Share on: Facebook | Twitter Encouraging Sharing October 22, 2021 Sharing can be a difficult skill for many children. However, sharing is a necessary social skill that helps children thrive in social environments. The good news is sharing is a skill that can be taught during interactions between siblings and friends. See below for the three types of sharing behaviors to teach. • Sharing one item: This involves one toy that only one person can interact with at a time. This is the traditional back-and-forth turn taking such as when there’s only one tablet to play games. • Sharing part of an item/activity: This involves materials that can be divided, such as playdoh or a cookie. Sometimes this involves teamwork. • Sharing space: This involves allowing others to be part of the space that we are occupying. These are areas that allow for multiple people to use it at one time, such as a couch or a tree house. Tips to teach sharing Talk about sharing behaviors As you see two children wanting to play with the same toy, jump in and talk about how to share the item. Use role play to help them practice this skill. Talk about who can play with it first and what the other person can do while they wait for their turn. Praise the child who waits for a turn and play with the child in the meantime. Show and practice sharing behaviors Children learn by watching others. Show your child how you share with others every day. Think out loud as you share. “I only have one tablet. You can choose the first game to play and then it will be my turn to choose a game.” Notice sharing behaviors When you observe a child sharing, provide behavior specific praise to that child. Behavior specific praise is your way of letting the child know exactly why they are receiving praise. “I love how you gave your sister a turn after you played a game on the tablet. You’re doing a great job sharing.” Our client service professionals are ready to help you get started. Get started Recent posts What should parents expect from ABA-based treatment? September 2020 CDC guidelines for the recommended prevention measures March 2020 We encourage all to review and follow the CDC guidelines for the recommended prevention measures and to visit their webpage for more… Functional Communication in Everyday Life April 2021 You may have heard the term “functional communication” from your BCBA or technician working with your child. Functional communication is an… Follow Us Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Español Contact us Notice of privacy practices Site map ABA therapy near you ©2021 Butterfly Effects