My Fun Day

Autism Strengths & Interests

Short Summary of Strengths & Interests

• Time concepts and associated activities
• Weather concepts and associated activities
• Reasoning about time and weather

Is good at matching visual items

This game is not appropriate

Has a good memory for sensory details, including visual, touch, taste and smell

This game is not appropriate

Has a good memory for words, phrases and dialouge

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
If time or weather concepts have been practiced, the child may be able to apply them appropriately.

Has a good memory for pictures, numbers and patterns

Is This Game Appropriate? No

Description
To be meaningful, the child must not only remember the sequences, but understand how they are applied in daily life.

Likes to put things in order or a sequence

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
Many of the items on the board require remembering a sequence. Some children with autism may enjoy doing this.

Learns through visualizing or "replaying" actions in their mind

This game is not appropriate

Likes activities with rules, such as math and phonics

This game is not appropriate

Is very concrete and literal

Is This Game Appropriate? No

Description
Although the board has manipulative aspects, the concepts being taught are abstract.

Learns in small "chunks" (for example, phone numbers are 3 chunks of number xxx-xxx-xxxx that are combined together)

This game is not appropriate

Is good at nonverbal reasoning and logic

This game is not appropriate

Likes spatial problem solving

This game is not appropriate

Can read well with good vocabulary, though may not fully comprehend content

This game is not appropriate

Likes to use and has good fine motor skill

This game is not appropriate

Likes established routines or set ways of doing things
This game is not appropriate

Likes manipulating, constructing or building things

This game is not appropriate

Likes to use and has good musical abilities

This game is not appropriate

Likes to use and has good drawing skills

This game is not appropriate

Autism Special Considerations

Appears to ignore other's communication and/or has difficulty giving eye contact to a communication partner

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
As long as the child is listening to the adult and attending to My Fun Day, they can engage in the activities.

Has difficulty understanding complex verbal directions

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
The activities on My Fun Day vary in complexity and required understanding. Understanding the weather is the easiest, as the child can look out of the window and match the pictures to what they see. Some of the other activities require more abstract thinking and may be too challenging. If the child with autism has a facility with numbers, learning these aspects of the board may be of interest.

Uses vocabulary inaccurately or demonstrates echolalia (repeating another's speech)

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Echolalia should not interfere with manipulation of the pieces on the board, but echolalia may interfere with discussion of specific items.

Gets stuck repeating a verbal topic or physical actions and/or has difficulty attending to others' actions or topic.

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
The My Fun Day board is visually complex and has a variety of activities at different developmental levels. Fixation on a specific topic or physical actions not related to activities on the board will interfere with focus of attention and performance.

Has difficulty producing speech/communication

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Although discussion of the activities on the board is preferred, the activities can be completed successfully without the child discussing their actions. The adult should note the child's actions and comment on the child's responses and explain why inaccurate responses are not correct.

Has difficulty sequencing multi-step actions and/or doing complex abstract tasks

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
There are numerous activities in My Fun Day involving different thought patterns and actions. Doing more than one or two activities at a time may be too challenging and cause frustration or inattention.

Demonstrates difficulty initiating and maintaining social interactions

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Social interaction is not needed beyond responding to the adult's requests for actions in relation to the different components of My Fun Day. Joint discussion beyond just providing the correct answer, however, should be encouraged.

Acts out or demonstrates avoidance behaviors when frustrated, overwhelmed, or needs more sensory input.

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Because the My Fun Day board is complicated and requires many abstract thinking processes, it may be too challenging and therefore frustrating to the child. Breaking down the activities so they are done over the course of the day may be appropriate for children who understand the time and weather concepts. For those children functioning at a lower level, My Fun Day is not a good choice.

Has short attention span for non-preferred activities

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Because the My Fun Day board is complicated and requires many abstract thinking processes, it may be too challenging and therefore a non-preferred activity. Breaking down the activities, so they are done in short time periods over the course of the day may be appropriate for children who understand the time and weather concepts.

Needs sameness or consistent routines and/or has difficulty with transitions from one activity to another

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
If My Fun Day is done in the same way each day, it will become a routine. Follow the child's lead in terms of preference for the individual activities to maintain interest.

Has difficulty understanding others' feelings, intentions, and the reasons for others' actions.

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Understanding others' feelings, intentions, and the reasons for their actions is not necessary for the child to participate in the activity with others.