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Playing is not only fun for children, but also can support their growth and development. Experts believe that the right game can help children with special needs to develop their abilities to the maximum. However, choosing games for children with autism or special needs can be said to be tricky. This of course will be a challenge for parents.
Even so, you don't worry. Find out the various games for children with autism and special needs in this article.
Game options for children with autism
When choosing toys for children with autism, adjust them according to their developmental abilities rather than their age. For example, if a child experiences delays in speaking or other social skills, then look for toys that can encourage their development in that regard.
This is done to encourage children to explore and reduce the risk of frustration or tantrums while playing. This is because children with autism spectrum disorders have difficulty focusing, understanding abstract concepts, and learning like other children.
The following are some choices of games for children with autism that you can offer your little one.
- Puzzle. Playing puzzles is an easy and fun way to train children's cognitive functions. Not only that, this game can also help your child's brain to think harder in solving a problem and not give up easily.
- Stacking blocks. This is a basic game that is widely known to stimulate children's growth, especially creativity, the ability to think coherently, and social flexibility.
- Drawing and coloring. Both of these games are powerful ways to introduce color differences to children and train their fine motor skills. Not only that, through drawing they can express a variety of imaginations, creativity, and even the mood of their hearts.
- Picture card (flash card). This game has the benefit of stimulating children's memory to recognize numbers, letters, animals, flowers, body parts or other things.
- Toy wax / plasticine. This game includes educational toys that help children's motoric movements to develop properly and stimulate children's imagination and creativity. Various and attractive color choices make many children love this game.
- Lego. Playing lego will teach children to be creative to build a building and shape. Not only that, lego also helps train coordination between eyes and hands and improves children's concentration.
- Soft doll or pillow. Children with autism may struggle to calm down when they feel uncomfortable. Therefore, a soft doll with very soft fur can accompany and help control your little one's emotions during tantrums. The reason is, children with autism usually have a very sensitive sense of touch. Dolls or pillows with interesting shapes such as dinosaurs, elephants, or bears can also train children to imagine.
Which must be considered before buying children's toys
Currently, many children's toy manufacturers market their goods with the jargon of higher education toys and the like. At first glance, this does sound promising. Especially as parents, of course they want to provide the best for their children.
However, you must be vigilant. The reason is, a 2005 report from the Kaiser Foundation found that many of the children's toy procedure claims are lies to make a profit on the market. Most of the toys that are offered actually use gadgets with technology that actually turn off children's creativity.
So, before you buy toys for children, you have to make sure that these toys are recommended toys for children with autism so that they are safe for them to play with.
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