PATTERNS ABA COMPANY

When many parents hear the words ABA therapy, they may picture a child sitting at a table while a therapist gives instruction after instruction.

That image is one reason some families have questions or concerns about ABA.

But ABA does not have to look that way.

At Patterns ABA Company, we believe children can learn important skills while doing things that already have meaning to them—playing, talking, exploring, getting dressed, eating a snack, spending time with family, and participating in everyday routines.

Our approach is naturalistic and individualized, which means we look for opportunities to teach skills in the environments and activities where those skills naturally matter.

And yes, sometimes learning looks like play.

What Is Naturalistic ABA?

Naturalistic ABA refers to teaching strategies that incorporate learning into natural activities and environments rather than relying only on highly structured teaching sessions.

Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions, often called NDBIs, combine principles from behavioral science with developmental approaches. Common features include following a child’s interests, using preferred activities and materials, teaching across everyday routines, and creating natural opportunities for communication and interaction.

That might mean a therapist joins a child who is already playing with blocks instead of immediately interrupting the play to begin a separate lesson.

The therapist can then use that activity to create opportunities for communication, imitation, turn-taking, problem-solving, or social interaction.

The learning is still intentional.

It just doesn’t always feel like “therapy.”

Why Can Play Be Such a Powerful Learning Opportunity?

Play is something children naturally want to do.

When a child is interested and engaged, there may be more opportunities to practice skills in a meaningful context.

For example, imagine a child who loves bubbles.

Instead of simply blowing bubbles for the child, a therapist might create opportunities for the child to:

• Request “more”
• Choose between bubbles and another activity
• Take turns
• Wait briefly
• Follow a simple direction
• Imitate an action
• Make eye contact or orient toward a communication partner when appropriate
• Practice functional communication

The bubbles aren’t the goal.

The bubbles create a reason to communicate and interact.

That’s one of the things that makes naturalistic teaching different from simply drilling a skill over and over without connection to the child’s environment.

Following the Child’s Interests Doesn’t Mean “Letting Them Do Whatever They Want”

This is an important distinction.

Naturalistic ABA is not simply following a child around and hoping learning happens.

There is still planning, teaching, prompting, reinforcement, data collection, and measurement of progress.

The difference is often how and where those teaching opportunities are created.

If a child loves trains, trains can become part of the learning environment.

If they love dinosaurs, dinosaurs can become part of the activity.

If they want to go outside, going outside can create opportunities to work on communication, transitions, safety, social skills, and independence.

The therapist is intentionally looking for ways to connect the child’s motivation with meaningful learning opportunities.

What Can Children Learn Through Play?

A surprising amount.

Communication

Play can create natural reasons to communicate.

A child might practice:

• Requesting a preferred toy
• Asking for help
• Making choices
• Labeling objects or actions
• Answering questions
• Commenting
• Initiating an interaction
• Communicating “all done”
• Using AAC or another communication system when appropriate

For example, if a favorite toy is just out of reach, that moment may create a natural opportunity to practice requesting help.

The goal isn’t to make the child struggle to get the toy.

The goal is to help the child develop an effective way to communicate what they need.

Social Skills

Playing with another person creates countless opportunities for social learning.

A therapist may work on:

• Taking turns
• Sharing
• Responding to another person
• Initiating play
• Following another person’s lead
• Asking someone to join
• Participating in simple games
• Practicing flexibility when another person changes the activity

These skills can be especially meaningful because they are being practiced with an actual person during an activity the child enjoys.

Play Skills

Play itself can also be a goal.

Some children may need support learning how to:

• Explore new toys
• Use toys in different ways
• Imitate another person’s play
• Engage in pretend play
• Play alongside another child
• Participate in simple games
• Expand their interests beyond one preferred activity

The purpose isn’t to make every child play the same way.

It’s about helping children develop opportunities for enjoyable, functional engagement.

Everyday Routines Can Become Learning Opportunities

Naturalistic teaching isn’t limited to toys.

Some of the most important skills happen during ordinary routines.

Think about getting ready in the morning.

A child may practice:

1. Getting their clothes
2. Putting on a shirt
3. Putting on pants
4. Finding their shoes
5. Putting their shoes on
6. Communicating if they need help
7. Cleaning up when finished

Those aren’t just household tasks.

They are opportunities to build independence, communication, sequencing, following directions, and problem-solving.

The same can happen during:

• Mealtimes
• Bath time
• Brushing teeth
• Cleaning up
• Getting ready for school
• Grocery shopping
• Playing outside
• Family activities
• Community outings

Research on naturalistic interventions supports teaching skills within natural and contextually relevant activities, including home, school, and community environments.

What About Discrete Trial Training?

Discrete Trial Training, or DTT, is one teaching method used within behavior analysis.

It typically involves breaking a skill into smaller teaching trials and providing structured opportunities to respond.

DTT can be useful for certain skills and for some learners.

But ABA is not synonymous with DTT.

Naturalistic teaching approaches are also grounded in the science of learning and can be part of ABA-based treatment. Researchers have specifically noted that confusion between ABA and massed or discrete-trial teaching can lead people to incorrectly assume that DTT represents the entire field of ABA.

At Patterns ABA Company, we do not believe that every child needs to spend hours sitting at a table completing repeated drills.

We look at the individual child and ask:

What are we teaching?

Why does this skill matter to this child?

Where will they actually use it?

How can we make the learning meaningful?

Those questions help guide our approach.

What Does Naturalistic ABA Look Like in a Real Session?

There isn’t one answer because every child is different.

A session might look like a therapist sitting on the floor playing with cars.

It might look like building a tower with blocks.

It might involve preparing a snack.

It might include playing outside.

It might involve practicing a morning routine.

It might include a community outing.

It might be a combination of structured teaching and naturalistic learning opportunities.

The important part is that the activities are connected to the child’s individualized goals.

Play is not replacing therapy. Play can be the setting where therapy happens.

Does Naturalistic ABA Mean There Are No Expectations?

Not at all.

A naturalistic approach can still be structured, intentional, and data-driven.

The therapist and BCBA can identify specific goals, determine how progress will be measured, and make changes when something isn’t working.

The difference is that the teaching can be incorporated into activities that are meaningful to the child.

For example, instead of practicing requesting only during a structured drill, a therapist might practice requesting while the child is genuinely interested in a snack, toy, game, or activity.

Instead of practicing transitions only with flashcards or instructions, the child may practice transitioning between real activities throughout their day.

This can give the child opportunities to use skills where they actually matter.

What Does the Research Say?

Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions have been studied across a number of autism intervention research programs.

A large meta-analysis of NDBI research found evidence of positive effects in areas including social communication, language, play, and cognition, while also noting methodological limitations and the need for additional research on generalization and long-term outcomes.

A more recent systematic review and meta-analysis also found evidence supporting NDBIs for language development in autistic children with minimal speech, including research examining NDBI approaches alongside augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

This doesn’t mean that one approach works exactly the same way for every child.

It means naturalistic approaches are an important area of evidence-based autism intervention that continues to be studied.

How Can Parents Use Naturalistic Learning at Home?

You don’t have to turn your home into a therapy center.

In fact, you don’t need to think of yourself as your child’s therapist.

You can simply look for small opportunities to encourage communication and independence during things you’re already doing.

Try this during play:

Instead of:
“What color is this?”

Try:
Joining your child’s play and commenting on what they’re doing.

During snacks:

Give your child opportunities to make a choice.

“Do you want crackers or fruit?”

During a favorite activity:

Pause occasionally and create an opportunity for your child to communicate that they want the activity to continue.

During routines:

Break a routine into manageable steps and encourage your child to participate rather than doing everything for them.

Follow their interests:

If your child is fascinated by animals, cars, music, water, or anything else, use that interest as a doorway into communication and interaction.

You don’t have to make every moment educational.

Children need to simply be children, too.

The goal is to recognize that everyday life already contains countless opportunities for learning.

The Child Doesn’t Have to Earn Fun

This is something we believe is important.

A child’s favorite activity shouldn’t always be something they have to “earn” after completing a long list of demands.

Sometimes the activity itself can become the teaching opportunity.

A child who loves bubbles can learn communication through bubbles.

A child who loves cars can learn social interaction through cars.

A child who loves being outside can work on communication and independence outside.

When learning is connected to something meaningful, therapy can feel more natural and engaging.

Naturalistic ABA Is Still ABA

One misconception we’d like to clear up is that naturalistic ABA isn’t “ABA without the behavior analysis.”

It is still based on behavioral principles and intentional teaching.

The difference is in how those principles are incorporated into natural interactions and meaningful activities.

Naturalistic approaches can combine behavioral strategies with developmental principles, including shared engagement, child interests, natural reinforcement, and teaching across everyday contexts.

That’s an important distinction because families shouldn’t have to choose between evidence-based teaching and a childhood that includes play, relationships, interests, and everyday experiences.

What We Want Families to Know

If you’ve heard things about ABA that made you uncomfortable or unsure whether it would be right for your child, we encourage you to ask questions.

Ask a provider:

• What does a typical session look like?
• How much of therapy happens through play?
• How are my child’s interests incorporated?
• What happens when my child doesn’t want to participate?
• How are goals selected?
• How will you measure progress?
• How involved will our family be?
• Where will my child practice these skills?
• How do you help skills carry over into everyday life?

You deserve clear answers.

At Patterns ABA Company, our goal is to provide individualized ABA services that fit into a child’s real world—not expect childhood to revolve around therapy.

We want children to have opportunities to play, communicate, explore, connect, learn, and become more independent.

Sometimes the most meaningful learning doesn’t look like a lesson at all.

Sometimes it looks like a child laughing while playing with their favorite toy—and a therapist recognizing that this moment is also an opportunity to connect, communicate, and learn.

Looking for Naturalistic, In-Home ABA Therapy in Tulsa?

Patterns ABA Company provides individualized in-home ABA therapy for families in Tulsa and surrounding Oklahoma communities.

If you’re exploring ABA for your child and want to learn more about what a naturalistic approach can look like, visit PatternsABA.com to learn more about our services and connect with our team.

This article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized clinical guidance. ABA treatment should be developed and supervised based on each child’s individual needs, goals, and circumstances.