Going back to my preschool teaching days, if you have a procedure for EVERYTHING and you teach those procedures, the kids can follow through. Often, kids are more capable than you think of you just teach them what is expected.

With Nolan’s diagnosis I found the more there was a known routine the more he could know what was expected. He struggles with directions with no context. For example, if I point to an object and tell him to put it on the stairs he has no idea, but if I point to the steps and say, “shoes on the steps” he can easily do this because it has context and practice behind it.

Here are some tips to have your toddler/preschooler gain some independence and have them help themselves get out the door. Trust me, when they can help you remember their things, and help themselves out the door you will not only be less stressed, but closer to on time and with all the things. These are our personal tried and true routines-hope it helps you to form yours!

Things you can teach them to do alone:

• Put on own coat
• Put on own shoes (or at least start)
• Put on own backpack
• Grab own lunch
• Put backpack/lunch in the car
• Climb in the car-get to seat

Put own coat on:

We do the “put your arms in and flip over your head” trick. We lay the kids coats out like seen in the photo and they can do this independently. We are working on them taking them off the hook and setting this up on their own as the next step.

To teach your child:
Toes by the hood (or tag if no hood)
Arms in the holes
Flip the coat over the head

Put own shoes on:

Shoes are still a work in progress, but we put them on the steps, the correct foot on the correct side, and then loosen the laces/unzip and pull the tongues up/out so they can at least get them started on their own. Rain boots are always a quick we need to get out the door now shoe option.

Put on own backpack:

We put the backpack on the steps straps facing out. This height allows Nolan to scoop his right arm in, dangle it down, and get his left arm in.

Grab own lunch:

Lunch is the next step up from the back pack. Once the backpack is on, his hands are free to grab his own lunch.

Climb in the car-Get to seat:

All the kids go in one door. They all climb in themselves. They know their seats and can climb up into their own seats waiting for a buckle

Put backpack/lunch in the car:

When climbing in the car, the kids can’t fit in their seats with the backpacks on so they also know to remove their back packs as they get in the car and shove them in so they can still climb in.