What Are Work Baskets/Shoe Box Tasks?

Work baskets/shoe box tasks are systems for organizing materials into groups according to their use. Any container may be used. For example, some people have used shoe boxes, coffee cans, plastic food containers, plastic baskets, ziplock bags. etc.

Each container is “marked” with a symbol. The symbol on the container is one that the individual is able to match to a similar symbol attached to the work basket. Examples of symbols include photographs, line drawings, words, letters, numbers, and shapes. The tasks that are chosen may be based on a child’s IEP, or be something that would be commonly expected of a child of similar age or skills development. A variety of materials and activities should be available. Common types of tasks that can be put into work basket/shoe basket form include:

• self-help tasks, such as sewing buttons on cloth or lacing a color-coded shoe
• fine-motor manipulation tasks
• fine-motor writing tasks
• language tasks, such as sorting pictures/objects according to their function
• cognitive tasks, such as sequencing patterns
• daily living tasks and prevocational tasks, such as sorting objects and matching coins

What Is the Purpose of Work Baskets/Shoe Box Tasks?

These systems provide the opportunity for individuals to learn independence with only minimal adult supervision. As students learn to work through tasks without the need of prompts. The beginning and end of the task is clear. This is important as this is often a source of confusion for individuals with ASD. Work baskets/shoe box tasks can be used to address various academic skills and a variety of activities for daily living.

It is often difficult for individuals with ASD to identify and focus on relevant details within a task. The use of Work baskets/shoe box tasks helps reduce distraction and stimulation by limiting the work space and the amount of materials.