Like all motor and cognitive skills these are best learnt from an early age, with suitable activities and teaching strategies, which should be carefully planned and monitored. Young children in particular will need frequent practice sessions with a suitable switch and interesting activities. The time taken could be compared to that spent in learning to write.
Children spend some years practising pencil control and learning letter formation.
A child is going to need more than a weekly 'go' at the computer and switch to make progress. Using adapted toys with switch control units and mains adaptors with other appliances can provide an additional range of switch experiences which can be more meaningful for young children. Successful switch use will involve a range of skills, abilities and understanding. Switches are also useful for some people who may find it difficult to undertake complex tasks but may be able to understand the relatively easy task of pressing a switch to get a response. As it is likely that different people will be involved in working with someone who is being introduced to switching and technology it is important that all those involved adopt a similar approach.