Simple At Home Life Skills for Children with ASD
This is a really challenging time for children with ASD as their routines are completely disrupted. Hopefully now as we face into our third week off school, the children are settling into a new form of normal for them.
This time at home could be beneficial as it will give children a lot of time to work on life skills, which may not always get quite enough time in school. By working on life skills, you are also working on fine and gross motor skills, following a sequence of events, following instruction , and so much more.
Daily chores can help your child with autism.. You should start slowly by assigning just one and breaking the task down into its most basic steps. Work alongside your child to model the correct task sequence. When tidying up the kitchen, for example, it is wise to show your child to use a spray bottle (just water) and then a cloth to wipe the counters. Operating the nozzle is great for fine motor skills.
Matching socks is also a skill which requires concentration, and is a form of maths.
Setting the table for dinner is a nice habit to get your child into!
Washing dishes is another valuable skill, which some children will love because they’ll get to play and splash with soapy water! Using different size containers also works on the maths strand of capacity, working on terms such as empty and full!
Matching lunch boxes to the correct sized lids is a job which will promote problem solving.
Watering plants/tending to the garden is a great hobby and if your child enjoys playing with clay all the better for their FMS!
Preparing meals- getting cheese/butter from the fridge, getting the plate out of the cupboard are all tasks your child could be doing to promote vocabulary and understanding- even if it is hand over hand try encourage your child to do this daily. It is also an opportuntiy to practice sequence of events- e.g. ‘First, give me the butter, next give me the cheese.’