Approximately 3.5 million Americans have autism spectrum disorder — and a good portion of them are children. More specifically, doctors diagnose 1 in 68 children with autism — most being boys. The disorder, however, can be especially troubling and disturbing for these children who are not only trying to learn their first words, navigate their first social interactions, and learn to read and write — but also trying to do it all with autism. This raises a lot of questions. What are the best ways for autistic children to learn? What are the best activities for autistic children at home?

Five Year Old Autistic Child Iris Grace Wows World With Her Beautiful Paintings
What is autism? Children with autism have a bio-neurological disorder and symptoms typically manifest young in life, before boys and girls turn three. It is not, however, a sentence of life-long dependence on another person as previously thought. Today, researchers are uncovering more and more ways to help treat the symptoms of autism and help autistic children flourish and grow as much as possible.

Sensory activities and regular exercise, for example, can work wonders. And it has for one little girl in the U.K. named Iris Grace. Iris paints amazing abstract paintings with wonderfully vivid colors, and she is able to concentrate on the activity for two hours at a time, according to the girl’s parents. Thanks to social media and the internet, people all over the world have taken notice of Iris’ incredible talent — and one of her paintings starts at 38 pounds (that’s 61 U.S. dollars!).

What Could Possibly Be Cooler Than a Sensory Ball Pit?
Painting is an excellent sensory activity, but it is not the only one out there. Sensory ball pits are just downright cool, but they also engage several senses at once — sight and touch — while also encouraging physical activity. Parents can even purchase or make their own, which eliminates worries about germs and things from a public ball pit.

Autistic children can flourish, grow, and impress in the right environment. Encourage as many different sensory activities for autistic children at home as possible, whether that entails painting colorful masterpieces or jumping around in a ball pit.