Teaching On-Task Rollerblading and Ice-Skating to a Child with Autism

Bord et al. (2017) worked with one boy with autism who wanted to rollerblade and ice-skate. The team mixed several ABA tools: hand-over-hand prompts, picture cues, many practice places, and a favorite song as a reinforcer.

They measured how long the boy could stay moving on his skates without stopping or looking away. Sessions happened on a public path and later at an ice rink.

The boy finally skated smoothly for up to 26 minutes at a time. He also used his new skills at new rinks without extra teaching.

Parents said he now joined family skating outings and needed fewer reminders to stay with the group.

Erickson et al. (2016) got the same good result with skateboarding using only behavioral skills training. Bord added extra prompts and picture cues, showing two roads can reach the same goal.

Tucker et al. (2021) used BST to teach water safety in a pool. Both studies prove BST packages work in real-world community spots, not just at the clinic table.

Pilgrim et al. (2000) kept kids on-task in class with picture schedules and fading prompts. Bord moved the same idea to a fast sport, stretching "on-task" from desk work to continuous motion.

If a child can stay on-task for half an hour on wheels, you can build that stamina for any hard skill. Try pairing a favorite song with graduated guidance next time you teach bike riding, scooter use, or even long hallway walks. Start with short timed laps, then slowly add minutes as the reinforcer keeps playing. The payoff is bigger than the skill itself: families gain a shared activity and kids gain confidence in their own movement.