Activities to Enjoy with Your Child with Autism

🍂 Happy Fall Y’all! 🍁

Fun but Low-Key Fall Activities to Enjoy with Your Child with Autism

Fall is here, and with it comes crisp air, vibrant leaves, and plenty of cozy traditions. For families raising a child with autism, this season is a wonderful time to create special moments together. The best part? You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make meaningful memories. Many simple fall activities can be both sensory-friendly and budget-friendly, giving your child the chance to explore, create, and relax in ways that feel safe and fun.

Here are a few low-key ideas to get you started:

🥧 1. Bake an Apple Pie Together

Few things say “fall” like the smell of a homemade apple pie. This activity engages multiple senses in a comforting way—soft dough to knead, sweet apples to slice, and the cinnamon-spiced scent filling your home.

• Tips: Let your child help wash apples, sprinkle cinnamon, or press the fork marks on the crust.
• Sensory Bonus: The process is predictable and repetitive, which can be calming.

If baking a whole pie feels overwhelming, you can make mini hand pies or even just baked apple slices with cinnamon and sugar for the same cozy effect. Chef 🧑‍🍳 Justin will use canned biscuits for crust and apple pie filling bake them in a muffin tin for a quick version  

🍊 2. Create a Fall Simmer Pot

Want your home to smell like fall without using strong candles or artificial sprays? A simmer pot is perfect. Just fill a pot with water, apple slices, orange peels, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks, then let it gently simmer on the stove.

This natural aroma creates a cozy, calming environment. Involving your child in choosing the ingredients and adding them to the pot makes them part of the ritual. It’s a beautiful way to signal “fall is here” through scent. We love this one  

🍁 3. Collect and Sort Leaves

Autumn leaves are nature’s free art supplies. Take a short walk in your neighborhood or even in your backyard to gather leaves of different shapes and colors.

• Activity Ideas:
  
• Sort by size, shape, or color.
• Press leaves between sheets of wax paper with a warm iron to preserve them.
• Glue them onto paper to make leaf animals, collages, or greeting cards.

This is a wonderful way to connect your child to nature while practicing sorting, fine motor skills, and creativity.

🎃 4. Simple Pumpkin Fun

You don’t have to carve a pumpkin to enjoy it! Carving can be messy and overwhelming for sensory-sensitive kids. Instead:

• Paint pumpkins with washable paint.
• Add stickers, googly eyes, or glitter glue.
• Try sensory play with pumpkin seeds—wash and roast them together for a crunchy fall snack.

This keeps the tradition fun but low-stress.

📚 5. Cozy Storytime with a Fall Twist

Pick a few fall-themed books from your local library (free!) or re-read family favorites with a warm twist—snuggle up under a blanket with hot cocoa or apple cider. For kids who enjoy visuals, you can even make up your own fall stories while looking at leaves, pumpkins, or nature pictures together.

Storytelling gives your child a chance to slow down, practice listening, and connect with you in a calm, meaningful way.

🍂 Final Thoughts

Fall doesn’t have to be busy or expensive to be memorable. Simple traditions like baking, simmering a pot of spices, collecting leaves, decorating pumpkins, and cozy reading can create lasting memories for your child—and for you. The goal is not perfection but presence: enjoying small, sensory-friendly activities that make your home feel warm and welcoming.

So grab your apples, pumpkins, and cinnamon sticks—happy fall, y’all! 🍎🍊🍁