Teaching Imitation During Routines

Imitation is a prerequisite skill for learning. When your child learns through imitation, they have the opportunity to first observe and then to practice new skills. These rehearsals, and the positive responses to them that you give your child, increase your child’s confidence and promote the generalization of their skills across a variety of settings. Participation in this process, or imitative learning, is critical to a child’s development. Research indicates that:

· the ability to imitate gestures and body movements is linked to positive language outcomes;

· the ability to imitate peers is linked to successful group play, and

· the ability to imitate actions with objects supports the development of appropriate play skills.

Practicing imitation during routines maximizes your child’s opportunities to develop the skills necessary for building positive relationships, learning from toy play, solving problems efficiently, and increasing independence.