Social Activities for Autism

Some people with autism do not naturally acquire the ability to interact with others and must be taught social skills. Interventions and therapy are two common methods of teaching such skills.

Children With Autism

• Children with autism should have games and activities catered to their interests. Reading them social stories--those that relate to a specific social interaction--fosters interaction between autistic children and their peers. These stories help teach children how to share and express their emotions.

  Having children perform using puppets is another way to foster social interaction. You can also offer them board games, which teach sharing and listening skills.

Teens With Autism

• Teens with autism deal not only with autism but also with the usual issues of adolescence. It can be extremely hard for autistic teens to make friends since they lack the necessary social skills. Encouraging a teen to join an after-school club, pick up a hobby or play sports can be helpful.

  Enrolling a teen with autism in social therapy is another way of building social skills and alleviate some of the pressure since he will be with other teens who have autism. Social therapy provides a teen with an outlet to vent his frustrations in a group that can relate. Therapy also offers a lot of play and interaction.

Adults With Autism

• The difference between adults and teens of children with autism is that adults are independent. They are expected to hold down a job, begin a family and have a well-balanced life. This can be difficult because they often lack the social and verbal skills to communicate with others.

  An adult with autism should join an autism support group that offers outings in which everyone goes out together and enjoys recreational activities, like games or sports. They also should find opportunities to work on their communication skills through group counseling sessions and even writing groups where they can express the feelings they've put on paper.