Autism & Leisure Activities

Leisure activities may seem fun and relaxing for a regular person, but for someone with autism, these same activities can be stressful. Even if a leisure activity is not stressful for a person with autism, it could be stressful for his caregiver, who may worry that something will go wrong. There are certain things that you should keep in mind if you are a caregiver and looking for leisure activities for your loved one with autism.

Benefits of Leisure Activities

• Leisure activities are very important for people with autism. They can practice social skills, get enjoyment and satisfaction out of the activity, and gain some self-confidence all while getting out into the community. In addition, the Autism Speaks organization says that leisure activities can teach people with autism general skills they can apply to other day-to-day situations in their lives.

Picking an Activity

• Picking a leisure activity may seem like a challenge, but it doesn't have to be. Think of picking leisure activities the same way you would for a typically developing child. Autism Speaks suggests you try many different things and see which activity really becomes valued to your loved one with autism. Leisure activities to try include things like board games, playing cards, photography, swimming, hiking and skiing. Autism Speaks also suggests trying to sign your loved one up for sports teams; activities like basketball, baseball and other organized sports are offered in some communities for people with autism. See Resource 1 below for organized baseball teams for people with disabilities.

Support for Leisure Activities

• Sometimes not every activity goes as planned, especially those taking place outside of the home. As a caregiver, you cannot let yourself become discouraged and stop trying to introduce leisure activities to your loved one with autism. Autism Speaks suggests you look for support groups or other caregivers you can talk to and swap ideas about what has worked for them. Resource 2 below is a link to a social network for parents of children with autism.

  Additionally, Autism Speaks recommends working with a recreational therapist to help your loved one with autism learn to participate in leisure activities. A recreational therapist can work with people with autism to help them feel more comfortable with certain activities. This will in turn reduce a person's stress and anxiety that sometimes accompanies leisure activities and make the activity more enjoyable for all involved.