10 ACTIVITIES AND GAMES FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN - ECONOMÍA - 2024

In this article I will explain 10 activities and games for autistic children that will help them have fun and learn various skills. While it is true that there are certain activities that an autistic person will enjoy more than others, the key is not so much to choose the task as to enrich it.

The secret is to apply the principles of multisensory stimulation to leisure and routine activities with the autistic person. What is multisensory stimulation? This consists of stimulating each and every one of the senses when we carry out an activity.

Although these people share alterations in behavior and communication, in each person the severity of the condition is different and the symptoms vary with the course of development. In addition, although the majority present some type of intellectual alteration, this is not an inherent characteristic of autism spectrum disorders.

Although progress is variable and behavioral characteristics change over time, most autistic children continue to experience characteristic symptoms of the disorder once they are adults. These translate into problems related to independence, employment, social relationships and mental health.

Therefore, the priority objectives of the treatment of autism spectrum disorders consist of minimizing the main characteristics of the disorder and the associated deficits, maximizing functional independence and quality of life, and alleviating stress in the family and close environment.

To achieve these objectives, the essential ingredients in any treatment will be: facilitate development and learning, promote socialization, reduce maladaptive behaviors and educate / support families.

10 activities autistic children and people love to do

Musicality

There is a key difference in saying "It's time to go to bed, let's put on our pajamas, etc" or singing the typical song "Let's go to bed we have to rest, so that tomorrow we can get up early."

When I realized that speaking in a "usual" way is not effective with autistic people, I decided to try saying things by singing. It worked.

It is not about reciting what we would normally say with a melodic tone. It is about creating musical codes with the autistic person. The most surprising thing of all is that he will learn it and in a few days he will surprise you singing it in unison with you.

With Ana, I created a song for each routine activity that had to be performed: wake up, wash, eat, walk, sleep, etc. In a few days she learned them and when it was time to do a certain activity, it was she who surprised me by singing the songs.

Artistic expression

I will use Ana's example again to illustrate this idea. One day Ana was inoperative. She did not want to leave the house and she did not feel like it.

I decided to take colored pencils and paper and try to communicate with her through drawings. It worked. We spent hours and hours tirelessly drawing and sharing fun and joy.

Sometimes autistic people will be overwhelmed by the world and will have a typical "I don't feel like facing reality" day.

On these occasions, use artistic language as a means of expressing frustrations and feelings. You can also see that your mood will be reflected in the colors you choose. In this way, you will know if the activity is working or not.

The beauty of the world

Going for walks is something autistic people generally like.

Take advantage of the moments of walk to channel the attention of the person on the beauty of nature. A simple flower can trigger great happiness for an autistic person: the key is to convey your own feeling.

Surprise yourself with the beautiful things that you see when you go for a walk, it causes smiles and transmits feelings. Even the nice breeze can be a topic of conversation.

This idea serves a double task: on the one hand, to create a feeling of maximum enjoyment of the walk and on the other, to distract the autistic person from the possible things that can cause an anxiety reaction.

The importance of having fun

More happiness means more learning on the one hand and more learning opportunities on the other. This is a must-have cocktail for people with autism.

Now, what clues tell me that the autistic person is enjoying an activity?

Your visual attention to the activity is the clearest clue. The longer you keep your attention on the activity to be carried out, the more you will enjoy it.

Another key is the anticipation of the autistic person. Autistic people will generally wait passively for your instructions. This is not the case if the activity performed is proving attractive.

If you see anticipation in the person, reinforce them and remember that they especially enjoy this activity. She will most likely give the activity a name and ask you to do it every day.

The power of repetition

The more familiar an activity is to the autistic person, the more they like it. This is so because they enjoy routine, that is, activities structured in time and space.

Every time you do an activity, unless it involves visiting different places, try to always be in the same place and at the same time.

If there are no activities that the autistic person enjoys, build them

Even bath time can be a fun-generating activity.

An example could be creating soap bubbles on the person's arm that you will then rinse with water. Repeat it several times and you will see a smiling response from the person. Small details in a repetitive way is the way to amuse these people.

On the other hand, how do you know if an activity is not fun?

Just as important as identifying fun-generating activities is realizing whether an activity is being boring or if something that used to be fun has stopped.

If the person looks away between turns or if you notice changes in their body language that indicate they are being passive, dismiss that activity or generate novelty with new details.

The 10 second rule

Whatever activity you do, try to make it a turn-based game. This will keep the autistic person interested and participating in the activity.

Since passivity is a source of anxiety and boredom, try to get the person to emit a verbal or non-verbal response every approximately 10 seconds.

You will need to start an act, pause and wait often to give the person the opportunity for their turn to communicate. Be patient during breaks and wait for a response from the person.

If this answer is not given, change your strategy.

Learn to detect when it is time to end the activity

Again, it is highly unlikely that an autistic person will verbally convey to you that they want to end the activity. If the person's responses decrease and you cannot generate them through variations, it is time to end the activity and offer another range of different possibilities.

In the same way, if you are the one who is getting bored, do not hesitate to change your activity. The person will detect very precisely if you are getting bored through your non-verbal language and will become frustrated by not understanding your reaction.

If when you try to abort the activity because you want to but notice that the autistic person's responses become more intense, disorganized, and hyperactive, it's time to gradually calm things down.

Slowly slow down your activity and lower your tone of voice. If this does not work, then simply verbally express "the activity is over" and always propose an alternative: "the activity is over because now it's time to…".

Activities with objects

When you use objects to create a playful activity, the difference is that you are most likely the only person who will use the object, there will be no turn pattern with the object.

Start by making a small gesture with the object to have a great effect. Observe the person's reaction: smiles, expressions of pleasure, etc.

If the person backs off or seems bored or worried, stop and wait. Try to repeat the action but in a subdued way and try to observe again if the person emits any response with the body or the face.

If the person smiles, moves closer, seems interested or excited, repeat the gesture with the object, then pause. Wait for the person to communicate to you in some way that they want you to do it again.

References

1. Lord, C et al. (2000). Autism Spectrum Disorders. Neuron, vol 8 (2), 355-363
2. Myers, SM and Johnson, C. (2007). American Academy of Pediatrics. Vol 120, no.5, 1162-1182
3. Mehrabian, Albert (1969): "Some referents and measures of nonverbal behavior". Behavior Research Methods and Instrumentation, 1, 203-207.
4. Rogers, SJ, Dawson, G., Vismara, LA (2012). An early start for your child with autism: using everyday activities to help kids connect,

   communicate and learn. The Guilford Press: New York.

5. Gomez, GM (2009). Multisensory classrooms in special education: sensory stimulation and integration in snoezelen spaces. Editorial

   Ideaspropias.