Social Skills Activities for Autistic Children: A Parent's Guide
Evidence-based games, strategies, and activities to help autistic children develop social skills and build meaningful connections.
Clinical Insight from Jennifer Harbour, M.S., BCBA: "In my 20+ years of working with autistic children, I've seen that social skills development is one of the most rewarding areas of growth. With my background in Early Childhood Development and specialization in verbal behavior, I focus on making social learning natural and enjoyable. Every child can develop meaningful connections when we meet them where they are and build on their interests and strengths."
Understanding Social Skills in Autism
Social interaction can be challenging for autistic children, but with the right support and practice, social skills can be learned and improved. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, difficulties with social communication are a core feature of autism, but evidence-based interventions can make a significant difference.
The key is to approach social skills teaching with patience, use methods that align with how your child learns best, and respect that social interaction may look different for autistic individuals—and that's okay. Our neurodiversity-affirming approach emphasizes building skills while honoring each child's authentic self.
Core Social Skills to Target
When working on social development, consider focusing on these foundational skills:
Basic Interaction Skills
- Greetings and farewells
- Responding to name
- Joint attention (sharing focus)
- Taking turns in conversation
- Asking and answering questions
Nonverbal Communication
- Eye contact (as comfortable)
- Reading facial expressions
- Understanding body language
- Personal space awareness
- Using gestures
Emotional Skills
- Identifying own emotions
- Recognizing others' emotions
- Expressing feelings appropriately
- Showing empathy
- Self-regulation
Play and Friendship Skills
- Sharing and cooperation
- Following game rules
- Joining ongoing play
- Handling winning/losing
- Making and keeping friends
Evidence-Based Teaching Strategies
Social Stories
Developed by Carol Gray, social stories are short narratives that describe social situations and appropriate responses. Research published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders supports their effectiveness. Example topics:
- How to greet classmates at school
- What to do when a friend is sad
- How to ask someone to play
- Taking turns during games
- What to expect at a birthday party
Video Modeling
Video modeling uses recorded demonstrations of social skills that children can watch and imitate. The Autism Speaks organization notes video modeling is particularly effective for visual learners. Types include:
- Basic video modeling: Watching others demonstrate skills
- Video self-modeling: Watching themselves perform skills correctly
- Point-of-view modeling: Camera shows first-person perspective
Role-Playing and Practice
Practice in a safe environment helps children prepare for real social situations:
- Act out specific scenarios with family members
- Use puppets or action figures for younger children
- Practice both roles in an interaction
- Start with scripted responses, then fade prompts
- Provide immediate feedback and reinforcement
Visual Supports
Visual tools help make abstract social concepts concrete:
- Emotion cards with pictures and labels
- Visual rules for conversations (when to talk, when to listen)
- Social scripts on cards for specific situations
- Conversation topic wheels or menus
- Personal space markers (hula hoops as visual boundaries)
Social Skills Activities by Age Group
Toddlers and Preschoolers (2-5 years)
- Parallel play activities: Playing alongside peers with similar toys
- Simple turn-taking games: Rolling a ball back and forth, stacking blocks together
- Imitation games: "Do what I do" with actions and sounds
- Emotion matching games: Matching feeling faces to situations
- Puppet play: Acting out simple social scenarios
- Music and movement: Circle time songs with social elements
- Bubble play: Requesting, waiting, sharing bubbles
School-Age Children (6-12 years)
- Cooperative board games: Games requiring teamwork to win
- Conversation card games: Topic starters and question prompts
- Emotion charades: Acting out and guessing feelings
- Comic strip conversations: Visual conversations about social situations
- Interest-based clubs: Social interaction around shared interests
- Structured play dates: Planned activities with clear beginning/end
- Social detective activities: Observing and interpreting social cues
- Video game-based social play: Multiplayer games with cooperation elements
Teens and Adolescents (13+ years)
- PEERS program activities: Evidence-based social skills curriculum
- Interest-based groups: Clubs, gaming groups, hobby meetups
- Role-playing complex scenarios: Job interviews, dating, conflict resolution
- Analyzing social situations: TV shows, movies as teaching tools
- Texting and social media practice: Understanding digital communication
- Community volunteering: Structured social interaction with purpose
- Self-advocacy practice: Explaining needs and preferences
Games and Activities That Build Social Skills
Turn-Taking Games
- Uno: Color/number matching with taking turns
- Connect Four: Strategy game with clear turns
- Candy Land/Chutes and Ladders: Simple games for beginners
- Jenga: Building cooperation and handling frustration
- Card games: Go Fish, Old Maid, Memory
Cooperative Games
- Forbidden Island/Pandemic: Work together to win
- Outfoxed: Cooperative mystery game
- Hoot Owl Hoot: Cooperative game for younger children
- Scavenger hunts: Team-based activities
- Building projects: LEGO collaborations, fort building
Emotion Recognition Activities
- Emotion bingo: Matching feelings to situations
- Feelings thermometer: Rating emotion intensity
- Photo sorting: Categorizing facial expressions
- Emotion storytelling: Creating stories about feelings
- "How would you feel?": Discussion cards with scenarios
Conversation Practice
- Conversation cubes: Dice with question topics
- Would You Rather: Decision-making and explaining preferences
- Interview games: Practicing asking and answering questions
- Story building: Taking turns adding to a story
- Topic menus: Choosing and staying on conversation topics
Setting Up Successful Play Dates
Structured play dates can provide valuable practice opportunities. Tips for success:
- Keep it short: Start with 30-60 minutes and gradually increase
- Plan activities in advance: Have 2-3 structured activities ready
- Choose the right peer: Understanding, patient children with similar interests
- Prepare your child: Review what will happen using social stories
- Reduce sensory challenges: Choose quiet locations, limit distractions
- Stay nearby: Be available to coach and redirect if needed
- End on a positive note: Stop before meltdowns or conflicts arise
- Debrief afterward: Discuss what went well and what was hard
Technology and Apps for Social Skills
Many autistic children are visual learners who respond well to technology-based learning. Useful apps and tools include:
- Social skill story apps: Interactive social stories
- Emotion recognition apps: Practice identifying facial expressions
- Video modeling apps: Watch and learn social scenarios
- Virtual social skills games: Practice in low-stakes virtual environments
- Video chat practice: Building comfort with remote communication
While technology can be helpful, it should complement rather than replace in-person practice and professional social skills support.
Social Skills Groups
Structured social skills groups led by trained professionals offer unique benefits. According to research cited by the American Psychological Association, social skills groups can be highly effective when properly structured.
Benefits of social skills groups include:
- Practice with peers who have similar challenges
- Immediate feedback from trained facilitators
- Structured activities with clear expectations
- Opportunity to generalize skills
- Sense of community and belonging
- Parent training component in many programs
The PEERS (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills) program is one evidence-based social skills curriculum with strong research support for adolescents and young adults.
Tips for Parents
- Follow your child's interests: Build social activities around what they love
- Practice in natural settings: Use daily life as learning opportunities
- Be patient: Social skills take time and repetition to learn
- Celebrate small wins: Acknowledge progress, not just perfection
- Model social behavior: Narrate your own social interactions
- Coordinate with therapists: Reinforce skills being taught in therapy
- Respect differences: Not all social behavior needs to look neurotypical
- Focus on quality over quantity: Meaningful connections matter most
Frequently Asked Questions
What social skills do autistic children need to learn?
Key social skills include turn-taking, reading facial expressions and body language, understanding personal space, eye contact (as comfortable), greetings, sharing and cooperative play, recognizing emotions, and understanding unwritten social rules. These skills are taught systematically through evidence-based approaches.
What are the best activities for teaching social skills to autistic children?
Effective activities include role-playing and social scripts, video modeling, social stories, structured play dates, cooperative games, emotion identification games, puppet play, board games with turn-taking, and peer-mediated interventions. Activities should be adapted to the child's interests and developmental level.
How can parents practice social skills at home?
Parents can practice by incorporating skills into daily routines, using visual supports and social stories, setting up structured play opportunities, practicing with siblings, using educational apps and games, role-playing specific scenarios, and reinforcing skills learned in therapy.
Are social skills groups effective for autistic children?
Research supports the effectiveness of structured social skills groups for autistic children. Groups provide opportunities to practice with peers, receive immediate feedback, learn through observation, and generalize skills. The PEERS program is one evidence-based example with strong research support.
How does ABA therapy address social skills?
ABA therapy addresses social skills by breaking complex behaviors into teachable components, using systematic instruction and reinforcement, creating practice opportunities in natural settings, teaching through play, using video modeling and social stories, and generalizing skills across environments.
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