Activities

I wanted to do a positive article to help your child with learning difficulties.

We should keep Autistic people or anyone with learning difficulties busy as it is vital. It is good

For mental health, educates them, builds social skills, burns energy, allows better sleep, aids with pain and much more. On top of this sensory experiences are important as they stimulate the senses such as “touch, smell, sight, taste, and sound, as well as the two not-as-frequently-mentioned senses: vestibular (sense of balance) and proprioceptive (sense of where each body part is in relation to the rest)”[1][2]. In turn this ensures your child with learning difficulties will be calm and healthy.

When doing activities you can get 1:1 sessions or Autism/learning difficulties specific events. On top of this often team sports can be useful for high functioning Autism whilst one to one is often suited to low functioning, but it depends on your child, you know them best. The point is to keep them stimulated and busy as well as to give them opportunities like everyone else does[3].

Jacob does swimming where he has 1 to 1 time with a swim teacher who is willing to push him, He needs this, as even though I love him to bits, he can be lazy sometimes. Moreover, he does horse riding, it helps him with his balance and gets him used to animals. Furthermore, we do activities as a family such trampolining , ice skating, roller blading, climbing , going to water slides etc. This builds character and encourages kids with learning difficulties to be confident. I find that when Jacob has had a productive day, his personality comes out, he can be cheeky, loving and full of charisma. What is also important is the fact a parent or sibling can bond with their child with learning difficulties, (possibly through Intensive interaction , which I’ll save for another day) when they do their activities. One day when he is old enough I want to take him to a club because of his love for music and dance.

This is a starter list of activities you could do with your person with SpLD: Underneath I have put links to certain activities that might help you explore.

Horse riding RDA
Slides (water and park)
Swimming (ask your local leisure centre if can get 1 on 1 and if they have own section of swimming pool as well as having someone one who pushes your child)
Getting them to play any instrument
Dj-ing
Trampolining
Go karting
Reading books (ones make sounds and loads of pictures, their favourite book)
Cooking/baking
Climbing
Skiing/snowboarding, tobogganing
Cinema
Bowling
Dancing and singing together with your kid with learning difficulties (their auditory works like everyone else’s and compensates for cognitive progresses).
Concerts
Musicals/opera/Ballet
Ice skating
Surfing
Transport journeys
Roller-skating
Animal therapy
Yoga
Massages (Tui na or any massages)
Ice skating

(You can inquire if places do special autism/ Learning difficulties times for activities, anything can be made into an activity eg Daily normalities: Jacob likes ironing or using the hoover, the hair dryer and getting a hair cut, even if it is for a short period it is still good for them).

Also, there are schemes that encourage people with learning difficulties to go out. Jacob can get activities paid for him provided receipts are shown that he did them. I would personally look into this if you have a child/ grown up like my brother.

A few links to activities:

Go Karting

Here is a link to an article talking about promoting go karting to children with Autism as well as a link to the Karting Centre discussed in the article. Other places may be suitable, a bit of searching might be needed or contact your local karting centre.

https://www.teamkarting.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR0Bxnk8yeXp7fDV_93-B9sbz1PeUonUviGhvRQyHiIvtE5upTysXa9TosM

Article on go karting

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/50084172?fbclid=IwAR02O4XENqBPS-M-P0jGejBGMD_Q3DIF45OXoyfM_8Jq1v9mjTpt3XRVb2I

Musicals

Here is a link to certain musicals that can be watched. You can go to Autism friendly performances or look into going to one that everyone goes to. I find sitting at the back is good so if your child with learning difficulties needs a break you can quickly take them out.

https://www.madeformums.com/school-and-family/first-autism-friendly-show-to-hit-the-west-end/

possible musicals and some cinemas via NAS

https://www.autism.org.uk/about/family-life/holidays-trips/performances.aspx

Cinema Autism Friendly

Here is a link to the Cinemas that are Autism friendly or you could wait for a screening of a particular film to not be busy and take your person with learning difficulties to it.