Use these autism activities to help increase communication, fine motor skills, sensory play skills, interaction and more with children with autism in your home or autism classroom.
Autism Activities for Non-Verbal Kids
All of the activities below can be used with non-verbal children on the autism spectrum. I’ve listed them specifically with children who are non-verbal, or not-yet-verbal, in mind, although they will be a joy to share with all children on the autism spectrum whether they are speaking or not.
Autism activities that build communication skills
1. Do activities from my Autism Workbooks.
2. Learn autism sign language.
3. Use a homemade Communication Binder with real photos to build language skills.
Interactive autism activities
4. Use these yoga videos for kids.
5. Play a hand game.
6. Engage your child with autism in these pretend play games.
7. Build your child’s communication skills using the printable activities in my Sensory Communication Workbook.
8. Go swimming.
9. Share a snack. (Try these 18 gluten free snacks for kids with autism.)
10. Read social stories.
11. Take care of an aquarium.
12. Garden together.
13. Play in your child’s progress nook.
14. Play at the park.
Autism activities that build fine motor skills
15. Build cutting skills with these cutting activities.
16. Trace lines in moon sand.
Sensory autism activities
18. Use an autism sensory box.
19. Play with Montessori trays.
20. Do some food stamping.
21. Play with these animal playdough mats.
22. Do these pasta crafts for kids.
23. Use these autism worksheets to build new skills.
Play dough stamping autism activities
One of my favorite sensory autism activities is play dough stamping. I love the 5 play dough stamping activities below.
24. Playdough stamping with legos from From ABCs to ACTs.
Legos are one of our favorite learning materials at my learning center. I love them and so do most of the kids that come here for sessions. Does your child love them too?
25. Playdough stamping with dried pasta from Arte e Scuola.
Dried pasta is a cheap and fun educational material. You can use it for playdough stamping. You can also use it for these Autism Friendly Bow Tie Pasta Crafts for Kids.
26. Playdough stamping stars with a whisk from Frugal Fun 4 Boys.
You probably have a whisk in your kitchen. What could be simpler than going to get it for these awesome autism activities? You could also use it to do a fun cooking activity with your child!
27. Playdough stamping dinosaur footprints from Frugal Fun 4 Boys.
Does your child love dinosaurs? We have all kinds of dinosaurs at my learning center. The kids love playing with them in a variety of ways – to work on new sounds, imitation skills and pretend play.
28. Leaf stamping with pumpkin pie playdough from Gluesticks Gumdrops.
Pumpkin pie playdough? I’m hooked! Anything that combines scent, texture and building all kinds of educational skills is a win in my book.
Autism Awareness Activities
29. Walk for autism as a family.
30. Wear blue for autism awareness in April.
More Autism Learning Resources
- The Successful Interaction with a Child with Autism Course – learn to better understand your autistic child or students with this complete course.
- Autism Activities Workbook Bundle – build communication skills, fine motor skills, sensory play skills and daily living skills, while helping your child or students to successfully manage any difficult behaviors, with these fun, educational, printable activities.
- Sensory Communication Workbook – Build communication skills with simple sensory activities.
- How to Make a Communication Binder Guide & Workbook – Learn how to create a Communication Binder for your child or student with autism using real photos. Follow my expert guide to learn how to use it to increase communication skills.
- Zoo Animals Play Dough Mats Bundle – use these printable play dough mat to work on the names of the animals, build language skills, and increase fine motor strength and precision in a fun, sensory way!
Autism Activities
I created this mega list of autism activities for you so that you can come back to them again and again. Whether you are using these activities in your home program or in your autism classroom, they will help build communication, fine motor, sensory and interaction skills with your children on the autism spectrum.
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Pin for later!
First published January 4, 2019. Last updated April 29, 2021 with more information, additional tips, and better readability.
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Love these, especially the Lego letters. We are always looking for new play dough activities (preferably ones that don’t require me to fashion the dough into the shapes of obscure animals–like the ant eater we just saw at the zoo)!
I’m so glad you like the ideas! We love playdough around here and are always looking for fun new ideas! Seeing an ant eater at the zoo? That sounds like a lot of fun!!! 🙂