“Discover 17 engaging and easy-to-follow activities for the Attention Autism (Bucket Time) intervention in this blog post. Perfect for educators, therapists, and parents alike, our Stage 3 activities are designed to boost social skills in Autistic children. Adapt them for use at home and support your child’s development today.
Many parents, teachers, and learning assistants wonder what works for the autistic children they care for or work with.
There are endless interventions out there, and I wrote about some of them here, here and here.
One of them, called Attention Autism and nicknamed Bucket Time, is very popular.
I dedicated an entire post to Bucket Time here, so check it out.
In this post, I’m discussing stage 3 in Attention Autism. I’m sharing 17 fun and engaging activities in stage 3 of bucket time.
These art-based activities inspire and captivate children’s attention, encouraging them to take turns and use their creativity in a fun and playful way.
Engaging children with Autism in activities that promote their attention and focus can be a challenging task for parents and educators alike.
The Attention Autism intervention, developed by Gina Davies, provides a structured approach to help children on the Autism Spectrum develop their attention and communication skills.
If you struggle with ideas for new activities you can use in Attention Autism, a.k.a Bucket Time Intervention, read on to get inspired.
What is Stage 3 in Attention Autism (Bucket Time) about?
If you are new to “Bucket Time”, read my post explaining what it is here.
You will learn that it has four stages.
Stage 3 of the Attention Autism (Bucket Time) intervention focuses on promoting turn-taking skills.
Turn-taking is an essential social skill that helps Autistic children learn to interact and communicate effectively with others.
In this stage, the adult leader demonstrates a simple activity.
The children observe and learn from the demonstration.
Then, they are invited to take turns and participate in the activity themselves.
Keep in mind that children can only join if they feel comfortable doing so.
The activities in this stage are fun and engaging, often involving creative and imaginative play.
By participating in these activities, Autistic children can develop their social skills, confidence, and ability to communicate with others effectively.
The adult leader provides a safe and supportive environment for the children, allowing them to learn and grow at their own pace.
Can I do Stage 3 Attention Autism (Bucket Time) activities at home?
It’s worth noting that although the Attention Autism intervention is typically done in a group setting with an adult leader, you can adapt activities for use at home.
You can easily modify The turn-taking in Stage 3 of the intervention to suit a home environment.
Parents can use these activities as a fun way to engage with their children and help them develop their attention.
By practising turn-taking at home, you can help your child learn to communicate effectively and interact with others positively and productively.
As with any intervention, it’s essential to tailor the activities to the child’s needs and abilities and ensure they are comfortable and engaged throughout the process.
How do I do it?
First, read my post here to get an overview of Bucket Time.
In this post, you will get familiar with the intervention sequence.
You can introduce stage 3 of Bucket Time when your child is comfortable with the previous two stages.
The sequence is always the same.
First, you sing the “I’ve got something in my bucket” song.
You follow it with the first stage, the ‘Attention Focus’ stage. It is when you show your child a toy or two from the bucket.
Next is stage 2, ‘Attention Builder’.
In stage 2, the adult demonstrates an activity, but the children only observe.
Then, it is stage 3, ‘Turn-taking and Re-engaging’, when we invite children to have a go and take turns.
After they are comfortable (this may take several weeks) with this stage, you can move on to stage 4, shifting and re-engaging attention.
17 activities to use in stage 3 of Attention Autism (Bucket Time)
These 17 art-related fun activities will, in the words of Gina Davies, the creator of this intervention, “offer an irresistible invitation to learn”.
Most of them are pretty messy, so make sure you wear suitable clothes and protect surfaces. An old shower curtain on the floor is a great idea.
1. Splat painting with pom poms
To create pompon splat paintings, dip pompons in paint and drop them onto paper.
Encourage your child to have their turn and experiment with different colours and patterns.
2. Car tire Trails
To create car trail paintings, dip toy cars in paint and then run them over the paper, leaving colourful tracks.
Next, it is your child’s turn to experiment with different colours, speeds, and patterns to create unique and exciting designs.
3. Stamp Art
Children can dip differently shaped stamps into the paint, and then stamp them onto a sheet of paper to create a unique design.
The teacher (or a parent) can demonstrate different ways to use the stamps first, and then the children take turns doing the same.
4. Sponge Painting
Dip a sponge into the paint, then press the sponge onto a sheet of paper to create a colourful and textured design.
Take turns with your child (or in a group) and use different colours.
5. Bubble Painting
Mix dish soap and paint together, then blow bubbles in the mixture with a straw, and place a piece of paper over the top of the bubbles to create a bubble print.
Alternatively, blow bubbles in a cup of paint and then press a sheet of paper onto the bubbles to create a unique pattern.
The adult can demonstrate different ways to blow the bubbles, and then it is the child’s turn to do it.
6. Paint with salt
Pour a layer of glue onto a sheet of paper, then sprinkle salt on top and drip paint onto the salt, creating a colourful and textured effect.
Invite your child to have their turn next.
7. Ice Art
This activity requires freezing a mixture of water and paint in ice cube trays first.
You then use the coloured ice cubes to create art on paper.
Demonstrate different ways to use the ice cubes or encourage children to take turns in painting with ice.
8. Art with Marbles
Place a sheet of paper in a tray, squirt different paint colours onto the paper, and then roll marbles around in the tray, creating a colourful and abstract design.
Show your child different ways to move the marbles or encourage them to have their turn next.
9. Yarn/String Creations
First, dip the lengths of yarn or string into the paint.
Then, lay the yarn/thread onto a sheet of paper, creating a textured and colourful design.
You can lay it onto a sheet of paper in a curved or zig-zag shape, creating an abstract design.
Then, it is your child’s turn to try.
10. Splat Art
This one is quite messy but super fun.
You dip a plastic spatula or flyswatter into paint and then splat it onto a sheet of paper, creating a unique pattern.
I bet your child will be happy to have their turn splatting paint!
11. Shake Painting
Place a sheet of paper and some paint into a plastic container with a lid.
Then, shake the container vigorously, creating an abstract design.
Your child will be amazed at the unique creations they will have produced when it is their turn.
12. Pour Painting
Pour different paint colours onto a canvas or sheet of paper and then tilt it around, allowing the paint to mix and flow, creating a unique design.
Now it is your child’s turn to make a masterpiece.
13. Color Mixing
You can demonstrate mixing different paint colours and creating new colours and shades.
Then, encourage children to experiment with their colour ideas when it is their turn.
14. Painted Rocks
You can paint small rocks with acrylic paint, creating your designs or characters.
Encourage your child to have a go when it is their turn.
15. Spin Art
You can drop a few drops of paint onto a spinning surface, such as a top or a salad spinner, creating a colourful and unique design.
You can demonstrate different ways to drop the paint.
Next is the children’s turn to experiment with different colours and patterns.
16. Shaving Cream Art
Create designs and patterns on a sheet of paper using shaving cream as the medium.
You can demonstrate different ways to manipulate the shaving cream, such as swirling or dragging a toothpick.
Next, it is your child’s turn to have a go.
17. Finger Painting
Use your fingers to create paintings on paper or canvas, using different paint colours.
Your child will love getting messy when it’s their turn.
I hope you can see how easy and fun these activities are.
Stage 3 of the Attention Autism intervention- a.k.a. Bucket Time- focuses on developing turn-taking skills in autistic children.
The activities used in this stage are fun, engaging, and easy to follow, making them a great way to promote attention skills.
We’ve explored various activities that you can use in Stage 3, which are helpful and easy to implement.
By using these activities, parents and educators can help autistic children develop their attention skills.
With a little patience and creativity, anyone can use these activities to help children with Autism thrive and succeed.
Let me know in the comments which of the activities you tried resulted in being the messiest!
Pin it!
