In Educational Psychology and pedagogy, we use the term “Chaining” when we are trying to teach children to break big tasks up into a list of small steps, like the links in a chain. For example, when you want to teach your child how to make a sandwich or how to tidy up toys, try to think of each step you take when you are performing the task.

For example, the first step to make a sandwich is to prepare the ingredients. The second step is to put 2 slices of bread on a plate. The next step is to take a knife (a safe one, of course) and butter the bread… and so on. How can you teach this to your child?

Try this! backward chaining:

1. Encourage your child to complete the last step independently.
2. Reinforce him/her: “Good job!” “That is amazing and you did it by yourself”, “Look at you! you are a big boy/girl”.
3. When the last step is mastered, provide assistance until your child is able to perform the step before the last one.
4. Your child will complete more and more ending steps independently until he/she masters all steps and is able to complete the full task without assistance.