Early Autism Intervention Activities for Toddlers

You have a close-up view of your little one’s development when you’re a hands-on mom. You can notice the small changes in their day-to-day behaviors. 

And if you keep a milestone checklist handy, you already know that your toddler may be developing differently than other children their age. Detecting early signs of developmental differences like autism in your little one is heart-wrenching. 

But you’re not the only parent whose child is autistic. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 100 worldwide has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thus, many families are navigating this same journey.

Early intervention strategies can, however, help you support your toddler’s development when they have autism.  

Here, we’ll discuss a few engaging activities that can help your toddler with autism strengthen sensory, emotional, and problem-solving skills—all while having fun. 

Sensory Play With Rice, Beans, or Water Beads

Toddlers with autism often have heightened sensitivities to certain textures. 

Sensory play can be incredibly beneficial since it allows them to explore different textures in a fun, safe way. 

A recent feature of HuffPost states that sensory bins provide a wealth of concentration and fine motor skills to children without costing parents too much. It’s no wonder that they are obsessed with them. 

A sensory bin with safe items like rice, beans, or water beads is a great way to introduce different textures. Add little toys, scoops, or even safe kitchen utensils, and let your toddler dig in. Let them touch, scoop, pour, and explore. 

This kind of play can help toddlers develop sensory tolerance. That is, they will be better able to handle touch in their everyday lives without becoming overwhelmed.

A tip: introduce one texture at a time. That will allow your toddler to play freely and feel each material.  

 Puzzles for Problem Solving

Solving puzzles is fun. But do you know that puzzles are amazing for autistic children? It can help them develop hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills. 

According to Autism Parenting Magazine, puzzles can also help build the attention span of autistic children as they have to focus on shapes, colors, and sizes. 

For your toddler, choose puzzles with big, chunky pieces that are easy for little hands to grip. Opt for simpler puzzles and gradually move to complex ones. 

Be sure to demonstrate to your child how to fit a piece into its spot before you hand the pieces to them for solving. Cheer them on when they succeed—it’s a confidence booster that will make them more likely to try again. 

Emotion Matching with Picture Cards

For many autistic toddlers, identifying and expressing emotions can be a challenge.

According to the Raising Children Network, children with autism might require support to identify, understand, and manage their emotions. 

Emotion cards with pictures of faces—real or cartoon—can come in handy in teaching your child about emotions. 

You can use cards with simple images showing different facial expressions, like happy, sad, angry, or surprised. This will help toddlers recognize feelings and associate them with their own experiences. That, eventually, will build the foundation for empathy and social understanding.

If your child has trouble recognizing them despite repeated practice, consider seeking guidance from a professional. 

A psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) would be of great help in this area. 

PMHNPs are trained to help children develop emotional and social skills. Hence, they can offer tailored strategies and activities that make it easier for your child to learn and grow in a supportive way. Plus, they can guide you on how to model healthy emotional responses.

Look for nurses with a psychiatric nurse practitioner (NP) program, such as MSN-PMHNP (Master of Science in Nursing–Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree). This degree, Cleveland State University notes, prepares nurses for advanced practice so that they are ready to treat those in need. 

Even nurses with psychiatric NP programs online, like the MSN-PMHNP degree, are also equipped with the skills to support children with specialized emotional health needs.

Reading Picture Books Together for Language Development

Reading together is a wonderful bonding activity. But it’s also a fantastic way to develop language. 

Toddlers with autism may benefit from books with simple words and colorful pictures. Such a book encourages toddlers to connect words with objects and actions, which will help build their vocabulary one page at a time.

Even if your child doesn’t speak yet, they may start recognizing the images and anticipating certain sounds or words. Use exaggerated expressions and tones to make it extra fun. 

You don’t need to follow the story word-for-word; instead, focus on naming objects or animals in the pictures. And point to each picture as you name it to build their vocabulary.

As you see, early autism support can be naturally woven into everyday play and routines. The key is making these activities fun and natural. 

Keep in mind that every child is unique, so don’t worry if certain activities don’t click right away. Follow their lead and let them explore at their own pace.