## Paying Attention ### Get-Ready Skills Teach your child to pay attention either to you, to others, to rules, or to objects. Your child needs to be able to look or come when called, identify objects, and follow or imitate instructions. Help your child pay attention by following these guidelines: - Stand near your child. Make sure he or she can see and hear you. - Get on your child’s level. Position yourself so that your child can see your face, whether you are standing or sitting. - Call your child’s name. Wait until he or she turns to look at you before continuing. - Make eye contact. Look directly into your child’s eyes. - Choose your words carefully. Use simple, familiar words and short sentences to tell your child in simple, clear terms exactly what you want him or her to do (e.g., “Jenny, come play”). - Be consistent. Use the same words for people, places, and things all of the time. - Use gestures. Your child will more easily understand you and more readily pay attention to you if you accompany your words with helpful gestures. ### The Cup Game **Materials:** three paper cups, small food rewards (e.g., M&Ms, grapes, Goldfish crackers) **Time:** 5–10 minutes This variation on the old carnival shell game is useful in getting your child to focus on an event. The objectives of this game are for your child to watch you hide food under one of three cups, to watch while you move the cups, and to pick up the correct cup on the first try. 1. Use one cup. Hide an M&M (or other reward) under the cup. Say, “Find the candy.” 2. Move the cup around a little, and help your child find the reward. 3. Continue this until you can move the cup and your child can find the reward him- or herself. 4. Next, add a second cup. Hide the reward under one and move it a bit, keeping the other where it is. 5. Gradually, make the switches more difficult. Do this by moving the cups faster or more times. Note: Make sure that your child is watching. He or she should be correct most of the time for this game to be useful. ## Playing Alone ### Play Skills The skills your child gains when he or she learns new ways to play will be useful to him or her in other areas as well. Play can fill up empty time. Use the Play Skills Checklist on pages 107–108 of *Steps to Independence* to determine a play skill to teach your child. #### Establishing Steps Make a short list of the steps in the skill you have selected to teach your child. First, write down what your child is able to do at the moment. Next, write down the goal. Finally, fill in the various steps toward achieving your goal. #### Setting the Stage for Teaching Setting the stage means deciding when and where to teach and what materials to use once you have selected a play skill. #### Following Through Give your child clear directions when teaching play. The most effective verbal instructions are those that 1) begin with the child’s name, 2) are short, 3) include only words your child understands, and 4) are spoken clearly and firmly. ### Working Puzzles **Materials:** a wooden puzzle with simple shapes **Setting the Stage:** Begin with one piece, leaving all of the others fitted in the puzzle. **Program:** 1. Take the piece only a little way out. Say, “[Child’s name], put it in.” 2. Take the same piece halfway out. Say, “[Child’s name], put it in.” 3. Hand your child the piece. Point to the correct space, and say, “[Child’s name], put it in.” 4. Repeat this with each of the other pieces. ### Next Steps Increase the number of pieces you give your child. If your child struggles with a piece or becomes frustrated, back up a bit and give him or her a little physical guidance. ## Playing with Others ### Play Skills The skills your child gains when he or she learns new ways to play will be useful to him or her in other areas as well. Use the Play Skills Checklist on pages 107–108 of *Steps to Independence* to determine a play skill to teach your child. #### Setting the Stage for Teaching Setting the stage means deciding when and where to teach and what materials to use once you have selected a play skill. ### Beanbag Toss **Materials:** beanbags (To make your own, fill socks with a combination of uncooked and puffed rice or hard, uncooked beans.) **Setting the Stage:** Find a level surface outdoors or a space indoors that is free from clutter and breakable objects. **Program:** 1. Have your child stand 2 or 3 feet away from the beanbag target. Toss a beanbag. Say, “Throw the beanbag,” then hand a beanbag to your child and help him or her throw it. 2. As your child becomes more skilled, gradually give him less help and move farther away from the target. ### Next Steps 1. Mark several distances from the target. 2. Play a group game with teams. Assign points to be earned from each distance when the beanbag hits the target or lands in the basket. ## Activities of Daily Living ### Self-Care Self-care skills are activities of dressing, grooming, and health care skills that your child needs to perform to get the day started and to have a good appearance in public. Have your child make decisions by learning to ask—and to answer—four basic questions: 1. What do I need to do the skill? 2. What materials do I need? 3. Which step is first—and then next? 4. When have I finished and done a good job? ### Problem-Solving Game This game can be played during spare time. The idea is to create situations that may come up from time to time and to practice planning for the materials that would be needed at those times. ### Questions to Consider 1. “If it were raining now, what would you be wearing?” 2. “What would you need in order to sew a button on your shirt?” 3. “What do we take when we go to the beach?” 4. “What would you do if you got a little cut on your finger?” 5. “What should you pack in the toilet kit for an overnight trip?” ## Making Household Repairs ### Home-Care You can help your child identify and fix simple things that are wrong in your home. Help your child answer the following questions: 1. What do I need to do, and when do I need to do it? 2. What materials do I need? 3. Which step is first—and then next? 4. When have I finished and done a good job? Your child can do several easy projects throughout the home, such as: - Put a new light bulb in a light socket. - Unplug a toaster after use. - Close a window on a cold or rainy day. - Turn down the television or radio. - Replace toilet paper missing from the bathroom. ### Bright Idea! Replacing a burned out light bulb is a common household task. Use the following steps to teach your child how to change a light bulb: 1. Make sure the lamp is plugged in. 2. Check to see if the bulb is loose and gently turn clockwise until tight. 3. If original bulb is burned out, get a new one. 4. Unplug from wall socket, or turn off switch for ceiling light. 5. Remove the shade or cover, if necessary. 6. Unscrew the old bulb. 7. Screw in the new bulb until snug (but not too tight). 8. Plug in the lamp and test the bulb. 9. Replace the cover, if necessary. 10. Dispose of the old bulb in a safe place.