I recommend cubing as a hobby

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Just wanted to share our family's amazing experience with cubing.

My husband has really got into the Rubik's cube in the last year or so, and started learning how to get quicker on YouTube tutorials. Then he started teaching our son (8.5, probably ASD, SPD). My son can now solve it quite quickly and completely reliably (after about three months of practising) and this has given him some much needed social cache at school as he is impressing other children.

They just entered the UK Rubik's Cube Competition and competed this past weekend. It was such a wonderful experience - such a friendly group of "competitors" - it didn't even feel like a competition, more like a friendly get together of like minded people. Lots of young men, many of whom may well be on the spectrum somewhere, all fiddling away with their cubes, all so happy to chat to young ones. It is purely meritocratic, with no age groups, so my son was in a group with a 78 year old man in HIS first competition. To my son, this is a BIG DEAL as it means not being treated like a child.

There are about 9 comps a year in various places, and lots of kids seemed to be so pleased to see each other again after a couple of months. Everyone was very VERY accepting of social awkwardness, shyness, not wanting photos taken, and so on. Everyone was totally happy to chat and share tips about how to deal with awkward cubing moments (don't ask me, I barely understand it). It was laid back, with no fanfare moments particularly.

It is also a hobby which is very stretchable, if that makes sense. Once you have mastered the 3x3 cube there are dozens of other puzzles to master and of course everyone wants to get quicker all the time. Also, there are twists like cubing one-handed, blindfolded, and so on. It is NOT MAGIC - there is a method that anyone can learn. Lots of kids age about ten and up were completely self-taught from YouTube videos - I think my son is a bit lucky having his dad teach him, but it is not the only way.

Several other mums and I shared some quite special moments watching our unique and misunderstood children just blossom in this environment. If you can go along to an open event near you just to watch sometime, it is quite eye-opening. I can't recommend it enough.

It's great when our kids find their little niche.

DS1 doesn't have the patience for the Rubik's cube. He fiddles with it for a bit then starts examining the stickers, trying to work out how quickly he can peel them off and put them back on, with no one noticing :o

I realised after I posted this that of course it won't be for everyone! And to be honest I don't think my son would stick with it if my husband wasn't massively keen. But then, my husband with ASD tendencies is also getting a LOT out of the cubing hobby and it provides them with a bonding opportunity.

Actually, you can probably answer a question that DS1 asked, a while back. When cubing one handed or at speed, do they use specially made cubes with a particularly smooth action, rather than just the creaky plastic ones in most shops? (DS1's niche would be cube engineering, rather than solving!)

Oh, man, the conversations he could have! There is a LOT of discussion about the smoothest, quickest cubes. NO ONE uses Rubik's brand cubes. Xhanchi cubes are used for competitions, as are Moyu Weilong.

Dayan cubes are very good - quick and smooth and don't pop. They make them specially with the corners of each piece chopped off so you can turn in one direction before the turn in another direction has finished. But you can't use those for competitions...there is a reason but I think you have to see it to understand it.

Endless, endless technical details to enjoy.

If he looks up Feliks Zemdejs (WR holder) on YouTube he'll see videos of him solving the cube in less than 6 seconds, just incredible. Fun to watch even if it doesn't inspire him to want to do it himself (or magically give him the ability to persevere with difficult tasks ).

Just going along to an open event is fun, actually, and free. I think there aren't any planned yet for 2014 because it is just run by enthusiasts, but in 2013 there were open events in Guildford, Cambridge, Hatfield, Leicester, Nottingham, Edinburgh, and others.

I think that's the video that prompted his question, after watching DH struggle through a solution he'd looked up and take forever!

Ah, yes, get your DH to blaze the trail and get the cubing bug. The rest will follow.

Okay, so my husband starting teaching me. He says to use what is called the beginners method and break it down into steps. Maybe looking on YouTube for 'the beginners method' will be helpful for your son?

First step is to remember that the centre of each side is fixed - so you know what you have to make the rest of each side look like because you have the centre as a reference point. And certain colours are always opposite each other (depends on your cube).

Second - try to complete a cross on one side - try to get the centre to form the middle of a cross of all one colour. Any side will do.

There's more but I'll have to practice those steps first. .

Lol at this thread.

I can do 3 sides. Taught myself as a kid without instruction, but then I'm stuck.

I worked out by myself how to do it, when I was little older than DS1 and it was a new thing. Blown if I can remember now, or if I even have the patience to try!

Cubing is not MY hobby, I hasten to add. I can barely summon the will to listen when they start going on about it. I put on my patient listening smile.

BUT it is a great hobby for my son to have.