Everyday tasks can be some of the most powerful therapeutic tools we have, and cooking is a brilliant example.
You’re not just making a snack, you’re practicing planning, sequencing, time awareness, and problem-solving all at once. So in sessions, I might ask the young person to plan a simple recipe, estimate timings, and then reflect afterwards on what helped or what didn’t. We can try out supports like ticking off steps, using a timer, setting a reminder on a phone or smart speaker, or prepping ingredients in advance. These same skills are incredibly useful for the classroom and exams, too.” Just as we might encourage a child to read a recipe, pull out the key information, and break it into chunks before starting. We can teach the same approach for multi-step exam questions: pause, highlight what’s being asked, break it down, and make a plan before diving in. It underscores that the goal isn’t just cooking. It’s building flexible strategies that can be used across school and home. And the key isn’t the perfect toastie. It’s noticing strategies that make a difference and helping the child choose what’s right for them. That way, if timers or getting everything ready the night before was useful in the kitchen, we can then ask, “Could this help with your morning routine too?”
At home, families don’t need anything fancy. Pick something your child enjoys and think about weaving in a little goal-plan-do-check cycle. Keep it light, keep it do-able, focus on one or two strategies and celebrate attempts, not perfection. Over time, the aim is for them to start saying, “That timer helped me,” or “I’ll get things ready tonight.” That carryover is the real win. That’s where therapy becomes everyday independence.
