Why Does My Child Copy What Other Kids Are Doing?

Children learn a great deal by watching other people. For some children with autism, copying another child can also make an unfamiliar social situation easier to understand. They may copy how another child plays, what they say, where they sit, or what they do because observing someone else provides a model for what happens next. That doesn’t necessarily mean they fully understand the social situation yet. Parents can support this learning by modeling safe and appropriate behaviors, explaining social situations simply, providing opportunities to practice, and helping the child gradually develop confidence in making their own choices.