Exploring the great outdoors!

Warm and sunny spring days after a long winter recently sparked some ideas about how we can provide support to those living with autism spectrum disorder.

We all know how time outside, soaking in that much needed vitamin D from the sun, is super healthy for us. According to a New York Times story, the benefits of exercising outside might improve dispositions or inspire greater commitment to an exercise program. People who spend active time outdoors have lower levels of cortisol, which is a hormone related to stress. After exertion takes place, that exposure to direct sunlight is known to positively affect mood.

Natural Environment Teaching means that one uses the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis and relates them to the real world. For example, instead of teaching a child how to label a cup in a discreet trial format, one would set up a teaching scenario in the kitchen where the cups are located. Teaching in the natural environment promotes motivation, diversified learning, and generalization. It decreases dependency on prompts, apathy, and the inability to transfer skills. Why not take it into nature?

Toddlers, school-age children, and older teenagers can all benefit from learning outside. Most learning may probably takes place indoors, due to structure, materials, and organizational needs, but time outdoors can be an added bonus. Nature naturally allows for multi-sensory learning, pairing the environment with reinforcement, physical activity, healthy exposure to sunlight, and social skills development.

Imagine expanding receptive and expressive language as you hike or take a walk — the environmental scenery provides a colored tapestry for labeling. For instance, a parent questions while pointing, “What’s that?” The child answers, “A rock.” Intraverbal fill-ins can carry a conversation along many a trail. Adult says, “Let’s pick a ____,” and child says, “Flower.”

Strolling down any Main Street can lead to practicing a host of cognitive skills. Playing “I Spy” as you pass signs and storefronts can lead to finding certain colors, numbers, and letters. Time spent lounging in a beach chair along the sea is a perfect setting for positively practicing being calm, having a relaxed body, and keeping voices quiet or silent. These are all replacement behaviors for physical or verbal offenses. Practice leads to pro-social improvement!

Try your best to take advantage of sunny days and inviting weather. As always, proactively have a plan in mind — and inform your special needs child prior to departure. End excursions on positive notes in order to promote positive outings in the future.