Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Speech and Language Therapy Advice
HOW TO HELP A CHILD TO TAKE TURNS
The Rules of Turn-Taking
1 To start with work on turn-taking when you are alone with the child. It is much harder to learn to share with other children around, particularly siblings.
2 To make sure that the child does take turns, be in control of the situation by keeping hold of the equipment being used. To begin with you might only give the child their bit just before it is needed.
3 Demonstrate the activity first so that the child understands what is required.
4 Use the appropriate signed or spoken language for turn-taking, e.g. My turn/Your turn’.
5 If the child is reluctant to take turns, let him have two turns, for every one turn that you have.
6 Some children need a visual prompt to know when to wait and when to take their turn. A wait card (this might be a wait symbol or a set picture such as a red card with the word wait on it) or a 1 minute sand-timer can be very helpful. Let the child hold the card whilst they are waiting and swap it for the equipment when it is their turn. Use the words “Good waiting” to reinforce their turn-taking.
7. If the child is still unwilling to take turns, remove the toy altogether and come back to it later when he is more willing to co-operate.
Everyday Sharing
Turn-taking is an important social skill to learn.
There are many opportunities to encourage turn-taking and sharing during everyday routines, particularly if there are brothers and sisters. For example:
· Taking turns to stir cake mixture
· Taking turns to cut pastry
· Taking turns on the swing
· Taking turns in games and sharing toys
· Taking turns to water the garden with a small watering can
· Taking turns to brush your hair and wash your face
· Taking turns to clap hands
Give and Take Games
The following toys and games can be used to encourage turn-taking and sharing.
· Balls and beanbags
Sit opposite your child and throw balls or bean bags to each other
· Wind-up toys
Sit a low table opposite your child and send wind-up toys back and forth
· Cars
Take turns to roll cars toward each other
· Posting boxes
Take turns to post a shape in the box
· Skittles and ball
Take turns to roll the ball and knock down the skittles
· Pop-up Toys
e.g. Jack-in-the-box, Pop-up rocket. Take turns to press the button to make the toys jump up
· Rings on a stick
Take turns to put the next ring on the stick
· Lift-the-flap books
Take turns to lift the flap
· Building beakers or bricks
Take turns to add another beaker or brick to a tower
· Simple boxed games, pairs, snap, picture dominoes, picture lotto, puzzles
You can play these together, but might find it helpful to put pieces in a pile or bag so that you have more control.
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