Some Fun Activities For Autistic Children

Autistic children need challenging, yet fun, activities that they can participate in on a daily basis.

Should they be expected to participate in all of the activities that other children engage in?

Of course not,

but there are numerous activities for autistic children to enjoy. Before you expect your autistic child or student to jump right in to the latest activity, consider the following:

Activity Considerations

Participants-Who else is participating in this activity? Is it the whole class, one or two students, or is this an individual activity? If you expect several students to perform the activity together, choose the group members wisely. Look for children that will be especially helpful to the autistic child. Be sure and monitor all of the participants, and be on the lookout for children who might try to ridicule the child with autism.

Activity level-What type of activity will the child be participating in? Will the child need to have good coordination skills? Will it put him at a continuous disadvantage next to the other children? Does it require skills that he doesn't have or hasn't had the opportunity or time to learn?

Potential problems-Are there any potential problems that might occur with the activity? For example, will the noise level be increased? Excessive noise can often be troublesome for children with autism. While the activity might be organized, will the intensity of it be a disturbance for the child, causing him a high level of stress? Is physical contact a necessary factor of the game? If so, this might also present a problem as some autistic people tend to shy away from or become extremely disturbed by prolonged physical contact.

***Activities for autistic children should be fun and engaging, but if they become a source of frustration instead, the benefits of the action may be lost.

Selecting Activities for Autistic Children

Consider an autistic child's capabilities, interests, and aptitude as you search for appropriate activities for him or her to enjoy.

Sensory activities-Games that include the senses are often enjoyed by these children. For example, play the game "I Spy" with your children. Describe the object that you are looking at, and see if the children can find and name that object from your description.

Songs and poems-Children often like the sing-song way in which a poem sounds, and they may also enjoy the repetition of certain songs. Choose several songs and/or poems to teach them, and use these every day. You can also incorporate some physical activities with these songs by jumping, skipping, hopping, etc. to the beat of the words.

Sports-Discovering a child's love of a certain sport can open another world up to him. In many cases, close physical sports like football are difficult for autistic children to handle, but more individualized sports like golf, baseball, or even fishing may become a favorite hobby.

Art-Autistic children often find their niche in some form of the arts. This may be demonstrated through acting, drawing, painting, sketching, singing, and playing a musical instrument. Encourage this love as often as possible.

***Finally, realize that an autistic child may not know exactly what his interests and favorite activities might be, so it is up to you to introduce him to several areas of interest. Once he discovers a new hobby, he probably won't be shy about letting you know what he wants to do! Encourage him as much as possible, and let him participate with others when possible. This is an excellent way to not only encourage him to work on a particular skill or activity but to also hone his social skills as well.

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