Autism and Summer Activities

Get a jump start on summer and start planning fun and educational activities for your child with autism.

Summer is rapidly approaching and families of children with autism are trying to figure out what to plan for the summer. Some families choose to have an unstructured summer but since so many children on the autism spectrum thrive on structure, more families are choosing a summertime activity.

For some children, their summer will be spent in an extended school year (ESY) program. The ESY program is tailored towards children who will likely regress over the summer break. It is usually several weeks long and provides a classroom environment to help prevent this loss of skills. Many children do not qualify for ESY services but those that do often benefit tremendously from the program.

Summer camps are a tradition for all children, including children with autism. There are many camps located across the United States that cater to children with a variety of developmental disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum. To find a camp near you, read my Autism Summer Camps article.

Another great place to find summer time activities is through your city or county’s parks and recreation department. Parents everywhere are looking for fun classes and these will provide your child the opportunity to learn alongside their typically developing peers. Many parks and recreation departments are familiar with the unique challenges of children on the autism spectrum so be sure to mention this when you register your child.

Summers can be difficult in my house so I’ve already begun my search for fun activities for both of my children to help ease the transition out of school and into summer.