring to take breaks if needed to keep the child engaged.

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Interactive Practice

• Include animal plush toys or visually stimulating pictures corresponding to the sounds as a visual aid. This adds an element of visual learning and makes the exercise more engaging.
• After identifying the sound, show them the plush toy or picture that matches the sound they just heard, reinforcing their learning.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child enthusiastically for every sound they correctly identify, regardless of how many attempts it takes.
• Celebrate their effort and focus, highlighting how well they are doing on their safari adventure.

This activity focuses on using picture exchange communication systems (PECS) to help children express their needs, wants, and feelings. PECS is a form of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) that allows individuals with little or no verbal ability to communicate using pictures.

• Communication
• Social Interaction
• Emotional Regulation

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Things Required

• PECS binder with pictures
• Comfortable and quiet space

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Introductions

• Explain to the child that they can use pictures to tell you what they want.
• Show them the PECS binder and briefly go through the pictures with them, naming each one.

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Environment Setup

• Create a PECS binder with clear, simple pictures representing common requests, needs, and emotions.
• Set up a quiet and comfortable space free from distractions.

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Instructions

• Encourage the child to look through the PECS binder and point to or hand you a picture to express a need or desire.
• If the child selects a picture, immediately respond by fulfilling the request or acknowledging the emotion expressed, if applicable.
• Use verbal praise and physical gestures (like nodding or thumbs up) to reinforce their communication attempt.

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Interactive Practice

• Play a ‘Guess What I Want’ game where the child has to select a picture to communicate a need or want, and you try to guess what it is.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child enthusiastically each time they successfully use a picture to communicate.
• Use specific praise, e.g., ‘Great job choosing the picture to tell me you’re thirsty!’

This activity helps children with ASD to learn and practice the skill of non-verbal communication by pointing or looking at items of their interest. It reinforces their ability to express preferences and make requests without verbal communication.

• Non-verbal communication
• Pointing and Looking
• Interest expression
• Request making

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Things Required

• Variety of items the child likes (toys, pictures, household items)
• Comfortable seating arrangement

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Introductions

• Sit with the child in the prepared space.
• Present one item that you know the child likes and say, ‘Look, (child’s name), what do we have here?’ while pointing at the item.
• Gently guide the child’s hand to point to the item or encourage them to look at it by redirecting their gaze.

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Environment Setup

• Create a calm and distraction-free space.
• Lay out a variety of items that you know the child has shown interest in before. This can include toys, pictures, or household items.
• Ensure the items are within the child’s view but out of reach, to encourage them to point or look at them to make a request.

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Instructions

• Ask the child ‘What do you want?’ or wait for a moment of their free play.
• Observe the child as they look or point at an item of interest.
• If the child struggles, gently guide their hand to point at the item or redirect their gaze towards it.
• Praise the child for successfully pointing or looking at the item, saying ‘Great job showing me what you want!’

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Interactive Practice

• Encourage the child to play a ‘fetch’ game with you or a toy, where they have to point or look at the item they want you to bring to them.
• Play a ‘guessing game’ where you guess what the child is interested in by observing their gaze or point, and then bring it to them if you guess correctly.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child whenever they successfully point or look at an item, with phrases like ‘Good job showing me what you like!’
• Celebrate small successes and be patient, recognizing that this may be a challenging task for the child.

This activity involves singing a familiar song with the child and encouraging them to finish the song by themselves, enhancing their memory recall and understanding musical patterns.

• Memory Recall
• Understanding Musical Patterns

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Things Required

• Device to play music (optional)

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Introductions

• Select a song that the child is already familiar with and enjoys.
• Explain to the child that you will sing a song together, but you want them to try finishing it on their own.

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Environment Setup

• Choose a quiet and comfortable room free of distractions.
• Have a device ready that can play music, if needed for reference.

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Instructions

• Start singing the song together. After a few lines, pause and encourage the child to continue singing on their own.
• If the child struggles, gently sing along and then pause again, giving them another chance to continue on their own.
• Repeat the activity with different segments of the song to challenge and encourage further recall.

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Interactive Practice

• Turn the activity into a playful game by acting out the song’s lyrics together while singing. This engagement can make the memory task more enjoyable.
• Use facial expressions and body movements to emphasize key parts of the song, encouraging the child to mimic and engage fully.

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Encouragement

• Praise the child enthusiastically each time they attempt to continue the song, regardless of accuracy.
• Use encouraging phrases like ‘Great job remembering!’, ‘You did it!’, or ‘Let’s try another one, you’re doing amazing!’