Educating in creativity is training people with future vision, initiative, confidence, ready to face any obstacle in daily life. As is well known, children are natural innovators with powerful imaginations. And creativity offers a host of intellectual, emotional, and even health benefits.

One study found that children's imagination helped them cope better with pain. Creativity also helps children become more confident, develop social skills, and learn better. But what happens in these children when areas as important for creativity as symbolic play, theory of mind or language are so affected? Below we share some recommendations to enhance the creativity of children who suffer from autism.

Socio-motor games

For this type of activities you will not need any accessories. They consist of encouraging anticipation and repetition with games such as "Tag" or "Duck, Duck, Goose!" They can be modified to simple games such as spinning, bunny hopping, etc.

Imitation games

They can be movements such as clapping, strong footsteps, vocal sounds, objects, etc. Imitation games can be a great way to include yourself in your child's interests.

Functional games

Kitchen spatulas, toy tools, miniature food, doll clothes, cars, trains are functional play with objects. Depending on the level of autism, your child will use few materials. My advice is that it can be helpful to make game scripts that represent a particular story. Language in this type of game is very important. You have to adapt it and speak in a simple way. Keep in mind that you can add keywords or vocabulary to help language development.

Cause and effect game

An example of this would be toys where pressing a button produces a sound or appears a light. You can also use games where you have to put pieces together. This type of game allows us to work on frustration levels.

Visuospatial games

Puzzle games and Legos are some of the types of games that fall into this category. You will need to show your child where the pieces fit together. Advice: Always reinforce them. It doesn't matter if they don't do it well or badly. The important thing is that they try. Say, “Okay,” “Okay, let's try again.”

Sensory and creative games for children with autism

These games are made with materials that cause pleasant sessions (sand, plasticine, watercolors, finger paints, papers with different textures, etc.). These types of games are very popular among children with autism, they love them.

Storytelling

To plan the activity, you need to know if your child likes books, their comprehension skills, their interests, and the type of pictures that make sense to them.

• Books made of different materials: cardboard, fabric, etc. If your child likes to chew or tear pages, it is best to look for a sturdy book.
• Books with lots of pictures are very appropriate for pointing out or naming pictures. Store catalogs (toy, food, or other) can be used for this purpose.
• Interactive books , in which your child's action has an immediate effect, increasing your child's interest.
• Predictable books , with repetitive words and phrases that encourage interaction and have rhythm and rhymes.
• Books with simple stories , appropriate if your child has a high comprehension ability. These are books that specifically define the beginning, middle, and end, and deal with topics that are familiar to your child.
• Personalized books , with photos of the child.

Arts and crafts

Craft activities are an excellent option. It is not necessary to use very expensive materials, you can use recycled materials, newspapers, toilet paper rolls, plastic jars, straws, chopsticks, magazines, cardboard boxes, etc.

• Choose activities that are appropriate for your child's level and make sure you are using non-toxic materials.
• Place all materials on the table or floor where you will be working. Allow your child to touch and explore them.
• Explain the steps for the activity. They can use a drawn step guide that will always be in front of them so they can point out each task.
• Model each step by modeling how to do it.
• Offer verbal help constantly, adapting the language to your child. Always clearly and never in a negative tone.
• Help your child with steps that may not be appropriate for him. For example, cutting with scissors or using glue.

For painting activities , make sure your child does not eat the paint. Use crayons, markers, pencils, watercolors, tempera paints, etc. You can use any type of paper. You can also paint on the floor, table or wall.

Play Dough Activities: You can use your hands or plastic hammers, make shapes with your hands and then play with them.

• Crumple the newspaper and create shapes.
• Make necklaces with painted macaroni.
• Make a train out of cardboard boxes tied together with string and play with it.
• Create potato stamps and use them on paper. They really like this type of activity and they have fun. Try it!
• Tint the water with crepe paper and make colorful bubbles by blowing the water with a straw.
• Plant the lentils in a yogurt cup with cotton and water.
• Make rattles from empty jars or small water bottles.
• Make colorful cups with cardboard and colored transparent paper and play to see the world of many colors.

As we have seen, there are numerous options to enhance the creativity of children with ASD, which in turn allow them to enjoy a pleasant time with the family.