Emotions &amp; Social Skills

Social & Emotional Development of 4-Year-Olds

Observing the social and emotional growth of 4-year-olds reveals a fascinating stage of development, where interactions, feelings, and self-perception evolve into more complex forms. This critical phase is marked by significant milestones that underscore a child's burgeoning emp

Angela Nelson, J.D., Ed.M.

Mar 31, 2024 · 4 min read

Four Critical Areas of Development for 4-Year-Olds

What are the Four Critical Developmental Milestones for 4-Year-Olds?

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Leslie Stebbins, M.Ed. M.L.I.S.

Mar 29, 2024 · 7 min read

3 Ways to Teach Social Initiations to Autistic Students

You may think social interactions come naturally for all children, but for autistic children, it brings a unique world of challenges. Learning social initiation skills can make an enormous difference for autistic children in improving their relationships with peers and family me

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Sydni Pakula

Mar 5, 2023 · 5 min read

Celebrate Six Fall Holidays You Didn’t Know Existed!

...And learn ways to adapt any holiday to help your child with autism have fun!

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Katie Vena

Nov 5, 2022 · 4 min read

4 Things I Wish Parents Knew About Autism

As a person on the autism spectrum, there are a few things I wish parents of children on the spectrum knew. Please note that I am just one individual, and other people on the spectrum may have different experiences and opinions on these topics. I hope that this article will broa

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Jill Feder

Oct 15, 2022 · 5 min read

Helping Your Autistic* Child Develop Emotional Intelligence

Children with autism are often lacking in the area of emotional intelligence. The good news is that scientists now better understand the biological reasons behind why autistic individuals face challenges in this area. By understanding the science, and understanding that emotiona

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Katie Vena

Jul 30, 2022 · 7 min read

Making Friends: The Ups and Downs of Friendship on the Spectrum

As someone who grew up on the autistic spectrum, friends were hard to make and even harder to keep.

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Grady Bolding

Jul 11, 2022 · 6 min read

Teaching Autistic* Children About Winning and Losing

Some children with autism may find it very difficult to control their emotions when they don’t win in a game, quiz, or raffle, or when they don’t get the highest score in their class. This can lead to emotional outbursts, much to the dismay of those in charge and their fellow st

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Ymkje Wideman-van der Laan

May 30, 2022 · 6 min read

Autism and the Transition to Adulthood (Part 2)

Building Social Skills and Maintaining Relationships (This article is part 2 of a 2-part series. Check out part 1 on helping young people with autism build a career and develop independent living skills! ) While emphasis is often placed on awareness of the signs and symptoms of

Kenna McEvoy

Jan 31, 2022 · 6 min read

Autism and the Transition to Adulthood (Part 1)

Helping Young People With Autism Build a Career and Develop Independent Living Skills (This article is part 1 of a 2-part series. Check out part 2 on building social skills and maintaining relationships! ) As young adults on the autism spectrum transition to adulthood, they may

Kenna McEvoy

Jan 22, 2022 · 6 min read

Top 3 Strategies for Improving Social Interactions for Autistic Children

Many autistic individuals struggle with developing appropriate perspective-taking, self-awareness, and self-monitoring skills. They may also have difficulty modifying false beliefs about themselves and others. As a result, interventions supporting these areas can provide meaning

Kenna McEvoy

Dec 18, 2021 · 8 min read

Integrated Play Groups and FloorTime

The Top Two Interventions for Improving Developmentally-Beneficial Play in Autistic Children While group play is an important component of child development, autistic children may not develop social interaction and play skills in the same way that their peers do. As a result, it

Kenna McEvoy

Dec 4, 2021 · 8 min read

Supporting Play in Early Childhood: Specific Strategies for Autistic Children

Without a doubt, play is an essential foundation for a child’s development, especially throughout the early elementary years. Engaging in fun, enjoyable, and imaginary play is often a natural part of life for typically developing children; however, for autistic children, the acq

Kenna McEvoy

Nov 30, 2021 · 7 min read

Teaching Tools for Making Friends and Developing Online Relationships for Autistic Individuals

Learning social media skills and dating etiquette can be especially challenging for young autistic adults. This article provides tools for helping to learn new digital social skills for autistic individuals.

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Frankie Kietzman, Ed.S.

Nov 19, 2021 · 5 min read

Building a Social Network for Autistic Students

How to Create a Peer-Mediated Intervention to Support Social Skills for Autistic Children We all need a social network; a group of people who are there for us in good times and in bad. But how can we help autistic children develop their network?

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Frankie Kietzman, Ed.S.

May 9, 2021 · 5 min read

Pushing the Envelope: Making Up for Learning Loss Due to COVID-19 for Autistic Children

A Letter From the CEO Federal relief packages passed by Congress in 2021 provide school districts with billions of dollars in recovery funding to help schools support students during and after the pandemic. The funds target learning loss due to COVID-19 and can also be used to p

Angela Nelson, J.D., Ed.M.

May 9, 2021 · 4 min read

$Six Strategies for Strengthening Your Marriage for Parents of Autistic Children$ Emotions & Social Skills

Six Strategies for Strengthening Your Marriage for Parents of Autistic Children

My Marriage Is Floundering! Help! Often couples look towards parenthood with great joy and love. Shockingly, that same bundle of joy can create problems in the marital (or other committed) relationship that may lead to divorce or at the very least, tremendous dissatisfaction. Ma

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Signe M. Kastberg

Jan 10, 2021 · 6 min read

Autism Influencers: Who to Follow

Interested in connecting with people in the autism community? Check out our list of influencers to follow on social media. Social Media is a powerful tool in the way it allows us to connect with friends and family, celebrities, and strangers with common interests from around the

Chloe Fay

Jan 10, 2021 · 8 min read

Teaching Kindness: The Kindness Rock Project

How to Teach Your Autistic Child the Art of Caring and Kindness Teaching caring and kindness to autistic children is an important part of social-emotional development. Having empathy and kindness towards others improves the quality of everyone's life. It also allows us to unders

Chloe Fay

Nov 15, 2020 · 4 min read

The Benefits of Playing with Building Blocks for Autistic Children

For autistic children, using building blocks in play is a beneficial activity for their physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. Building with blocks is a favorite pastime for many young children. They’re available in different sizes, colors, textures, and types, m

Chloe Fay

Nov 1, 2020 · 5 min read

Autism, Gaming, and Building Social Skills

10 Ways to Build Social Skills Using Online Gaming for Autistic Teenagers Online gaming has been shown to improve social skills in autistic teenagers. It is estimated that more than 41% of autistic adolescents spend the majority of their leisure time playing video games, versus

Chloe Fay

Nov 1, 2020 · 5 min read

Finding Fun and Fitness: Exercise for Autistic Children and Young Adults

A growing community of inclusive exercise programs promises that fitness can be a source of fun, rather than one of frustration, for autistic children. By choosing activities that will have a greater likelihood of success for your child, by adapting exercise programs for your ch

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Sam Krause

Sep 6, 2020 · 6 min read

5 Ways Sesame Street’s Character Julia Teaches People About Autism Spectrum Disorder

Julia, the new character on Sesame Street can help all children better understand autism. Sesame Street is a treasured TV show that has educated children worldwide for more than 50 years. It has brought characters like Elmo, Big Bird, Abby, and Cookie Monster into children’s liv

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Danielle Fowler

Aug 8, 2020 · 4 min read

Pushing the Envelope: Autistic Black Lives Matter

A Letter from the CEO: Autistic Black Lives Matter Our hearts go out to the family and friends of George Floyd and to the many other people of color who have been subjected to the insidious racism that continues to plague our country.

Angela Nelson, J.D., Ed.M.

Jun 20, 2020 · 2 min read

4 Activities and 3 Tips to Help Support Emotional Awareness for Your Autistic Child

Recognizing and understanding emotions is a key part of development. Emotional awareness allows individuals to identify what they are feeling and why. This is a critical step towards building emotional intelligence, a key life skill. Being able to identify our emotions and under

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Madeline Burroughs

Apr 20, 2020 · 5 min read

8 Ways to Promote Socialization Skills in Students with Autism

Socialization is an important skill for all children to learn and develop. Research suggests that by supporting a child’s socialization, children are more likely to develop self-confidence, problem solving skills, and key language skills, all of which are vital skills that they

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Madeline Burroughs

Feb 22, 2020 · 6 min read

Recommended Children’s Books About Autism

Children’s books featuring children with autism are an easy and entertaining way to introduce the topic of autism to your children, family members, friends, and your child’s peers. Children’s books offer simple, accessible explanations and illustrations that can help children an

Chloe Fay

Dec 9, 2019 · 5 min read

Four Ways to Make Your Backyard More Autism Friendly

Playing outdoors has huge implications for all children. Many researchers cite outdoor play as being a conduit for decreased stress levels, emotional resilience, increased cognitive functioning, increased attention, as well as a host of other sensory-motor, emotional, and social

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Madeline Burroughs

Nov 16, 2019 · 5 min read

Five Principles of Positive Psychology to Transform Your Parenting with Your Child with Autism

Positive Psychology is a novel and accessible science that focuses on cultivating well-being, positivity, and happiness in the lives of individuals and families. Positive Psychology can help transform the way you parent your child with autism. Change can be created by investing

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Arianna Riccio

Feb 23, 2018 · 5 min read

First Person Autism: Review of Netflix Series Atypical

About two weeks ago, I began to watch the show Atypical on Netflix. This is a program that was of great interest to me, as it is about an 18-year-old high school senior who is living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The plot revolves around this young man (Sam) as he tries to find

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Nathan Hughes

Oct 2, 2017 · 6 min read

A Parent’s Guide to Supporting Siblings Of Children With Autism

A family's bond is one of the strongest, purest forms of love. Each component is essential - parents, siblings, and extended family. When we consider a family consisting of a child with autism, the familial ties become increasingly vital. Parents and caregivers definitely become

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Danielle Fowler

Sep 30, 2017 · 5 min read

Helping Children with Autism Develop Friendships

5 guidelines for the class or the home Friendships can have a major impact on wellbeing and personal growth, yet building new relationships can be anxiety provoking for adults and children alike. So, imagine how hard it can be for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), w

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Grace Chen

Sep 11, 2017 · 5 min read

Six Simple Mindfulness Practices for Kids with Autism

The practice of quieting the mind, otherwise known as mindfulness, is increasingly being practiced across the board – from Google executives to classrooms as a replacement to detention (Bloom, 2016). Mindfulness specifically refers to the practice of paying attention to the pres

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Krupa Patel

Feb 25, 2017 · 6 min read

Book Review: “Why Johnny Doesn’t Flap”

This is a book review of “Why Johnny doesn’t Flap,” a book about an autistic boy’s neurotypical (meaning without neurological disabilities) friend, Johnny. I will give a brief description of the book’s story, illustrations and message.

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Catlaina Vrana

Jan 17, 2017 · 3 min read

How to Foster Social Skills Development at School: A Guide for Teachers and School Counselors

Social Skills & Autism Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction. This can include challenges in social-emotional reciprocity and non-verbal communication used in social interactions. This can often lead to children with autism

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Courtney Chase

Dec 8, 2016 · 4 min read

11 Classroom Management Strategies for Children with Special Needs

Strategies to use with your students Inclusion is a great thing. Children with special needs are no longer isolated in “Special Ed” classrooms and only seen on the playground or in the lunchroom. Kids with special needs thrive in the presence of their peers. There are so many le

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Jim McClafferty

Oct 16, 2016 · 5 min read

5 Ways We Can Make the World More Autism Friendly

What it Means to be Autism Friendly and How You Can Help An exciting and fast moving effort is under way to create “Autism Friendly” spaces so that children and adults with autism can feel more supported and families can better enjoy visits to the theater, restaurants, and even

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Leslie Stebbins, M.Ed. M.L.I.S.

Apr 1, 2016 · 6 min read

Choosing Meaningful Gifts for People on the Autism Spectrum

These days nearly everyone knows a friend or family member who is touched by autism. Perhaps it’s your own child or your sister’s child. Perhaps it’s the child of your neighbor, your dentist, your mail carrier, or hair dresser. With the holidays fast approaching, you may be aski