#175: Incorporating Deep Interests to Transform Learning Activities

In this episode, we bring everything together and move into the how. After exploring what deep interests are and why forcing engagement backfires, we now look at how to actually incorporate a child's deep interests to support meaningful learning. If you've ever planned a thoughtful activity only to watch a child walk away, this conversation will help you shift how you approach teaching. Instead of trying to pull children into activities that don't feel meaningful to them, we explore how to bring learning into what they already love. This episode walks through practical ways to embed deep interests into everyday classroom and therapy activities without turning them into rewards or using them as leverage. When we make the interest part of the learning itself, engagement becomes more natural, regulation is supported, and skills begin to develop in a way that feels safe and connected In This Episode, You'll Learn • The difference between using interests as a reward vs embedding them into learning  • How to take one deep interest and apply it across multiple skill areas  • Ways to support matching, fine motor, language, and literacy using interests  • Why meaningful materials increase engagement without increasing pressure  • How to model language during play instead of relying on questions  • The role of connection before introducing learning opportunities  • How to start small without overhauling your entire classroom  • Why structure and child-led learning can coexist  • How to rethink centers and classroom setup through the lens of student interests  • The importance of following a child's lead to build trust and participation SHAPE \* MERGEFORMAT Key Takeaways • Deep interests can become the learning activity, not a reward for completing it  • The skill stays the same, the materials and approach shift  • Engagement increases when learning feels meaningful and connected  • Language develops through modeling inside play, not through pressure  • One interest can support multiple developmental goals  • Connection must come before instruction for learning to be effective  • Small shifts in materials can create big changes in participation  • Structure and predictability still matter within a child-led approach  • Classrooms feel more supportive when interests are reflected in the environment  • Learning becomes more sustainable when it is rooted in what a child loves When we stop separating learning from what a child enjoys, we create opportunities for skills to grow in ways that feel natural, engaging, and meaningful. SHAPE \* MERGEFORMAT Try This • Choose one child's deep interest and incorporate it in a familiar activity  • Swap generic materials for items connected to what the child loves  • Model language during play instead of asking questions  • Join the child's activity without adding demands right away  • Embed the interest into one routine, like centers or small group time  • Observe how engagement changes when materials feel meaningful  • Keep expectations simple and focus on connection first  • Build from one small success instead of trying to change everything Often, the most impactful shift is not adding something new, but changing how we use what we already have. When learning is connected to a child's interests, engagement grows in a way that feels safe, supported, and lasting. Related Resources & Links Autism Little Learners Membership  www.autismlittlelearners.com/pod Child Interest Survey 3 Strategies To Foster Engagement In Autistic Preschoolers Play Based Learning, Engagement and Deep Interests