Coping with Change
Many autistic children find change difficult, whether it's moving from one activity to another, trying a new food, or taking a different route to school. Whizkid Games lets children rehearse change in a safe, fun and predictable space, building the flexibility they need when plans shift in real life.
Why this matters
Change is constant and mostly outside a child's control. A cancelled activity or an unfamiliar room can take up enormous mental effort for an autistic child, and distress in those moments is a stress response rather than a refusal to cooperate.
Rehearsing change somewhere low-stakes builds the one thing real-life change never offers: repetition. A game can present the same small surprise as often as a child needs, with no consequence for getting it wrong.
What your child practises
Switching between activities
Finishing one task and starting another, which is the transition most children find hardest.
Accepting a changed plan
Meeting a small, clearly signalled change and carrying on, rather than the activity stopping.
Trying the unfamiliar
Encountering new objects, places and characters in a setting where nothing unexpected can happen.
Recovering afterwards
Finishing the activity successfully, so the memory attached to change is one of coping.
How the games work
- Each game introduces change in small, clearly signalled steps rather than all at once.
- Visuals show what is about to happen before it happens, so nothing arrives without warning.
- Children can repeat an activity as many times as they like — repetition is the point, not a sign of failure.
Whizkid Games was developed using DSM-5 criteria with input from specialists, educators and families, and is designed for children with level 2 and 3 autism. For background reading on this skill area, see the parent guide on Autism Games.
Start free today
Download Whizkid Games and get six free games to begin with, including activities from Coping with Change.