[Source:  Friendship Circle]

Fall is in full swing and that means a change in season for many of us. It also means changing of the clock and seeing it get dark earlier. It’s a time of transition, something that can be difficult for young children with Autism, leading to challenging behaviors and inconsistent comprehension of time. This can negatively impact on their ability to comprehend time, and understand the need to act in a way that shows an understanding of We, not just Me.

Fall is one of the best times to work on what it means to be a We, while teaching the concepts of time! The combination of fluctuating weather and shorter days enables parents/providers to get creative with lessons and teachable moments. We can use use real time play activities outdoors and indoor tech-based activities to facilitate these three specific skills needed for overall behavior management and social communication development:

1. Causality Comprehension: “If…Then” Contingent

2. Time sequenced movements: physical and verbal/conversational

3. Sequencing a narrative/story and/or procedure: before/during/after or first/middle/last

There’s never been a better time to foster these skills using “whole body” learning experiences integrating toys and tech.

Read the Rest of this Article on Friendship Circle