Quality Time: 8 Awesome Home Activities for Autistic Children

activities for autistic children

If your child has autism you’re probably aware of how hard it is to find fun activities for them to do. Most Autistic children are picky and have very specific things that they enjoy. A lot of them also have sensory problems so taking them out for long periods of time is going to be a no go as well.

The good news is that there is a wide variety of things that they can do right at home that you’ll find are a lot of fun to do together. To help you keep your child thoroughly entertained, here are a few great activities for autistic children.

1. Pool Noodles

Pool noodles not only have an interesting textural feel that autistic children enjoy, but they are also versatile. You can cut them to turn them into stackable blocks or use tape to create a lightsaber and let their imaginations run wild. If you want to do something a little more interactive then you can create an entire obstacle course out of noodles.

Pool noodles are also around a dollar a pop so it’s easy to stock up on them so the fun never ends. The only problem is that most stores only carry them once a year during the summer.

2. Sensory Bins

Again, autistic children really enjoy the feel of certain things on their hands. It’s because of this that many parents will give them bowls of dried rice to play with. It’s a simple and cheap go to but sometimes it’s fun to get a little more creative.

For example, Easter grass and aquarium rocks come in bright colors that they’ll love and have a more unique feel than rice. Many preschools and other educators have an area with colorful sand. You can go learn more here about what these centers use.

3. Keep Activity Books on Hand

Maze books and word searches are a way for the child to work on their hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills due to the fact that their eyes have to scan over the entire page to find out solutions.

It’s not too hard to find them, you can get them for a dollar or two at the dollar stores, you can pick them up in bulk, and they aren’t too hard to store. Coloring and sticker books are another great idea because those allow their creativity to soar.

4. SF and Fantasy

You would be amazed at the number of children on the spectrum who love high fantasy and sci-fi content. If your child does, then this opens up a wide range of new hobbies for them.

You can work with them to create a costume and take them to a con if crowds don’t bother them too much, buy them comic books to read or encourage them to create their own fantasy stories. There is no end to the worlds they can explore.

5. Video Games

Video games have a horrible reputation amongst parents but they are actually an amazing educational tool while also being fun. Like the puzzle books, it will help them improve their problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination. It also has the added benefit of allowing them to immerse themselves into a world.

Video games are also a fun way for you to bond with your child by taking turns or helping them figure out tough puzzles. If they hand you the controller to help them get past a part in the game, then get them past it. There are hours of potential.

6. Legos

Just about every child loves Legos. It helps them work on their hand-eye coordination and they’re just a fun way to pass the hours by. You can also build just about anything you want out of Legos so it allows them to let their creativity shine through.

You can help them in this hobby by not only buying them the sets but building with them or taking them to conventions, again if crowds don’t bother them.

7. Trains

Trains are a very fun hobby for adults and children alike. There are many things that you can do with it from checking out train schedules to building model trains in your home.

A fun activity that you can do with them is to take them to a train museum. Most places do sensory free tours for autistic children and the crowds aren’t usually too crazy. You can also look for modeling clubs in your area.

8. Anime

There are many children on the spectrum who love anime. Don’t mistake them for regular children’s cartoons, anime is a form of Japanese animation and is a little more complex than that.

You can buy manga for them to read and DVDs to watch. Don’t be afraid to sit down with them to watch either. Again, typically anime isn’t necessarily for children (if you think so then sit and watch Death Note) and it’s something interesting that you can enjoy together.

Anime is something else with a huge following and cons so you can help them make costumes of their favorite characters and go with them.

Fun Activities for Autistic Children to Do Right at Home

Many children on the spectrum have very specific interests but that doesn’t mean that you can’t find something that you can do together.

Get involved, help them make costumes, build models, and help them expand their creativity. Try out one of the fun activities for autistic children on this list to connect with your child.

Some of these activities can get a little messy. Keep reading for a few easy cleaning solutions.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *