Teamwork Skill Games for Kids With Autism
Teambuilding Games That Teach Sharing, Taking Turns, Cooperation
Oct 6, 2009
Teamwork skills are important in any aspect of life. Whether at home, in school, or at the job, being able to work with others, share, take turns, and cooperate effectively will determine an individual’s success in life. Children with autism find these social skills particularly difficult. Autistic people both young and old are more comfortable working and playing alone, tending to disregard others’ opinions and ideas.
However, working as a team is an important ability. It will help a person make lasting friendships. Projects done as a team usually are more thorough, and ultimately turn out better. Teambuilding is something that can be taught to children with autism, but it will take patience, practice, and time. Using these great teamwork skill games below, parents and teachers can help impart the importance of sharing, turn taking, and cooperation.
Teambuilding Game That Teaches Turn Taking
Jenga by Hasbro will appeal to children with autism, who typically like to play with building blocks of all types. Jenga is a block building game, but requires all players to take turns adding a block to the Jenga tower until it eventually collapses. Once all the blocks have been used, players then have to pull blocks from the lower layers of the tower and add them back to the top without knocking it over.
This game will appeal to kids with autism because it is a block building challenge, but it will also teach that a project can be accomplished with teamwork. This teamwork skill game can also be simulated using Legos, Zoobs, or any other types of building blocks at home, at school, or in a special needs classroom.
Teamwork Games to Improve Sharing Skills
Although most board games will teach kids with autism how to take turns and share, there are a couple of great games that will be particularly effective in improving sharing skills. These games can be played in the classroom or at home with a group of friends.
The Rainbow Fish Board Game by Ravensburger is based on the popular book written by Marcus Pfister. In the story, Rainbow Fish is reluctant to share his beautifully shiny scales with his other fish companions, but only when he learns to put his pride aside does he make some truly meaningful friendships. The board game will reinforce these themes and help an autistic child who does not inherently see the benefits of sharing.
The Fun Park Sharing Game by Noodleboro (Playskool) is another great teambuilding game that emphasizes the importance of sharing. With sharing stars awarded for kids who share their carnival prizes with one another, and a book and CD full of songs that encourage sharing, this game will be a good one to help teach sharing to kids with autism.
Playing a Cooperation Game
The Secret Door by Family Pastimes is one of the best cooperative games available, especially for kids with autism. It encourages players to work together to solve a mystery. Participants of the teambuilding game need to use teamwork to gather clues and find out which of three treasures is behind the secret door before the thieves do. The game is also timed and enhances memory.
Teaching children to share can be a challenge, but for those with autism it can be even more difficult. Using some great teamwork skill games may help demonstrate to autistic kids the benefits of taking turns, sharing, and cooperation. Learning about these important teambuilding skills can only improve an autistic children’s social development, spark friendships, and increase their chances of success.
Children too young for the games in this article? Try some toddler activities that teach sharing. Readers may also enjoy learning about the best educational math games for kids.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
