How to Motivate My Child with Autism
To teach children with autism new skills, it’s essential to identify items, foods, or activities that motivate them. Observe your child during free time to note their preferred activities, then present these items in pairs to determine which they choose most often. Using their preferred items as motivation can significantly enhance their learning process, helping them develop new skills more effectively.
- Children with autism are not typically socially motivated.
- We must then find any physical item, food, or activity that motivates them.
- Finding that item will make it easier to teach your child new skills.
- Avoid thinking that your child will become too dependent on these items. If it helps them learn, then let’s use it to teach new skills.
Two ways to find items your child likes include:
- Watch them during their free time. During free time, put your child in a spot that has all their favorite things. If needed, you can add extra stuff your child likes in the room.
- Write down what they did during their free time.
- Write down how long they did that activity for.
- Watch out for behaviors your child engages in- this can include staring at a fan, hand flapping, rubbing their hands together, looking at the wheels of cars.
- Grab all the items and activities your child enjoys.
- You will present two items at a time as a choice. Ask your child to “pick one.”
- You will then rotate which items you present together.
- Present each item equal amount of times.
- Write down which item your child chooses most often.
- The item your child chooses the most is his/her most preferred item.
Learning new skills can help any kid get through their day-to-day life. With the right support, children can thrive whether through in-home ABA therapy, center-based ABA therapy, or a blend of both, depending on what works best for your family.
If you’d like to explore more about ABA therapy for autism and how it motivates children to learn essential skills, check out our guide on reinforcement and punishment in ABA therapy
Additionally, caregiver training plays a vital role in supporting ABA services for autism, ensuring that strategies extend beyond therapy sessions and into daily life.
At Early Autism Services, we provide personalized autism services designed to meet each child’s unique needs. Whether you’re searching for ABA services at home or looking for an autism center near me, our experienced team can help.
Interested in starting services? Contact our Intake Specialist today and take the first step toward helping your child build new skills with confidence.
Explore More
Supporting Communication Development Through ABA Therapy for Children with Autism
Communication is more than spoken words, and every child with autism has their own unique way of expressing themselves. This blog explores how ABA therapy helps children develop meaningful communication skills through individualized strategies, including gestures, picture communication, sign language, AAC devices, and spoken language. It also explains how ABA and speech therapy can work together to build confidence, independence, and stronger social connections across home, school, and community settings while empowering families to support their child's communication journey.
How ABA Therapy Helps Children Prepare for Group Activities, Sports, and Extracurricular Programs
Joining sports, dance classes, music lessons, or other extracurricular activities can be both exciting and challenging for children with autism. This blog explains how ABA therapy helps children develop the communication, social, emotional regulation, and participation skills needed to feel more confident in group settings. It also shares practical ways parents can prepare their child before starting a new activity, helping them build independence, confidence, and meaningful connections one step at a time.
How Parents, Teachers, and Therapists Can Work Together
Children thrive when the important adults in their lives work together. For children with autism, collaboration between parents, teachers, and therapists creates consistency, reinforces skill development across environments, and helps children reach meaningful goals. This guide explores practical ways families and professionals can build effective partnerships that support long-term success.
