Helping children understand what is expected
Sometimes children need extra support to complete an activity they have less interest in. We find a First → Then strategy helpful in these situations. The idea is to first encourage them to complete the less desirable activity, and then be allowed to move on to an activity of higher preference.
The use of a First → Then card can be helpful in communicating an expectation, followed by what will happen next. For example, during a Halloween outing a
First → Then support could be used when going house to house:
First say, “Trick or treat”
Then receive candy to put in your bag
Some children may use a voice output device, a printed card to hold up or point to, or a phone recording to get their message across. Any means of communication creates an experience in which they are first actively communicating and then getting a desired outcome.
