Last Updated on April 13, 2023 by Mike Robinson

In this article we present  9 activities for children with asperger to work skills and advantageous skills for general life.

Because people with asperger have a hard time relating to the environment and the people around them, it is necessary to carry out activities that help them and provide clues as to how they have to act in different situations.

Activities to become familiar with emotions

With this activity and the next, it is intended to familiarize the child with the basic emotions as well as with their concept. On the other hand, we also want to establish associations between the facial features of the face and these. Finally, it is intended that the child know how to identify the emotional emotions.

1. What emotion is it?

Procedure: We will stand in front of the child and we will show him different pictograms that show basic emotions such as joy and sadness, among others. Each time we present one of them, we will tell them the emotion that corresponds to the child to identify the concept in the image.

It is important that we describe the emotion and some of its facial features. As the session progresses, we will try to be the one who gives us the pictogram when we name an emotion.

Materials : Pictograms or images about people who are showing in some way basic emotions such as: joy, fear, sadness …

2. We play with Mister Potato

Procedure: We will create a Potato from newspaper and glue mixed with water, and then paint it as we want. This will be complemented with different facial features associated with different emotions that will be composed of eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth. To make it much easier to work with this doll, we will Velcro both the doll and plastic facial features.

In this way, at first we will be the ones showing the emotions to the child with the different parts of the face. Afterwards, we will name him an emotion and he will play with the cards. For example, if we want a happy face, we will put some eyebrows, eyes and mouth that correspond to that emotion.

Materials:  we can use the pictograms that we used in the previous activity to carry out this activity, although it is advisable that we do them so that they can be glued and interchanged with Velcro.

On the other hand, to create the doll the ideal is to use: balloon, glue, water, brush, brown paint, newspaper, cardboard, glue and velcro.

Activities to identify basic emotions

With activities 3 and 4 that we present below, the child can identify the basic emotions through facial features. On the other hand, it will also be possible to associate emotions and describe situations in which these emotional skills are produced.

3. We play the three in a row

Procedure: We will make a game similar to the original three in line, but in this case based on emotions. This activity can be done not only with the child with asperger but also with the class in general. For this, the child will have to know what is the feeling that corresponds and relate it to their peers.

In the first place, we will make him name the emotions that appear on the cards and then we will begin to play respecting the rules of the game. Different shifts can be established to relate to other children.

Material: Three in a row and cards in which the different emotions that you want to work appear.

4. How do I feel?

Procedure:  to make this game we will start from Who is who? and we will make cards with faces that show different emotions. First, we will discuss some circumstances or characteristics of emotions, such as when you are happy, angry, sad, etc.

Afterwards, the child can play in pairs with some classmates. It is important to explain that you have to remember what emotion you have and that you can not tell your partner about it. Iran will establish intervention shifts between them until they can find out.

Material: Emotion pictograms.

5. Twister of emotions

Procedure:  this activity is designed for the child to do with four or five other partners. It is based on the original game, only that in our case it will not be colors but emotions accompanied by two dice. In one, the hands or legs will be represented and in another, the emotions.

At first we will play only with the different emotions as if it were the original game. That is to say, we will be throwing the different dice and it will appear depending on what goes on the dice while we play.

Once we have finished, we will give the child different songs that make him feel different feelings, so that he can not only recognize them but also internalize them. Next, you will have to verbalize what the songs have made you feel.

To continue playing, we will remove the die of emotions and leave only the body parts. In this way, we will put the child a song that they have heard before and will throw the dice having to place hand or leg in the feeling that the song produces.

Materials: Twister of emotions. In the case that we do not have this game we can create it with cards and drawings.

Activities to express emotions

With the following two activities, it is tried to develop in the student the ability to express their basic emotions. On the other hand, it is also intended to offer the possibility of being able to make known their basic emotions.

6. We created a book of emotions

Procedure:  to carry out this session, the student will create a personalized book, using cards that he will decorate to his liking. On the cover of the book may appear written his name and a title that reflects what will contain inside.

This book aims to collect the emotions felt by the child in his daily life. Therefore, to ensure that this objective is met, specific questions will be formulated on a sheet of paper that will later be given to the child.

To make this activity more effective, the child must accompany their answers with a picture of the emotions that they have been feeling.

Materials: cardboards, colored pencils, scissors and glue.

Activities to control emotions

With these activities, children will be able to control the basic emotions at every moment. They will also be taught how to differentiate the emotions they feel at each moment and control their behavior.

7. We build a traffic light

Procedure: will  be manufactured with cardboards. Three circles will be placed on a black card, one red, one yellow and one green. There will also be a black cross, which will carry a velcro from behind, as will each of the circles, to be able to stick to them, depending on how the child is at that moment.

This traffic light will help us to know how the student is at each moment. Along with the creation of this one, a guide will also be made that explains the meaning of each color. The color red indicates stop, for when you can not control emotions such as anger or anger.

Subsequently, the color that goes is the yellow, here what we want is to make the child aware that it is time to think and reflect on the problem we have and for which we have stopped (red color).

Once we have stopped (red color) and we have thought about the problem (yellow color) we arrive at the green color. This color has been assigned to the search for a solution to the problem presented by the child. Therefore, when you are at this point, you will try to reflect on the best solution that can be given to you.

Materials: Colored cards, colored pencils, glue, scissors and velcro.

8. Classify behaviors

Procedure: In the second activity, a board with different actions will be created. Of these actions the child will have to catalog those that he believes are good actions and those that he believes are not suitable.

These will be related to things that may happen inside the school, from the classroom with their classmates, to things that may happen in the playground at recess time. For example: I share things with my classmates, I do not obey the teacher’s instructions, etc.

Materials: Colored cards, colored pencils, glue and scissors.

Activity to identify emotions in animated characters

With this activity it is intended that the child knows how to identify the emotions of each of the characters that appear in the story as well as in any story or film. On the other hand, it is also intended to motivate the child empathy by asking questions to be put in the situation of each of them.

9. We read a story

Procedure: In this session in the class we will proceed to read a story. The particularity of this story is based on the fact that all the characters throughout the development of the story have different emotions. The idea is that the child understands and recognizes the emotions of others from this point of view.

Once the story is seen, they will be given a series of questions related to the emotions of the characters. With the answer to these questions, the student will have to think and put himself in the place of those people.

Since the child already knows how to work with the traffic light, he will practice this technique with the characters of the story, identifying each one with the color that he believes resembles and his emotion.

Material : semaphore and story.

Conclusions

Working with people who have autism or asperger can become complicated if you do not take into account the characteristics that make it up.

Therefore, it is advisable that in addition to learning about this disorder, also be aware of the particularities that may present the child in question.

If we pay attention to this, working with him will be very easy if you have patience and if you are constant. At first its evolution will be slow or even we will not see any progress, however it is important that we do not give up, because when we least expect it we can get surprised.