The Many Benefits of Organized Sports for Children with Autism

Many families turn to group sports as an outlet for their children to burn off excess energy, learn new skills, and make new friends. Sports like basketball, soccer, baseball, tennis, gymnastics, and many, many more offer a plethora of benefits for neurotypical and neurodivergent children alike. 

Physical Activity

The benefits of regular physical activity are well-researched and wide-reaching. All areas of childhood development can be impacted by exercise, including physical fitness, motor skills, attention issues, emotional regulation, social skills, anxiety, and more. Because children with autism are more likely to be obese or have low muscle tone, these benefits are particularly impactful and are documented to increase the quality of life for children with autism.

How exactly does physical exercise influence all these different areas? Scientists believe it has something to do with the fact that moving ones body activates neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, or endorphins. These have a reputation for lifting ones mood and improving overall well-being. Other neurotransmitters are responsible for functions such as attention, learning, and memory.

Social Experience

On top of the undeniable advantages of physical activity on an individual with autism, organized sports have the added benefit of offering social learning as well as being a natural arena for practicing the skills worked in ABA or other behavior therapy.

Team sports foster a sense of belonging, collaboration, and good sportsmanship. These are areas where all children can learn and grow. The spectrum of team sports is broad. So if your child may not flourish in a sport where communication and collaboration is key, consider team sports like bowling or swimming where they do their own thing, but still contribute to the team as a whole.

Many parents find that in addition to forging new friendships with other children, they themselves are able to bond with their child through the experience of sports. So don’t forget to get out there and fill your role: your child’s biggest fan! 

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