Help With Turn Taking

• Top Tips For Turn Taking

  • Work with the child alone at first. Do not introduce other children to take turns until the child is comfortable and managing turns consistently over a number of weeks with one adult.
  • Demonstrate the activity first so that the child understands what is required. It may be that initial turns are taken in an activity the child has chosen, for example taking turns building a tower.
  • You may have to intercept the toy or activity to take a brief turn before returning the item to the child for their turn. For example, being the adult ready to catch the ball out of the chute, have a go yourself, then let the child catch the ball.
  • Tap yourself or point to the child to help them understand whose turn it is and label the turns saying “my turn” or “your turn”.
  • Talk about taking turns, for example, “Who’s next?” “my turn, your turn” or “now Sophie”.
  • If the child is reluctant at first, let them have two turns to every one that you have. Gradually increase the length of turns once the child understands that they will get their turn after you.
  • You can incorporate turn taking into everyday activities, for example brushing hair, scooping sand into a bucket or stirring cake mix.

• Activity Ideas

  The following activities all work well for turn taking:

  • Blowing bubbles through a wand
  • Playing an instrument
  • Pushing cars towards each other/down a track
  • Lifting the flaps in a book or turning the pages
  • Posting shapes or pictures into a post box
  • Using toys e.g. jack in the box, wind-up toys, push and go cars etc
  • Take turns to put the next coloured ring on the ring stacker
  • Playing games e.g. Pop up Pirate, Mr Potato Head, Kerplunk, fishing games, puzzles
  • Building a tower using bricks, or stacking cups
  • Throw or roll a ball/beanbag to each other.