12 Tasks for Christmas

Welcome to The 12 Tasks for Christmas Therapy Guide from teachmetotalk.com and
myei2.com!
These activities are designed to teach you 12 simple cognitive activities to build attention,
participation, and task completion through early structured teaching opportunities.
This information is appropriate for use by committed parents, therapists, and other
professionals who work with toddlers with language delays and other developmental
concerns.
Each task contains a list of easily obtainable materials, set up directions, and detailed
strategies for making these activities productive learning opportunities for both the child
and you! Troubleshooting tips are also included in case a child is having difficulty
completing the task.
The primary goal and several secondary goals are listed for each of the 12 tasks. (Please
keep in mind that the requirements for goal writing vary widely from program to program.
Use the suggestions Ive included as your starting point for writing goals according to your
own agencys guidelines.)
These activities are loosely organized by developmental level. The easier activities are at
the beginning of this guide and the complexity will increase with each new task.
Be sure to watch my video for discussion, demonstration, and practical application tips for
each activity.
Like several of my other projects, this 12 Tasks for Christmas Therapy Guide is written in
a homework format and may be copied and shared with families during sessions as long as
my name and website information remain on the page.
Heres wishing you super FUN therapy sessions during the holidays and most of all, a very
Merry Christmas with those that you love!

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

CANDY CANE JAR

Materials: Buy a tall, clear container with a lid and 20 red and white straws. An easy, everyday variation of
this activity is using a parmesan cheese container since the holes are already large enough for a straw.
Set Up: Drill one hole in the lid of the container.
Primary Goal: The child will place all of the straws into the container with less assistance over time to build
attention and task completion skills.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to notice and include you. A child is also working on improving fine motor skills, motor planning, and
visual perceptual skills.
Instructions: Place the empty container on a table or the floor. Hold the straws so that youre included in the
game. Rather than telling the child what to do, show the child how to place the straw in the hole. As you model
dropping straws into the container, say something simple to narrate your actions such as, Look! Wow! In! See?
In. In the hole.
Give the child a straw and tap the hole as you say, Put it in.
If the child doesnt put the straw in the hole after you cue him several times, help him put the straw in the
hole. Some children with motor delays will need physical assistance in the beginning.
Praise the child when he places the straw in the hole and quickly offer another straw.
Initially provide only a few straws for the child to place in the container. For example, begin with 5. When hes
finished with all 5 straws, praise him and move on to a new task.
Gradually increase the number of straws youll want the child to put in during one episode of play. This builds
attention and task completion.
Its usually not a good idea to require that the child ask for the next straw with a sign or word with this
beginning visual task. Many times well lose a childs attention because he may not be developmentally ready to
talk or sign just yet. By adding this step when hes not ready, we drive the child away from the task.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child is having obvious difficulty getting the straws in the hole, make the hole
bigger. Or use a parmesan cheese container since the holes are larger.
If a child is struggling and becoming increasingly frustrated, take the lid off the container so that he has a
greater chance of getting it in the container without giving up.
Another tip is to hold the container so that youre making it more stable and less likely to move. You may teach
a child to hold the container with one hand and then use his other hand for putting the straws in the hole.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child is pretty skilled with this activity, make him more independent
with this task. Place all of the straws in a separate basket or container. The child will pick up each straw from
the basket himself, put all of the straws in the container on his own, and then is finished with the task.

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

Christmas Ornament Drop

Materials: Buy a set of plastic Christmas ornaments packaged in a long, clear tube. The everyday variation of
this task is using an empty wrapping paper tube and taping one end shut, but a clear container is much more fun
since a toddler can see the ornaments as they fill the tube.
Set Up: Open one end of the tube and dump the ornaments into an empty container like a basket or box.
Primary Goal: The child will place all of the ornaments into the tube with less assistance over time to build
attention and task completion skills.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to notice and include you. A child is also working on improving fine motor skills, motor planning, static
balance, graded control, building core strength, and visual perceptual skills. From a sensory perspective, a child
may activate his vestibular system with this activity if he is bending down to get an ornament from the basket.
Instructions: Hold the empty tube in one hand and set the basket of ornaments beside the tube. Rather than
telling the child what to do, show the child how to place the ornament in the tube. As you model dropping
ornaments into tube, say something simple to narrate your actions such as, Look! Wow! Ball! See? Ball in. In
the hole. Since the word ornament is too complex for most toddlers to understand and pronounce, say Ball.
Give the child an ornament and point to the hole as you say, Ball in.
If the child doesnt put the ornament in the tube after you cue him several times, help him put the ornament in
the hole. Some children with motor delays will need physical assistance in the beginning.
Praise the child when he places the ball in the tube and quickly offer another ball.
If a child can, have him put the entire set of balls in the tube since hell be able to see that hes finished when
the tube is full. When hes finished, praise him and move on to a new task.
Its usually not a good idea to require that the child ask for the next ball with a sign or word with this
beginning visual task. Many times well lose a childs attention because he may not be developmentally ready to
talk or sign yet. By adding this step when hes not ready, we drive the child away from the task.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child is having obvious difficulty getting the ball in the tube, provide more physical
assistance to help him be successful.
If a childs attention span is too short for him to complete the entire task, offer only a few ornaments and
build the number of ornaments hell put in the tube gradually over time.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child has mastered this task, make him more independent by giving
him the tube and the basket of ornaments to complete the task alone. However, many toddlers will not be able
to complete this task if the tube is not stabilized. Some toddlers will figure out how to hold and manipulate the
tube with one hand and place the balls in the tube with the other hand (which is excellent problem solving!), but
this may be too frustrating for many toddlers with developmental delays and they wont complete the entire
task which defeats your main purpose for this activity.

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

Felt Christmas Tree

Materials: Buy one sheet of green felt for making a small Christmas tree, one sheet of white felt for the
background, several other colors of felt for making ornaments, and one package of Velcro dots or strips for
repeatedly attaching and removing the ornaments. The easier variation is making the tree and ornaments from
construction paper, but felt is more fun and will be more durable unless you laminate the paper pieces.
Set Up: Cut the green felt into the shape of a Christmas tree. If youre not crafty, cut out 3 green triangles.
Glue your tree (or 3 triangles placed vertically in the shape of a tree) on your sheet of white felt. If youd like,
add a piece of brown felt for the trunk at the bottom. Cut out small circles from the colorful felt for
ornaments. Place one Velcro dot on the back of each ornament. Place the other pieces of Velcro in various
spots as if youre decorating the tree. Use a small Zip-lock bag or another container to hold the ornaments.
Primary Goal: The child will attach ornaments to the tree with less assistance over time to build attention and
task completion skills. OR the child will remove ornaments from the tree with less assistance over time.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to notice and include you. A child is also working on improving fine motor skills, motor planning, and
visual perceptual skills. Over time you may want a child to independently complete this task.
Instructions: Place the tree on a table or floor. Rather than telling the child what to do, show the child how to
place an ornament on the tree. As you model placing ornaments on the tree, say something simple to narrate
your actions such as, Look! Wow! A Christmas Tree! See? A ball! The ball goes here. Push! Push the ball down!
Push! Push! Since the word ornament is too complex for most toddlers, say Ball.
Give the child an ornament and point to the Velcro dot as you say something like, Ball on, and then Push! If
the child doesnt put the ornament on the tree after you cue him several times, help him put the ornament on
the tree. Some children with motor delays will need physical assistance in the beginning. Praise the child when
he pushes the ornament on the tree and quickly offer another ornament. If a child can, have him put all of the
ornaments on the tree since hell be able to see that hes placed a ball on every dot. When hes finished, praise
him and move on to a new task.
Its usually not a good idea to require that the child ask for the next ball with a sign or word with this
beginning visual task. Many times well lose a childs attention and participation with this requirement.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child is having obvious difficulty getting the ornament on the Velcro, provide more
assistance. If a childs attention is limited with this task, increase your affect so that youre more excited and
fun when playing together. Add a fun word and pound the ornament with you fist as you say, Bam! Bam! Bam!
Many children will participate best when removing ornaments from the tree. If this is the case, start with a
fully decorated tree. As you remove a ball say, Look! A Christmas Tree! See? I pull! Pull the balls off! Pull!
Pull! Make a big deal about pulling the ball. Place the balls in a separate container. If the child doesnt try to
pull the ornament off by himself, place your hand over his and help him remove the ball.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child is skilled at this task, make him more independent by giving him
the tree and ornaments to complete the task alone. However, many toddlers with delays will not be able to
complete this task if an adult doesnt get them started.
Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

SORTING FAMILIAR OBJECTS with BLOCKS and BALLS

Materials: Buy two wine bottle gift boxes, 4 to 6 small balls, and 4 to 6 wooden blocks. The everyday version
of this task is using two boxes or containers with lids. Provide another container to hold the balls and blocks.
Set Up: Cut out a round hole the same size as the ball in the top of one box. Cut out a rectangle or square
shaped opening in the top of the other box. Its best if the ball cant fit into the blocks slot and vice versa.
Primary Goal: The child will correctly sort balls and blocks by placing them into the appropriate container with
less assistance over time to build attention, task completion, and cognitive skills.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to notice and include you. A child is also working on improving fine motor skills, motor planning, and
visual perceptual skills.
Instructions: Place both containers on a table or the floor. Rather than telling the child what to do, show the
child how to place the ball into the correct box. As you model dropping the ball into the hole, say something
simple to narrate your actions such as, Look! Wow! A ball! See? Ball in. In the hole. Next model placing a block
in the other container and say something like, Look! A block! See? Block goes here. In. Block in! In this hole.
Give the child a ball and point to the hole as you say, Ball in. Next give the child a block and point to the slot
as you say, Block in. If the child doesnt put the ball or block in the box after you cue him several times, help
him put the item in the correct box. Some children with motor delays will need physical assistance in the
beginning. Praise the child when he places the toy in the correct box and quickly offer another ball or block.
If a child makes a mistake, say something such as, Wait! Ball goes here. If a child responds to humor, say
something playful such as, Oh no! Try to avoid saying overtly negative things like NO! Thats wrong! This
may drive the child away from you.
In the beginning a child may only be able to sort 2 balls and 2 blocks before he wants to move on to a new
activity. Gradually increase the number of balls and blocks you provide to sort.
Its usually not a good idea to require that the child ask for the next ball with a sign or word with this
beginning visual task. Many times well lose a childs attention because he may not be developmentally ready to
talk or sign yet.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child is having obvious difficulty getting the balls or blocks in the holes, make the
holes bigger or provide more assistance.
If youve done a good job cutting out the holes for the balls vs. blocks, a child will learn to sort by shape. If a
child is habitually choosing incorrectly and doesnt seem to be learning to sort by shape, offer more cues by
tapping the right box or guiding the correct box toward him.
Some children may need to learn to place all of one item in the appropriate container before adding another
kind of object for sorting. If a child is having a hard time sorting, back up and work on this step first.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child has mastered this task, make him more independent by giving
him the boxes and items to complete the task alone. Using separate containers for the balls and blocks may
make this easier for a child to complete without help.
Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

CHARM DROP
Materials: Buy two sets of wine glass charms. In the video holiday designs were shown. Find an object with two
rods suitable for sliding the charms on such as a paper towel holder or empty DVD spindle. Or make your own
with a wooden base and two dowels. For an everyday version of this task, buy non-holiday wine charms or use
any round object with the appropriate sized hole to fit over the rod. Childrens plastic rings may also work. A
separate container can be used for holding the remaining charms for sorting.
Set Up: If youre making your own charm drop, drill a hole in the wood bases and glue each dowels into the
base. If youre not handy with tools and cant talk someone into doing it for you, use something like modeling
clay to make a base. Play-doh may work, but the child may be able to knock the dowel over. Place the remaining
charms in the separate container.
Primary Goal: The child will correctly match objects from a choice of 2 to build attention and task completion.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to include you. A child is also building fine motor, motor planning, and visual perceptual skills.
Instructions: Place the base on the table or the floor. Set out the container of charms. Rather than telling the
child what to do, select one charm and place it in on one of dowels. Select the other type of charm and slide it
over the other dowel. As you select and slide the charm on the dowel, say something simple to narrate your
actions such as, Wow! Its a snowman! Wheres it go? Snowman goes here! Snowman! Continue to provide a few
models if you think the child needs to see more before hes ready to try.
Give the child a charm and say, Its a snowman! Where does the snowman go? Provide cues like pointing if the
child seems unsure of what to do. Next give the child another charm to match. After a while, point to the
container with charms and say, Your turn! Get one! This helps a child become more independent with the task.
If the child doesnt put the charm on the correct spot after you cue him several times, help him complete the
task. Some children with motor delays will need physical assistance in the beginning.
Praise the child when he places the item on the correct dowel. Quickly offer or point to the container with the
remaining charms as a reminder to finish the task.
If a child makes a mistake, say something like, Wait! Snowman goes here! If a child likes exclamatory
phrases, say something playful such as, Oh no! Try to avoid saying overtly negative things like NO! Thats
wrong! This may drive the child away from you.
In the beginning, a child may only be able to match a few charms before he wants to move on to a new activity.
Gradually increase the number of items you provide to match.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child makes mistakes, try an easier matching task. If a child becomes fascinated
with taking charms off rather than putting them on, then set up the task so that hes removing the charm and
placing the charm in a container. Set up two containers so that hes still matching, but youve modified to task
to fit his interest.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child has mastered this task, make him more independent by setting
up the task and letting him play by himself.

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

SORTING NOVEL SETS OF OBJECTS with PRESENTS AND SNOWFLAKES

Materials: Buy small sets of two different kinds of items and two containers for sorting. Sets of 10 small
ornaments shaped like presents and 10 snowflake stickers were shown in the video. One container had a picture
of presents and one had a picture of snowflakes. A larger plain container may be used to hold all of the items
for sorting. Sets of small items and similar containers can be used for an everyday version of this task.
Set Up: In the video the containers were glued side by side to a piece of cardboard with the objects for
matching glued in front of the container. This step is not absolutely necessary since the containers and items
can be set out on the floor or table in the same way, but it will add a new level of structure for children who
seem to need this consistency to learn a new skill.
Primary Goal: The child will correctly sort and match presents vs. snowflakes with less assistance over time to
build attention, task completion, and the cognitive skills matching and sorting.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to include you. A child is also building fine motor, motor planning, and visual perceptual skills.
Instructions: Set out the two containers side by side on a table or on the floor. Place all of the items for
sorting in a pile in front of the containers or in another plain container. Rather than telling the child what to
do, select an item from the pile or plain container and show the child how to place each item in the correct
container. As you model placing each item in the correct container, say something simple to narrate your
actions such as, Wow! See? A present! The present goes in here. Present in. Next model placing the other
item in the other container saying something similar such as, Look! A snowflake! The snowflake goes in here.
Snowflake in.
Give the child one of the items and say, ___ in. Provide cues like pointing if the child seems unsure of what to
do. Next give the child the other item and point to the container as you say, ____ in. If the child doesnt put
the item in the correct container after you cue him several times, help him complete the task. Some children
with motor delays will need physical assistance in the beginning. Praise the child when he places the item in the
container. Quickly point to the pile or container so that he selects another item to sort on his own. If he
doesnt, provide assistance to help him pick up the next item.
If a child makes a mistake, say something like, Wait! Snowflake goes here. If a child responds to humor, say
something playful such as, Oh no! Try to avoid saying overtly negative things like NO! Thats wrong! This
may drive the child away from you.
In the beginning, a child may only be able to sort a few of each item before he wants to move on to a new
activity. Gradually increase the number of items you provide to sort.
Its usually not a good idea to require that the child ask for the next object with a sign or word with this
beginning visual task. We can lose a childs attention because he may not be developmentally ready for this.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child makes mistakes and doesnt seem to be learning to sort, offer more cues by
tapping the right container or guiding the correct container toward him.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child has mastered this task, make him more independent by giving
him the containers and items to sort on his own.
Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

SORTING FOAM STICKERS WITH 2 SETS

Materials: Buy small sets of foam stickers for sorting and 3 containers. Any sets of foam stickers can be used
for an everyday version of this task. In the video Christmas tree and Santa stickers were used.
Set Up: In the video the containers were glued side by side to a piece of cardboard with the object for
matching stuck to the bottom of the container. The container for holding the items to be sorted was glued in
front. This step is not absolutely necessary since the containers and items can be set out on the floor or table
in the same way, but it will add a new level of structure for children who seem to need this consistency to learn
a new skill.
Primary Goal: The child will correctly sort and match foam stickers with less assistance over time to build
attention, task completion, and the cognitive skills of matching and sorting.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to include you. A child will also be improving fine motor, motor planning, and visual perceptual skills.
Instructions: Set out the two containers for holding the stickers beside each other on a table or on the floor.
Place all of the stickers to be sorted in a separate container in front of the other containers. Rather than
telling the child what to do, select a sticker and show the child how to place it in the correct container. As you
model placing each item in the correct container, say something simple to narrate your actions such as, Wow!
Santa! See? Where does Santa go? Santa goes in here! Next model placing the other item in the other
container saying something similar such as, Look! A Christmas tree! The tree goes in this one. Tree in!
Give the child one of the stickers and say, ____ in. Provide cues like pointing if the child seems unsure of
what to do. Next give the child another sticker and point to the container as you say, ____ in. If the child
doesnt put the sticker in the correct container after you cue him several times, help him complete the task.
Some children with motor delays will need physical assistance in the beginning. Praise the child when he places
the sticker in the correct container. Quickly point to the container so that the child selects another sticker to
sort. If he doesnt, provide assistance to help him pick up the next sticker.
If a child makes a mistake, say something like, Wait! Santa goes in here. If a child responds to humor, say
something playful such as, Oh no! Try to avoid saying overtly negative things like NO! Thats wrong! This
may drive the child away from you.
In the beginning, a child may only be able to sort a few stickers before he wants to move on to a new activity.
Gradually increase the number of stickers you provide to sort.
Its usually not a good idea to require that the child ask for the next object with a sign or word with this
beginning visual task. We can lose a childs attention because he may not be developmentally ready for this.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child doesnt seem to be learning to sort, offer more cues by tapping the correct
container.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child has mastered this task, make him more independent by giving
him the containers and stickers to sort on his own.

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

MATCHING CHECKERS
Materials: Use a set of checkers and a checkerboard for this task. In the video red and green Christmas
checkers were shown. A container for holding the checkers will be helpful. Some children may prefer that you
add Velcro dots on the checkers and on the checkerboard square to make the checkers stick to the board.
Color the Velcro dots you place on the board in order to match the checkers.
Set Up: Most children will not be able to place the entire set of 32 checkers on the board initially, so you may
need to make a smaller board with appropriately colored squares for matching. You may be able to cut the
checkerboard from your set to a smaller size. Place the remaining checkers in the separate container.
Primary Goal: The child will correctly match by color when given a choice of 2 colors to build attention and task
completion.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to include you. A child is also building fine motor, motor planning, and visual perceptual skills.
Instructions: Place the board on the table or the floor. Set the container holding the checkers beside the
board. Rather than telling the child what to do, select a checker and place it on a square of the same color on
the checker board. As you match the checker to a same colored square, say something simple to narrate your
actions such as, Look! A red one! Where does it go? Right here! On red! Continue to provide a few models if
you think the child needs to see this before hes ready to try.
Give the child a checker and say, Its green! Where does green go? Provide cues like pointing if the child
seems unsure of what to do. Next give the child another checker or point to the container with checkers and
say, Get a checker! or More! If the child doesnt put the checker on the correct spot after you cue him
several times, help him complete the task. Some children with motor delays will need physical assistance in the
beginning.
Praise the child when he places the checker in the right spot. Quickly point to container so that he selects a
new checker. If he doesnt, provide assistance to help him pick up the next checker.
If a child makes a mistake, say something like, Wait! Red goes here! If a child likes exclamatory phrases, say
something playful such as, Oh no! Try to avoid saying overtly negative things like NO! Thats wrong! This
may drive the child away from you.
In the beginning, a child may only be able to match a few checkers before he wants to move on to a new
activity. Gradually increase the number of checkers you provide to match.
Its usually not a good idea to require that the child answer What color is this? We can lose a childs
attention because he may not be developmentally ready for naming colors correctly just yet.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child is habitually matching incorrectly, try an easier color sorting task. If a child is
upset that the checkers move around on the board, add a Velcro dot to each checker and the squares on the
board for helping the checkers stay put once the child has matched.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child has mastered this task, make him more independent by setting
up the task and letting him play by himself.

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

NESTING CUPS
Materials: Buy three sets of plastic cups. In the video I used holiday designs, but you can use this activity
throughout the year with other cups. This is also a great early color matching activity if youre using solid color
Solo cups.
Set Up: Set out one cup of each design on the table or floor as the child watches.
Primary Goal: The child will correctly match and nest object to build attention and task completion.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to include you. A child is also working on fine motor, motor planning, and visual perceptual skills.
Instructions: Set out one cup of each design. Rather than telling the child what to do, select a cup and place it
inside the matching cup. As you select and match the cup, point to the design on the cup and say something
simple to narrate your actions such as, Look! Its a Christmas tree cup! Wheres it go? Here! Christmas tree
cup goes here! Continue to provide a few models if you think the child needs to see this before hes ready to
try.
Give the child a cup and say, Its a snowman! Where does the snowman go? Provide cues like pointing if the
child seems unsure of what to do. Next give the child another cup and say, Your turn! Get one!
If the child doesnt put the cup in the correct stack after you cue him several times, help him complete the
task. Some children with motor delays will need physical assistance in the beginning.
Praise the child when he places the cup in the correct stack.
If a child makes a mistake, say something like, Wait! Snowman goes here! If a child responds to humor, say
something playful such as, Oh no! Try to avoid saying overtly negative things like NO! Thats wrong! This
may drive the child away from you.
In the beginning, a child may only be able to match a few cups before he wants to move on to a new activity.
Gradually increase the number of cups you provide to match.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child habitually matches the cups incorrectly, try an easier matching task. If a child
loses interest, turn the cups upside down and build a tower. Knocking the tower down together may end up
much more social than anything youve tried, and its a fun variation of this game.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child has mastered this task, make him more independent by setting
up the cups and letting him next or stack on his own.

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

SORTING CHRISTMAS ERASERS (3+ sets)

Materials: Select a container with enough dividers to separate items into several sets or make your own
container. Buy small sets of items to sort. In the video 6 packages of a set containing 4 different Christmas
erasers were shown. A separate container to hold the erasers for sorting can be helpful for many toddlers.
Set Up: In the video the container was made by gluing 3 pieces of cardboard inside a box resulting in 4
separate compartments for holding each set of the 4 different Christmas erasers. Each type of eraser was
attached on the lid of the box just above the section where the eraser would be placed by the child. Place the
remaining erasers in the separate container.
Primary Goal: The child will correctly sort and match a variety of small objects with less assistance over time
to build attention, task completion, and the cognitive skills matching and sorting.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to include you. A child is also working on fine motor, motor planning, and visual perceptual skills.
Instructions: Set out the box and the container of erasers. Rather than telling the child what to do, select an
eraser from the container and show the child how to place it in the correct slot of the box. As you model
placing each item in the correct spot, say something simple to narrate your actions such as, Look! A penguin!
See? Where does this penguin go? Penguin goes in here! Next model placing another item in the correct place
saying something similar such as, Look! A Christmas tree! The tree goes here. Christmas tree in!
Give the child one of the items and say, ____ in. Provide cues like pointing if the child seems unsure of what
to do. Next give the child another item and point to the container as you say, ____ in. If the child doesnt
put the item in the correct spot after you cue him several times, help him complete the task. Some children
with motor delays will need physical assistance in the beginning. Praise the child when he places the item in the
correct slot. Quickly point to the container so that the child selects another item to sort. If he doesnt,
provide assistance to help him pick up the next item.
If a child makes a mistake, say something like, Wait! Santa goes in here. If a child likes exclamatory phrases,
say something playful such as, Oh no! Try to avoid saying overtly negative things like NO! Thats wrong!
since this may drive the child away from you and the activity.
In the beginning, a child may only be able to sort a few of each item before he wants to move on to a new
activity. Gradually increase the number of items you provide to sort.
Its usually not a good idea to require that the child ask for the next object with a sign or word with this kind
of visual task. We can lose a childs attention because he may not be developmentally ready for this. However,
if a child loves this activity and is becoming more verbal, this can be a great requesting game.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child doesnt seem to be learning to sort, offer more cues by tapping the correct
place in the box. If the child leaves before hes finished the task, next time reduce the set size for sorting (2
or 3 types instead of 4) or reduce the number of erasers to sort.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child has mastered this task, make him more independent by giving
him the container and erasers to sort and match on his own.

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

SORTING CHRISTMAS BOWS BY SIZE

Materials: Select a container with two compartments in order to separate the bows into two groups. Buy 6 or
more small Christmas bows and 6 or more large Christmas bows. A separate container to hold the bows for
sorting can be helpful for many toddlers.
Set Up: In the video the container was made by gluing a piece of cardboard inside a box to make 2 separate
compartments. Two slots were cut in the clear lid so the child can see the bows drop inside the box. Cut one
larger hole and one smaller hole for correctly sorting by size. Stick a large bow above the large hole and a
small bow above the small opening to provide a cue for the child for correctly matching by size. Place the
remaining bows in the separate container.
Primary Goal: The child will correctly sort and match items by size with less assistance over time to build
attention, task completion, and the cognitive skills matching and sorting.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child during this activity, youll also target joint attention since youll
want him to include you. A child will also be improving fine motor, motor planning, and visual perceptual skills.
Instructions: Set out the box and the container of bows. Rather than telling the child what to do, select a bow
and show the child how to place it in the correct slot of the box. As you model placing each item in the correct
spot, say something simple to narrate your actions such as, Look! Its big! See? Where does this big bow go?
The big one goes in here! Next model placing another item in the correct place saying something similar such
as, Look! Its little! Where does the little bow go? Right here. Its little.
Give the child one of the items and say something simple such as, Big in. Provide cues like pointing if the child
seems unsure of what to do. Next give the child another item and point to the container as you say, Little one
in. If the child doesnt put the item in the correct spot after you cue him several times, help him complete the
task. Some children with motor delays will need physical assistance in the beginning. Praise the child when he
places the bow in the correct hole. Quickly point to the container so that the child selects another bow to
sort. If he doesnt, provide assistance to help him pick up the next item.
If a child makes a mistake, say something like, Wait! The big one goes in here. If a child likes exclamatory
phrases, say something playful such as, Oh no! Try to avoid saying overtly negative things like NO! Thats
wrong! This may drive the child away from you and the activity.
In the beginning, a child may only be able to sort a few of each size before he wants to move on to a new
activity. Gradually increase the number of bows you provide to sort.
Its usually not a good idea to require that the child verbally respond to a question like, Is it big or little?
We can lose a childs attention because he may not be developmentally ready for this.
Troubleshooting Tips: If a child doesnt seem to be learning to sort correctly, offer more cues by tapping the
correct place in the box. Reduce the set size for sorting or reduce the number of bows to sort.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child has mastered this task, make him more independent by giving
him the container and bows to sort on his own.

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

MATCHING AND ATTACHING LIDS

Materials: Buy small containers with removable lids. In the video, sets of Snowman and Santa gum tape from
the Dollar Tree were shown. Youll need a sheet of cardboard or cardstock to attach the bottoms of the
containers for matching. Use Velcro dots or glue for attaching the bottoms of the containers to the
cardboard. A separate box may be useful for holding the remaining tops for matching.
Set Up: If necessary, remove the gum from the sets. Attach one side of a Velcro dot to the bottom of each
container. Attach the other side of the Velcro dot to the cardboard. If youre using more than one type of
container to add a matching component to this task, set up your dots in horizontal rows with all of one set on
the top row and the other set on the bottom row. Place the tops in a separate box for matching.
Primary Goal: The child will correctly match the containers and attach the lids with less assistance over time
to build attention, task completion, fine motor skills, and the cognitive skills of matching and sorting.
Secondary Goals: If youre working with a child, youll also target joint attention since youll want him to include
you. A child is also building more complex motor planning and improving visual perceptual skills during this task.
Instructions: Set out the cardboard sheet and the container of tops. Rather than telling the child what to do,
select a top from the container and show the child how to place it on the correct bottom. As you model
attaching the lid, say something simple to narrate your actions such as, Look! Its Santa. Santa goes here.
See? Put the top on. Next model placing the next top in the correct place saying something similar such as,
Look! A Snowman! The snowman goes here. Put the top on.
Give the child one of the tops and say, ____ on. Provide cues like pointing or tapping the correct bottom for
matching if the child seems unsure of what to do. Next give the child another item and point to the board as
you say, ____ on. If the child doesnt put the top in the correct spot after you cue him several times, help
him complete the task. Many toddlers will need physical assistance with this challenging task in the beginning.
Praise the child when he places the top on the correct bottom. Quickly point to the container so that the child
selects another top to attach. If he doesnt, provide assistance to help him pick up the next top to continue.
If a child makes a mistake, say something like, Wait! Santa goes in here. If a child responds to humor, say
something playful such as, Oh no! Try to avoid saying overtly negative things such as, No! Thats wrong!
since this may drive the child away from you and the activity.
In the beginning, a child may only be able to attach a couple of tops before he wants to move on to a new
activity. Gradually increase the number of tops you provide to match or attach.
Its usually not a good idea to require a child to ask for the next object with a sign or word with this kind of
visual task. We can lose a childs attention because he may not be developmentally ready to talk or sign yet.
Troubleshooting Tips: If this fine motor task is too difficult for the child, detach the bottom of the container
from the cardboard and let the child practice getting the top on while he holds the container in his hands. If a
child habitually chooses the wrong top, he needs more practice with matching before this task is introduced.
Reduce the set size to encourage a child to finish the entire activity. Use 2 or 3 containers rather than 10.
Moving Toward Independent Play: Once a child has mastered this task, make him more independent by setting
up the task and then letting him match the containers on his own.
Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012

RESOURCES AND REFERENCES

The following websites were used for ideas and can be a great resource for background information
for parents or therapists who want to develop their own visual tasks:

tasksgalore.com
creeksidelearning.com
sharonscreativecorner.com
teacch.com
montessori.org
teachmetotalk.coms Pinterest pages

The following book is a very helpful guide for teaching visual learning tasks:

How Do I Teach This Kid? by Kimberly A. Henry

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP teachmetotalk.com myei2.com 2012