What are Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)?
They are the things we do every day such as getting dressed, going to the bathroom, putting our shoes on, brushing our teeth, etc. The following are some strategies for how to best complete getting dressed and undressed to practice them at home so that your child can dress themselves independently.
Click the button below to download the instructions below!
Some Tips:
- Use simple words
- Don’t give too much help, allow child to complete as much of task as possible
- Demonstrate task (i.e. rubbing hands together to wash hands) for child, modeling good technique
- Teach the same sequence each time you practice the task and practice often
- Use music or rhymes to make the task fun!
BATH TIME
STEP 1
GATHER NECESSARY SUPPLIES
WHAT YOU SAY:
“Get soap!” or “Get towel!” (use simple phrases to describe what you want the child to retrieve)
WHAT YOU DO:
Point or tap items in question and name them.
HOW ARE THEY POSITIONED:
Standing up and moving around the bathroom (may consider storing all necessary supplies in basket or similar container.
STEP 2
GET UNDRESSED
WHAT YOU SAY:
“Shirt off, arm out, other arm out, push up!”
WHAT YOU DO:
Point or tap items in question and name them.
HOW ARE THEY POSITIONED:
Standing or seated.
STEP 3
STEP INTO TUB/SHOWER
WHAT YOU SAY:
“In tub!”
WHAT YOU DO:
Tap on edge of tub and demonstrate how to step over threshold or open shower door.
HOW ARE THEY POSITIONED:
May want to assist child over threshold for safety until they are capable of doing it on their own.
STEP 4
WET SELF
WHAT YOU SAY:
“Water on!”
WHAT YOU DO:
Tap faucet or demonstrate how to turn it on (make sure to teach child the difference between hot and cold water)
HOW ARE THEY POSITIONED:
Standing in shower or seated in tub.
STEP 5
SHAMPOO HAIR AND WASH BODY
WHAT YOU SAY:
“Scrub!” or “Rub!”
WHAT YOU DO:
Tap on soap dispenser or place child’s hand in the appropriate place, teaching them how to use it, then guide child’s hand across body (using washcloth or something similar may be helpful)
HOW ARE THEY POSITIONED:
Standing in shower or seated in tub.
STEP 6
RINSE SOAP OFF
WHAT YOU SAY:
“Soap off!”
WHAT YOU DO:
Direct child to water source or to dip limbs into water.
HOW ARE THEY POSITIONED:
Standing in shower or seated in tub.
STEP 7
DRY SELF WITH TOWEL
WHAT YOU SAY:
“Water off!”, “Bath done!” (or “Bath is finished”)
WHAT YOU DO:
Tap on towel or begin to rub child’s body with towel to initiate task
HOW ARE THEY POSITIONED:
Standing outside of the shower or tub.
