It's important for adults to teach children to take turns so everyone has an opportunity to participate. Being able to take turns facilitates positive relationships and enhances communication. Within this newsletter, you will find ideas for teaching, practicing, and discussing turn taking. You can choose whichever activities appeal to you and the resources you have available at home. Here are some ideas.

1) Start with only one child before practicing with multiple children.

2) Use a visual cue to indicate whose turn it is. For example, the person getting to have a turn holds an item to signify it is their turn.

3) Use turn taking language "My turn", "Your turn".

4) Model turn taking for children.

5) Play all types of games.

6) Use stories to explain turn taking.

7) Use a timer to show how long each turn lasts.

8) Verbally communicate turns (First it's Jane's turn, Then it's Bob's turn)

9) Use a fidget (ex: Playdoh, Silly Putty, Spinner, etc) in between turns to provide something to focus on while waiting.

10) If a child is struggling, you can provide them with two turns for each of your turns.

11) Keep sessions short. Remain calm if your child becomes frustrated. They can take a break and try again later.

1) Take turns while completing a chore such as loading the dishwasher, unloading the clothes dryer, sweeping, or dusting. Children often enjoy participating in housework.

2) Start drawing a picture or coloring a page from a coloring book, pass it to the child and have them add to it, and continue passing it back and forth.

3) Take turns rolling and squishing PlayDoh.

4) Make up a sentence for a story. Then let the next person add a sentence. Keep taking turns until the story is finished.

5) Bean bag toss into a box, bucket, laundry basket or taped off spot on the floor. If you don't have a bean bag, try using balled up socks, balls, etc.

6) Build with blocks or legos and take turns adding to the structure.

7) Roll a ball back and forth or bounce a ball back and forth.

7) Use a piece of cardboard, wood, or plastic to create a ramp and take turns racing cars, balls, or marbles down it.

Card Games--Go Fish, Memory, Old Maid, War, Crazy 8, etc

Board Games--Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders

Card Games--War, Slap Jack, Uno, Skip Bo, Sequence, etc

Board Games--Connect Four, Sorry, Checkers, Chess, Operation, Guess Who, Chinese Checkers