Hey friend! In this episode, I’m breaking down one of my favorite ways to support IEP goals — and the best part? No worksheets required. 🙌
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with paperwork, struggling to keep things engaging, or just want a low-prep, hands-on way to meet student goals - this one’s for you.
I’m walking you through exactly how I use task boxes to target fine motor, academic, life skills, and even social-emotional goals - without burning out, and without spending hours laminating.
I’ll also be sharing how my Task Box Library makes this whole process 100x easier, and how I track progress in a simple, realistic way (no massive binders here).
Let’s dive in!
💬 Why I Use Task Boxes Over Worksheets
Worksheets have their place - but for my students, task boxes offer:
Visual, tactile learning
Reusability and flexibility
Higher engagement and independence
Easy ways to level and differentiate
Real progress toward IEPs without stress
🎯 How I Use Task Boxes to Target Specific IEP Goals
Here’s how I break it down:
✏️ Fine Motor Goals: Hole punches, tweezers, cutting strips, play dough shapes — all fun, all goal-based.
🔤 Literacy Goals: Letter matching, CVC puzzles, sight word visuals, beginning sound clips.
🔢 Math Goals: Counting bears, ten frames, shape matching, quantity tasks like “candles on the cake.”
🧠 Life Skills Goals: Clean vs dirty sorting, grocery bags, community roles, money skills.
😌 Social-Emotional Goals: Emotion matching, safe vs unsafe, regulation strategies, scenario sorters.
Everything is hands-on, clear, and adaptable - without the daily worksheet shuffle.
📦 Where I Get All These Boxes
Spoiler alert: I don’t make them from scratch every time.
I created my Task Box Library to save my sanity and give myself (and you!) a go-to toolkit for every goal, theme, and season.
Inside the library:
1,100+ pre-made task boxes
Organized by skill, theme, and month
Visual covers + storage labels
Staff training modules
Assessment tools + tracking sheets
📋 How I Track Progress (Without Losing My Mind)
I keep it super simple:
Use a tracking sheet
Record level of independence + accuracy
Add quick notes for next steps
Keep it consistent - that’s the key
💡 Tips for Getting Started with Task Boxes
Start with 5–10 per student
Match them to actual IEP goals, not just curriculum
Use rainbow photo cases for storage
Rotate boxes regularly during routines
Reuse and level up instead of always making new ones
🧩 The Task Box Library
My done-for-you library of 1,100+ task boxes, organized and ready to go.
👉 Join here
🎒 End of Year Google Drive Bundle
Perfect for finishing strong with themed activities, crafts, and more.
👉 Grab it here
📚 Back to School Google Drive Bundle
Plan ahead and walk into September feeling totally prepped.
👉 Grab it here
Task boxes are such a powerful way to make progress on IEPs - in a way that’s doable, repeatable, and meaningful.
They save time.
They support student independence.
And they let us ditch the worksheets without sacrificing goals.
If you’re ready to streamline your support - the Task Box Library is the easiest way to start.
👉 Find all my task boxes on TpT here.
📲 Let’s Connect!
Let me know what skills you’re targeting - tag me on Instagram @teachingautism or send me a DM. I love seeing your classroom magic in action!
Thanks for hanging out with me today -
Until next time, stay caffeinated, trust your gut, and go crush those IEP goals. 💛
Nikki
