When a child starts Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, one of the first things parents often wonder is, “What will my child actually work on?”
The answer depends on the child. ABA therapy is not based on one universal checklist of skills that every child must learn. Instead, goals are typically developed around a child’s individual strengths, challenges, interests, communication style, daily routines, and family priorities.
For one child, the biggest goal may be learning to communicate wants and needs. For another, it may be becoming more independent with dressing or eating. Another child may need support with social interaction, transitions, or participating in everyday activities.
While every treatment plan is different, there are several goals that commonly appear in ABA therapy. Understanding these goals can help parents know what therapy may look like and how progress can connect to everyday life.
1. Improving Communication Skills
Communication is one of the most common areas addressed in ABA therapy.
For some children, communication may mean developing spoken language. For others, it may involve gestures, signs, pictures, communication boards, or an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system.
The goal isn’t simply to get a child to say more words. It is to help the child communicate meaningfully.
A child may learn how to ask for a favorite toy, request help, reject something appropriately, answer questions, make choices, or tell someone that they are finished.
For example, instead of becoming frustrated when a toy is out of reach, a child might learn to ask for “help.” Instead of crying when they want a snack, they may learn an appropriate way to request it.
These are small moments, but they can make a major difference in a child’s ability to participate in everyday life.
2. Developing Social Skills
Social interaction can be challenging for some children with autism, making social skills another common ABA therapy goal.
Depending on the child’s needs, therapy may focus on initiating interactions, responding to others, taking turns, sharing, participating in games, or learning how to engage with peers.
Social goals should be meaningful and individualized. The purpose isn’t to make every child behave exactly like other children. Instead, therapy can help children develop ways to connect with people and participate in social situations that matter to them.
A child might begin by learning to take turns rolling a ball with a parent. Later, that skill could be practiced with a sibling or peer.
3. Building Independence
Many parents want their child to become more independent in everyday routines.
ABA therapy can support this by breaking larger activities into manageable steps and helping children gradually learn to complete them with less assistance.
Getting dressed, brushing teeth, washing hands, cleaning up toys, preparing a simple snack, and organizing belongings are examples of daily routines that may become therapy goals.
A child may initially need frequent prompts. As the skill develops, prompts can gradually be reduced.
The ultimate goal isn’t simply completing the task during therapy. It is helping the child use the skill in everyday situations with increasing independence.
4. Improving Daily Living Skills
Daily living skills overlap with independence but deserve their own focus because they affect so many parts of a child’s day.
Depending on age and developmental level, goals may include toileting, eating, grooming, hygiene, dressing, following a morning routine, or participating in household activities.
These goals are often highly practical.
For example, teaching a child the steps involved in washing their hands can help them participate more independently at home, school, and in the community.
Parents may also find that progress in these areas can make family routines less stressful and more predictable.
5. Reducing Challenging Behaviors
Another common ABA goal involves addressing behaviors that interfere with learning, communication, safety, or daily life.
Examples may include severe tantrums, aggression, self-injury, property destruction, or other behaviors that create significant challenges.
A quality behavior plan should not simply focus on making a behavior disappear. It should also consider why the behavior is happening and what skill could replace it.
For example, if a child frequently screams when they need a break, therapy might focus on teaching the child an appropriate way to request a break.
If a child becomes upset because they cannot communicate what they want, improving communication may reduce the need for challenging behavior.
The focus should be on teaching useful alternatives while supporting the child’s safety and well-being.
6. Increasing Attention and Engagement
Participating in activities can be difficult for some children, particularly when an activity is unfamiliar or not highly motivating.
ABA therapy may therefore include goals related to attending to an activity, participating in an interaction, completing a task, or staying engaged for an age-appropriate period.
This doesn’t necessarily mean expecting a child to sit still for long periods.
A more meaningful goal may be helping the child participate in a short game, listen to a story, complete a simple activity, or engage with a parent.
As participation becomes easier, activities can gradually become longer or more complex.
7. Developing Play Skills
Play is an important part of childhood, and it can also provide valuable opportunities for learning.
Some children may need support learning how to use toys functionally, imitate actions, engage in pretend play, or participate in games with another person.
For example, a therapist might teach a child how to build with blocks, complete a puzzle, pretend to feed a doll, or take turns during a simple game.
Play goals can also support communication and social development.
A favorite toy can become an opportunity to practice requesting, turn-taking, following directions, or making choices.
8. Improving Emotional Regulation and Flexibility
Children may sometimes have difficulty coping with frustration, unexpected changes, transitions, or situations that don’t go according to plan.
ABA therapy may address skills that help children communicate when they are overwhelmed, tolerate small changes, wait for preferred activities, transition between routines, or request a break.
For example, a child may learn to use a visual schedule to understand what comes next. Another child may learn to request “break” when an activity becomes difficult.
The goal is not to eliminate emotions. Children should be allowed to experience and express emotions. Instead, therapy can help them develop safe and functional ways to communicate and manage difficult situations.
9. Building School Readiness
For children preparing for school, ABA goals may include skills that support successful participation in classroom routines.
These can include following directions, transitioning between activities, communicating with teachers, participating in group activities, completing age-appropriate tasks, and interacting with peers.
School readiness doesn’t mean expecting a child to master every classroom behavior before entering school.
Instead, it can involve building foundational skills that make learning and participation easier.
These goals can also be practiced in natural environments so children have opportunities to use the skills outside of therapy.
10. Generalizing Skills to Everyday Life
One of the most important ABA therapy goals is often overlooked: generalization.
Learning a skill in one setting is useful, but being able to use it in different situations is even more important.
For example, if a child learns to request help from a therapist, they should eventually have opportunities to request help from parents, teachers, siblings, and other familiar people.
Likewise, a skill learned during therapy should ideally be practiced during everyday routines.
This is particularly relevant for in-home ABA therapy because the therapist can work with skills in the environment where the child naturally spends time.
How ABA Goals Are Individualized
There is no standard list of goals that every child with autism should have.
A child’s goals should reflect their current abilities and the areas where additional support can make a meaningful difference.
Parents are an important part of this process. They can tell the therapy team which challenges affect daily routines and which skills would make the biggest difference for the family.
Goals may also change over time.
A child may initially work on requesting a preferred item. Once that skill becomes consistent, the next goal might involve requesting help, communicating feelings, or using communication in a new environment.
How Progress Is Measured
ABA therapy generally relies on data to monitor progress.
Rather than simply saying, “My child seems better,” therapists can look at specific behaviors and skills over time.
For example, they may track how often a child independently requests something, how much assistance is needed to complete a routine, or how consistently a skill occurs across different settings.
This information helps the treatment team determine whether a strategy is working or whether the goal needs to be adjusted.
The Role of Parents in ABA Goals
Parents don’t have to become therapists to support their child’s progress.
One of the most helpful things parents can do is incorporate skills into normal routines.
If a child is learning to request, parents can create opportunities for communication during meals or play. If a child is working on independence, parents can encourage them to participate in dressing or cleanup.
Consistency between therapy and home can make it easier for children to use skills in real-world situations.
Summary
The 10 most common ABA therapy goals include communication, social skills, independence, daily living skills, reducing challenging behaviors, attention and engagement, play skills, emotional regulation and flexibility, school readiness, and generalization.
These goals are not meant to represent a universal checklist. Every child has different strengths, needs, interests, and priorities.
The most meaningful ABA goals are those that help a child communicate, participate, connect with others, stay safe, and become more independent in ways that matter to them and their family.
Final Thoughts
ABA therapy is most useful when goals are connected to real life.
Learning to request help, participate in a family routine, play with another child, communicate a need, or complete a daily task may seem like a small achievement, but these skills can have a lasting impact on a child’s independence and quality of life.
For parents considering ABA therapy, it can be helpful to ask how goals are chosen, how progress is measured, and how skills will be practiced outside of therapy.
The right goals aren’t simply about getting a child to complete more tasks. They’re about helping the child build practical skills that support communication, confidence, connection, and greater independence.