Children with autism are typically accommodated with a great deal of structure in their school environments, but what about the home? Research has shown that our children on the spectrum thrive in settings that are not only organized and predictable but also brimming with visual supports and visual schedules. How can you provide that structure in the home?
Let’s begin with the child’s bedroom. Here are four practical ideas for creating structure and promoting independence in the child’s home environment:
- Visual schedules are vital. Create schedules for bedroom chores (i.e. making bed, putting up clothing, cleaning up room, doing homework, getting up in the morning, going to bed at night). Create visuals for each schedule. Laminate and post them in the different areas of the room (i.e. mirrors, bedside). Stage the child doing each of the steps and take digital photos to create the schedule.
- Label the environment with picture symbols. Take photos of items that are in the clothing drawers and post on the front.
- Organize the environment so that everything has a home. Use small baskets in drawers; section off the closet for pants, shirts; and have a desk with bins and organizers for all school materials. It is better to have many sub-compartments than one large drawer for storing everything.
- Don’t forget to involve the child in the organization. We do not want to do everything for them, rather we want to teach them organizational skills along the way. They will become adults some day, and we want them to have the skills needed to organize their own environment.
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I have one son with ADD and one with SPD. This is a great help…thanks!
Thank you so much for this article! I have a son with autism, sensory issues, and apraxia so this article will definitely help us.