Autism Friendly Leisure Activities

Agreed :) 

There's a lake near where I live and I love to go there when it's quiet.

If you take a picnic as well it's really nice.

Good!

I have chosen calm. It is slightly less bright. 

Did you know you can change the settings on this website?

At the top of the NAS website homepage there is a brightness setting and you can make the screen darker. Also if you open the menu on the NAS homepage you can choose ‘Accessibility Options’.

Not sure. It is like this one, everything bright white. 

I try to be positive in my posts/replies as much as possible but do have to warn of two popular cultural venues, adjacent to each other, which are auti nightmares: the Imperial War Museum North, and The Lowry Gallery and Theatre, both in Salford Quays. The floors slope unpredictably, the colour schemes are excessively stimulating with odd lighting, the ceilings either oppress or disorienrate, and the walking routes all very confusing. Both were deliberately designed with these features but despite being really important and of national importance I just cant cope with them. 

This works for me too, we have an abandoned canal walking distance from my home and it is calm, beautiful especially as it turns through the seasons, the sights and sounds really spot on for my unusual sensory perception and it’s rarely busy, usually just the odd fisher person and dog walkers. 

Pookywombat said:

Thanks. I joined their facebook page for the NAS art. They have suspended their service for a couple of months.  Also the bright white on this website is triggering. 

That’s a shame, hopefully the service will start up again soon.

Can you change the brightness setting on the website?

Thanks. I joined their facebook page for the NAS art. They have suspended their service for a couple of months.  Also the bright white on this website is triggering. 

Ditto! Water is very calming.

Pookywombat said:

Some activities like games have to be shared and like with arcades I’d love to go in if they were quiet and not full of flashing lights. 

I completely understand, I don’t like arcades either for the very same reason. If only they were autistic friendly. I like the idea of going to museums too, but they would also be too busy for me to attend without any stress. I like the idea of going to museums as I love learning. You say you like learning new things, what about online courses? Future Learn is a great website with a range of courses in lots of different subjects.

You say you like art, did you know that NAS run an online arts branch for autistic adults? This might interest you:

https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/branches/nas-arts-and-crafts

I really like art and creative things but so many of these places get overcrowded like art galleries and technical museums. Places where I can learn new things or look at creative ideas. I like sculptures as well. I do not like shopping centres, pubs/bars or anywhere where lots of people are talking and laughing loudly. 

Some activities like games have to be shared and like with arcades I’d love to go in if they were quiet and not full of flashing lights. 

I’ll probably spend a lot of time at home this winter as everybody wants indoors activities and the build up to Christmas is very horrible. 

Pookywombat said:

I’m now looking for indoors stuff for winter 

What are your dedicated interests? What kind of things are you looking for?

Me too. I’m now looking for indoors stuff for winter 

Thing is that I leave London a few times a year and everything is more rural with people driving more. 

I love water, lakes, rivers seas. I like quiet spaces.

Hello, 

I was a volunteer at at NT property and we asked people to leave large bags in a safe place while walking around due to the risk of damage. I do like to visit London a lot and there are many venues which offer quiet opening hours for neuro diverse visitors so there are opportunities. Please do look up quiet opening hours. 

Do you like being besides the water at all? I recently went on a nice walk along a towpath next to a canal and it was really peaceful. To be fair, I liked the quietness of it and it wasn’t the most sociable (which is what I was looking for) so this might not be for you. I also enjoy walking around a lake that is nearby for the same reasons. There is of course the option of speaking to boaters and passers by if you wish, as everyone seems friendly enough, but that part isn’t really for me!

The reason I ask about bodies of water is that I always find that there is something different to see in terms of plant and animal life in these sorts of places. It’s a nice place to think too.

Just an idea anyway.

In my experience the National Trust properties are usually staffed by elderly volunteers and they can be a strange bunch.

Ultimately why you choose to carry your possessions around with you isn't any of their business and I don't think you should feel under any pressure to explain. 

I can only assume they're being ultra cautious about security or potential damage. You can always offer to let them search the bag if they are worried about security.

They should appreciate that tourist attractions tend to attract tourists, who often have large bags and even suitcases in tow. I've visited museums and art galleries with a suitcase and always been able to stow it somewhere. It's not really specifically an autism related issue.

It'll be interesting what response you get to your email. I'm really surprised they don't already have somewhere to store bags.

Ideally I would like them to be a bit more understanding of why I carry a rucksack and or provide lockers or a cloak room if they do not like this. I have sent them an email to this effect now.