My students and I LOVE cooking in the classroom! Cooking is an awesome way to give your students some crucial life skills practice. I love watching my students build independence as they follow visual recipes, and it is so fun to see them try new foods! Looking to incorporate this life skill into your classroom? Read on to learn about some awesome springtime recipes!
Simple Visual Recipes
All of the visual recipe packs come with worksheets to enhance comprehension!
Simple Visual Recipes are picture-supported recipes and activities for cooking in the classroom. Each recipe has an ingredients and tools list, sequencing, the visual steps, a survey page, and a tool and ingredient worksheet.
In my classroom, we always cook on Fridays. Each week, I love sending our recipe and related activities home so that parents can see what we worked on. It’s a great conversation starter! Plus, they will have a copy of the visual recipe to try out at home with their children.
March and April Visual Recipes
The March Visual Recipe pack has four recipes to try!
Each monthly pack comes with four recipes. Some of the are seasonal (like a Shamrock Mix) and some are great for any time of year (like Banana Shakes). I love that because it gives me the flexibility to use different recipes when I need them!
In the March Visual Recipes pack, you will find recipes for Leprechaun Shake, English Muffin Pizza, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and Shamrock Mix.
In the April Visual Recipes pack there are recipes for Rice Marshmallow Egg, Bunny Mix, Peanut Butter Squares, and Banana Shake.
Cooking is a Life Skill!
When you cook in the classroom with your students, you have the chance to target many different life skills for your students. First and foremost, cooking will help your students increase their independence! It is so amazing to see how, with practice, students start to progress to completing recipes with minimal assistance. This translates into cooking and helping out more at home!
Another benefit is helping students learn safety and hygiene rules! My students have learned that they wash their hands before we start, and we go over the rules for keeping things germ-free. When we are using different cooking tools, I teach the proper way to handle things to keep us all safe.
Finally, cooking provides opportunities to practice social skills and manners. Students need to listen to instructions and follow directions in order for the recipe to work. They must take turns and be patient while waiting to complete steps in the recipe. And, students will practice their manners when serving and trying new foods!
This free PB & J recipe is a great way to introduce visual recipes in your classroom!
Cooking is truly one of my favorite parts of my classroom schedule. Ready to give Simple Visual Recipes a try? Check out this Peanut Butter and Jelly recipe for free!
Do you cook with your students? What are your favorite things to make with them? Share your ideas below!
https://www.exploringsilentminds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/recipes-1024x576-1.jpg5761024Silent Mindhttps://www.exploringsilentminds.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Exploring-silent-minds-color.pngSilent Mind2025-02-05 17:33:182025-02-05 17:43:05Spring Cooking Activities: Simple Recipes for Life Skills Practice
Buying presents for teenagers can be tricky! Add an Autism diagnosis, and you may wonder what the perfect gift is. Autistic children express themselves differently and may like different things, but they are children all the same!
Choosing the ideal gift for your child should not be difficult. And, while youngsters on the autism spectrum may appear challenging, they are the kindest and most grateful. It’s not easy for them to articulate it compared to other teenagers.
The Ultimate List of Gift Ideas for Teenagers with Autism
Having a way to turn your bedroom into a magical sensory experience is the perfect gift for autistic teens. The Star Light Galaxy Projector transforms any room into the most soothing yet vivid starry Nebula clouds and Laser Night Sky. Like a portable planetarium, your teen will get the most relaxing visuals from this galaxy projector. It feels like you’re drifting calmly into space at night.
With 16.7 million colors behind green stars that float across your ceiling walls & multiple brightness settings, you’ll never run out of options with this multiple starlight projector. One can also use pocket projectors like PIQO, which are easy and comfortable. These projectors are very handy and automatic in use. However, it is always a user’s choice what kind of projectors they require, automatic or manual.
If your teen struggles with sleep, this is the device they will love! Since it works with Alexa & Google, you can get creative with playlists, audiobooks, and voice commands. Plus, it has a smart sleep shutdown timer and mobile app, so it can turn on and off automatically anytime you want. Addiction to technology may be a fear of parents, and the question where can I send my out of control teenager the teen mental health programs help to improve your teen’s mental health.
Fortunately, if you want to get a hold of this amazing product at a fantastic discount, you can use the Amazon gift finder, which allows you to filter your search by gender, age, price, and gift type. By utilizing this feature, you’ll be assured of being redirected to the merchant with the best price, and you can have it delivered gift-wrapped, so you won’t have to worry about that.
Amazon Echo Show 8
Amazon Echo Show has many cool features and can even be customized with a “blueprint” for family use. We love using ours to play music, trivia games, and more. You can also make phone calls and use many other skills to make the most of this amazing device.
Autistic kids have their favorite special things. If you fully understand his preferences, know his characteristics, and design a customized one-of-a-kind keychain for him, it will make them feel favored and cared for and make him feel happy. Any style and pattern can be customized. If you have an idea, it can be realized on the keychain.
Pokémon
Pokemon is entertaining and still a hot ticket item for all children. Something about Pichacu captures everyone’s attention! The most popular item out there is the set of Pokémon Cards.
Another great option that every Pokémon needs is a binder to organize their collection. There are so many to choose from, including this awesome Charizard one.
Children of all ages share the novelty of collecting rare Pokémon. And the challenge of searching for rare ones makes them even more excited and energized.
Tall Bubble Lamps
Ever thought of bubble lamps or similar items? You can even find them in the form of speakers with Bluetooth to combine with other pieces. These are used in occupational therapy a lot and have amazing benefits, along with being fun! These are great gift ideas for autistic teenagers!
The mesmerizing bubble lamps will create a sensory experience and make the child relaxed and calm.
WordSearch by Goliath Games
The race is on with WordSearch by Goliath Game. This exciting version of the classic hidden word puzzle – turns a solitary activity into a fun group word game as players go on a word search.
Rotate the specially designed circular board to reveal the word that the players will race to find on this turn. Everyone plays simultaneously, and the first player to locate the word marks it with transparent colored tiles.
The Multi-Functional “Pressure Therapy”
Do your teens love intense pressure and sensory of that kind? You place your hand into the squeeze reliever, which strokes and vibrates to produce the neural input your kids love. If your teenager has autism and enjoys sensory input over their hands, the squeeze reliever is a good gift for a child with autism.
Floating 3D Moon Night Light Lamp
This unbelievable magnetic levitation moon lamp will leave your autistic teen amazed. The moon night light floats and spins automatically in mid-air freely without any support or contact. This will help them feel calm and present, plus it’s super cool!
Color Smash by Pressman Toys
Slap your way to victory with Color Smash by Pressman Toys. This test of color coordination smashes the splat with the same color and name to win the deck! It’s quick to learn and easy to play! When it comes to great gift ideas for autistic teenagers, ColorSmash is an awesome choice. Pinch Me Therapy Dough
Pinch Me. Therapy Dough is a therapeutic dough with many uses; strengthening hands, lowering anxiety, and having sensory input. It is a fabulous gift idea for autistic teenagers.
Driving Lessons
Teens with special needs may learn differently. You can make driving lessons happen if learning how to drive can be an option. Contact a driving school for extra training. Teenagers with autism require extra practice and must be offered the chance if driving can be a reality.
Squishmallows are all the rage right now; there is a good reason why! These awesome plushes are so squishy and such a sensory relief! They come in multiple different sizes, colors, and characters. Some varieties even have bellies with sequins or different textures to make it the ultimate sensory toy!
Whether your teen uses them as a pillow, something to squish, or a toy, they will love these Squishmallows. You may even want to order one for yourself!
Perplexus
This is a puzzle game highly recommended by many parents with autistic teenagers. This Star Wars Death Star Perplexus brings amazing lights and sounds to the award-winning range of Perplexus 3-D games!
Large Sensory Pillow
These large sensory pillows provide gentle sensory stimulation with soothing textures. The Sensory Pillow is super soft and comes in very gentle colors. Your teen will love using this at home and on the go!
Slow Rising Squishies
Slow Rising Squishies are all the craze right now, and the reason is so! They give great sensory input and are fun to collect. Some of them, like this jumbo dog-shaped squishy, are scented!
Spaghetti Headz
Spaghetti Headz easily enters a girl’s hair to create a trendy look. Girls with autism find it a simpler option to catch up with the current trends that their counterparts are up to.
XP-PEN Artist13.3 Pro 13.3
If your teen is a budding artist, the XP-PEN Artist13.3 Pro 13.3 will be their perfect gift! It allows them full control to design the most vibrant art without limitations seamlessly!
Sunset Lamp (16 Colors!)
The sunset lamp projector is all the rage this year, and I can see why! It can cast amazing circular lights on the walls, ceiling, and floor. The farther the distance, the larger the projection that can be projected on the wall or ceiling.
While there are many on the market, we love the one made by Encalife for its quality and 16-color settings!
Gift cards that permit them to practice independence
It can be a Visa card and tries to teach them budgeting, spending, and being independent in society. A great place to get real gift cards at a real discount is Raise.com.
Pin Art
Pin Art is a classic gift that is still awesome/ This can be a fantastic gift idea for autistic teens as they will love capturing 3-D images with pin art.
The WOW cup
The Wow Cup is a great stocking stuffer and practical gift for an autistic teenager. Perfect for those who are unsteady or don’t have great spatial awareness.
Liquid motion bubbler toys for autistic teens
This sensory toy helps regain calm through the soothing repetitive liquid drops falling from top to bottom. Liquid motion bubblers are great gift ideas for autistic teenagers.
Flowing sand panel
The flowing sand panel is a rotating picture frame filled with colored sand that creates unique, relaxing images whenever you flip it over. This is a calming gift idea for autistic teenagers. You can put it in your relaxing area to aid overstimulated students in relaxing.
Fidget Set
Though fidgets were all the rage, they were beneficial. Buying an entire set of fidgets offers a larger variety of toys for your autistic teenager to use.
Pressure vest
Deep pressure provides calming from anxiety and stress. There are a ton made for little kids, but some are made for adult sizes, like these weight vests by Harkla.
Music light show Dj
Music light show Dj is a perfect gift idea for autistic teenagers. The light show provides visual stimulation combined with awesome sounds.
CuberSpeed Rainbow Ball
CuberSpeed Rainbow Ball is in the shape of a ball with 12 holes and 11 colorful balls inside that you fidget to pass balls from one hole to the other. The objective is to scramble the colored balls, then figure out how to get them all back into their matching colored slots in all holes.
The puzzle ball might look simple at first, but this fun, the addictive puzzle will keep kids busy for long periods of time.
Soothing mini volcano toys for an autistic teenager
Set the bubbler down and watch as the “lava” erupts to the surface. This mini volcano bubblier is a great toy for autistic teens. It can be set perfectly on a desk with a mesmerizing volcano flow with special lighting effects.
Kanoodle
Get ready to cross-train your brain with a brand new Kanoodle game featuring over 300 puzzle challenges! Features 2-D, 3-D, and NEW sliding 2-D puzzles! From basic to truly tough, hundreds of combinations and hours of fun exist!
Original Tangle with texture
Tangle is one of the favorite fidget-style toys in our home. Twist and shape this fidget how you please, even being able to combine multiple Tangles. There are even different sizes!
Cosmic UFO
Another awesome gift idea for autistic teenagers is the Cosmic UFO projector. The UFO “windows” light up in 3 different sequences. Motion sensor triggers UFO flying sounds.
The UFO plays 2 soothing sounds (Symphony 51 and Warp Drive) and Projects a multicolored Northern Lights effect. There is a 23-minute sleep timer that automatically shuts off lights and sounds.
Soothing Vibrating Roll Pillow
For teenagers with autism, not every present has to be a toy. This Soothing Vibrating Roll pillow features comforting vibration, making it great to hold and squeeze. The pillow’s soft corduroy shell provides an interesting texture for people to rub their hands over.
Deluxe Jellyfish Lamp
Jelly Fish Tank Aquarium Mood Lamp is a perfect gift idea for autistic teenagers. Realistic life-like jellyfish models swim quietly, creating a beautiful, tranquil, peaceful, soothing, deep-sea ambiance for home or office. Immerse yourself in the peace & calm of the ocean.
Fidget roller
A lot of the fidgets on the market are geared toward little kids. Teenagers tend to want to feel more grown-up. These Metal Fidget Rollers are great gift ideas for autistic teenagers.
Penguin Popper
Penguin (and other characters) Poppers are such a blast! They are great for working on hand strength while hilarious to shoot at friends! It’s not quite a Nerf gun, but it’s just as fun!
Teen Talk
Communication is a hard thing for autistic children. Teen Talk is a great gift idea for an autistic teenager. Teen Talk in A Jar had a ton of Discussion starters and icebreakers on just about everything teens want to discuss.
Artie Max The Coding, Drawing Robot
TAKE CREATIVE CODING TO THE MAX! From simple designs to complex code creations, Artie Max translates your code into colorful works of art. Artie Max has creative possibilities with three interchangeable onboard markers, smart sensors, line detection, remote control functionality, a USB rechargeable battery, and more.
Crash Pad
By jumping into a crash pad, autistic teenagers receive a lot of sensory support that provides deep pressure from the leg and knee muscles to the joints, which is good for muscle tone and core strength.
Spinning Lollipop tree
Lollipopter magically transforms from a “swirl” to a “burst” and again in one exquisite motion with a quick twist. To transform it, spin the handle and watch the magic unfold. To change it back, spin it the other way. Intuitive, relaxing, fun…and addictive!
Silver Plasma Lightning Lamp
Another great gift for autistic children is the classic Plasma Lightning Lamp. The base produces high-frequency electromagnetic waves that cause the gases to turn into plasma.
If you touch the ball, the lightning bolts will combine into a strong beam and follow the movement of your finger. Clap your hands to it and watch the pattern in its striking pulsations.
Social Skills Comics for Teens
Social Skills Comics for Kids: Conversational Skills in School Book w/CD is a fantastic gift idea for autistic teens. These 25 comics are designed to show children the expected and unexpected ways to behave in typical school social situations.
Vibes earplugs
Vibes earplugs are perfect gifts for sound-sensitive teenagers with autism. They are made to protect your ears while being virtually invisible to anyone else. Perfect for a teen who doesn’t want bulky headphones on!
The Empathy Game
The Empathy Game is a card game that helps players recognize the importance of empathy, a central component of emotional intelligence. As children try to read other players’ nonverbal cues and guess how they’ve responded to Question Cards, they practice this skill in a fun way.
DSLR Camera
Noticing the extra details can lead to some awesome careers. Encouraging art is a great gift for a child with autism. There are all sorts of amazing cameras out there to choose from.
Another great game, This or That, is a quick, clever, get-to-know-you game that is great for starting conversations and building friendships.
Web Riderz web swing
This awesome Web Riderz web swing can hold up to 600 lbs, so it is a swing that will last quite some time!
Kanoodle Duplexity
Kanoodle Duplexity puts your brainpower to the test with 200 magnetic puzzle challenges. It includes 28 two-color magnetic pieces, 100 double-sided challenge cards, and a carrying case that doubles as a playboard. These great gift ideas for autistic teenagers build spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills.
Heavy-Duty Enclosed Trampolines
Another great gift idea for autistic teenagers is a heavy-duty enclosed trampoline like this one from SkyWalker. Trampolines are a great resource for sensory-seeking autistic teenagers who crave proprioceptive/vestibular sensory input.
Sensory integration products and activities like trampolines help regulate their bodies to be more content, calm, focused, and ready to learn.
CamoPod
CamoPod Hanging Cocoon Chair Hammock is another great gift idea for autistic teenagers. It provides a perfect place to read, do homework, or relax to some tunes.
Sculptapalooza
Sculptapalooza is the hilariously creative, entertaining, squishy, squashy sculpting party game! Scultapalooza is a Fast-Paced family game: teams race against the clock to sculpt, guess, and win five crazy categories: sculpt with your eyes closed, sculpt a prop to act out your scene, or tag-team play in the Lightning round.
Cocoon Bean Bag Chair
Bean bags are awesome but often too small for teenagers. The Cocoon Bean Bag Chair is a perfect size! Sinking in this cozy chair can help autistic teenagers relax and relieve pressure.
Large Weighted Blanket
Weighted Blankets have insanely huge benefits for autistic teenagers. They help relieve anxiety and provide a sense of calm. You can read all about the benefits of weighted blankets here.
Slime Kits
Who doesn’t like slime? Not counting when it gets into your couch, slime is a favorite of most kids and teens. Getting your autistic teenager a slime kit will provide hours of creativity and sensory input.
Blue Tooth light spinner
Fidget spinners were a quick fad that started with real benefits. They provide sensory input along with help focusing on those with ADHD and similar diagnoses. The Bluetooth Light Up Spinners are the new version and are perfect gift ideas for autistic teenagers.
Patterned Fluorescent light filters
Patterned Fluorescent light filters reduce glare and flickering, creating a calming work environment. They attach to standard ceiling fluorescent light fixtures with super-strong, built-in magnets that keep filters in position.
Soothing sands
Something is soothing about sand running through your fingers. Kinetic sand is an awesome way to get that same sensation while molding and playing with it. There are a ton of different colors to fit any personality.
Asperger’s on the Job Book
Asperger’s on the Job is a must-have advice book for those who have autistic teenagers. Written by an accomplished young man on the spectrum, Rudy Simone, this book addresses many of the issues and challenges that those on the autism spectrum face on the job, including social blunders, sensory issues, and bullying by coworkers.
Mediterraneo Stand and Chair
This stylish and space-saving Mediterraneo hammock chair system is perfect for tight spaces. It is exceptionally durable, with a 287-pound weight-bearing capacity, and is made of rust-resistant powder-coated steel.
B-Calm Headphones
The b-Calm Headphone system differs from most noise-reduction earmuffs in that this system features comfortable headphones with audio-engineered “acoustic shield” tracks. These tracks feature designed white noise that makes typically distracting noises unnoticeable to the listener. It also features soothing nature tracks to help calm and recenter agitated special needs students.
Use them to help students block out distracting noises to help with focus or protect special needs kids from overstimulation.
Lunar Light Show
This detailed, photorealistic moon isn’t just for show– use it to make your stellar light display! The Lunar Light Show can be controlled via a remote to emit beautiful hues and blinking patterns. Place it in any room to create a beautiful display of light and color.
Buddy talk
Buddy Talk is a creative and engaging game that allows for hilarious conversations and discussions to spark with every question in seconds! Since it is small and portable (think travel-sized!), it is perfect for the on-the-go.
Calming sensory room
Creating a perfect calming space for your autistic teenager can go a long way! Though you can’t wrap it in a box, it is still a perfect gift idea for autistic teenagers.
The Autism Playbook for Teens
The mindfulness-based activities in The Autism Playbook will help teens calm their minds, relax, have fun, and build better relationships. Through systematic exercise, teens will develop their ability to concentrate, detect cues from their environment, and manage their experiences of emotions positively and proactively. Relatable stories throughout the book offer support and practical examples for teen readers.
Social Skills Bingo for Teens
Do you need a fun new activity to help the teens you work with to learn about social skills? The Social Skills Bingo Game for Teens features conversational prompts to get your students talking and learning about social attitudes and behaviors.
Magnetic Ring Fidgets
The magnetic ring fidget toy is an excellent choice for a premium present. As a pocket-size toy, your autistic teen can play with this fidget anywhere!
Wristful fidget
Your child will love wearing the Wristful fidget. It feels like a wearable bean bag. It’s filled with small pellets sewn inside stretchy spandex that’s fun to stretch and squeeze. Best of all, this item is discreet – it looks like a sports wristband!
Foot fidgets
Physical therapists design the foot fidget with years of experience supporting students with special needs. It gives your autistic teenager some discreet movement opportunities to help with attention and focus.
The Original Buddha Board
The Original Buddha Board– Fill the stand with water. Then dip in the bamboo brush (included) & start drawing, painting & writing. You’ll create soft, beautiful images with a rich, inky Japanese look. Appreciate your creation at the moment, and then, as the water evaporates and your masterpiece slowly fades away, practice the art of letting go.
Sirius Vibrating Massage Pillow
Many children with sensory difficulties love soothing vibrations. Now, you can provide this stimulation with the popular, pressure-activated Sirius Vibrating Massage Pillow! It starts vibrating as soon as you squeeze it. Children love to sit on top of the pillow, lean on it, or hug it to feel the relaxing and calming vibrations.
Abraka rings
There is just something visually mesmerizing about the Abraka Rings. Two solid metal rings appear to turn inside out, but they never flip. Reverse the direction you turn the rings, and the effect looks different.
Zen Garden
Soothing and proper tactile activity for teenagers with autism. A Zen Garden provides the perfect resource for sensory breaks. This set includes a pound of soft white sand, a wood sculpting tool, a sand roller, a stone inscribed with the Japanese symbol for “Peace,” and a bamboo tray.
The Aspie Teens Survival Guide
During the teenage years, being social is the number one priority for kids. But for kids with Asperger’s who have acute social challenges, these years can be the most difficult, confusing time.
Enter J. D. Kraus, a young man who has been there and done that! He offers practical advice to his peers to get the most out of middle and high school academically and socially. From sensory sensitivity to awkwardness, dating to driving, The Aspie Teens Survival guide tackles it all!
Playable Art ball
The Playable Art Ball is another fun gift idea for autistic teenagers. A mesmerizing sensory item that twists and moves to create various designs and shapes. This item is perfect for kids, teens, and adults who are highly visual. It is a fun, quiet activity that can be taken anywhere!
LED Fiber Optic Softie
By far the priciest gift ideas for autistic teenagers, but an amazing resource that your teen would use endlessly. The LED Fiber Optic Softie is the ultimate when it comes to sensory room accessories.
The Wipe Clean Fiber Optic Softie provides an amazing interactive sensory experience for your students with autism and sensory needs. Students will love sinking into the soft bean bag chair and interacting with the attached fiber optics.
The fiber optics are safe – no electricity flows through them. They are illuminated using light from an attached calming light source.
Personalized Krazy Straws
Personalized gifts are so hot at the moment. It is fun and inexpensive. The Krazy Namesake Straws are a fun way to tell everyone this is your drink!
Gift Ideas for Autistic Teenagers
Finding the right gift ideas for autistic teenagers may seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. These specialty items and ideas can work well with autistic teenagers and are socially appropriate. During shopping, you should consider the development age of the teenager you are shopping for. Let us know which of these 75+ gift ideas for autistic teenagers was your favorite in the comments below!
https://www.exploringsilentminds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Image3_3_2048x2048.webp20002000Silent Mindhttps://www.exploringsilentminds.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Exploring-silent-minds-color.pngSilent Mind2025-02-05 17:31:412025-02-05 17:43:06The Ultimate Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Autistic Teenagers
I recently had to dismantle a metal bunkbed my husband and I were selling to a consignment store. The frame was held together by a couple dozen stout screws which had to be removed with an allen wrench. The screws on the siderails slipped out after a few turns with minimal effort, but one at the foot of the bed proved significantly more challenging.
The base was only an inch off the floor, so I had to repeatedly remove the wrench every quarter twist and reposition it for the next rotation. I worked and worked, but the screw was not coming out. I felt some give in the tool, so I assumed I was making progress and kept at it, applying more and more force each time. After about ten minutes I sat back, exasperated. Why wasn’t it coming out? My husband looked over my shoulder and said, “You’re turning it the wrong way. You’re tightening it.”
I was indignant. I knew the rule: righty-tighty, lefty-loosey, and I was certain I was twisting to the left. However, what I failed to take into consideration was my orientation to the screw. With every twist, I was jamming the screw deeper and deeper into its hole, damaging the grooves with each turn. By the time I corrected my mistake, the allen wrench was rendered useless. I had to use a pair of pliers to forcefully yank the mangled bolt out of its hole. The damage was done.
Prior to my son Brady’s autism diagnosis at age three, my parenting methods resembled my unsuccessful bout with the bed. I tried repeatedly to use the same parenting techniques as my friends, or to mimic the upbringing and discipline I experienced as a child, but instead of compliance, I met resistance.
Even so-called expert advice fell flat. Parenting gurus regularly promoted easy “three step plans” to rearing a polite, well-behaved, socially acceptable child. If I followed their programs, I should be able to “a-b-c” or “1-2-3” my way out of any behavioral challenge with my son. Instead, I would reach “x-y-z’ and wonder what I did wrong. Brady wouldn’t respond, and in some cases, the conflict would escalate.
Interestingly, the problem with my parenting was the same as my wrench skills – I wasn’t oriented correctly. I was parenting Brady as if his brain were wired like other typically developing kids. I had to flip my perspective. I had to learn new strategies for parenting a child who is neurodiverse, otherwise I would risk irreparable damage to my son and our relationship, just like my fruitless efforts to loosen that screw.
Through books, videos, and in person parent trainings, I finally started to work in concert with my son, instead of fighting against him. Here are a few highlights of what I learned: Don’t compare your child’s developmental milestones to other kids. Parent your child based on his stage, not his age.
Emphasize positive reinforcement for the right behaviors. Genuine excitement over his smallest victories will create a desire for him to repeat them.
Keep your cool when corrections are necessary. Losing your temper only fuels your child’s big emotions.
Determine something (a snack, money, a toy, etc.) that motivates your child, and provide regular, frequent opportunities for him to earn it.
Therapies are important, but don’t forget to celebrate and nurture the gifts, talents, and passions of your child.
These skills won’t promise you a completely smooth parenting experience. Occasionally you may still need to put some muscle into that wrench, but as long as you’re approaching your child with the right perspective, you should be able to stay in the groove.
Kari Baker always loved a good plan. But when her only son Brady was diagnosed with autism (at 3 years old) and ADHD, her plans for a typical parenting experience were shaken to the core.
Finding KIND is an account of Kari’s initial awakening to Brady’s neurological differences, the early years adapting to life as an autism mom, and later accepting and appreciating Brady for exactly who God made him to be.
Ultimately, Kari’s experiences as a KIND Mom offer practical suggestions for thriving when the best laid plans go awry. Anyone who knows and loves a kid with invisible neurological differences or who is exploring faith in the midst of life’s challenges will find hope and encouragement in Kari’s story.
“As a developmental pediatrician, I often wonder how parents of children with autism and other disabilities cope. And would I ever be able to rise to that challenge? Kari Baker shares some of her life secrets in this gem of a book. It is an ode to the impact of positive, mindful and persistent parenting of exceptional individuals. Certainly germane to parents of children with autism, but in reality, a lesson for the rest of us.”
– Raun Melmed, MD, Co-founder and Medical Director of Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center and Director of Cortica Scottsdale, and Author of “Autism and the Extended Family: A Guide for Those Who Know and Love Someone with Autism” and “Autism Parent Handbook: Starting with the End Goal in Mind”
All children need to learn to exercise and to appreciate the importance of exercise and why it needs to be a part of daily life so much. If you have children with special needs, however, there are some things to consider. Making sure they have the right resources and accommodations to exercise is key. In this article, we are going to take a look at how to encourage exercise in special needs children.
Safety First
Even when adult exercises, safety is the number one important thing. So it’s hardly surprising that it would be the same for a child with special needs. As long as you are considering safety primarily, you will be looking after your child effectively, and that is the most important thing of all when trying to get them to exercise more.
In order to make safety a priority, you will need to think about a number of things, including knowing how to prevent many of the major injuries – see https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/how-to-prevent-acl-injuries/ for an example of this.
You will also need to make sure that you are not pushing your child too hard to exercise. Doing so can result in injuries.
Find The Right Exercise For Them
If you want your children to enjoy exercise as much as you would like, then you need to make sure that you work on finding the right activity for them as an individual. This is something that you might need to work on for a long time and use a lot of trial and error to be sure. But it is necessary if you are going to make it work out well.
Pacing
All that being said, you should be careful not to push them too hard, as in many cases that will lead to a number of problems. You might find that they are more likely to suffer physically or mentally, and probably they will be much less likely to enjoy it on the whole, which should be the main focus here overall.
That being said, if you pace it out too slowly, then you will find it harder to instill in them a particular excitement for the exercise, which is necessary if you hope to make it fun for them. Pace it right, and you will find that it makes all the difference.
Encouraging Exercise in Special Needs Children
Getting any child to exercise can be a struggle to do. With the right tools, it is possible to not only get them to exercise but enjoy it as well! As an added bonus, when we exercise it helps both our mood and sleep. Talk about a win-win scenario!
https://www.exploringsilentminds.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Exploring-silent-minds-color.png00Silent Mindhttps://www.exploringsilentminds.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Exploring-silent-minds-color.pngSilent Mind2025-02-05 17:31:392025-02-05 17:43:09How to Encourage Exercise in Special Needs Children
Exposing the first signs of autism in pregnancy! This could change everything we know about early detection. Researchers have just made an incredible breakthrough in understanding autism.
They’ve found that mini-brains grown from children with autism are about 40% larger than those from neurotypical children during the first trimester of pregnancy. This unusual brain growth could be one of the earliest indicators of autism in a developing baby.
One of the scientists, Alysson Muotri, points out that the bigger the brain, the better isn’t always true. According to Courchesne, understanding these early differences is crucial for developing future treatments to manage symptoms. This discovery offers hope for early intervention and better management of autism.
Stay tuned for more updates on this fascinating topic!
Human beings are social animals. Our well-being depends on having healthy relationships and interactions with other people. And the foundation of healthy relationships and interactions is communication. We express our feelings and thoughts through communication, both verbally and nonverbally, every day to interact with the people in our community.
Enhancing Communication Skills in Individuals with Autism: An ABA Approach
By Blain Hockridge
For people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though, the communication that most of us take for granted may be extremely difficult. This challenge deprives them of a vital, enriching part of the human experience. Luckily, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has developed many empirically validated techniques to help those with autism communicate more effectively.
Verbal Behavior Training
Verbal Behavior Training involves connecting a person’s words with their purpose or “function.” It was developed by the behaviorist B.F. Skinner, who classified language into individual skills, or “operants.” The main operants include mands, echoics, and tacts.
Manding, or requesting, is the first skill taught in Verbal Behavior programs and one of the most important. The function of a mand is to obtain something that the learner wants, such as food or toys. A therapist or caregiver will contrive opportunities for the learner to vocally or gesturally (such as by pointing) indicate what they want, and then deliver that item to the learner. Manding is an essential skill, as it allows the learner to indicate what they want to others.
An echoic is simply the act of vocally imitating. Teaching this involves providing reinforcement for successfully repeating a sound or word that the teacher emits. This is a crucial skill to acquire for a learner, as imitating others is how we learn new sounds and words. Teaching echoics is often used in conjunction with teaching mands, by getting a learner to successfully repeat a word (such as “toy”) and then rewarding them when they say the word in the presence of the item that the word represents; in this case, by giving them the toy.
Tacting involves the learner labeling something in their environment to obtain a caregiver or peer’s attention. Tacting is usually taught by showing pictures or providing items to learners in their natural environment and then vocally praising them for successfully labeling the item.
Functional Communication Training
Related to Verbal Behavior Training is a method of teaching communication called Functional Communication Training (FCT). This involves replacing a learner’s undesirable behaviors, such as aggression, with functional communication skills to provide the learner with positive tools to achieve their wants and needs.
This is done primarily through a tactic called differential reinforcement, which is when a teacher ignores or redirects the learner’s undesirable behavior and then prompts a functionally equivalent communication skill. This can help reduce the frustration that can occur when a learner can’t communicate what they want. The communication skill can be vocal or involve Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Augmentative and Alternative Communication simply refers to various ways of communication that don’t involve vocal speech. AAC can be “no-tech,” “low-tech,” or “high-tech.” A “no-tech” AAC can include gesturing, signing, or facial expressions. These behaviors are “shaped” to reinforce successive approximations of the desired behavior. For example, moving a fist towards a desired item may be reinforced initially until a full finger point is required to obtain the item.
A “low-tech” AAC may use a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). PECS involves using a book or board containing pictures of items the learner must hand to a teacher or caregiver to obtain the desired item. A “high-tech” AAC may be a tablet that a learner can use to vocalize the desired speech when the appropriate button is pressed.
A whole world of possibilities opens up when we first learn to communicate. Suddenly, we have more control over our environment and no longer depend on others to determine what we want. While typically functioning people may take this ability for granted, for millions of people with autism, communication can be a real struggle. Luckily, with the help of Applied Behavior Analysis, increased awareness of autism, and caring psychologists and caregivers, these people can obtain the vital communication skills that provide a better and more enriching life.
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