Executive function strategies
3 strategiesShoe Spot + Visual Cue
Designate one specific place for shoes (a mat near the door, a marked shelf). Pair putting shoes on with a predictable phrase: "shoes on, we're going!" Use picture cues taped near the shoe spot. Consistency in location and language reduces initiation difficulty.
Sensory-Friendly Shoe Selection
Many children like yours resist shoes due to seam, tightness, or sock texture sensitivity. Choose shoes with: Velcro closures (no laces), wide toe box, seamless socks or tagless socks, or let him go sockless if tolerated. Removing the sensory barrier often removes the behavior.
Task Analysis with Least Prompts
Break shoe-putting into: (1) get shoes, (2) sit down, (3) open Velcro, (4) put foot in, (5) press Velcro. Prompt from the least intrusive (wait 3 seconds → gesture → model → hand-over-hand). This builds independence faster than jumping straight to physical assistance.
Activity game
Whose Shoes?
Before going out, bring out your shoes and your child's shoes. Mix them up on the floor and play "whose shoes are these?" matching each pair. Let your child put your shoes on you before you help him with his. This play-based warm-up makes the shoes feel familiar and fun before the functional task begins.
ABA strategies
2 tipsUse momentum - start with what he already does
Before asking your child to put shoes on, give him 2-3 instructions you know he will follow - "give me a high five," "touch your nose," "clap your hands." Once he is in a "yes" pattern, the shoe instruction is more likely to be followed. This is called high-probability sequencing in ABA - you build momentum with easy wins before introducing the harder request.
Reward the attempt, not just the result
If your child touches the shoe, that is worth celebrating today - even if the shoe did not go on. You are reinforcing movement toward the goal. Tomorrow you reward picking the shoe up. The day after, putting it near his foot. Every step closer to the full behavior gets rewarded as if it were the full behavior - until eventually, it is.
Press the button when your little one is done!