Making choices during daily activities provide children with the opportunity to communicate with others and to take some control over their environment. The following outline is a suggested way of practising choice-making using two objects or two pictures.


HOW?

1. Begin with items that are familiar to your child (i.e. toys).
2. Begin with 2 items (one liked, e.g. Barney and one disliked, e.g. a sock).
3. Make sure you have your child’s attention before offering a choice – establish eye contact by calling his/her name.
4. Present the first choice (slightly out of reach), then take it away.
5. Present the second choice, then take it away.
6. Now present both choices at the same time and hold it within reach of your child.
7. In order to make a choice, your child should reach for the desired choice. For young children or children who are unable to reach, observe which object your child looks at or smiles to.
8. If your child does not make a choice, repeat steps 1-6.
9. If a choice is not made the second time, either:
   • put the choices away
   • make the choice for your child

Points to remember:

Incorporate choice making activities throughout the day. When getting dressed: ask your child if she wants to wear her pink or purple t-shirt while holding both t-shirts up.  During playtime: show your child two different toys and hold them in front of her/him, e.g. do you want the car or the bus? During mealtimes: give your child a choice, e.g. do you want an apple or an orange?

Ask your child which one she/he would like and say the words out loud as you show the items.

Look for your child’s response and remember that you should accept any movement or action from her/him as to which item she/he would like. Some children will reach for the item of their choice, others will look to the preferred item and others will vocalise when you show them the item they would like.      

If your child has made a choice, by either looking or reaching out for the desired item then give it to her/him immediately so she/he can learn to understand that her/his actions bring about a response from you. This will then motivate her/him to continue to make choices.

 

© Marinet Janse van Vuren, DSC 2009.

All rights reserved. No part of this work can be reproduced in any form, or by any means without the express permission of the author or by Down Syndrome Centre info@downsyndromecentre.ie

 

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