< Back

At-Home ABA Therapy Activities

We’re going to be completely honest. These activities won’t only help support ABA therapy but will also help any household with children run a lot smoother! These ABA activities are designed not only to assist children with autism but also to bring harmony and structure to any household with children. Below are two helpful things you can implement in your home to make your day run that much easier.

Fun ABA Activities: Visual Procedures

Remember that our goal is to help our little ones master essential self-care procedures by way of ABA therapy activities at home. One way to do this is to create visual examples of each expected task and post them somewhere accessible for your child to see.

For example, if you’re working on getting your little one to wash their hands. Take a picture of your kiddo doing each step. This means you may have a picture of your child:

  1. Turning on the water
  2. Squirting a specific amount of soap on their hands
  3. Rubbing their hands together to the count of 60 or as long as it takes them to sing their ABCs
  4. Rinsing off all the bubbles
  5. Drying hands and shutting off the water using a towel.

Try not to have more than five photos; remember, we don’t want to make this an overwhelming process. While the aim is to provide clarity through these ABA activities, it’s essential to ensure that the process remains simple and digestible. We want to make it easy, fun, and stress-free. It’s a win-win situation because your child knows exactly what the expectations are, and parents can simply point to each step instead of feeling like an overworked broken record. Point to the visual cues and make ABA therapy activities at home more effective and harmonious.

Fun ABA Activities: Visual Calendar Or Daily Lists

Incorporating ABA therapy activities into daily routines can be significantly enhanced with the use of a visual calendar or a daily list of activities. Take the anxious guesswork out of your child’s day by creating a calendar with pictures of the items below to help your little one understand what to expect and prepare for the upcoming day. Each image on the calendar serves as a reminder, helping the child understand and anticipate the itinerary, making their day more predictable and less daunting. This visual representation streamlines ABA therapy activities at home and empowers children with a sense of structure and confidence as they navigate their daily routines.

  1. Their school,
  2. Their home
  3. An after-school snack, etc.

This daily plan doesn’t have to be as detailed as adding pictures. You could simply write out a quick list of your child’s daily routine or plans and have them cross off each item as they are completed. For example, you might jot down, get dressed, eat breakfast, go to school, have a snack, do homework, play, eat dinner, take a bath, read a story, and go to bed. Remember to post the list somewhere your child will be able to see easily. Whether it’s ABA therapy activities at home or just daily tasks, having a clear, easy-to-follow plan can make a world of difference in a child’s day.

Fun ABA Activities: Match the Color

Incorporate familiar household items into this fun ABA activity to enhance color recognition. Use objects that your child interacts with daily, like toy cars, crayons, or socks. Choose one item and encourage your child to match it with other items of the same color. Initially, focus on identical shades to build confidence. As your child progresses in their ABA therapy activities at home, introduce varying shades of the same color to challenge and further develop their skills.

Fun ABA Activities: Recognizing Emotions

The recognition of emotions is crucial, especially for children with autism who might grapple with understanding and regulating their feelings. For this at-home ABA activity, print a variety of emojis, like smiley, sad, and angry faces. Lay them face down and let your child pick and identify the emotion depicted. This activity not only reinforces their ability to recognize emotions but also serves as a springboard for deeper discussions about their own feelings and those of others. Through ABA therapy activities at home like this one, children can gain a better grasp of the complex world of emotions, aiding their social interactions.

ABA Therapy Beyond the Activities

These are just a couple of ideas to help support all your child’s hard work in ABA Therapy. If you’re curious about other ways you can help at home, be sure to reach out to one of our excellent BCBAs. We are a team and here to help your child succeed and live up to their greatest potential.