Background: Few case controlled studies have been published on the behavioural phenotype of Angelman syndrome (AS). Little is yet known about preferences in individuals with AS. Method: Preferences for water-related items and non-water-related items were assessed in 27 individuals with AS and two matched groups of participants, one with Down syndrome (DS) and the other with non-specific intellectual disabilities (NS), using an adapted Dutch version of the Choice Assessment Scale (Matson et al., 1999). Results: Individuals with AS showed a higher preference for water-related items compared to individuals in both comparison groups, substantiating previous reports which have suggested that individuals with AS are fascinated with water. Conclusions: Knowledge about preferences in individuals with AS, especially with regard to water-related objects and activities, is important in person-centred planning of daytime activities and training programs for this group. (Contains 3 tables.)