Ice Cream Pizza
Learning and practicing new skills can be tedious and boring. You can break the tedium of repetitive drill by introducing new projects that give individuals opportunities to practice while still having fun. For example, our friends with autism might not ever realize they are learning functional daily living skills when making an Ice Cream Pizza. They can learn to follow written or verbal directions and to follow a sequence. They can also learn to get necessary cooking supplies out as well as to clean them and put them away at the end of the project. The pizza also gives them a great opportunities for sharing, interacting with other people as they serve up slices for friends., and – if they are able – describing to others how they made the pizza.
SPECIFIC STRATEGY Depending on the reading level of your friend, develop a written or picture recipe with step by step instructions for making the yummy Ice Cream Pizza. You can even include a check-list style shopping list at the top, At all phases, allow as much independence as possible. Remember, the goal is NOT perfect pizza! Also keep in mind any allergies or special dietary needs of individuals with autism. This project may not be appropriate for everyone. But the concept of having folks participate in preparing treats for special occasions can be adapted for individual needs.
Pat a thin layer of plain cookie dough in 2 or 3 small pizza pans. Pop it in the oven at the temperature on the package, and watch closely while the “crust” bakes. After cooling, layer these things on the sweet pizza crust.
(1) softened vanilla ice-cream
(2) strawberry topping (tomato sauce),
(3) sliced frozen strawberries (pepperoni),
(4) coconut (mozarella cheese) Note: you can stir 3 drops of yellow food coloring in coconut to look like cheddar cheese.
(5) chocolate chips (sausage / black olives).
For extra fancy touch, cut green candied cherries in half and insert a tiny bit of red candied cherry. Looks like green olives! Freeze the pizza until the ice cream is hard. You can freeze a covered ice cream pizza as long as several weeks. When you are ready to eat, simply slice with pizza cutter and serve. YUMMY!
NOTE TO LISTENERS AND READERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. You can click on a button to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solutions. Check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. www.FAQautism.com
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