Do I need real eggs for this?

No. Use sturdy plastic eggs or another egg-shaped toy that is safe for your child's age and easy to drop into the container.

What if my child grabs for the eggs instead of using the picture?

Keep the eggs in your hand or lap, leave only one picture visible, and treat any clear touch or point to the picture as enough to earn the handoff.

How many pictures should I put out?

Start with one picture cue if your child is new to the routine. Move to two cues only when one clear request-and-drop turn is already going smoothly.

Back to library

A toddler reaching toward a picture cue while a grown-up offers one plastic egg beside a clear finished container.

Skill builderAutism supportRepeat LoopIndoor

Picture Egg Request.

Use 2 eggs, 1 picture cue, and 1 clear finished container. Do two quick request-and-drop turns, then stop.

A simple visual routine where your child uses a picture to request one egg and drops it into a clear finished container.

Skill builderAutism supportRepeat LoopIndoor

Picture Egg Request.

A simple visual routine where your child uses a picture to request one egg and drops it into a clear finished container.

Play time

5-10+ min

Age

1-3 years

Energy

Low

Mess

Low

Effort

Medium

Where

Indoor

Start here

The recipe.

Medium parent effort

3 things

What you need

2 or 3 eggs
1 clear finished container
1 or 2 picture cues that represent the eggs

5 min minimum

Setup

Then start the loop

Step 01

Put the clear finished container on the floor or a low table in front of your child.

Step 02

Place 1 or 2 picture cues beside the container where your child can reach them easily.

Step 03

Keep 2 or 3 eggs in your hand, lap, or a small side pile just out of immediate reach so each egg still has to be requested.

Step 04

Sit beside your child so you can show the picture, hand over one egg at a time, and reset quickly for the next turn.

"Egg, please."

The loop

How play unfolds.

Four panels showing a grown-up setting out a picture cue and container, a child touching the picture, the grown-up handing over one egg, and the child dropping it into the container.

1
Show the picture cue and say, "Show me egg."
2
When your child points, touches, or hands over the picture, give them 1 egg.
3
Let your child drop the egg into the finished container.
4
Reset for the next picture-and-egg turn and repeat.

01
Show the picture cue and say, "Show me egg."
02
When your child points, touches, or hands over the picture, give them 1 egg.
03
Let your child drop the egg into the finished container.
04
Reset for the next picture-and-egg turn and repeat.

Safety Check

Stay close if the eggs, pictures, or container could be mouthed or thrown.
Use pieces large enough for your child's supervision needs.
Stop and simplify if the eggs or pictures turn into throwing or scattering instead of request play.

Supporting the play

What to say in the moment

Match what you say to what you see.

Prompt ladder

Level 1 (Start)

"Show me egg."

Level 2 (Keep going)

"Get another egg."

Level 3 (Stretch)

"Which picture?"

Level 4 (Extend)

"One more egg, then all done."

If your child seems...

What you'd see

Focused

What to do

Say

"You got the egg."

Add

Name 1 action, such as ask, get, or in.

Extend

Pause a beat before the handoff so your child has one more chance to show the picture clearly.

Make it easier

Younger end

-Use only 1 picture cue for the whole round.
-Keep the finished container close enough for an easy drop.
-Hand over the egg as soon as your child touches the picture.

Make it harder

Older end

+Wait for a clearer point or handoff before giving the egg.
+Use 2 picture cues and let your child choose the matching one.
+Let your child carry the egg a little farther to the finished container.

If it's not working

If you see

If child ignores it

Do 1 quick model turn yourself, then hand over the next egg as soon as your child touches the picture.

If you see

If child misuses it

Keep the extra eggs and pictures in your hand and go back to 1 picture and 1 egg at a time.

If you see

If child gets frustrated

Accept a simple touch or point as the request, move the container closer, and give the egg right away.

Skill spotlight

Repeat Loop

Starting and repeating a simple visual request routine

This helps a child stay with a short social routine from start to finish, connect a clear request to a clear result, and repeat the same successful pattern again.

•The picture cue gives your child a clear way to start the turn without needing many words.
•One egg at a time keeps the request, handoff, and drop easy to follow.
•The finished container makes the result visible right away, which helps the loop stay predictable.

Real-world transfer