Name: Angelina Dias

Activity: Animal Mask Dance

Sources:

American Autism Association. (2019, December, 27). Recreational Activities for Children on the
Autism Spectrum. Retrieved from
https://www.myautism.org/informational-kits/recreational-activities-for-children-on-the-autis
m-spectrum

Pillai, S. (2020, July 3). 17 Fun Dance Games And Activities For Kids. Retrieved from
https://www.momjunction.com/articles/dance-games-and-activities-for-kids_00399936/

(2021). Autism Spectrum Disorder, National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved from
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml

(2021, April 9). What are typical challenges and accommodations for students with Autism
Spectrum Disorder?. Retrieved from
https://www.washington.edu/doit/what-are-typical-challenges-and-accommodations-students-
autism-spectrum-disorder

Equipment: I-pod/MP-3 player (anything that music can be played off of), phone/computer to
show videos, and animal masks

Description: The goal of this activity is to enhance observation skills, creativity, and social
interaction through dancing like familiar animals to a song. This activity is great for participants
who have Autism Spectrum Disorder as it focuses on body awareness, motor skills, and
self-expression, all while in the presence of others with similar interests.
1. Choose 10-15 songs, appropriate for participants, ahead of time. Also choose the same
number of short video clips of animals that match the animals on the animal masks.
2. Gather a group of participants or one if working one on one with an individual. Groups
are better as it promotes social interaction as well, however, this activity can be done one
on one.
3. Give each participant a mask to wear with a specific animal on it.
4. Explain that each participant is going to dance how they think their animal would dance.
5. Then show a short video clip of some animals so that participants can understand the way
animals move for reference.
6. Start the music and participants can begin dancing! (can time for 10-15 seconds)
 7. After the timer stops, give participants another animal and start again.

Primary Interaction Pattern: If there is a group of participants the primary interaction pattern is
intragroup as the actions are by a group of people who are completing the same task/have the
same goal. All participants are dancing to the best of their ability together in the same area. If the
activity is done one on one with a participant and a facilitator then the interaction pattern would
be intraindividual as the action of the participant involves the mind and body parts but does not
require contact with anyone else.

Adaptation: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a type of developmental disorder that affects a
wide range of things primarily communication and behavior. It is said to be a developmental
disorder because although ASD can be diagnosed at any age it is primarily diagnosed within the
first two years of a child's life (ASD, 2021). It is also referred to as a spectrum disorder because it
can occur in a wide range of different types and severities. ASD is a lifelong disorder however,
there are treatments and interventions that can help progression and decrease the severity of the
symptoms. Symptoms may appear different in every individual but some common
communication symptoms are; making infrequent or no eye contact, not listening to people,
rarely showing enjoinment of activities, not responding to one’s own name, difficulty with back
and forth conversations, unable to match facial expressions to topics at hand, unusual tone of
voice, and not understanding others points of view. Some other behaviors that may be signs of
ASD include repetitive behaviors, obsession or intense interest in certain topics, getting upset by
little changes in routines, and being more or less sensitive to sensory input. There are many
different stages that ASD can be diagnosed in and the symptoms are different throughout. There
is also known to be progression in the disorder but oftentimes patients can regress as well (ASD,
2021). This activity is great for participants with ASD, specifically children, as the activity
focuses on improving observation as well as creativity. Dance and movement in general are great
activities for ASD because music stimulates emotions, movement stimulates body awareness and
motor skills, and even promotes self-expression (AAA, 2019). When one in a group this activity
can also improve communication, and socialization skills. To further adapt this activity for the
participants, communication and social strategies such as giving each child a partner can be
implemented to further promote social skills. Music should also be played fairly low as loud
noises can be a problem with ASD. Lastly, if children have difficult times putting masks on their
face or do not like the feeling of masks on their face, the animal can simply be a picture that each
child is given rather than a mask.