Our last post focused on organizing a kitchen for an older child or one with fewer needs, and this one will focus on children with more significant needs. These children will require more time and more structure in order to develop independent skills in the kitchen.
Below are five practical ideas for creating structure and promoting independence in the kitchen. The first and most important is to teach your child what he or she can and cannot touch in the kitchen: safety is a priority.
Nonverbal or less verbal child with more significant needs
1. Involve your child in as many aspects of life in the kitchen as is possible.
- Wash/dry dishes
- Wipe the table
- Set the table
- Use the dishwasher
Of course you have to make the steps simple and discrete. Use a visual schedule as discussed in the last post. Involving your child may mean putting plastic cups on the top rack of a dishwasher or putting placements on the kitchen table.
2. Cook with your child. There are many sites online that offer visual-supported recipes you can use with your child. Here are a few of those sites:
Recipes from the above sites can be utilized to create a specialized cookbook for your child with a 3-ring binder and plastic document sleeves. Not only will your child love to use this while cooking, but what a wonderful gift for a teacher!
3. Let your child help make good food choices. Grocery Pecs is a good site with picture symbols of foods. A great way to help your child learn about good food choices is to use a plastic divided lunch tray and food photos to teach the child about foods that go together to make a healthy meal.
4. Teach the child about food storage. Which foods go where: refrigerator, freezer, pantry.
5. Place picture symbols as labels to cabinets and place Stop Signs as visual reminders.
It is very possible for these children to develop some level of functional skills, but it is important that you begin very early.
Photo by Flickr
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