At-Home Activities to Support Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Yoohwa Roslie Hong
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at home does not require specialized equipment or complex preparation. With intentional play, daily routines can become meaningful opportunities for learning, sensory regulation, communication, and emotional development. The following activities are adapted from the Children’s Health of Orange County (CHOC) at-home activity guide and are designed to be practical, flexible, and developmentally supportive.
Outdoor Activities: Building Motor Skills and Sensory
Awareness
Outdoor play offers children opportunities to engage their bodies, regulate sensory input, and explore their environment.
Obstacle Courses
Create a simple obstacle course using household items or sidewalk chalk. Activities such as jumping, balancing, crawling, or following movement instructions help develop gross motor skills, coordination, spatial awareness, and attention. Courses can be adapted for indoor spaces when outdoor access is limited.
Water Play
Water play supports sensory exploration and fine motor skills. A bucket, bathtub, or small pool can be used in place of a water table. Adding cups, spoons, strainers, or small toys encourages problem-solving and imaginative play.
Chalk Drawing and Games
Sidewalk chalk can be used to draw shapes, hopscotch boards, or simple games like tic-tac-toe. These activities combine creativity with physical movement and can support early academic concepts such as shapes, waiting, and turn-taking.
Nature Scavenger Hunts
Create a list of items for children to find outdoors items, such as leaves, rocks, or flowers. This activity encourages observation, categorization, and sustained attention while promoting engagement with the natural environment.
Bubble Play and Water Balloons
Blowing bubbles supports oral motor skills and joint attention, while tossing or catching water balloons promotes hand-eye coordination and cooperative play.
Music and Sound-Based Activities
Music provides structured auditory input and can be highly motivating for children with ASD.
Homemade Instruments
Simple instruments such as rain sticks, shakers, or drums can be made using household materials. Exploring different sounds helps children develop auditory discrimination and sensory processing skills.
Singing and Movement
Singing familiar songs and moving to music can support emotional expression, imitation, and rhythm. These activities may also help with transitions and self-regulation.
Games That Encourage Communication and Cognitive Development
Structured games provide opportunities to practice social interaction, language, and problem-solving.
Show and Tell
Allow children to choose an object and talk about it. This activity supports expressive language, confidence, and descriptive skills.
Story Time and Discussion
Reading together and asking simple questions about the story helps develop comprehension, attention, communication, and recalling skills. Questions can be adapted to the child’s language level.
Hide and Seek + Seek-and-Find Games
Hiding objects and giving clues encourages critical thinking, turn-taking, and receptive language development.
Creative and Sensory Play
Creative activities allow children to express themselves while engaging multiple senses.
Arts, Crafts, and Imaginative Play
Drawing, building forts, or creating pretend environments (such as a cardboard “movie theater”) support creativity, planning (executive functioning), and fine motor skills.
Cooking Activities
Involving children in simple cooking tasks, such as measuring or mixing, helps develop sequencing, independence, and practical life skills.
Ice Exploration
Freezing small toys in ice and allowing children to melt them using safe tools or warm water provides sensory input and encourages patience and problem-solving.
Sorting and Sensory Bins
Sorting objects by size, color, or texture helps strengthen cognitive organization skills. Sensory bins filled with rice, beans, or pasta can provide calming tactile input and could be a potential self regulation strategy.
Calming and Self-Regulation Activities
Regulation activities help children manage sensory input and emotional states.
Yoga and Stretching
Simple yoga poses and breathing exercises can support body awareness, focus, and emotional regulation.
Quiet Observation Activities
Activities such as cloud watching encourage mindfulness, language development, and relaxation in a low-stimulus environment.
Final Considerations
When introducing activities:
Follow the child’s interests and sensory preferences
Maintain predictable routines (use schedules, giving heads-up)
Offer positive reinforcement
Adjust difficulty levels to ensure success
These at-home activities are not intended to replace professional therapy, but they can meaningfully complement educational and therapeutic goals while strengthening family engagement.
[Reference]
Children’s Health of Orange County (CHOC). At-Home Activities for Kids with Autism. CHOC, Aug. 2020, http://choc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/At-Home-Activities-Kids-Autism-CHOC.pdf. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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