The Best Play Activities for your Child with Autism

The Best Play Activities for your Child with Autism

Understanding Autism

Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a range of neurodevelopmental disorders that affect social, behavioral, and communicative abilities.

With the right play activities, coupled with the best Autism treatment, your child can learn important social and communication skills.

These skills help them adjust better at school and other interactive environments.

The Best Play Activities for your Child with Autism

Playtime exhibits value in multiple ways: ➔ Your child learns new skills and abilities ➔ You can model good behavior for your child ➔ You can build a stronger bond with your child Different types of play activities help your child: ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔

Explore their environment Imitate external behaviour Use their imagination Make connections Learn to share

When selecting play activities for your child, keep watching them to see what they are interested in, and what they tire of.

The Three Types of Play

1. Sensory play Most children with Autism are prone to sensory overload, and sensory play can keep them calm during stressful situations. ➔ Making a sensory collage is a way of introducing your child to different textures ➔ Teaching them to identify different smells by hiding different objects such as coffee beans, soap, and rose petals in a covered jar, and having them sniff it ➔ Creating a sensory bottle with water, glitter, and colored marbles ➔ Having a sensory bin filled with different textures like rice, buttons, beads, sand, feathers, and pasta shapes

The Three Types of Play

2. Structured play Some structure or direction is important for teaching children skills like sharing or taking turns. It also makes playtime less stressful for your child with Autism by introducing predictability. ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔

Piecing a jigsaw puzzle together Coloring with crayons, based on a pictorial guide Taking turns with another child to use building blocks Matching pictures together or matching pictures to toys

The key is to be initially involved in playtime, and gradually withdrawing as the child learns to do the activity on their own.

The Three Types of Play

3. Outdoor play This can take place in a garden, park, jungle gym, or schoolyard. It enhances your child’s gross motor skills and helps them adjust to new textures, smells, and sounds. ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔

Racing barefoot Using swings Activities involving running and jumping Playing on a seesaw with another child Participating in scavenger hunts to find objects of certain colors or shapes Teaching them about textures by having them identify grass, leaves, pebbles, flowers, etc.

Tips for Effective Play ➔ Explain activities in a way that your child understands Eg: If your child is a visual learner, use pictures ➔ Plan activities that are within your child’s interest Eg: If your child likes Winnie the Pooh, use toys or visual cues within that theme ➔ Use play to help your child adjust to new environments Eg: If they like to play with modeling clay, encourage them to play with it at a classmate’s house. ➔ Always praise your child for responding well to play activities or trying out something new By incorporating daily play with gentle guidance, your child will be happier. It will teach your child important life skills while letting them explore and have fun.

Thank you.