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leisure activities for my DS with ASD

15 replies

BagPuss71 · 17/05/2011 18:48

My 6 yr old DS has ASD and cannot join football clubs, tennis clubs etc as he cannot cope with team work or places that are too busy (we tried and it didn't work, ended up rolling about on the floor). He is bored at home though :( and I am struggling to think of activities that he might be able to take part in, cubs, beavers and things like that wouldn't work. He has a SEN with 20hrs a week 1:1 but struggles when unsupported or if I'm not there. He does swimming in a small group and is making steady progress with this :) . To make things more complicated he is extremely competitve and if he isn't 'the best' at everything he has a meltdown!

Any experiences?

OP posts:
EllenJaneisnotmyname · 17/05/2011 18:52

Are there any trampolining clubs nearby, or any SN specific ones?

EllenJaneisnotmyname · 17/05/2011 18:52

Ooh, riding for the disabled?

Chundle · 17/05/2011 19:37

Ok so he can swim- do you have a beach near you? If so then how about watersports? You can have a few private or small group lessons then learn as he goes an you could even do it with him! My 6 year old dd has ADHD and goes surfing with me and she loves it! Loads of fresh air and good bonding time.
If not then will deffo second riding for disabled both my girls do it

herdiegirl · 17/05/2011 21:51

My DS is 6 and also likes swimming. DS also quite keen on cycling. DH is also a fan and they go on cycle trails together. Are there any holiday clubs for ASD nearby? DS1 has been on them in the past with mixed success. There is also a lovely donkey sanctuary near us for disabled children which both my DSs love. Hope some of this helps.

nightcat · 17/05/2011 21:56

Do you have a garden big enough for a badminton net? It's great fun and when he gets better at it he could join a club. It's great for coordination, the team can be as small as 2 and VERY competitive!!

geeandfeesmum · 18/05/2011 07:59

We have also found the best things that help are swimming and horse riding. I think it's because although there are other children there DCs don't need to interact with them and also they are unable to just run off or climb the Walls or roll n the floor in these situations. I like the idea of trampoline as well. Does anyone know if there is a minimum age limit? DD is 3 almost 4. Also, I'd love to hear more about riding for the disabled. How does it work? Are there many ASD children who do it? What support does it provide? DD currently has only been on a lead rein a couple of times but loved it. She doesn't have an official dx yet does this matter?

I feel for you on the whole team sports thing. I took DD to a ballet class. She loves to dance at home. But she just kept running around the room and getting into the cupboards and the stereo and she was disrupting the other children. I gave her a few sessions to get used to being there. The teacher was wonderful and extremely patient with her. We were still in denial at this stage and she wasn't n the road to dx or anything so we hadn't mentioned any SNs. I think this was the final thing that made me see, she's not just like the other kids just a little different. I felt really sad that night.

Hope you find something fun for you DS to do.

Ben10isthespawnofthedevil · 18/05/2011 08:10

We go to a mainstream trampoline club.

It is perfect for DS as while he is on the tramp, he gets 1:1, he can progress at his own, very very slow pace and he gets to socialise in his own way ie they all take their DS's and sit and watch each other play games - no social skills required! The SN sessions at our club are mainly for adults with SN and have a huge (ie 2 year) waiting list.

We have preschool classes where mums can go as well and then 5+ classes which the children can progress through ability-wise and earn badges like you can in gymnastics. DS has rubbish coordination but has still managed to get 3 badges in 6 months as they give them for mastering things like being able to bounce with your feet together to start!

pinkorkid · 18/05/2011 09:46

Was also going to suggest trampolining. Another idea if your ds is ok with heights would be to see if there are any climbing walls nearby. 1 to 1 and small group instruction are available.

amberlight · 18/05/2011 10:55

Our local autism charity organises various different activities for the children and their families including regular gym/trampoline/swimming sessions etc.
Or getting him to join a club that does his special interest (if he has one) so he can talk about it with like-minded people.

(I know I struggled with sports and felt totally overwhelmed with it, and teamwork was a complete mystery as I couldn't process the speed and direction fast enough.
I'm always amazed when I go to (for example) rugby matches with non-autistic friends and they can see who's who, and follow the action and know who's done what. I focus so slowly that they'd have to slow it down to a crawl for me to see a thing. But I got almost-modestly-vaguely-ok at tennis by practising and practising for hours and hours and weeks and months, and there's only one ball and one player. Sometimes there's a niche/individual sport that is do-able.)

bigbluebus · 18/05/2011 13:45

My DS did Karate for 2 years. The strict routine and discipline suited him down to the ground. There was plenty of running around too so burned off lots of energy. Sensei (instructor) was very good and there were a number of children who seemed to have 'difficulties' in the group although it was a mainstream group. DS even took some of the grading exams which he coped with well as there are set routines. However he gave it all up when he got kicked in the ribs once too often! There are usually groups specifically for younger children though.

He now goes to a non-competitive swim club and copes well with that and has also taken up indoor climbing at our local sports centre (although this did involve DH going on a course to learn belaying so that he could do the ropes). There are often children's climbing clubs at climbing centres.

DS also plays 2 musical instruments and as lessons are 1-1 this works fine. This has enabled him to join the school band now he's in secondary school - which is the nearest he'll get to being part of a team!

In our area parents identified a huge gap in the market for activities for children with ASD who are unable to cope at mainstream leisure clubs, so a number of regular activities have been set up - some with support and some which parents need to help supervise their child. These have been funded through the Short Breaks money which came from 'Aiming High' but our LA committed to continue funding them this year. This includes activities such as 'Fun & Games' sessions, Vaulting (on ponies), Trampolining, football and cycling - on a track including SN bikes for those who can't ride 2 wheeler.
If you can't find activities suitable for your DS then perhaps you should ask you LA what they are spending their short breaks funding from the Government on this year!

bochead · 18/05/2011 15:52

Don't feel it has to be a "standard" social activity like footy or scouts or ballet lessons etc. Perhaps something smaller scale like dog walking with another Mum at the local shelter would be a better start, aiming to build up to the standard stuff over time?

My son's 1/2 bro has the competive thing going on and adored karate! My own child who isn't bothered what others do as he's too wrapped up in his own world but is OTT on the impulsive front has taken to akido like a duck to water. Best still the Akido is REALLY helping his difficulties with positional intructions and seqencing language difficulties (I don't understand how but in the abscence of any meaningful salt input you give thanks for what works ya know?)

Selecting a good instructor is crucial though - my lad 's instructor is huge on consideration for your sparring partner (no injuries that way!) and self-discipline. It's good for asd kids to have to consider another person's feelings etc in any context. Akido makes it necessary as you can't improve without co-operation. However it's only focusing on one other individual - your partner and the instructor at intervals, not a whole football team or whatever iykwim. He's also learnt breathing techniques to help him calm himself down at other times.

I'd really rate martial arts but the specific choice from karate through to tai chi or boxing should be selected based on your child's own personaility as they all have their on "flavour" and some are more or much less aggressive than others. The instructor is critical too. DS's are superb and have a lot of experience with adhd, deaf and asd kids, others have no experience of sen and are a bit gung ho and macho for my tastes. Watch a few sessions and then let your child watch a session before enrolling them.

Ds is also following in his Dad's footsteps with Chess - lots of areas have kids chess groups and DS will be enrolling in September. That's a non- physical "social" activity. Dungeons and Dragons or World or War craft groups are popular with teens as are LARP groups for other ideas.

Riding for the disabled suits some kids to a tee, or joining a city farm group to help clean out the animals. Volunteers for city farms tend to be mixed ages but a few older role models can sometimes be better for our kids than a hoard of same age kids. Sunday schools are good, bad and ugly depending on the group. Or if all else fails a friendly dog can break the ice on walks with Mum in the park.

Triggles · 18/05/2011 16:08

DS2 is 4yo and goes swimming (just with us at the moment - group lessons are not a good atmosphere for him LOL) and horseriding through the RDA. We've started playing some board games (simplified rules in some at this point). He enjoys playing in the rear garden - tends to go down our big slide over and over - and then roll play balls and other toys down it over and over. Not quite sure why he enjoys THAT so much Hmm but hey, it makes him happy. We also have a mini trampoline. Would love to let him on a large trampoline, but our garden is not large enough and I'm not sure I'm brave enough to even think how high he'd go on one, as he's pretty active on the mini trampoline as it is!! Grin

We're hoping to get a piano over the next year, and I'm going to set up number scales and fingering stuff for him and teach him using numbering, as he is so fascinated with numbers.

DS2 is a runner, so most group or class activities are not appropriate for him. I'd love to take him bowling, but he has sensory issues and I'm not sure how he'd react to the noise, even with the ear defenders on. I might give it a go though this summer, just to see how he does. And the cinema is on our "no go" list for a while as he just doesn't seem to be coping with it well.

He's got a few plants (pumpkin and tomato) in the rear garden and will be planting onions with DH this weekend. We're trying to give him a chance to try a bit of gardening - slow going, but so far he's at least moderately interested. Although I know it's not really an "activity" as such.

smileANDwave2000 · 18/05/2011 16:25

Hi there are usually some clubs on Parent Partnerships web site if that helps and i hear there are quite a few horse riding clubs for the disabled as others have said but also in my area theres a group for SN gymnastics which also includes trampolining your free to use whatever equipment you like with support ect and parents are free to drop and go or stay and watch

Bluesunbeam · 18/05/2011 17:31

Definately try horse riding for the disabled.

We have a few social clubs that are run by the council at leisure centres - all sorts of activities on offer every week.

My ds has a support worker from barnadoes - he takes him to the leisure centre once a week as well as beavers - might be worth a try.

sahara13 · 20/05/2011 16:59

My 11yr old ASD DS started Riding for the Disabled last Oct and he loves it. The instructors are great as are the volunteers there. He has steadily progressed and loves the horses who are incidently very gentle. If he happens to have a melt down or a bad week they completly understand and we just go back the next week and start again! As its a charity all equipment is provided therefore saving a great deal of expense esp if he doesnt take to it. I love horses and rode as a child/teen but you dont have to be a horse lover-my sons TA comes with us and she hates them!!! Hope that helps, good luck!

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