Fitness Activities for Children with Autism

Autism Therapy

At Alee, we hope to use our expert knowledge to ensure that every child we are entrusted to work with at our autism clinic reaches their full potential, be that academic, personal or physical. Studies have shown that encouraging a child with autism to engage in sporting activities can have a range of health benefits. As well as promoting a healthier lifestyle, exercising can help improve a child’s mood, and help reduce hyperactivity or any frustration that they may be feeling. However, it is often difficult to find activities for children with autism to participate in that they will enjoy without feeling overwhelmed.

Right now, many of us have taken to exercising at home to ensure we stay fit during the current crisis. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of at home exercises/activities that will help you all stay fit and healthy!

4 Fitness Activities for Children with Autism

1) Obstacle Course

Build an obstacle course in your home/backyard! To do this, you can either rearrange your furniture or use chalk to design an assault course of your own. Keep it simple – perhaps by listing certain tasks at each stop such as jump, touch your toes, hop and more.

Obstacle courses are a great way to help your child learn to stick to a task while improving their ability to focus and follow instructions. It’s also a lot of fun!

Hiking/WalkingTeam sports are not always the best choice social stories for children with autism, but that doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy exercising outdoors. Whether you are getting your daily exercise by walking down the street or venturing to a local park – walking can be a great way to stay fit.

2) Mirror Exercises

Stand opposite each other and take it in turns to perform an action which the other player copies – as though they were looking into the mirror. This can help them improve their communication skills and also their body awareness as it requires a lot of focus!

3) Yoga

Yoga is a fun, relaxing sport that you can participate in from the comfort of your own living room! Whether you follow an online tutorial or come up with your own exercising plan, yoga is a great way to help your child stay fit and healthy. Studies have shown that children with autism respond positively to yoga – due to the fact that it can help them feel relaxed and calm.

There are plenty of videos on youtube that feature specially designed programs or techniques for austic children wanting to participate in yoga! https://bit.ly/3esyBRN

4) Gymnastics

Gymnastics is another popular sport among children with autism. Simple gymnastic activities can help them improve their balance, communication skills and endurance. Furthermore, Gymnastics is a sport which allows them to be part of a team while continuing to work independently.

Finding the best exercise for children with autism

It is important that you ensure whatever activities you decide to participate in are right for your child. Each and every child is different, regardless as to whether or not they have autism, and as such, they have different interests, skills and capabilities. If your child is attending autism therapy – such as physical therapy, speech therapy or occupational therapy – your specialist will be able to give you some guidance in which activities may be best suited to your child. You can find out more about the services we offer here: https://www.aleebh.com/online-therapy-services/.

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