As a caregiver of a child with autism, you are likely seeking effective ways to support your child’s development and well-being from the comfort of your own home. It is natural to want to play an active role in your child’s progress and to explore activities that you can integrate into daily life to help develop social communication skills.
Effective ABA Activities To Try At Home
For this reason, we bring you 4 effective activities to support your child’s development from the comfort of your own home.
1. Eye-Contact Games
Building eye contact is a crucial aspect of communication for children with autism. Eye-contact games are a fun and engaging way to encourage this skill. Start by using a favorite toy or an object of interest. Hold it close to your face and encourage your child to look at you while you are talking about the object. Celebrate their efforts with praise or a small reward when they make eye contact.
2. Roleplay Activities
Roleplay activities are fantastic for teaching children with autism how to navigate different social situations. Create scenarios that your child might encounter, such as ordering food at a restaurant or playing with friends. Use toys or props to act out these scenarios together.
Roleplay helps your child practice appropriate social responses and understand various social cues in a supportive environment. This technique also makes learning social skills more interactive and less intimidating.
3. Social Skills Building Activities
Social skills building activities are essential for helping children with autism develop meaningful relationships. Engage in activities that promote sharing, turn-taking, and communication. Simple games like “Simon Says” or “Duck, Duck, Goose” can be adapted to focus on these skills. Praise your child when they successfully share or take turns, and use these moments to reinforce positive behavior.
4. Emotion Identification Games
Understanding and expressing emotions can be challenging for children with autism. Emotion identification games are a great way to help them recognize and label different feelings. Use flashcards with pictures of various emotions or create a feelings chart with images and corresponding words.
Play games where you show an emotion card and ask your child to identify the emotion or make a face that represents that feeling. This technique helps children with autism become more aware of their own emotions and the emotions of others.
Reach Out to Professional ABA Therapists
Integrating activities such as these may make a significant difference in your child’s development. However, for more personalized support and guidance, consider reaching out to professionals who specialize in caregiver training and ABA therapy at home.
At Greenlight ABA, we are dedicated to helping children with autism reach their full potential through ABA therapy techniques for caregivers, as well as other forms of ABA therapy at home.
When you are ready to learn more about home-based ABA therapy and how to do ABA therapy at home