Turns out dad was right. It’s good to get out there and get the blood moving and breathe in the fresh air. Doctors have shown that engaging in regular exercise can have an enormously positive impact on a child’s physical, emotional, and even social well-being. While exercise is a crucial aspect of healthy development across the board, physical activity holds even greater significance for those on the autism spectrum. At Monarch House, we work with neurodivergent children and we see firsthand how being active can have a positive impact on their daily lives. 

Here are ten key benefits of physical activity for children with autism Toronto.

1. Improved Physical Health

Don’t accept any excuses. Everyone has time in the day to get the body moving. Regular exercise promotes overall physical health. This helps children develop endurance, strength, stamina, flexibility, and coordination. It’s good for the lungs, the heart, the muscles, the appetite, sleep, and the entire body.  Activities such as swimming, running, or playing sports do wonders to enhance cardiovascular fitness and contribute to maintaining a healthy weight. This is incredibly important for a generation raised on screens that may be prone to sedentary behaviour.

2. Enhanced Motor Skills

Hand-eye coordination is an important skill that is best refined by playing sports. When a child engages in physical activities, they foster the development of both fine and gross motor skills. These are lifelong abilities that come into play in many areas of our everyday life. Activities like hitting a ball, throwing, catching, and dancing help improve coordination and balance. This confidence spills over into everyday tasks that we do with our hands, such as dressing ourselves, or making our lunch, and other essential daily tasks required for independent functioning.

3 Social Skills Development

Playing on a team is fun. There’s a sense of camaraderie that comes with it that you won’t find anywhere else. All in all, it’s a great way to make lifelong friends. There are valuable opportunities for social interaction that stem from sports and other physical activities. A big part of this is because team sports foster communication, teamwork, and cooperation. Think of sports as a real-time, structured environment for your child to practice and enhance their social skills every week. 

4. Increased Self-Esteem

There is always room for self improvement in sports and other physical activities. Watching yourself learn and grow and get better is a great way to feel good about yourself. It has been shown that mastering a new skill and participating in team events boosts self-esteem and confidence in children. Sports are a great way to self-regulate your own success. As a skill, you learn to recognize your own strengths and find the means to reach new benchmarks through practice. Having access to potential at their fingertips positively affects a child’s self-image and makes them feel that they have more control in their own lives.

5. Emotional Regulation

Does your child suffer from panic attacks? Do they have frequent temper tantrums when things don’t go their way? Exercise is an excellent, natural way to reduce anxiety, anger, and stress. For children with autism, sports and physical activity can serve as an outlet for pent-up energy and emotions. After being active for as little as half an hour, there can be a glow of calm and emotional stability that settles over them. 

6. Cognitive Benefits

There are so many distractions in this world, it’s hard to stay on track. Screens don’t help. There are constant noisy pings and alarming red buttons popping up and vying for our full attention. Getting away from our devices and moving the body for a while can make a world of difference. There are numerous studies linking physical activity to improved focus and attention. It has been shown that engaging in exercise stimulates brain function, enhancing cognitive abilities and memory retention. This can lead to a calmer, more focused child, which increases academic performance.

7. Sensory Integration

At Monarch House, we find that it is crucial to be mindful of all the sensual stimulation that exists within an environment.  Many children with autism have sensory processing challenges. Sports and physical activity act as a way for a child to be more in control of their own environment, and this helps with the navigation of different sensory experiences. Being active promotes greater awareness of their bodies and their surroundings. This can lead to improved sensory processing over time.

8. Routine and Structure

From the team cheers, to the kickoff, to the handshakes at the end, sports are full of little rituals. Children with autism thrive in this kind of structure. Establishing a regular physical activity routine provides predictability and a sense of order. This can be positive and comforting for children with autism. Adhering to a consistent schedule helps them feel secure and promotes a sense of stability in their daily lives.

9. Social Connection

Sometimes it takes comparison with others to develop a sense of identity. You never know if you’re good at something until you try it, and sports gives a child plenty of opportunities to experiment with something new and discover their own strengths and limitations. There are plenty of other kids doing the same thing at the same time too. Engaging in physical activities with peers in a positive, motivated environment creates opportunities for building lifelong friendships and solid social networks. The experiences children share as they work towards self development and discovery can lead to meaningful connections. This fosters a sense of belonging and acceptance.

10. Lifelong Healthy Habits

Do you make your bed every morning? Do you drink your water? Do you get your workout in without fail? These are everyday habits that make our lives enormously better. Encouraging physical activity early in life instills the importance of a healthy lifestyle. It starts when they are young. If you can foster a love for movement and exercise, it will lead to lifelong habits that promote physical and mental well-being.

At Monarch House, we offer an interdisciplinary team of professionals: behavioural therapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and psychotherapists. Together, we work as a holistic team to treat children with autism, including finding ways for them to make the most of physical activities for their health and development. It has been proven that the benefits of physical activity for children with autism are vast and varied. From enhancing social connections and emotional well-being, to improving physical health and motor skills, regular exercise plays a crucial role in your child’s overall development. We work with parents, educators, caregivers, and coaches to promote and facilitate as much participation as possible in physical activities that help children with autism Toronto thrive, paving the way for healthier and more fulfilling lives.