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Alternative hobbies for autistic 10 year old boy

MumOfT

Hi, 

My 10 year old son was recently diagnosed (after a 5 year assessment process) with ASD. He is high functioning and attends a drawing club, music club and young film makers club all for one hour a week on various days.

The problem we have is every other hour of the day all he want to do is sit on his Switch, You Tube, Phone and play/watch all things Pokemon, Minecraft or Roblox. He needs forced into being peeled away from them to the point where me and my husband are concerned that he has a VERY unhealthy relationship with them.

We are having a tricky time with school at the moment and everything seems to result in anger followed by an autistic meltdown, leading into the occasional kicking and punching. Our worry is he is being influenced by what he is seeing on his computer games and youtube.

Other activities he enjoys is building Lego, doing puzzles, Rubix cubes, drawing Pokemon but never opts do do any of these activities and when he does, we get 10 minutes in and "he's bored"

I am looking for suggestions, advice, any help really on how to approach trying to wean him off his screen time to have a more healthy relationship with it?

Also while I am here...is there any sport or external hobby that is typically good (if that's even a thing) for children with autism? 

Thank you in advance for any advice given.

Parents

  • I notice you mention school is difficult at the moment so it may be that screen time is his way of unwinding.

    My son spent a lot of time gaming but as time has gone on he will choose to go for walks. He also enjoys playing football. The exercise helps him unwind.

    Regarding going to the clubs, are these things he still enjoys or does he find any of them a challenge? If they are things he wants to do, can you discuss with him before he starts the games the time he needs to come off then give a 5 minute warning or use a timer? It may help him if there is a plan so the end is not sudden when he is in the middle of something.

Reply

  • I notice you mention school is difficult at the moment so it may be that screen time is his way of unwinding.

    My son spent a lot of time gaming but as time has gone on he will choose to go for walks. He also enjoys playing football. The exercise helps him unwind.

    Regarding going to the clubs, are these things he still enjoys or does he find any of them a challenge? If they are things he wants to do, can you discuss with him before he starts the games the time he needs to come off then give a 5 minute warning or use a timer? It may help him if there is a plan so the end is not sudden when he is in the middle of something.

Children
  • in reply to Homebird

    He is very keen to attend the clubs and it is never an issue him getting ready but trying to bring those activities home with him and getting him to follow up with them in his spare time here is so difficult and he just wants to spend time on the screen. I mean we have a computer, a phone and a tv screen with you tube all going at the same time more often than not.