Daily Signs, Daily Wins: 5 Simple Ways to Use ASL in Your ABA Routine at Home

If you're a parent working on ABA goals at home and wondering how American Sign Language (ASL) fits in, you're not alone. Many families in Spokane, North Idaho, and across Eastern Washington are discovering that combining signs with behavioral strategies doesn't just work, it transforms everyday moments into powerful learning opportunities.

Here's the truth: ASL and ABA aren't competing approaches. They're complementary tools that, when used together, give your child more ways to communicate, request, and connect. And the best part? You don't need to be fluent in ASL or have a therapy degree to start. You just need a few signs, a little consistency, and your everyday routines.

Let's break down five simple ways you can weave ASL into your ABA strategies during the activities you're already doing, mealtime, bath time, play, and more.

1. Turn Manding into Signing at Mealtime

In ABA, manding is teaching your child to request what they want. It's a foundational skill. When you add ASL signs to the mix, you're giving your child a visual, gestural language to express those requests, even before they have spoken words.

How to do it:

Start with high-value items your child loves. If they want more crackers, pause before handing them over. Model the sign for "MORE" (fingertips together, tapping twice) and wait. Even if they approximate the sign, maybe they clap their hands or tap their fingers together, reinforce it immediately by giving them the cracker and saying, "Yes! More!"

As they get comfortable, add more signs: "EAT," "DRINK," "HELP," "ALL DONE." These are the workhorses of mealtime communication.

Pro tip for Spokane families: If your child attends a local early learning program or receives services through Educational Service District 101, ask if they're already using any signs in the classroom. Consistency across environments speeds up learning.

2. Make Bath Time a Language-Rich Routine

Bath time is sensory-rich, predictable, and perfect for pairing signs with actions. Your child is engaged, you have their attention, and the routine repeats every day. That's a recipe for language development.

How to do it:

Before you turn on the water, sign and say, "BATH." As you pour water, sign "WATER." When you reach for the soap, sign "SOAP." When it's time to get out, sign "ALL DONE" or "FINISHED."

Use prompting strategies from ABA: like hand-over-hand guidance: to help your child form the signs. Then fade those prompts as they start to do it independently.

Why it works: Pairing signs with sensory experiences (warm water, bubbles, splashing) creates strong memory connections. Your child isn't just learning a sign: they're associating it with a real, meaningful action.

3. Follow Your Child's Lead During Play

Play is where communication naturally happens. It's also where you can practice ABA's naturalistic teaching strategies and reinforce signs in a low-pressure, high-motivation setting.

How to do it:

Let your child choose the activity. If they grab a ball, sign "BALL." If they start stacking blocks, sign "MORE" before handing them another one. If they want you to blow bubbles, pause and sign "HELP" before you blow.

The key is to follow their interest, not force a lesson. When your child is engaged, they're more likely to imitate your signs and request what they want.

Add some variety: Once they've mastered "MORE," introduce signs for specific toys: "CAR," "TRAIN," "BOOK," "DOLL." This expands their vocabulary and gives them more tools to tell you what they want to play with.

4. Use Visual Schedules with Sign Cues

Visual schedules are a staple in ABA therapy. They help kids understand what's happening next and reduce anxiety around transitions. Adding ASL signs to those visuals takes it a step further.

How to do it:

Create a simple picture schedule for your morning or bedtime routine. Next to each picture, include the corresponding ASL sign. When you're moving from one activity to the next, point to the picture and model the sign.

For example: Picture of breakfast → Sign "EAT." Picture of getting dressed → Sign "CLOTHES" or "DRESS." Picture of brushing teeth → Sign "BRUSH."

Over time, your child will start to connect the sign with the activity, and they may even sign to tell you what's coming next. That's language development and self-advocacy in action.

Local resource: If you're working with an ABA provider in the Spokane or Coeur d'Alene area, ask if they can help you create a sign-inclusive visual schedule. Many BCBAs in our region are already familiar with multimodal communication supports.

5. Pair Reinforcement with Sign Language

Reinforcement is the backbone of ABA. When your child does something you want to encourage, you reinforce it with something they love: praise, a toy, a snack, a hug. Adding signs to that reinforcement builds communication into the reward itself.

How to do it:

When your child does something great: follows a direction, attempts a new skill, uses a sign: immediately reinforce it with both your words and a sign. Say, "Good job!" and sign "GOOD." Hand them their favorite toy and sign "PLAY." Offer a snack and sign "EAT."

This does two things: It strengthens the behavior you want to see, and it models functional communication in a positive, motivating moment.

Why it matters: Your child learns that signs aren't just for requesting: they're also for celebrating, connecting, and understanding what's happening around them. That's the foundation of a language-rich home.

You Don't Have to Be Perfect: Just Consistent

Here's what we tell families all the time at Hands in Motion PNW: You don't need to know hundreds of signs. You don't need to sign every single word. You just need to pick a few high-impact signs, use them consistently, and trust the process.

Start with 5–10 signs. Use them during the activities that matter most to your family. Model them clearly. Reinforce any attempt your child makes. And watch what happens.

The beauty of combining ASL and ABA is that it meets your child where they are. Whether they're working toward spoken language, building gestural communication, or developing a robust bilingual foundation in ASL and English, these strategies work.

And if you're in the Spokane area, North Idaho, or anywhere in Eastern Washington, you're not alone. Families across Stevens, Spokane, Pend Oreille, Kootenai, Bonner, and Boundary counties are using this approach: and it's working.

If you'd like support, guidance, or just someone to troubleshoot with, we're here. Visit us at Hands in Motion PNW to learn more about how we blend ABA and ASL to support kids and families like yours.

Small signs. Big wins. Let's go.