Fun Arts and Crafts Ideas for Kids with Autism

 A bored or restless kid is not a happy kid, and during the winter months, it's easy for kids to get bored being stuck in the house more than usual. If you're looking for a fun, educational activity to do with the kiddos this winter, visit: http://www.kinderart.com/painting/colorthesnow.shtml and try coloring some snow!

This activity is great for little ones on the spectrum because it encourages sensory exploration by allowing them to go outside and gather a bucket of snow and then color it with food coloring.

 Don't be afraid to let them get their hands in it and get a little messy. It will just wash off afterward. If they have a lot of tactile sensitivity and would prefer not to get their hands wet, try offering them a small shovel like one would use at the beach to scoop the snow into their bucket instead.

Another fun art activity that is inexpensive and readily available is finger painting. Both of these activities allow children to practice color recognition and the descrimination between primary and secondary colors.

Finger painting has the same benefits as the above activity for kids with autism because also works on sensory integration as well as motor development, which can be delayed and difficult for kids with neurological disorders.

Before beginning the activity, put down old newspaper so that the work area doesn't get messy, but if it does don't worry, most finger paints wash out.

Give each child a few sheets of paper to paint on and allow them to have fun exploring the feel of the paint on their fingers. If they don't want to get their hands dirty, it may help to have paper towels available so they can dip the paper towel in the paint and then put it on the paper. Rubber gloves also work well, just make sure they are latex free as latex may induce allergies.

You can also try kitchen sponges or craft sponges which come in many fun shapes. Anything with an interesting texture can probably enhance this activity, even cut up vegetables!

Have Fun!