Self-Care IEP goals
99 templates across 16 skills: toileting, feeding & mealtime skills, daily living skills, health & self-management, community & safety skills, hearing technology self-management, school-related independence, preschool & kindergarten readiness, functional academics, relationships, boundaries & personal safety, requesting help, self-advocacy, functional mobility, fine motor skills, sensory processing & regulation, low vision & visual efficiency. Open any goal to set the baseline and target from your own data, then print the matching data sheet.
99 templates · 16 skills · Pre-K, K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Top skills
The 8 most relevant skills, with sample goals. Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Toileting Functional & Independence Skills
Request the bathroom with a picture or sign
Communicating the need to use the bathroom
By the annual IEP review date, when they show the signs of needing the bathroom listed in their toileting plan (holding, squirming, pausing play), the student will tell an adult they need the bathroom by handing over the picture card, signing, saying a word, or pressing a device button before an adult names the bathroom in at least 4 of 6 opportunities, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily, across the school day.
Go to the bathroom at the schedule cue
Taking part in a toileting schedule
By the annual IEP review date, when the toileting schedule cue is given (a timer, the bathroom picture on their visual schedule, or an adult's spoken cue), the student will stop the current activity and walk to the bathroom with the adult independently in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at every scheduled trip.
Feeding & Mealtime Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Scoop soft food with a spoon
Spoon and fork use
By the annual IEP review date, during snack or lunch, given a food that holds on a spoon (such as yogurt, applesauce or mashed food) in a bowl, the student will scoop the food with the spoon and bring it to the mouth, keeping most of the food on the spoon with no adult hands on the spoon in at least 7 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
Spear bite-size pieces with a fork
Spoon and fork use
By the annual IEP review date, during lunch, given bite-size pieces of a firm food such as fruit, cooked vegetables or pasta, the student will spear a piece of food with the fork and bring it to the mouth without the piece falling off, with no adult help in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
Daily Living Skills Functional & Independence Skills
Wash hands following a step sequence
Handwashing
By the annual IEP review date, before eating snack or lunch and after using the restroom, the student will wash hands at the sink using a picture sequence posted at the sink, performing at least 8 of 9 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at one planned handwashing time each day.
Put on outdoor clothing before going outside
Dressing for outdoor recess
By the annual IEP review date, when the class gets ready to go outside for recess on a cold day, the student will put on outdoor clothing for cold weather using a picture sequence at the cubby, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive observed days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected three days per week during cold-weather months.
Health & Self-Management Functional & Independence Skills
Cover a cough or sneeze and wash hands
Hygiene and illness prevention
By the annual IEP review date, when they cough or sneeze during class or small-group work, the student will cover the cough or sneeze with a tissue or the inside of the elbow, throw away any tissue, and clean their hands independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by frequency recording collected during two class periods a day, three days a week.
Use an inhaler with a spacer
Asthma self-care
By the annual IEP review date, when their asthma action plan calls for the inhaler, with the nurse or trained staff supervising, the student will use their inhaler with the spacer following the steps the nurse taught, performing all 7 steps independently, on 4 consecutive observed uses, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at each dose and a monthly technique check.
Community & Safety Skills Functional & Independence Skills
Put on and fasten a bike helmet
Helmet use
By the annual IEP review date, before riding a bike or adapted bike in adapted PE, the student will put on the helmet level on the head, fasten the buckle, and check the fit, performing all 5 steps independently, across 4 consecutive riding sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at every riding session.
Check water temperature before a shower or bath
Water safety
By the annual IEP review date, before every shower or bath at home, as reported by the family, the student will run the water, test it with the inside of the wrist or a bath thermometer, and adjust it before getting in independently in 7 of 7 opportunities, across 2 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected daily, reported by the family weekly.
Hearing Technology Self-Management Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology
Put on hearing aids or a processor
Putting devices on
By the annual IEP review date, at arrival or after nap, with the device and its case at the child's spot, the student will take the device from the case, place it on the correct ear, and seat the earmold or coil, performing at least 5 of 6 steps independently, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily during arrival.
Store devices in a drying kit
Device storage
By the annual IEP review date, at dismissal or before swim or water play, with the device case and drying kit in the student's bag, the student will take off the device, open the battery door or turn it off, and place it in the drying kit, performing all 5 steps independently, on 5 consecutive school days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily at dismissal.
School-Related Independence Functional & Independence Skills
Use scheduled breaks for restroom and water needs
Timing personal needs
By the annual IEP review date, during a class period with a scheduled break at the start, with the restroom and water fountain available then, the student will reduce leaving the classroom for the restroom or water during direct instruction to no more than 1 time per school day, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by frequency recording collected daily.
Preschool & Kindergarten Readiness Functional & Independence Skills
Ask for the bathroom or for help using words, signs, or pictures
Requesting bathroom or help
By the annual IEP review date, when the child needs the bathroom during the school day, with a picture card or AAC button available, the student will request the bathroom or help using a word, sign, picture card, or device independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily across observed needs.
Use a tissue and throw it away
Using a tissue
By the annual IEP review date, when the child's nose is running during the school day, with a tissue box within reach, the student will complete the tissue routine, performing at least 4 of 5 steps independently, on 4 of 5 consecutive observed opportunities, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily when opportunities occur.
All 16 skills
Every skill with goals for this group, by area. The number is how many of its goals are tagged here.
Functional & Independence Skills
Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology
Social-Emotional & Communication
Self-care goals come from daily living, toileting, feeding and mealtime, hygiene, and health self-management skills. They cover routines like dressing for recess, washing hands, using the bathroom, opening lunch items, brushing teeth, and managing medication with the nurse. Most are measured with a task analysis, marking each step as independent or the prompt level used, and some use opportunities for skills like asking for help. Good goals name the routine, the setting where it really happens, and any adaptive equipment, and they are written with the family and the OT. Keep the wording private and age-respectful, use age-matched supplies for older students, and remember that any health or feeding plan stays in charge of care.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 37 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 6 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 50 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 3 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 2 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 1 goal here
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a self-care IEP goal?
Choose one routine, list its steps, and set a number of independent steps. For example: during arrival, the student will hang up a coat and backpack and unpack a folder, completing 5 of 6 steps independently on 4 of 5 days.
Who collects data on self-care goals?
Usually the staff member who supports the routine each day, often a paraprofessional, with the OT reviewing progress. Keep data sheets private.
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