All young children can benefit from fun sensory play, but sensory activities are essential for children with autism. Those with autism may struggle to regulate their responses to sensory information, so it can be distressing if they’re put in unfamiliar situations or feel strange textures.

To help support your child at home, here are five fun activities children with autism will enjoy that will help stimulate the brain and improve motor and coordination skills.

Finger and Footprint Paintings

Yes, this activity can get messy, but don’t let that stop you from having a great time with your kids. Finger and footprint paintings are an excellent way for kids to express themselves. You can even bring the activity outside! Just lay some paper on top of towels or scrap newspaper and let your child’s creativity run wild! Ask them about their creation to help them use their imagination and social skills.

DIY “Calm Down” Water Bottles

To create a DIY “calm down” water bottle, you can use any plastic container and fill the bottle with warm water, glitter, and other small items like marbles or rocks. When you close the bottle and shake it up, the glitter and objects inside will swirl around, which can help calm your child down.

Your child will be mesmerized for long periods and will stay occupied during stressful moments like long drives, meltdowns, or getting a haircut. This activity is also a great visual sensory experience for young children in preschool.

Afternoon Yoga Ball Sessions

Yoga can benefit anyone of any age! Children with autism face extra daily challenges and need activities to help calm them down. Yoga ball sessions can help reduce stress, improve coordination, increase motor skills, and encourage social interactions (if done in a group setting). When holding these afternoon sessions, make sure you have enough space to stretch and roll around!

Make Your Own Musical Instruments

Who doesn’t love a good jam session? Creating your own musical instrument is a great way to bond with your child while engaging in a fun activity! Put rice inside a bottle to make a shaker, use pots and pans for drums, and a phone for the microphone, and rock out!



Create a Sensory Ocean

A fun activity a child with autism will enjoy is creating a sensory ocean. We may find ourselves indoors during the warmer months, bored out of mind. Cool down outside by filling a storage container with sand on one side and water on the other, and build your beach! You can build sandcastles, splash the water and create your own underwater world.

The absolute best thing you can do is support your child. Taking the teachings from your local autism pediatric therapy center and incorporating them into fun activities at home is a great way to instill social and behavioral teachings. HANDS Center for Autism takes pride in providing the best therapy facility and techniques to help educate your child and improve social and behavioral skills. If you’re looking for a trustworthy facility, contact us today!