The weather has turned warm(ish) once again and everyone is getting spring fever in my house. My kids want to do nothing but play outside. The problem is with my oldest son, Brian. He has autism. For Brian, outdoor activities and exercise proves to be difficult.
Most parents have a fairly easy time taking their children to parks, on walks, on bike rides, or getting them onto sports teams. If I want to take Brian to do any outdoor activities I have to plan well in advance and also make sure I have help. Brian can easily gett over stimulated. He also tends to try to run away from adults, he throws fits when its time to leave and can just be overall difficult.
I have always wanted to try him on a sports team or some sort of planned exercise but have never found something I thought he would be able to handle. Nor have I been able to find something that meets his special needs. Being from the south side of Indianapolis I have never found many team sports or play groups for autistic children. Even the Special Olympics doesn’t offer anything for children my son’s age.
Until this year.
This summer I vowed to find something for him to keep him engaged and exercising. I searched the internet, local newspapers and autism groups, etc. That’s when I got an email about the Greenwood Little League and the challenger division. This is a special division just for special needs children so they can participate without feeling the pressure that a regular league would give them. They each get turns batting and if they are in the outfield parents and coaches are making sure they are involved by throwing baseballs to kids.
Granted there are only six games, but since Brian has never participated in a team sport this is a great way to see how he will do. I can not wait until these games start at the end of April! Finding the Little League option gives me hope that I can find some more activities for Brian to do this summer to keep him as active and healthy as the other kids.
Tags: activities for kids, autism, Little League
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