Autism is one disorder out of the group of Austism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs); the other two are pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)and Asperger syndrome. Autism is a neural development disorder which affects the person's communication and social interaction. It is characterized by repetitive and restrictive behavior. The disorder affects how the person's nerve cells and synapses organize and connect. Autism is usually noticed and diagnosed within the first five years of a child's life.
There are many activities for autistic children that a parent or caregiver can provide. These activities help desensitize the child to things that previously would have been overwhelming: scents, textures, sounds, light, and tastes.
Autistic kids will often tap their ears, snap their fingers, or retreat to a place that is quiet; often they do this to block or hide away from sounds that are hurting or overwhelming them. One activity you can do with an autistic child is to make musical shakers.This works to both help the child become used to loud noises, and can also help with desensitizing the child toward certain textures. These type of play can be used as activities for autistic children.
Collect different containers you can use for shakers: salt and pepper shakers, paper towel rolls, plastic soda containers, and coffee cans. Next, gather materials to place inside the containers: dried beans, dried peas, dried pasta, dried rice, dried popcorn, coins, and other small, hard items. Make sure to supervise children who have a tendency to put things in their mouths. Activities for children with autism help the child to become used to loud sounds, strange textures, and allow them to create artwork or music, all at once.
Wash and dry all of the containers, and then let the child pick out which container to use. Offer construction paper so he or she can decorate the outside. Next, experiment with tactile sensations: have the child reach into each bowl and feel the texture of each item. Ask what he or she thinks it will sound like when the items are placed into the container. Finally, allow the child to pick which item to listen to first and fill the container about a third to half-way with the item (rice, macaroni, pennies, etcetera) and fasten the lid tightly.
Do the same thing for each item; place each group into its own container and allow the child to shake each one in turn. Ask the child which container makes the "best" sound and ask why it's best. In turn, ask which one makes the "worst" sound - this will help you identify which sounds are most irritating and you can work on these in the future with other activities for autistic children
