Self Help and Daily Living Skills

What are Independent Living Skills?

Life Skills are a wide range of skills that support students with disabilities as they become independent. Acquiring Life skills is an important part of transition. Those skills include:

• Personal Hygiene.

• Dressing and Clothing Care.

• Health Care.

• Cooking, Eating, Nutrition.

• Home Management and Home Safety.

• Financial Management.

• Personal Growth, Awareness, and Problem Solving.

• Community Access.

Independent Life Skills Information:

Morning routines to help children succeed in school

Toileting routines for successful toilet training

Bathtime routine tipps and recommended sleep amounts for babies and children

Bedtime routine tipps and some more

Mealtime routine ideas

Ways to encourage self help skills in children

6 Independent Life skills (IS) needed before moving away from home

Life Skills Activities for teens with Autism

How to Teach Kitchen Safety Skills to Teens with Autism

Water safety tips for kids with Autism

Potty Training for Special Needs

Tips to Teach Potty Training

Toilet Training Incentives

Toilet Training with Behaviors/Attention Concerns

Resources to develop and adapt Independent Living Skills:

• Toys to help with getting dressed (and list of milestones)

• Fine Motor Skills needed for dressing

• What toddlers need before they can "Do it myself"

• Shoe tying steps- multiple options including one-handed tying

Social Stories

Often, managing daily routines can be difficult due to certain behaviors. Social stories are a great starting point to teach kids what to expect and what behaviors are expected.

Social Stories Resources:

• AndNextComesL- free printable/ video social stories and How to write your own social stories

• ADayInYourShoes- free, printable social stories

• ABAresources- more free social story resources

• OnePlaceForSpecialNeeds- free social stories including some medical procedure ones