GAMES FOR AUTISM

By Iim Imandala, S.Pd.*

Children with autism have communication and social skill problem. Some of them can’t talk and difficulties to express themselves trough speak. They express what desire with tantrum or crying without say something. It make terrible for parents and the others to know what they want to.

In social skill, children with autism, withdrawn and so hard to make interaction with peers or the other people. These problem affect to language and independent development.

We can’t insist autism child to speak or to make social interaction, but we just give them chance to communicate or to socialized. The chance come from play game.

Trough playing game ensure space for every children to improve many skills, include autism children. Gameloft and Nordenhof (2007:7) found playing is so vital in children’s social development, we were surprised that playing can improve social, communication, academic, and another skill children with autism. They will meet various stimulation when they playing game in groups.

We describe here some example game which improve social and communication skill children with autism.

1. Putting In

Materials : basket and bricks

Players : two players

The first child put a brick into basket then push the basket to second child. The second child put a new brick into the basket and push the basket to the first child, and so on. Game is over when all the bricks put in to the basket.

To be continued…