How to Make a Place Welcoming

  • Reduce distractions (less lighting, noise, uncluttered areas).
  • Offer a schedule of how you will be spending your time together with a clear beginning and end.
  • Use pictures or written cards such as “quiet,” “I need a break,” or “I need help.”
  • Use timers to provide limits and closure.
  • Use labeling to identify everything in the environment
  • Have a chemical-free environment, avoiding cleaning supplies with strong odors.
  • Ask in advance if the individual with ASD has any particular habits or needs that you can prepare for them in advance (e.g. if they have food allergies, a preference to certain types of soap).