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Teach Your Child with Autism to Use Playground Equipment

By Lisa Jo Rudy, About.com

Updated: January 14, 2009

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Prepare Your Child with Autism for Playground Play

Even typical children may run in to trouble when using playground equipment. What do you do with a swing? What are the rules of seesaw play? While typical children usually learn through imitation, children with autism need direct instruction.

The posters included in this article are free, printable teaching tools. Full-size versions of the posters are also available for the cost of postage through Explorations Unlimited LLC.

Start slowly by bringing your child with autism to a playground and allowing him or her to just have fun. If possible, draw his or her attention to the other children, using simple language to help him notice just what's going on. "Look, that boy climbs the ladder. Next, he sits down. Now he slides. Uh oh -- that little girl is too near the bottom of the slide. She might get bonked!"

If possible, work with your child (or student) one on one before hitting the playground on a busy afternoon. The posters that follow will help you to teach skills step by step. It may take practice for your child with autism to truly grasp the complex physical and social demands of playground equipment and etiquette.

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