Environmental Support

• Suggest a picture schedule (or checklist for older children) to help a child transition.
• Offer to help use painter’s tape to define a child’s space at group or at the table.
• Help the teacher or staff members design picture or word labels for shelves.
• Establish a routine.

Materials Adaptation

• Bring in large-print books from the library or special education resource center.
• Help find someone to help lower tables or easels for a child.
• Bring in blocks or phone books to use for foot rests.

Activity Simplification

• Help break an activity down into smaller steps.
• Suggest that a child join a difficult activity at the end (finish with success).
• Draw pictures or watch a video to help a child understand each step of an art or cooking activity.

Child Preferences

• Ask about a child’s favorite toys, books, or people.
• Bring in books, magazines, games, or toys related to a child’s favorites.
• Suggest starting an activity with something a child likes.

Special Equipment

• Talk about whether a child could sit in a special chair or cushion during group activities
• Bring in tools for the children to try: scissors with a loop handle, finger crayons, paint brushes with padded handles, electronic resources, etc.
• Allow a child to sit on an exercise ball or allow the child to take frequent breaks.

Adult Support

• Model staying near the child and encouraging appropriate behavior during activities.
• Join the child’s activity and offer ideas.
• Provide behavior specific praise and encourage the child’s engagement.
• Ask the child questions and provide prompting if necessary.

Peer Support

• Brainstorm with the teacher or staff members to identify children who are well-liked and good models, peer buddies.
• Suggest activities that would be good for pairing children up.
• Encourage children to help one another.

Invisible Support

• Observe the child and note their difficulties in routines.
• Help think of ways to help the child be successful (e.g., providing choices).