The best fine-motor activities for children with autism will be developmentally "just right" so that they are both challenging and successful. Because many children with autism have decreased strength, muscle tone and coordination, learning to manipulate objects can be a struggle. However, given structured training with fun and motivational activities, many children with autism will develop the fine-motor skills to write, do arts and crafts and manipulate toys.
Squeezing Activities
Toys and activities that involve squeezing not only build hand and finger strength, but they also provide the sensory stimulation that children with autism seek. Show your child how to use play dough or putty to roll snake coils, squeeze it inside a garlic press or pinch off little pieces to make "blueberries." Squeezing clothespins to hang doll clothes or connect matching playing cards also strengthens the fingers. Older children may enjoy the sensory feedback offered by squeezing hole punchers and pushing down on staplers. One hand-strengthening games is called "Feeding Hungry Harry." Cut a slit in a tennis ball; this will be the mouth. Next, draw the eyes and nose. Children can squeeze the ball to open Harry's mouth while feeding him pennies.
Electronic Toys
Electronic toys offer sensory feedback. There are ring stacks that make music and flash lights upon completion and puzzles that play songs when a shape fits in an opening correctly. These activities provide immediate feedback so that the child knows he did something successfully. Many electronic toys also speak when the correct button is pushed. These toys teach concepts, such as letter recognition, and the fine-motor control to use the index finger.
Developing Pencil Grasp
Young children can prepare for writing by drawing lines, circles and letters on a tray covered with whipped cream or shaving cream. Toys that require grasping a stylus to "draw" on a magnetic board help develop the grasp required to control a pencil. Preschool-aged children should use the large cone-shaped crayons that fit inside the whole hand. Older children might enjoy using a motorized pen that provides sensory stimulation when used to make wiggly lines.
Adapting Activities
Children with autism, like all children, will become quickly discouraged when they're unsuccessful with activities that require eye-hand coordination, such as lacing boards and stringing beads. Homemade activities are easier to use than those commercially available. Cut three or four large (1 inch in diameter) holes along the perimeter of a piece of cardboard. This "lacing board" has larger and fewer holes than the ones sold in stores. And instead of stringing beads, use container lids with holes cut out of the centers and replace flimsy string with cord.
References
- "Building Bridges through Sensory Integration"; Ellen Yack, Paula Aquilla & Shirley Sutton; 2004.
- "The Out-Of-Sync Child"; Carol Stock Kranowitz; 2006.
