There are many fall activities that teach your child social skills and improve sensory processing.
The weather is getting cooler, and the leaves are changing colors, so it can only mean fall is fast approaching. Autumn is an enjoyable time for parents and children alike. Parents can take advantage of the season by using some ABA therapy techniques to integrate sensory tolerance for their child with autism. There are many fall activities that teach your child social skills such as communicating, sensory processing, and patience. Here are some fun activities to do with your child during the fall season.
Make a Sensory Bin
Sensory bins are a great way to safely allow your child to explore their senses with various objects and textures. Take a large bin or basket and fill it with autumn leaves. Then you can find various toys or objects around your home and hide them under the leaves. Have your child look for the different things and describe what they saw. They can practice their vocabulary and sentences by saying “I found___,” or they can explain the color, shape, or size of the object.
Pick Some Apples
Going apple picking will introduce your child to new tastes and textures and allow them to be in nature and adapt to changing surroundings while exploring the sensory-friendly outdoors. While at the orchard, encourage your child to pick up and identify the various shapes and sizes of apples. Peeling and cutting apples, with supervision, can also be a beneficial sensory exercise. If your child enjoys apple pies or other fall treats, you can bake a tasty dessert with the apples you picked.
Jump in Some Leaves
Playing in a pile of autumn leaves is an exciting fall activity for children everywhere. This is also an excellent opportunity to get your child exercising and having fun while developing their speech and language skills. For example, your child can practice their action words by having them perform different actions in the big pile of leaves. For example, they can jump into the leaves, run in the leaves, stomp on the leaves, or even sit on the leaves.
Go for a Hike
Now that the weather is getting cooler, it is a great time to take a family hike and admire the autumn scenery. Walking on the paths, running down hills, and jumping on leaves not only allows your child to experience the change of season with all their senses but improves coordination, balance, and motor skills. You can also play “I Spy” with your child and have them point out different things along the way.
The Connections Therapy Center
The Connections Therapy Center serves families of children and adolescents with disabilities and special needs. We are a team of experts in the fields of pediatric speech, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and behavioral sciences. As a team, we offer intensive hands-on therapy for children and adolescents, as well as informative and useful resources for families. If you are interested in learning more about what we can do to help your family, visit us online or give us a call at (301) 577-4333. Want to get more information on how to help your child thrive? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and Pinterest.