Learning doesn’t always have to feel like “therapy.” With Natural Environment Teaching (NET), everyday routines become powerful learning opportunities for children with autism.
Instead of sitting at a desk, skills are taught right in the middle of daily life — during play, meals, chores, and family activities.
Here are some simple and practical NET examples you can start using today.
Everyday NET Ideas for Parents
- Mealtime
- Ask your child to request food (“I want juice” or “More crackers”).
- Practice colors and numbers by sorting fruit or counting bites.
- Encourage manners: “What do you say?” → “Thank you.”
- Getting Dressed
- Give choices: “Do you want the blue shirt or the red one?”
- Practice following directions: “Put your socks on first, then shoes.”
- Name clothing items as you go.
- Playtime
- Take turns during board games or with toys.
- Practice action words: “Push the car,” “Stack the blocks,” “Throw the ball.”
- Work on sharing: “Your turn, my turn.”
- Chores and Routines
- Have your child help set the table while naming items: plate, fork, cup.
- Practice sequencing: “First we wash, then we dry.”
- Praise participation to build confidence.
- Outdoors
- At the park: “Go up the slide, then come down.”
- Play “I spy” to work on colors and objects.
- Practice greetings with neighbors: “Say hi!”
- Shopping
- Ask your child to find items (“Get the milk,” “Find the bananas”).
- Practice waiting in line patiently.
- Use money counting for older kids.
Why This Works
NET makes learning feel natural, not forced. Kids see how skills fit into their real world — which helps them remember and use them more often. Best of all, parents can do it every day without needing special tools.
At Connect N Care ABA, we help parents bring these strategies to life. Through ABA parent training, families learn how to make daily routines teachable moments.
We also provide in-home ABA therapy, school-based ABA therapy, and center-based ABA therapy for children across North Carolina and Virginia.
If you’d like to learn more about how NET can fit into your family’s daily life, reach out to us today.
FAQs
Can NET be used every day?
Yes! The best part of NET is that it fits into daily routines like meals, play, and chores.
Does NET replace one-on-one ABA therapy?
Not usually. NET works best when combined with structured ABA sessions to reinforce learning.
Do parents need training for NET?
Parents can start right away, but ABA parent training makes strategies more effective and consistent.
Sources:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38917993/
- https://howtoaba.com/natural-environment-teaching/
- https://www.nu.edu/blog/what-is-natural-environment-teaching/
