The opportunity for social interactions with others is very important for the development of all children. Through social interactions, children begin to establish a sense of “self” and to learn what others expect of them. Although social interactions for very young children primarily occur within the family, as children grow and develop, they become more and more interested in playing and interacting with other children. When interacting with others, children learn appropriate social behaviors, such as sharing, cooperating, and respecting the property of others. In addition, while interacting with their peers, young children learn communication, cognitive, and motor skills.

For most people interacting with others, making friends and developing relationships all happen effortlessly. However, children with autism often lack the necessary social skills that are needed to foster such relationships. They truly do not understand what they are supposed to do or say and they are hurt when their attempts at being part of a group are not accepted.

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Providing social opportunities for your child on the autism spectrum will allow him/her to practice essential skills in a natural environment. It may be best to start with smaller groups and then when your child is ready, the size of the group and the duration of the activity can increase. When choosing activities for your child there a few things to keep in mind.

About Your Child:

• How much interaction can your child handle before it becomes too overwhelming?
• Does your child do better with just a few other children or does he/she prefer larger groups?
• What activities does your child enjoy?
• If possible, avoid activities during times of the day that your child seems to have a hard time (i.e. if he/she needs time to decompress after school, do not schedule an activity until later in the evening).
• Consider the characteristics of your child such as activity level, maturity, level of focus, and special needs.

About The Activity:

• If you are in a club type program, who is running the activity and what is their experience in working with individuals on the autism spectrum?
• Is the activity/program able to meet your child’s individual needs?
• What is the adult to child ratio?
• What is the cost?
• How often and how long do they meet?

Opportunities:

• Your child can join a club where participants will have the same interests as your child (i.e. chess, math, science, etc.)
• Invite a friend over to play for a play date.
• Join age appropriate social clubs for special needs children.
• Attend day or overnight camps.¹

1Stanislaus County Office of Education
(Resource and Referral Handout) “Importance of Social Interactions” (n.d.) http://www.stancoe.org/cfs/handouts/SpecialNds/pdf/ImportanceofSocialInteractions.pdf (15 January 2009)