Because they are familiar and predictable, routines are one of the best contexts to support the communication skills of autistic children.

Building an interaction around activities your child is interested in and enjoys (for example, spinning a wheel or stacking objects) can be one of the most effective ways to get an interaction going and support your child's communication.

Children learn a lot about communication by imitating others within natural everyday activities. You can start by imitating your child and then, once you get an interaction going, you can do something new and see if your child imitates you.

Step 1: Observe

Watch your child closely and notice what they’re doing. What exactly are they doing with the train or the track? What is it about that particular action that interests your child?

Once you figure out your child’s interest, you’re ready to join in!

Step 2: Imitate

Join in by doing exactly what your child is doing, but with your own object. For example, if they’re pushing a train along one part of the track, grab another train and push it along another part of the track. When you do exactly what your child is doing, they might notice what you’re doing and start to interact with you.

Step 3: Comment

Make an enthusiastic comment about what your child is doing and, when possible, point to the toy as you comment. If they’re adding more cars to their train to make it longer, point to it and say, “Wow. Now your train is so long!” By doing this, you’re saying words that match your child’s interests. Your child is more likely to learn about the words that relate to their ideas and actions.