Autism and Water Play: Planning Fun & Safe Water Activities!

Autism and Water Play: Tips and Tricks For Fun & Safe Water Activities!

Many kids like water, but for those on the autism spectrum, it can be particularly captivating. You might have noticed your child being fascinated with water, whether it's by splashing in puddles, playing with the garden hose, or being drawn to swimming pools.

Water can be lots of fun, and it provides many opportunities to learn! We share some insights and practical tips for water play to ensure your child has a great time while staying safe. We also include some guidance on preventing and managing elopement situations when there’s water nearby.

The Fascination Between Kids With Autism and Water

Children with autism often have a special connection with water. In many cases, this appeal comes from one or more of the following factors:

• Sensory stimulation: Water provides a rich sensory experience! It engages multiple senses simultaneously. The feeling of water on the skin, the sound of splashing, and the visual stimulation of ripples and reflections can be enjoyable for people with sensory processing differences.
• Calming effect: Many children with autism find water play soothing and relaxing. The repetitive nature of water movements and the gentle pressure of water on the body can help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm.
• Predictability: Water behaves in consistent ways. This can be comforting for children who thrive on routine and predictability. The cause-and-effect relationship of water play (e.g., pouring water from one container to another) can be both fascinating and reassuring.
• Freedom of movement: In water, we experience a sense of weightlessness and freedom of movement. This can be very appealing to kids with autism who have motor challenges or who feel physically restricted in other environments.

Because of this unique appeal, water play can be a great way to fulfill your child’s sensory needs. It’s also a wonderful way to introduce and develop important skills in a fun way. You can use different tools and activities to promote learning during water play.

Autism and Water Attraction

People of all ages with autism feel attracted to water! The appropriate water play activities will depend on your child’s age, skills and needs.

If your child enjoys the water but cannot swim, there are many other fun water-based activities you can do! Below are some water toys and activities you can incorporate into your kid’s routine, along with tips for sun safety.

Sensory Water Toys For Autism

• Sprinkler splash pad: This setup is great for outdoor summer play and encourages gross motor movement. Many splash pads have interactive features like fountains and gentle sprayers, allowing children to control their environment while exploring different water textures.
• Water table: A water table is a versatile option that lets children scoop, pour, and manipulate water. Adding items like floating toys, sponges, or small cups can enhance play, introducing different textures and cause-and-effect learning. For a more budget-friendly option, a simple bucket or plastic bin filled with water can provide the same sensory benefits.
• Spray bottles: Spray bottles filled with water offer an easy, mess-free way to engage in sensory water play. Children can spray water on plants, on outdoor surfaces, or even onto a warm sidewalk to watch the patterns change.
• Toy sink with running water: The running water provides a fun, safer way to play with water. Kids can turn the faucet on and off, practicing independence and life skills like washing hands and rinsing dishes. Many toy sinks come with accessories like dishes, soap dispensers, or toy food, encouraging pretend play and social learning.

Learning With Water Play and ABA

As you can see, there are many different types of skills your child can learn with water play. What’s more, you can incorporate water play into an ABA therapy program to target important skills your child might need some extra help with.

At Behavioral Framework, our clinical teams work with children with autism and their families to create targeted programs that help kids learn and thrive in engaging, empathetic ways. The following activity showcases water play using ABA therapy principles.

ABA Water Play Activity

This activity requires a water table (or bin, or bucket) with a lid. The container should already have water in it.

1. Start by having the lid to the bucket, bin or play table shut. This is a perfect opportunity to prompt your child to ask for “help”, “open” or “water”!
2. Place at least 3 toys in the water for a fun way to practice identifying preferred items.
3. Model fun pretend activities! “Oh look, the dolphin can swim fast”. See if they can watch and copy you!
4. See if they can finish fun phrases about the activities, such as “ready, set…”. Wait for them to say “go” before you drop the toys in the water!
5. Make sure to provide praise for playing safely and appropriately!

Always remember to empty the container when you are finished. If you cannot empty the container, consider locking the lid to restrict access.

Autism and Water Safety

Swimming and water play are lots of fun, but sometimes they are so exciting that dangerous behaviors may occur, like elopement. Remember to have eyes on your child and ensure gates or doors are locked when a pool is not in use.

Elopement and Water

Elopement occurs when a person with autism leaves a secure location unexpectedly and/or suddenly. There are many reasons why autistic kids elope. Feeling overwhelmed can lead to elopement, but wanting to explore can be a reason too. In other cases, kids will elope to go to a place they really like.

Because a lot of people with autism are attracted to water, they often elope to locations like nearby pools or bodies of water. This can be very dangerous. Drowning is a leading cause of death for individuals with autism. Drowning often happens when a child is unsupervised after they elope or wander into a pool or body of water.

Responding quickly and efficiently if your child elopes is critical, especially when water is nearby. Developing a plan of action in the event that you cannot find your child can help prepare for an emergency. However, it’s equally important to work on prevention. Consider swimming lessons for your child, GPS tracking and restricting access to areas with water.

General Water Safety Tips

A life jacket might be necessary if your child cannot swim. If they won’t put the life jacket on, or if they become very upset when wearing it, you might need to consider slow introductions paired with positive praise and fun to get them used to the life jacket.

Add a whistle to every water toy. They can be very useful if help is needed in the pool, but your child is unable to speak or ask for help independently.

Sun Protection

Sun protection is also very important. It can be tricky to ensure your child is properly protected if they are sensitive to sound, smells and textures. The following tips might come in handy:

• If your child is sensitive to smell, try scentless sunscreen.
• If your child is sensitive to sound, try lotion, stick-based or roller-based sunscreen.
• If your child enjoys deep pressure, you can use this technique to apply sunscreen, paired with some praise and hugs.
• If your child is sensitive to texture, a slow introduction to wearing sunscreen may help. Start out by only placing a small amount on one hand or foot. Provide praise and highly preferred items when they tolerate the sunscreen. Each time, slowly increase the amount of sunscreen.
• Remember that shirts, hats and bodysuits also help with sun protection.

Learn More About ABA Therapy

At Behavioral Framework, we help kids with autism work on meaningful skills that will allow them to live happy, more independent lives. We craft personalized treatment plans based on your child’s needs and strengths. Learn more about our treatment plans and how we make learning more engaging and fun by incorporating water play and other preferred activities.