It’s important for children to get 60 minutes of daily exercise. The need for physical activity applies to children with and without disabilities because it promotes a healthy lifestyle. However, exercise may benefit people with autism in unique ways. Research and personal stories suggest that exercise can improve symptoms and quality of life for individuals with autism.
Team sports are the go to form of exercise for many children. However, the trademark characteristics of autism include an impaired ability to communicate and relate to others socially, a restricted range of activities, and repetitive behaviors such as following very specific routines. This makes traditional team sports challenging for those who have autism.
The communication and social aspects of team sports may suck the fun out of the activities. The 5 sports below tend to work better for kids with autism since they’re more individual and communication between teammates is less essential. Try these sports out. If your child get frustrated playing sports instead of having fun, try another activity rather than forcing it.
- Biking
- Track and field
- Swimming
- Horseback riding
- Gymnastics
