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How do you entertain an autistic child? – Great activities for autistic children

Published on 10th August 2020 by Tessa Robinson

Club Hub UK has the largest selection of kids clubs and activities for autistic children. If you know of a kids club in your area that provides these type of activities for children is missing from our list, tell the owner to add their listing.

Bopster Marble Run

Bopster Marble Run

As an independent, family-run company, no toy makes it on to bopster.co.uk unless it has been given the stamp of approval by our own children first. Everything we sell has to meet each of our 3 core values… ‘timeless, family, fun’  and our newly launched boppi bamboo marble runs are no exception.

Each set can be constructed in multiple formations and structures making it the perfect toy for budding engineers and fun-seekers aged 3+ years. It provides excellent sensory stimulation and encourages problem-solving to create different marble paths. Perfect for tabletop play due to the round exit rope that collects the marbles as they finish the journey.

Building each formation helps develop fine motor skills, and the dropping of the marble on its journey down the run helps to develop hand-eye coordination. This process is fun whilst calming, and they can be enjoyed individually or through cooperative play, learning to work together as a team.

Eco-friendly and fun, the boppi marble runs can be constructed using interchangeable and connectable parts to allow the marbles to travel from the top of the marble maze to the base, via the spiral drop, rail tracks and direction cylinders.

Made from bamboo fibre, wood and 100% recycled plastic, they are not only sustainable but also a toy that can stand the test of time, loved by those young and old.

Buy Now!


Gardening Activities for Autistic Children

Gardening Activities for Autistic ChildrenNurturing plants brings great satisfaction and planting is a gardening task for learning sequences that encourages concentration and thinking skills 

The task: Get a pot, add some compost, place the plant in the compost, firm in, and then waterHave a demonstration example available so the child can see how it’s done.  

Seeing the plant grow will bring reward and motivation to try other gardening tasks. 

About Thrive 

Thrive is a charity that promotes health and wellbeing through therapeutic horticulture. It helps people with a wide range of disabilities and long-term conditions who work with horticultural therapists at Thrive gardens in London, Birmingham and near Reading. Thrive also provides information to make gardening easier so more people can enjoy its wellbeing benefits: www.thrive.org.uk 


Karate Activities for Autistic Children

Karate Activities for Autistic ChildrenKarate is a great sport to bring together students what ever their abilities without labeling them. Each individual works at their own pace to achieve their goals, their karate journey should be one of fun and self belief that they can achieve by small steps in the right direction.

In my classes it’s about “Communication and negotiation”. You learn this from day one and then subconsciously this is then transferred to every day use .

About TKC

I have been teaching and training in karate with Bu’sen Martial Arts for over 40 years.

Since 2012 I have been teaching karate at Skylarks Charity and at Cross Roads Care. My team and I teach karate to children from 5 to 18 years old. I create a welcoming environment so that your child feels happy and safe to train at TKC. 

A helpful activity to calm and regulate your autistic child is sensory play. A large basin or a tuff tray is ideal for this purpose, but a basin or deep bowl can work for this as well if space is an issue.


Tuff Tray Activities for Autistic Children

Tuff Tray Activities for Autistic ChildrenA helpful activity to calm and regulate your autistic child is sensory play. A large basin or a tuff tray is ideal for this purpose, but a basin or deep bowl can work for this as well if space is an issue.

If your child is an oral seeker do try to use things that are edible for your tray. There are so many different varities of beans,  pulses and grains available that you will spoilt for choice! Great activities for autistic children.

Our suggestions range from dried orange or green lentils, alubia beans, black eyed beans, pigeon peas, cous cous, black mustard seeds and dyed rice to pasta, porridge oats and cereals. Home made playdough is great fun to make and mould with. Never use black beans or kidney beans as they are toxic when uncooked. You can sprinkle freshly chopped lavender and herbs such as coriander, rosemary or mint for extra olfactory stimulation.

For non edible play there is moon sand, slime, water beads and oobleck.  Props can include plastic coloured scoops, large metal spoons, beakers, and colanders. Sensory play provides visual, tactile, olfactory and auditory stimuli. It  also helps with hand eye coordination and visual tracking. Adding toy figures and little cars transforms it into small world play. The possibilities are endless!

Please be sure to watch your child at all times. Things will often make their way into the mouth, nose and ear of a curious little sensory seeker. It should also be pointed out that there is no age to old to enjoy sensory play. At our groups the parents are usually the first to go see and feel what’s in the play tray that week.

About AIM

Autistic Inclusive Meets is a not-for-profit organisation created by autistic people to enable families with autistic children, and autistic individuals to get out into the community and socialise in an accepting, inclusive environment with like-minded peers.

We provide support and advice to families and individuals, promote acceptance of autism through education of the general public, and protect autistic rights by campaigning against autistic mistreatment. Great activities for autistic children.


Roll-the-Dice-Game!

Roll-the-Dice-Game!A flexible activity to suit your child’s needs and mood!

Each number on the dice represents something. When a number is rolled, you do the relevant action.

You can use this technique to develop different skills/goals by having numbers represent different instructions:

  • Acting/Imagination – numbers = something to act like, e.g. emotions or animals.
  • Physical Movement – numbers = something like a star jump or skipping. Rolling the die a second time dictates how many times/for how long you do the action.
  • Dance – numbers = something to move like! Why not add music and disco lights too?!
  • Auditory/Sounds – numbers = something to make the sound of. E.g. animals, or instruments/noise makers from around the house. Rolling the die a second time indicates volume levels. 1 = very quiet, 6 = super loud!
  • Sensory Exploration – numbers = something different to smell, taste, listen to, touch.

Before starting, decide together what each number represents. Display these ‘rules’ whilst playing. Visuals or Objects Of Reference may be useful.

You can play by taking turns at rolling or as ‘pass-the-parcel’! Does only the roller do the action or do all players join in?

About Spectrum Community Arts Ltd

Spectrum Community Arts Ltd is a not-for-profit organisation offering performing arts workshops for people with disabilities, additional needs and those on the autistic spectrum. Our aim is to enable participants to develop their self-esteem, self-expression and social skills in a safe, encouraging environment.

We strongly believe that the performing arts is a fun and exciting way to do this and a perfect platform to nurture and develop individual skills and abilities. We pride ourselves on providing a safe, creative space where the participants feel like they can be themselves and have a sense of belonging!

Sessions are based across Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes. We have 8 weekly out of school clubs as well as offering bespoke sessions for schools, day centres and other organisations. We keep numbers low but energy high in our accessible, friendly and sensory workshops! Currently, due to Covid, we are offering a virtual timetable! 


World music sing-along for autistic children

World music sing-along for autistic childrenSinging along to international tunes enhances linguistic and vocal skills, allowing children to express themselves through the universal language of music!

The task: Introduce the child to traditional songs and nursery rhymes in their native language to begin with, such as ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’, so they get used to expressing themselves through melody and words. A call and response method may work well here.

Once they feel a little more confident, try introducing short and simple tunes in other languages (such as Welsh, Persian or Portuguese, depending on your proficiency!) so they grow accustomed to hearing the different sounds and intonation. Sing a line to them, which they can then try and copy and sing back to you after listening.

Learning through world music is a brilliant way to get creative with different cultures!

About ToddlerTunez

ToddlerTunez offers creative babysitting sessions for 0-15 year olds in the safe environment of your own home. We currently operate all over London and are expanding nationwide! Many of our sitters are multilingual and they can offer language immersion sessions or tutoring in their native language. They can also offer entertainment at birthdays and events!

All our sitters are professionals in their artistic fields, ranging from musicians, to actors, to dancers, to name but a few! Within these fields, many have conducted choirs, exhibited artwork nationally, and starred on a West End stage, meaning they all have exciting stories to tell! They share their creative skills with your children through productive sessions specifically tailored to your wants and needs.

We’re providing a guilt-free alternative to traditional babysitting where parents know their children are engaging in meaningful and beneficial activities while they are away. All our sitters are DBS-checked, fully first aid-trained and, most importantly, have extensive experience working with children, allowing their passion to shine through in any creative setting.


TheraPutty Activities

TheraPutty Activities for Autistic ChildrenA great activity all our children enjoy doing at Calmer Therapy is TheraPutty activities. This is a great sensory integration activity, Theraputy helps strengthen muscles in hands, fingers and forearms, and is fantastic for developing motor skills. TheraPutty can be bought cheaply, and if you have not had a colour recommended by an occupational therapist, tan and yellow colour TheraPutty is recommended.

Good exercises to do with TheraPutty is hiding small toys like lego inside and getting the child to find it, they can use their fingers or plastic tweezers. Making shapes or rolling the TheraPutty, is very relaxing and calming, and has a different texture to playdough.

About Calmer Therapy

Calmer Therapy is a non-profit community group, we provide support for families, who have children with additional needs, disabilities, and mental health needs. We have centres in Choppington, Morpeth and Berwick, and cover all of the North East. We offer training, advice, support with EHCP’s and education, DLA and PIP forms and appeals.

We also provide after school and weekend activities, such as football club, youth group, Calmer Kids (sensory session for under 8’s), family group, family pilates, family karate and parent and carer support meetings. We also organise exclusive sessions at Airbox Bounce, family day trips and local meet ups. During half term holidays, we offer a full time timetable of activities suitable for all ages and abilities. Great activities for autistic children.


Yoga Activities for Autistic Children

Yoga Activities for Autistic ChildrenYoga for children, particularly those with autism is a wonderful activity that enhances the quality of their lives.  Learning skills in a child friendly way that you can take off the mat and into daily life, gives each child tools for managing their lives.

Through the practice of yoga, we move our bodies into different shapes, we might sing (if the child’s auditory sensory system allows), create rhythm, breathe into different areas of our body, squeeze and tap our bodies, shake out all the difficult emotions and last but not least we relax.   We can do yoga on our own or it can be a beautiful way of bonding and connecting with our family and friends.

About Special Yoga

Special Yoga’s mission is to support as many children with additional needs around the world as possible through Special Yoga and mindfulness methodology. Over the many years of sharing yoga with hundreds of children with autism, we have been able to see the profound impact that yoga has had on children’s mental, emotional, physiological and neurological well-being.

It is a lifelong practice which helps develop inner peace and calm, taking the child out of stress and into a relaxed state. This relaxed state creates the optimum condition and possibility for positive change. Through our training courses, we teach parents, school teachers, yoga teachers and more, yoga-based practices. These practices include movement, breath work, deep relaxation, sound, rhythm, massage and sensory integration. You can then go on to share special yoga with your children or people you support. We offer a selection of free practices on our website.


We hope you enjoyed reading about all these amazing easy activities for autistic children. Search for Classes Near Me on the Club Hub Website or App Now! – https://clubhubuk.co.uk/. 

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