Activities for autistic teens and tips for parents? Children on the autism spectrum often associate specific tasks with locations. This might mean they resist doing schoolwork at home. Anxiety levels, which are often high in this group of students, may increase further due to changes in routine or uncertainty about what they should be learning. General tips for schooling at home such as setting up a learning space, creating structure and routine, and becoming familiar with resources in the Australian Curriculum are good ideas. But parents of children on the autism spectrum may need additional strategies.

Since children with ASD have unique problems that other students usually don’t face, educators need to adopt unique pedagogical approaches in order to reach them. In the following section, our experts weighed in with advice about what teachers can do to create the best environments in which students with autism may learn. “Generally, children with autism are visual learners,” Leichtweisz says. “Having pictures, especially when transitioning between activities, will help children with autism respond more independently.” “Children with autism respond well to structure,” Leichtweisz says. “Providing specific routines and keeping them in place whenever possible will help children participate fully in activities.”

Considering their skill sets and behavior, they are encouraged to be involved in individual sports. These types of sports do not require much social communication and there is lesser demand placed in their sensory systems when engaged in them. Although multiple sensory systems are still activated and sports events may seem too much to process, these Autistic teens can have interventions that focus on the desensitization of sensory systems to avoid sensory meltdowns. See extra info at Mike Alan.

Sometimes it’s harder for autistic kids to focus for more extended periods, and you end up losing their attention. Here are some quick tips on how to get them to cooperate longer: Remember to call them by their name at the beginning of a conversation, so they understand you are speaking with them. Doing this helps establish a connection from the very start of your activity. It also enhances your chances of having a meaningful result. When looking to engage with them, make sure you explore one of the kid’s favorite interests. For example, it can be a favorite toy or character. Engaging in their interests will help to continue a conversation longer.

We are also using the word “neurotypical” throughout the rest of this list. For us, “neurotypical” does not mean “non-autistic,” and it is not derogatory. It means performing in a way that fits with dominant standards for “normal” neurological and cognitive functioning. In emphasizing the experiences of parents of autistic children, we do not intend to speak for the experiences of autistic individuals themselves. Relationships between autistic persons and their parents or caregivers are subject to ongoing debate, and are ultimately too complex and diverse to be captured in a single article. What words do your friends and family use to describe the people they love? How do they frame their experience? Consider this carefully before posting during “Autism Awareness” weeks or months. Not everyone wants to “light it up blue,” and that is okay.