Finding Recreation Opportunities for Your Autistic Child

How can I decide if a camp or class will be a good fit for my child?

Start by thinking about your child’s interests, preferences and support needs.

What activities does your child already enjoy? If your child loves sports; computer games; arts and crafts; animals; or other specific interests, these can be great clues when looking for classes, clubs or social opportunities they may be excited to participate in.

At the same time, it can be helpful to think about activities they may not currently enjoy or may find stressful. For example, when my daughter was younger, she was very fearful around dogs and horses, so we avoided camps that involved a lot of interaction with animals. Starting with activities that feel comfortable and enjoyable can help build confidence and lead to more positive experiences.

Another thing to factor in is your child’s preferences when it comes to their environment. Do they do okay in large groups, or would smaller groups be better for them? How well do they tolerate noisy settings? Do they like being outdoors, or would they prefer indoor activities? Will they do better with a shorter or a longer day?  Do they enjoy having a variety of activities to choose from, or do they feel more comfortable with a predictable, structured schedule? Understanding these preferences can help you choose opportunities where your child is more likely to feel successful and engaged.

A key consideration will always be your child’s support needs, and whether and how those needs will be met by the camp or class you’re considering. In our list of Summer Camps and Year-Round Recreation for Individuals With Autism or Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities, we share information about the support needs served by various camps and organizations where this is available. You can also visit each organization’s website for more detailed information.

Some camps, classes or clubs will allow you to send someone with your child to help  with things such as  self-care, communication or behavior support. Regardless of what is listed in the program description or website, we always recommend contacting the organization to discuss your child’s specific needs and how they would be included and supported.

Where can I look for recreation and social opportunities?

Once again, the answers are as varied as the families and children we serve at our center. Here are some ideas and resources to help you out:

Ask around at your child’s school, at their therapy centers or clinics or anywhere else you frequent that serves autistic children. There may be regular or seasonal activities, clubs or classes that are either intended for kids on the spectrum, or “autism-friendly” and inclusive, offered locally. If you’re not already connected with other parents or caregivers to learn about these opportunities, you may want to check out our handout on Support Groups for Parents or Caregivers of a Child With Autism. You can sometimes find the best tips and advice from other families who are on this journey also.

Many city and county parks and recreation departments offer a variety of activities at relatively low cost. Depending on your child’s age, interests and support needs, you might want to explore camps and classes for children and youth designed for the general population, or check out their specialized programming that may be available for children and adults with disabilities.

We update our list of Summer Camps and Year-Round Recreation for Individuals With Autism or Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities every year, and try to include opportunities specifically geared to autistic children and adults of all levels of support need. Remember to check out the resources compiled by other great organizations in our state, like Summer Resources for Families from Informing Families and Camp Resources from The Arc Washington.

How can I make sure my child has a fun and successful time?

Good communication in advance with the camp organizers or class instructors is key. Especially if you’re enrolling your child in an activity that’s not designed specifically for autistic kids, make sure to assess the organization’s understanding of their needs, and their willingness and ability to provide the support required. Share tips about how to help your child through anything they might find challenging.

Keep in mind that this might be a learning process for everyone – your child, the staff, and even for you. Maybe not everything you try will work out the way you all hope, but you can learn and figure out what to do differently next time. My daughter who was afraid of horses – after a few false starts she finally went to a summer camp that included horseback riding. She never loved that part of it, but she loved the swimming and the boat rides, and that was enough to get her past her fear to experience a whole new world of activities and social experiences she never would have had otherwise.