Activities, Hobbies and Sports for Atypical Kids

Activities

Get your kids moving as much as you can. Playing outside is good for all kids, but it has been proven that movement can help kids learn more easily and focus more readily.

Here are some non-electronic ideas for games for your more challenging kids:

Older kids who don’t read: Sequence, Battleship, Yahtzee, Sorry, Trouble, Pictionary, Checkers, Chess, Card games such as War and Rummy, Teach Cribbage to play with Grandpa

To Play By yourself: String games, Solitaire type games, Activity books, Practice Magic tricks, jump rope, crafts/painting, writing short stories,

Games for kids who don’t “DO Groups”: Card games, Battleship, Checkers, Games with only two players are better

Active Kids: Twister, Dance Dance revolution, Tag, Outdoor games with running involved, Rockem Sockem Robots, Building toys like Legos, Painting/Creating

For kids who fall apart when they lose: Four square, string games, Copy Cat, Statue Maker, Frisbee and Catch, Legos and other building games, Crafts (adult led or individual)

Hobbies and Sports

All parents want their child to be successful. Most parents know that sports can be a great way for kids to “fit in” and make friends. Sports can be really beneficial to all children. Unfortunately, many parents have kids whose behaviors prevent a successful experience. Some kids aren’t socially able to join into big groups, and a sink and swim philosophy usually ends in a resounding SINK. Here are some ideas for sports and hobbies that have worked with kids who have social developmental delays.

For Detail Oriented kids: Can you say collections? Shells, rocks, stamps, coins, gum wrappers, you name it and claim it! Collections can help kids appropriately “show off” to other kids. They are also helpful for school projects, especially for kids with developmental disabilities who have a hard time conceptualizing a whole project.

Martial Arts Training: Can help all children. It can help a child learn focus and discipline. It has tons of right brain/left brain crossover. It teaches kids obedience and respect. It works both the body and the mind together. Karate is practiced in a dojo with other kids/adults, but the child moves forward at their own pace. Can be non-competitive or competitive. Studies are proving that girls prefer games that encourage cooperation and boys prefer games that are competitive. Drawback: $$$ Expensive, and instructors require attendance for promotion.

Gymnastics and Dance: Like Karate, a great workout for kids. Can teach balance, flexibility and coordination and can be practiced at home. Great to show off to friends in an appropriate way. Kids with sensory issues can improve their coping skills and learn better regulation through sports like Gymnastics, karate and dance. Drawback: $$$ Can be expensive

ARTS: Teaching a hobby like drawing and painting can help a child who has attentional difficulties. Teaching a child to draw (and enjoy it) can help keep kids occupied on long drives and in doctors offices.

MAGIC: Boys love to learn and practice magic tricks. Start out with easy books with string and coin tricks and move up. Even one or two tricks can be helpful for your child. This requires good hand/eye coordination. Entertaining, interesting, and gives Jr. an appropriate venue to get attention. Prepare to watch a million tricks.

PAPER And PENCIL games: If you can engage a child with paper and pencil, you won’t need to worry about loud electronics and running out of batteries. Plus, they are engaging their logic skills in the process. Soduko and word finds are a favorite. Here is a link to some other favorites.