What are good games for children with Asperger's Syndrome?

Question

The kid has a severe form of Asperger's and I need games to keep him entertained.

Answer 1

People with AS like to have their minds challenged. There are puzzle books out there that ask logic questions that need to be solved which are pretty good. There are also free online IQ tests.

I think, however, that giving him things which are in his perseverative area of interest is your best bet for keeping him entertained. If he likes dinosaurs, for example, get him a bunch of dinosaur books. If he is interested in science, then a microscope and slides that he can look at is good.

In short, anything that he already shows an interest in to the exclusion of anything else is fair game for developing and keeping him busy. The areas where we perseverates are his strong suits, and helping him develop them increases his chances of success in life.

Answer 2

I know this sounds weird, but I have used the game Uno with all sorts of kids from autistic to mildly mentally retarded.

He should also be interested in any of the Leap Frog activities and games, not to mention that these kids frequently love computer games.

There are some cool interlocking puzzle games called Hexabits that I have used with these kids. They like to manipulate things and figure them out.

Answer 3

I have a daughter with Asperger syndrome. She likes maths and enjoys solving maths problems. It does all depend on the child and the level of their ability and their interests. Asperger children tend to some times lack the imagination to play pretend games. They also very often have specialised interests. It would be wise to combine the two and work with the child's strengths and not weaknesses. They also tend to enjoy working on their own and team games are not usually liked at all. Find out what the child is interested in and is good at.

Answer 4

Explain a severe form of Asperger's

Answer 5

It depends very much on what his interests are in and if he is left or right brained. I could tell you which ones I like, but that will not do you much good.

Answer 6

it definitely depends on the age of the child and their intellectual ability, but i would suggest some sort of math puzzles.  i wouldn't just use sudoku but that would be a place to start.  brain teasers or those brain age flash cards with fun facts and quiz questions.

Answer 7

Video games of course.  If not the TV kind then go for the handheld kind.  

Just wondering what your role is in this situation.  Why are you entertaining him?

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Just remember that if he is mentally retarded, then he doesn't have aspergers.  People with aspergers have above average IQ's but are usually socially retarded.  If he is difficult to control, then he may also have ADHD which is a common comorbidity.