Snacks for Young Learners with Autism

Funded Jan 19, 2024

When the fun goodies like markers, Skittles and Oreos showed up in my classroom, things got way better for my students. Even though all my students have autism and sometimes act out, these cool supplies helped them focus and do better in class.

I let my students try out the markers first. They loved the bright colors and were excited to use them. Some kids picked black markers, while others went for colored pencils. They were all eager to get started. The Crayola markers were a big hit. The students would choose a color, practice tracing lines, and then pick another color to try. Some students stuck with the same color for weeks.

The Skittles and Oreos were a big hit too! I used them as rewards for hard work. Most of the time, the students chose Skittles as their reward. So, after they finished a task like writing straight lines, I would give them half of a Skittle. If a student got distracted, I would remind them about the Skittle waiting for them once they finished their work. This helped them stay focused and motivated to keep going. I would give out Skittles as many times as needed to help the students succeed.

Just like how students love recess, they loved Oreo cookies! I would break the cookies into four pieces and put them in a little container to give to the students as a reward. Each piece of cookies was like a little prize for finishing their work and working hard. They would get a piece of cookie for holding their markers correctly and another piece for tracing a straight line.

The students were so excited to earn Skittles too! They would try their best to write straight lines so they could get a Skittle as a reward. They worked hard and happily at the fine motor skills table, knowing they would get a tasty treat for doing a good job.

After a week, we started giving out Skittles and Oreos at the Group Work table, too. The students got to choose what they were working for and would get their reward when they finished their task. It was amazing to see how motivated the students were to do their work and reach their goals during this activity.

In conclusion, using Skittle and Oreos as rewards showed that our students can achieve their goals. The snacks helped them focus on their school work and improve their fine motor skills. Thanks to these rewards, the students in my class were able to do better in school and behave well, too.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Lina