Morning Routine
There are many language opportunities in all our morning routines. Use your AAC user's language system to connect with them around their morning experience.
Comment
- look nice
- you fast
- great
- it yummy
- tired today
- beautiful outside
Ask for things
- want eat
- need socks
- get brush
- have drink
- want cereal
- coffee
Complain
- I tired
- leave me alone
- don't want
- go away
- need sleep
- why?
Ask questions
- how sleep?
- what do today?
- what eat?
- where socks?
Tell each other what to do
- get up
- take off
- put on
- wash face
- take shower
- brush teeth
- do hair
- stretch
- shoes on
Nighttime Routine
Modeling can also happen at the end of the day. A nighttime routine can be a great time to connect with your child.
Tell each other what to do
- put on pajamas
- go toilet
- turn off light
- brush teeth
- sleep now
- get in
Comment on bedtime
- clean teeth
- you did it!
- you tired
- nice day
- day done
- time sleep
- take long
- warm bed
- soft pillow
- favorite book
- sleepy
Complain
- annoying
- not tired
- exhausted
- not fair
- thirsty
Ask questions
- why bed now?
- how day?
- what do tomorrow?
Ask for things
- need water
- more story
- want cuddle
- give hug
- night light
- blanket
- want mom/dad
Mealtime
Remember that AAC modeling can happen anytime. Here are some ideas to get you thinking about ways to model at mealtime. Enjoy your time together!
Share about your day
- it boring
- long day
- no school
- watch TV
- talk friend
- go walk
- read book
- call grandma
- sister annoying
Comment on your meal
- yummy
- yuck
- hungry
- not hungry
- taste good
- like it
- my favorite
- don't like
- thirsty
- delicious
- hot
Ask for things
- want more
- have that
- want to drink
- need napkin
- please give
Ask questions
- how day?
- how is it?
- have dessert?
Bathtime
Make sure that you have a waterproof option as a part of the user's AAC system. A light tech communication board is great for the bathtime.
Comment
- you dirty!
- smelly feet!
- water cold
- it hot
- hurt eyes
- fun
- oh no!
- I wet
- you silly
- you clean
- not smelly
Talk about your process
- turn on
- get in
- water off
- wash hair
- wash feet
- you help
- I do it
- you all done
- get out
- take towel
Ask for things
- need towel
- want toys
- bubble bath
- do more
- want play
- more water
- give me it
- shower on
Ask questions
- you ready?
- what was?
- when last
- where soap?
- shy splash?
- what next?
Cook together
Ideas for modeling while cooking together:
Ask for things
- want more
- make cookies
- need drink
- more chocolate
Comment on what you make
- yum
- crunchy
- yuck
- smelly
- taste good
- like it
- salty
- hot
- sweet
- messy
- exciting
- oh no!
- not good
Ask questions
- what make?
- what need?
- who do it?
Tell each other what to do
- wash hands
- make more
- you taste
- help do
- put it in
- mix it
- take out now!
- do dishes
- get that
Read together
Modeling while you read with your AAC user is a wonderful way to teach language.
Get attention
- look!
- oh, no!
- wow!
Invite participation
- what think?
- what next?
- who help?
- what favorite?
- you like?
- why do?
- where going?
Comment on the story
- that cool
- funny story
- surprise!
- like you!
- he silly
- you do that
- that scary
- exciting
- he lucky
- smart
- naughty
- gross!
Ask for things
- this book
- want see
- different book
- read more
- again
- you read
- do myself
- you choose
- want done
Gardening
Get outside, garden together, and model some AAC while you do!
Comment
- nice out
- beautiful
- look that
- you big help
- pretty flower
- dirty hand
- boring
- feel wet
- smell good
- it get big
- need water
Talk about your process
- put in
- take out
- dig it
- pull out
- water it
- turn on/off
- you do
- I help you
- come me
- I done
Ask questions
- what do?
- what that?
- what like?
- where put?
- who do?
- what next?
- what happen?
- how much more?
Grocery planning
Comment
- yummy!
- not like it
- fish gross
- delicious
- my favorite
- think ok
- hungry now
- taste good
- love that
- it all gone
- fruit great
Ask for things
- get ice cream
- want cheese
- more chips
- mac & cheese
- eat bacon
- chicken nuggets
- get snacks
Ask questions
- what need?
- what make?
- what think?
- which want?
- when go?
- why I not go?
- have toilet paper?
Share ideas
- make cookies
- pizza party
- me cook you
- different dinner
Laundry
Comment
- it dirty
- my favorite
- boring
- tuck!
- clean now
- no more
- I don't like
- great
- you big help
- warm
- hard work
Talk about the process
- open it
- put in
- wash it
- soap in
- I do
- turn on
- look in
- it stop
- take out
- it turn
- put away
- we done
Ask questions
- How do?
- where sock?
- who shirt?
- what next?
- when done?
- why more?
Make it silly
- pants on head
- sock on hand
- sock on nose
- smelly sock
- not go there
- gross
Get dressed
Use your AAC learner's system to talk about getting dressed.
Comment
- look good!
- nice look
- new!
- get small
- beautiful!
- dirty
- cold outside
- you fancy!
- itchy!
- don't like
- like red
Ask for things
- want pink
- need warm
- give it
- underwear
- want pajamas
Tell each other what to do
- put on
- take off
- need wash!
- get shirt
- have change
- pants on
- look favorite
- help me
Ask questions
- what wear?
- where socks?
- it clean?
- where favorite?
- why not pajamas?
Playground
Comment
- it fun
- that good
- not like it
- you crazy
- look that
- feel tired
- I hot/cold
- cool
- think great
- exciting
- not get me!
Ask for things
- want swing
- go walk
- need coat
- do more
- big push
- swing high
- get me
- want turn
- go slide
Tell each other what to do
- get on/off
- give push
- push me
- climb up
- come down
- don't help
- watch me
- play
- run fast
- do different
- stop it
Ask questions
- what do?
- where go?
- who do?
- who that?
- how push?
- when go?
Pool
Bring a light tech version of your user's AAC system and go to the pool.
Comment
- fun
- awesome
- feel good
- nice day
- you wet
- feel scared
- like swim
- it hot
- you splash
- pool great
- get cold
- feel excited
Talk about the fun
- sunscreen on
- put on
- take off
- dry off
- get in/out
- come swim
- jump in
- go bathroom
- take break
- get clothes
- do more
- all done
Ask for things
- need towel
- need drink
- want snack
- float
- sunglasses
- swim more
Ask questions
- what think?
- what happen?
- what next?
- what need?
Beach
Many people worry about AAC devices getting damaged at the beach. It's one of the reasons that having a light-tech version of the AAC user's system is so important.
Comment
- excited
- it hot
- wet
- I love it
- this fun
- see bird
- I tired
- beautiful
- sun bright
- sand on feet
- thirsty
- look
- don't like
Talk about the fun
- sunscreen on
- in water
- make big
- look shell
- stop that
- sit down
- go walk
- build castle
- dig sand
- sand on me
- come
- go home
Ask for things
- need towel
- give more
- want drink
- want break
- want toy
- want snack
- swim with me
- sunglasses
- need shovel
Ask questions
- when eat?
- when go?
- what see?
- what do?
- why have go?
Restaurant
It can be a great time to model AAC if you can eat out safely.
Comment
- hard wait
- I'm hungry
- yum
- it hot/cold
- my favorite
- fancy
- don't like it
- gross
- I'm full
- look good
- loud here
- soicy
- this nice
Talk about the meal
- look menu
- get soda
- hurry up
- more water
- need salt
- need pay
- want that
- come soon
- need fork
- you taste
- get dessert
- we go now
Prestored messages
- Can I have…
- Check please!
- I'm allergic to…
Ask questions
- what want?
- where food?
- what you get?
- where bathroom?
Video Chat
It's important to encourage communication with dear ones, even if they are far from home.
Comment
- I bored
- great to see you
- look good
- feel sad
- you funny
- that cool
Ask questions
- how you?
- what new?
- see movie?
- how family?
- when think see?
Build relationships
- I love you
- miss you
- you ok?
- talk soon?
Share about the day
- do school
- go outside
- dance party
- plat game
- nice walk
- rain here
- read book
- make lunch
- watch TV
Tell each other what to do
- turn on
- talk grandma
- my turn
- me see it
- all done now
- listen me
- call friend
- turn up
Beauty day
Self-care is necessary and fun! We can take care of our hygiene and well-being and still model.
Comment
- beautiful
- look great
- pretty color
- nice hair
- feel good
- not like it
- look you!
- fancy
- cool
- it ok
- fun
Talk about the process
- put on
- take off
- open it
- brush hair
- do toes
- different
- do lips
- do makeup
- you turn
- come look
- wash hair
- get clip
- you all done
- look mirror
- take out
Ask for things
- brush more
- want red
- make eyes blue
- give that
- need lotion
Ask questions
- what want?
- what think?
- how look?
- what color?
- how do?
- what next?
On a walk
Tell each other what to do
- come with me
- stop here
- slow down
- let's go
- hurry up
Comment on your walk
- nice day
- it cold
- love go out
- feel good
- long walk
- see bird
- walk fast
- walk slow
- big tree
- fun outside
- windy day
Get attention
- look!
- see that!
Ask questions
- where go?
- what that?
- how long?
- when done?
Online shopping
Sometimes we just can't physically go shopping, and that's okay. We have the option of online shopping. Why not model while online shopping so we can share the fun?
Comment
- that cute
- look weird
- not like
- pretty shirt
- need that
- it great
- excited
- I like it
- it nice
- cool
- hurry up come
- handsome
- expensive
Talk about the fun
- look up
- find shoes
- come see
- get that
- help find
- not get
- can't find
- please
- look different
- I don't know
- buy later
- buy it
Ask for things
- need clothes
- want shoes
- buy book
- get you
- puzzle
- want different
Ask questions
- what need?
- what color?
- how much?
- what store?
- what think?
- when come?
Playing ball
Playing is not only delightful but healthy. Express the fun by modeling!
Comment
- awesome
- big ball
- I like it
- it little
- ball great
- don't like
- hard kick
- cool
- excellent
- yellow ball
- I tired
- think fun
- makes me mad
Talk about the fun
- play ball
- I get it
- help me
- kick it
- bounce
- do again
- my turn
- give me
- throw it up
- roll down
- you catch
- I finished
Ask for things or actions
- want green
- need turn
- want kick
- give football
- more
Ask questions
- what do?
- where go?
- who do?
- where throw?
- which ball?
Bubbles
The fun is self-explanatory here... bubbles! Share the joy, and don't stop modeling.
Comment
- look!
- big bubble
- it pop
- get wet
- sticky
- pop nose
- pretty
- fun
- you silly
- it not work!
- go up
Tell each other what to do
- I open
- take out
- put in
- you do
- blow
- my turn
- pop it
- I help
- blowhard
- catch bubble
Ask questions
- who do?
- where blow?
- where go?
- what next?
- what do?
- what think?
- how blow?
Ask for things
- want big
- want blow
- make more
- need towel
- want little
- blow lots
- want done
Play with pets
If you have pets, grab your AAC user's system and play together. Playing with them can be a great time to model language.
Comment
- cute
- he silly
- smelly mouth
- wet
- pretty cat
- soft
- need bath
- look!
- she loud
- love you
- good dog
- fun toy
- like it
Talk about the fun
- want play
- come
- go out
- get it
- wait
- bring it
- throw ball
- my turn
- you do
- give foot
- sit down
- want eat
Ask questions
- where go?
- where throw?
- where hide?
- where cat?
- who good?