You have decided to start ABA therapy for your preschooler with autism spectrum disorder. But what does that look like? Will your child sit at a desk all day? Will they hate it? Let us walk through a typical day so you know exactly what to expect.
Morning Arrival and Relationship Building
The day starts when the therapist arrives at your home for ABA in-home therapy. For preschoolers, home-based services work best because kids feel comfortable in familiar surroundings.
Your child might be eating breakfast or playing when the therapist walks in. Good therapists don’t immediately start “doing therapy.” They spend a few minutes building rapport. This relationship matters. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy works best when your child likes their therapist and wants to engage with them. Once your child seems comfortable, the session naturally begins.
Play-Based Learning Sessions
The core of ABA therapy for autism with preschoolers happens through play. Your child might not even realize they are in therapy.
Let us say your child loves cars. The therapist pulls out cars and starts playing alongside your child. As they play, learning opportunities happen naturally. Each moment is intentional. The therapist has specific goals. But to your preschooler, they are just playing with cars. This is what modern ABA therapy for autism spectrum disorder looks like. It is natural, fun and play-based.
Snack Time as a Teaching Opportunity
When snack time comes, it is not just snack time. It is another chance to practice skills. The therapist might put your child’s favorite crackers in a clear container that they can see but not open. Your child needs to communicate somehow to get those crackers. Maybe they point. Maybe they use a picture. Maybe they say “cracker” or “open.”
With parent ABA training, you learn to do the same thing. Every snack becomes a communication opportunity. Every meal becomes a chance to practice using utensils or try new foods. This is why home ABA therapy is so effective. Learning happens during real routines.
Social Skills Practice
For preschoolers with autism, social skills don’t come naturally. ABA therapy services include specific social skills training. If you have other children at home, the therapist might facilitate play between siblings. They train your preschooler how to share, take turns, and play cooperatively. They practice making eye contact when someone talks. Responding when someone calls their name. These might seem like small things, but they are the building blocks of all future social relationships.
Self-Care Routines
If your preschooler is working on toilet training, the therapist incorporates that into the day. They teach the steps of using the toilet, washing hands, and pulling up pants. Self-care skills are a big focus of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for preschoolers. The therapist breaks each task into tiny steps: Getting dressed, brushing teeth, washing hands, and putting on shoes. They teach one step at a time until your child masters the whole sequence.
Managing Challenging Behaviors
Throughout the day, challenging behaviors might happen. This is normal for preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. When challenging behaviors occur, the therapist responds calmly and consistently. They don’t punish. Instead, they try to understand what your child is communicating through the behavior. Are they frustrated? Overstimulated? Trying to escape a demand? Then they teach a better way to communicate that need. Over time, as communication skills improve, challenging behaviors typically decrease. Through parent ABA training, you learn to respond the same way. Consistency accelerates progress.
Afternoon Activities
As the session continues, activities might shift based on your child’s energy level. Maybe they go outside to play. The therapist works on gross motor skills like jumping, climbing, or kicking a ball. They practice following instructions in different environments.
Maybe they do a sensory activity like playing with water or sand. The therapist observes how your child handles different textures and helps them regulate if they become overwhelmed.
Toward the end of the session, activities become calmer. Maybe they read books together or do puzzles. The therapist prepares your child for the transition of the session ending.
Data Collection Throughout
The therapist records what your child did, how many prompts they needed, and whether they were successful. This data drives the therapy. It shows what is working and what needs adjustment. Your child’s program gets updated regularly based on this information.
Parent Involvement and Training
The best ABA therapy services include parents as active participants. During the session, the therapist might ask you to try an activity while they coach you. They show you exactly how they prompted your child. They explain why they responded to a behavior in a specific way. Parent ABA training turns you into your child’s teacher too. When you use the same strategies, your child’s progress speeds up dramatically.
End of Session
At the end of the session, the therapist summarizes the day with you. What went well? What was challenging? What to practice before tomorrow? They might leave you with homework. Then they leave. But the learning does not stop. With early intervention therapy for autism, every moment is a teaching opportunity.
What This Means for Your Family
A day of ABA therapy for autism doesn’t mean your preschooler sits still being drilled on skills. It means a trained professional plays with your child intentionally. Every game, every snack, every routine becomes a chance to learn.
At GreenLight ABA, we offer in-home ABA therapy and Parent training, as parents’ involvement means the learning continues all day, every day. Contact us to grow together!