20 Jun Life’s a Picnic!
Now that summer vacation is upon us, it’s time to start planning for how to while away the lazy afternoons. This summer, we will once again be going on a picnic in the park. Last year, our social group used the fun and excitement of a picnic with friends to learn new social and independent living skills.
Over the course of several weeks carefully planned by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and overseen by our incredible team of Behavior Technicians (BTs), the kids learned valuable social, communication, self-help and academic skills through fun picnic-themed activities. We explored everything there is to know about planning, preparing for, hosting, and cleaning up after a picnic lunch with friends. There’s a lot more that goes into picnic planning than you might think! Here are some of the questions that we explored together:
What foods can come to a picnic? What ones can’t, and why?
What things will we need in addition to food?
Do we have enough money to buy all the things we need? Can we carry it all?
Who should we invite? How will we invite them?
How can friends help? Can we ask them to bring things for the picnic?
How should we pack our food safely?
How do we choose a comfortable, safe, and convenient spot to set up?
How do we clean up after our picnic?
What will we want to tell our parents about?
BTs worked closely with the kids to make sure that everyone had an important part to play in the success of their picnic. Using Behavioral Skills Training (BST) techniques, the BTs started by providing maximum assistance and modeling of skills, but carefully and intentionally faded their support as each child developed more independence. The end result was a fun afternoon where each child contributed something special while learning valuable life skills in the process.
Last summer’s picnic group was such a success that we will be offering it again! We are excited for more group themes, coming soon! Keep an eye on our facebook page for more information and to register for upcoming groups and events. If you have a child who would love to have picnics, play games, and learn with friends, you can fill out our short intake form to get information on becoming a client, or feel free to contact us with questions!