Step by Step
“I’m looking for ways to encourage teens and pre-teens with autism to be more active,” wrote a person who provides respite care. “They would all rather just sit and watch television, and the word ‘exercise’ is not at all popular.”
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SOME IDEAS Sometimes we have to be a bit sneaky to impact the health and fitness of less active individuals with autism. One thing to remember is that every step counts when considering health and fitness. Here are a few ideas that might encourage folks to take more steps.
PEDOMETER. You can purchase each youngster a pedometer for just a few dollars. Log their steps every hour or so. Encourage more walking with awards. You can give a star or a high-five or a cracker for every 100 steps. You can even have a contest every week or every day to see who can log the most steps in an hour.
STEALTH PARKING. Remember to park as far away from your destination as possible in order to add steps. Remember: More steps = More fitness.
ADVENTURE TREKS. Plan fieldtrips every day that involve walking. If your friends have explosive or disruptive behaviors, you might want to stick to outdoor treks. For example, you can go to the zoo, to the park, local hiking trails, walking tracks, or around the block. If it works well for your crew, you can also go to museums, malls, large stores, and other walking destinations.
HEALTHY ERRANDS. Take your friends along when you run errands. Park as far away from the bank and post office and pharmacy as possible. And, instead of driving, walk from store to store as often as possible. If there is a flight of stairs in a bank or store, walk up to the second floor, even if you don’t have a specific errand upstairs.
A LITTLE FOOD WITH YOUR EXERCISE? One trick that always works is combining the less desirable activity – exercise – with the most popular activity – eating! So, have your friends pack sack lunches or a picnic lunch for the group, then lead them on a trek to the most distant picnic table in the park to enjoy their lunch.
AROUND THE HOUSE. Don’t forget about opportunities to walk while at home. Send your friends out for the mail, have them walk your dog, mark a winding path in your back yard and encourage them to follow the path around three times. Log how many steps it took to get around the pathway. Remember that your goal is simply to encourage folks to take steps, and to add more steps every day. Even a little exercise can impact overall health, so add steps at every opportunity.
NOTE TO LISTENERS AND READERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. You can click on a button to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solutions. Check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. www.FAQautism.com
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