In a wind sock activity, which approach would best support a child with tactile aversiveness and fine-motor challenges?

• A. Providing Paul with a variety of alternative methods of joining the materials, such as stapling and taping
• B. Having Paul act as the teacher's helper to allow him to be involved while avoiding contact with substances he dislikes
• C. Pairing Paul with a friend who can perform the tasks that Paul finds challenging
• D. Waiting until Paul is willing to touch and handle all substances

Answer: (B)

When working with a child who has tactile aversiveness and fine-motor challenges, the goal is to keep them meaningfully involved in the project while reducing distress and gradually supporting skill use. Having the child act as the teacher’s helper lets them participate without repeatedly touching materials they dislike. They can contribute in ways that still build important skills—organizing supplies, passing tools, or guiding the sequence of steps—while the direct contact with uncomfortable textures is minimized. This approach supports both inclusion and self-efficacy, because the child sees a real, valued role in the project and can receive prompts or adaptations as needed (for example, using gloves or alternative tools) to ease participation.

Other options either require handling textures that trigger aversion, or remove the child from hands-on practice by letting someone else do the main tasks, or postpone participation altogether, which can slow skill development and reduce opportunities for social engagement and confidence-building.