Activities and Tips to Build Motor Skills in Autistic Kids

Motor skills impairment is often the first few identifying symptoms in kids with autism. It is due to neurological problems and difficulty in sensory processing. Kids with autism often lag behind in both gross and fine motor skills.

In this post, we are going to discuss some tips and activities to build motor skills in autistic kids:

Tips to Build Motor Skills in Autistic Kids

Here are some tips that can help your build motors skills in autistic kids:

Create a distraction-free learning space. When getting them to practice any skills, place them in front of a blank wall.
Keep noise levels to a minimum. You can even practice with them using headphones to cancel out the noise.
Make him comfortable. You don’t want your child distracted during the learning process. To help him concentrate, make him comfortable. Let him choose the sofa or the chair, whichever one is most comfortable in. Choose comfortable attire. You want him to be relaxed.
Keep practicing. Autistic Kids are easily distracted. This can de-motivate you initially, but just keep going. Remember the end goal.
Limit practice time to less than 15 minutes. Autistic kids are very easily distracted. Pushing them to sit still for more than 15 minutes might put them off the activity. You know your child better than anyone. If you feel he is losing interest, put away the activity for a later time.
Encourage. Even if your kid is doing it all wrong, encourage him until he gets there.
Don’t jump in. Tie your hands if you have to. Use your voice and your gestures to guide him. Initially, you might even have to hold his hand while practicing motor skill activities for autistic kids. But when it’s time for them to practice on their own, let them. You can help by doing the same activity separately.
Have Fun! The best way to learn anything is to make it fun! If it isn’t fun for your kid, try another activity.

9 Activities to Build Fine Motor Skills in Autistic Kids

We have compiled a list of activities to build motor skills in autistic kids that you can try out. You might have to simplify some activities, depending on the current skill level of your child.

Spaghetti Bead Towers Fine Motor Activity

This spaghetti bead tower activity will focus on your child’s fine motor skills. I think we usually have all these things at home. You can simplify this activity by choosing bigger beads with big holes. You might also want to replace the spaghetti with wooden skewers. They don’t break so easily and will help improve concentration.

Craft Foam Sewing Cards

Sewing Cards are also a great way to build fine motor skills. If you are uncomfortable giving your child a regular needle, you can try this activity with a blunt needle. Similarly, you can cut out bigger sewing cards.

Cracker Toss Game

Remember how we said have fun. This Cracker Toss Game is a fun game you can play with the entire family. Again you can modify this activity by choosing bigger cups.

Sensory Table

You can also create a sensory table, just for the purpose of working on fine motor skills. Place the table near a blank wall. Leave it there. Your child can practice whenever he wants to. Atlanta’s frugal mom has some ideas for what you can place on your sensory table. Most of these you will probably already have in your home right now.

Printable Clothespin Activity

This printable clothespin activity will help your child with more than just his motor skills. It will help build visual focus and is also a great learning activity.

Preschool Playdough Mats

You can never go wrong with playdough. You can try out motor skills on these preschool playdough mats or just give the playdough as an unstructured motor skill development activity for autistic kids.

Busy Bee Worksheets

These Busy Bee Worksheets will help build your child’s scissor skills. Again you can modify this activity by replacing the scissors with a pencil. Get your child to trace on the dotted lines. Later, you can get your child these blunt scissors to be safe.

Fruit Loop Activities

Fruit loops are versatile when you want to build motor skills in autistic kids, or just having some fun. These fruit loop activities can help your child with learning letters and shapes also. The good part is that you can use any cereals getting stale in the back of your pantry. For modification, you can use a bigger paper to write your kid’s name on.

Colorful Birds Color Matching Activity

This Colorful birds color matching activity will require a little more of prepping time, but it can also alternate as a learning activity.

9 Activities to Build Gross Motor Skills in Autistic Kids

These simple activities can help build gross motor skills in autistics kids:

Freeze Dance
Climbing
Catching Ball
Trampoline Jumping
Enacting Nursery Rhymes
Kicking Ball
Catching Bubble
Crawling through obstacles
Animal Movements (crawl, hop, roll, etc)

I hope that these motor skills activities for kids with autism are helpful. I would love to hear how you build motor skills in autistic kids. Please join us in our FREE Facebook community to share.

As always, if you have concerns about your child’s development and would like to set up a free consultation to discuss your concerns, please reach out! I would love to help you determine your child’s individual needs. We are here to support you as you help your child blossom!

If you enjoyed reading these Activities and Tips to Build Motor Skills in Autistic Kids, you might also enjoy reading:

Sensory Hacks for Fidgety Kids

Gross Motor Delays: When Should I Be Concerned?