Pediatric Goal Writing Exercises

Ben is a 6-year-old boy who becomes easily distracted during classroom tasks and often leaves his seat. His teacher wants him to build endurance for seated activities.

• Ben will try to stay seated during class within 6 weeks.

• Ben will improve attention skills during class time.

• Ben will stay seated with minimal assistance in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

• Ben will remain seated during 10-minute classroom activities with minimal prompts in 4 out of 5 observed opportunities within 6 weeks.

Aria is a 5-year-old who often does not respond to greetings from peers at school. Her parents and teachers wish to improve her social participation.

• Aria will improve social skills by greeting peers.

• Aria will try to respond to greetings in classroom settings.

• Aria will respond to greetings independently in observed sessions.

• Aria will respond to peer greetings using a verbal or non-verbal cue in 4 out of 5 observed classroom routines within 6 weeks.

Jamie is a 4-year-old who often spills food while self-feeding. The OT is targeting spoon use to improve independent feeding.

• Jamie will try to feed self with a spoon.

• Jamie will use spoon independently in some meals.

• Jamie will improve ability to feed independently.

• Jamie will use a spoon to feed self independently during snack time in 4 out of 5 opportunities within 6 weeks.

Anne is a preschooler who is working on stacking blocks to develop her fine motor skills. She often knocks over the stack after placing only a couple.

• Anne will improve stacking ability.

• Anne will attempt to stack 5 blocks with assistance.

• Anne will stack blocks independently in observed trials.

• Anne will stack 5 blocks independently without toppling in 4 out of 5 observed sessions within 6 weeks.

Leo is a 7-year-old with difficulty managing frustration. He often throws objects when upset. His OT is working on calming strategies.

• Leo will manage emotions better during therapy.

• Leo will use calming strategies during sessions.

• Leo will improve frustration tolerance.

• Leo will use a chosen calming strategy (e.g., deep breathing) within 2 minutes of escalation in 4 out of 5 observed opportunities within 6 weeks.

Mika is a 6-year-old who has trouble moving from one classroom activity to another. Transitions often involve crying or physical resistance.

• Mika will improve ability to transition between tasks.

• Mika will try to transition between tasks independently.

• Mika will transition calmly with adult help.

• Mika will transition between classroom activities using a visual schedule with no more than one verbal prompt in 4 out of 5 opportunities within 6 weeks.

Joshua is a 5-year-old who struggles to engage in pretend play with peers and often plays alone.

• Joshua will attempt pretend play in group settings.

• Joshua will improve social engagement through play.

• Joshua will play with peers during free time.

• Joshua will engage in pretend play using at least two props with a peer for 5 minutes in 4 out of 5 observed sessions within 6 weeks.

Emily is a 6-year-old who scribbles outside the lines when coloring. Her teacher hopes she can participate better in art tasks.

• Emily will improve coloring skills.

• Emily will try to color during group activities.

• Emily will color inside boundaries.

• Emily will color within the lines of a simple shape using crayons in 4 out of 5 observed classroom art tasks within 6 weeks.

Sam is a 7-year-old who struggles to remember handwashing before lunch. His goal is to improve hygiene independence.

• Sam will improve hygiene awareness.

• Sam will wash hands when reminded.

• Sam will wash hands independently.

• Sam will wash hands independently before lunch using a picture prompt in 4 out of 5 observed opportunities within 6 weeks.

Samantha is a 5-year-old who avoids group play. She is learning how to take turns in structured games.

• Samantha will improve ability to play with peers.

• Samantha will take turns with help during games.

• Samantha will participate in peer games.

• Samantha will initiate turn-taking in structured games with one peer in 4 out of 5 observed play routines within 6 weeks.