By teaching your child specific skills that are essential for play, such as reciprocating the actions of another, maintaining attention on an activity, as well as engaging in representational use of objects, you supply the child with the tools of peer

visual strategy that Hilary Baldi, a play-based behaviorist, employs when teaching games involving peers is a long necklace (Mardi Gras style) with a small card hanging at the end that says, “My turn.” Children put it on when it is their turn; then they take it off and offer the next child the “My turn” necklace for their turn. This

we have to assume that they are connecting to us and that they are getting something from the interaction even if it doesn’t seem as if they are. We cannot judge their level of interest strictly by the feedback they give; otherwise we are prone to give less. We need to be careful not to

Additionally, spatial concepts are best understood in a three-dimensional world (big, small, on top of, etc.); children learn these kinds of words

The Time Timer is especially effective. This visual timer shows the time remaining in red, with the red decreasing with the passage of time. Using the Time Timer in combination with a picture that shows what is happening during the time helps decrease anxiety.

By linking a social reinforcer with a tangible reinforcer, you are helping the child understand that the social component is positive, and the child will start to

the physical qualities of objects is by interacting with those objects: having the child hold a pillow while you are teaching the word soft,

turns because they have to wait to exchange the necklace and the necklace physically reminds the waiting children that it is someone else’s turn.

You and another adult lock arms to create a hammock and hold the child between them in a horizontal position. Be sure both of you are close enough to apply a small amount of pressure to the child with your bodies.