Autistic kids spending time lining up toys is a good thing.
Most autistic adults who read this will probably think “yeah, duh, of course it is.” But I’m guessing non-autistics may be a little surprised. According to the pathology paradigm, every aspect of autism is a bad thing, so why should autistic kids be allowed to engage in “meaningless” behavior instead of doing what adults think is fun?
This post is for non-autistics, parents especially, who want to understand autistic behavior.
I used to be an autistic kid. (Now I’m an autistic adult.) I made arrays of toys sometimes, as well as:
- Walking in circles around an object, often touching it repetitively
- Swinging on swings for long periods of time
- Organizing my stuffed cats by criteria I invented
- Carefully developing a village of Lego houses, without playing out stories
- Organizing my rock collection and cataloging the properties of each rock in a notebook
While some non-autistic people might have viewed these activities as “unproductive,” my parents let me do my own thing and didn’t worry about it. And you know what? I’m glad they did.
While a non-autistic kid might not see much point to these activities, to me, they were important. So today I’m going to give an insider’s perspective on why these are good.
- Repetitive behavior in a calm environment suggests an active mind.
- Autistic kids need to relax.
- Parents benefit by having kids play quietly.
Speaking as a former autistic kid, I’m glad I spent so much time swinging, organizing things, and doing other repetitive activities. I still do them today, and they help me feel better about myself and my life.
Because even if the body’s movements seem limited, the mind is not.
Active body, active mind
My rituals were repetitive, but my thoughts weren’t confined to the rituals. Instead, while I repeated familiar activities, I let my mind wander. I pondered the nature of the universe, processed events in my life, and imagined alternate realities.
Here are some of the things I remember thinking about:
- Mentally preparing myself for moving house (one of my first memories actually)
- Imagining an intricate world in which houses are on stilts and people travel by canoe
- Determining why the sky is darker on top and lighter near the horizon (This was in elementary school. I’m having a hard time explaining it so I included a diagram.)
- The story I was writing
So when you see an autistic kid engaging in repetitive behavior, instead of thinking “that kid is doing nothing,” think “that kid’s brain is hard at work.” They may be imagining something, reviewing something that happened, or trying to figure out the answer to a question.
Is the physical act of lining up toys productive? Not really.
But are the thoughts in your kid’s head productive? Probably.
Repetitive actions are often correlated with the mind being deep in thought. And that’s a good thing.
Kids need to relax
My body instinctively knows what I need to do to relax. Stimming helps me regulate my focus and emotions. And looking at a bunch of pretty lined-up flowers does feel nice.
Long stimming sessions are often restorative, similar to taking a solitary walk or a long bath. I’m engaging in a familiar, pleasant activity that can help me feel good.
If an autistic kid is sitting on the floor quietly lining up their toys, it’s probably helping them calm down and feel at peace. Unless they’re ruminating about something stressful, then they’re likely to feel calmer and more centered afterwards.
Autistic kids are especially vulnerable to stress. Emotion dysregulation and the stress of living in a confusing and intense non-autistic world can be a lot to handle. It doesn’t help that autistics are at increased risk of bullying and abuse, adding more difficulties to a life that is challenging enough already.
Researchers now believe that stress levels in early childhood may predict future skills. While it’s hard for me to speculate what my life could have looked like under different circumstances, I can say with certainty that my abilities at the moment are correlated with the stress I am under. (Clarity of speech, clarity of mind, motor skills, all of it varies with stress.)
Relaxation time is good for everyone. For autistics, it’s crucial.
Daily relaxation time (ideally an hour or more in my opinion) can be the difference between a cranky, over-stressed person and one who is able to stay fairly calm.
Quiet playtime helps parents and caregivers too
Are you a caregiver of an autistic child? Can they engage in repetitive activities for half an hour or longer?
Congratulations! You get free time!
Quiet playtime is good for caregivers as well as kids. When you don’t have to pay attention to your child, this gives you time for…
- Household chores
- Paying attention to other children (if any)
- Enjoying a few quiet minutes to yourself
- Searching for your peace of mind (try checking under the couch cushions)
My dad raised 3 kids, one autistic and one with Down syndrome, while Mom worked. I have a feeling he liked it very much when I went to the basement to organize my Lego village or sat in my room rearranging my rock collection. Because when I did, he didn’t need to worry about me and he could do his own thing.
Some parents feel like they need to be a constant presence in their kids’ lives. But that’s not healthy for anyone. Eventually you’re going to get tired of your precious angel’s little face, and your precious angel will probably get tired of you too.
So next time the autistic person in your house goes off to do their own repetitive thing, you can smile and be glad they’re doing it.
A little alone time is a good thing, for child and caregiver. Embrace it. Your kid is relaxing. Maybe you can relax a little too.
In conclusion
If you’re a parent or caregiver, then learn to appreciate your kid’s stims. These stims are helping them stay calm and think things through. If it’s a safe activity, then let it be.
If you’re autistic, then please engage in as much repetitive behavior as you want. Focus on safe behavior (not unhealthy stuff like skin-picking or hair-pulling) and develop a repertoire of healthy stims you can use.
Stimming, when done safely, is a gift. Use it. Appreciate it. Make the best of autism and live your best life.
Autistic Dreams 
Ball emojis!⚽⚾🥎🏀🏐🏈🏉🎱🎳⛳🏒🥍🏏🏑🏓🏸🎾🔴🟠🟡🟢🔵🟣🟤⚫⚪🔘
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Those balls in the picture brought back memories of when i was a kid and i had a collection of many balls of different colors, sizes, and textures/patterns. I was really fascinated with balls but never knew why exactly. I also remember smelling them up close and thinking about what was inside them, and some textures have a unique smell i really love, especially when it’s wet. I would play with the balls in unique and creative ways, and wasn’t interested in team sports (like soccer or baseball) at all so i never really played with them in that way. Would most kids think it’s weird?
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I don’t know what most kids would think, but that’s not important to me anyway. You had fun with your ball collection and that’s more important.
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Why did I like balls so much? Could it be a hint to who I was in a past life?
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I don’t know. Lots of autistic people go through phases of liking different things. Some people like strings, fidget toys, or stickers. I remember hearing about an autistic person who loved the stickers that come on fruit.
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I also liked other roundish, colorful toys like hula hoops and frisbees, rubber duckies, and kiddie pools too. Like the ones in bright blue.
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That sounds fun!
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I recently came across your article. Luckily & gladly I did. Your article was very informative, and heartfelt. My son is 5, he got diagnosed with ASD leaves 3. Are there any pointers you could give me for him doing a stim in stretching his eyelids and he also puts his knuckles or anything he can find on his chin? I’m trying to talk to him about how that hurts himself & his body. I’m also trying to show him how to re direct it into something that doesn’t hurt him.
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It sounds like you’re doing your best and being helpful by explaining things for him instead of just making rules. That’s a great way to talk to autistic kids.
I’m not sure how putting his knuckles or other things on his chin hurts him. Unless there’s something happening there that I don’t know about, that’s probably fine. It’s okay to be a little flexible about dirtiness because it’s good for kids to get exposure to environmental germs. (I’ve heard advice saying it’s healthy for kids to eat a little dirt.) Until he hits puberty and acne becomes a concern, maybe let that one go unless you’re noticing skin irritation or other issues.
As for the eyelid stretching, try to notice what happens when he does that.
~ If there’s a lot of bright lights or colors moving around, then he might be overstimulated and sunglasses could help.
~ Or if it’s during quiet and calm times, he might be under-stimulated and maybe he needs music or activity or interesting things to look at. You can find lots of visual stim toys online or even instructions to make your own if so.
~ Maybe it’s a pressure stim. If so, things like hand massages, massage rollers, or sitting on his feet might be healthy redirects. He could also press his face into something soft, like couch cushions.
~ There’s also the possibility that he has a medical issue causing him eye pain or discomfort, so have a doctor give his eyes an extra close look during your next visit.
You can ask him “What happens when you stretch your eyelids?” to see if he can give you any clues to what he’s thinking or feeling.
Anyway, good luck! It sounds like you’re working hard to understand where he’s coming from and explain things to him instead of just setting rules without reasons he understands. And honestly, that’s exactly what autistic kids need. That type of environment is likely to help him feel safe and heard, which is so important for making him comfortable and getting skill development and stress reduction. It sounds like you have a lot of good instincts as a parent and you’re likely to help him go far.
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Another reason why lining up (or otherwise organizing) toys is good for autistic kids: It helps develop foundational math and analytical skills.
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Yes, they’re getting practice with lines and arrays!
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Thank you for sharing your story. My name is Diango and I’m from Brazil.
I’m writing through google translate, so I’m sorry if my writing isn’t perfect.
I have a 2-year-old daughter, and she has these behaviors that you highlight in your statement. We get worried sometimes and, as you say, we need to give her more space just to live her thoughts and relax.
She still doesn’t talk, but she already communicates through gestures, expressions and looks.
Thanks again for sharing.
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Thank you for sharing your story, I have almost 2 year old twins and my eldest is lining up blocks & vehicle and get very upset if it’s if his brother goes anywhere near them, he seems in his own world and I’ve been so worried about him. You’ve just made me feel so much better.
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I’m glad to help. Your older twin probably just doesn’t want his brother to disrupt his hard work! Much like a child might get nervous if they saw a clumsy kid getting close to a tall tower they were building with blocks.
Lining up toys can be a sign of autism, but it can also be a sign that a kid just likes things organized and prefers to imagine things quietly rather than acting out their imagination as much. If you ever wonder about autism, my favorite resource is wikiHow and it gives you tips about how to tell and how to understand/help better.
It’s good to listen to specialists, but also to seek out voices of people who think like your child does. The fact that you’re already doing this suggests to me that you’re probably a thoughtful mom who’s likely to do a great job!
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Thank you for sharing. I was just doing a little reading up on my son. He is almost 6 and loves to line up toys, shoes, or anything he can gather up enough of to form a line. This morning he lined up about 100 little drink pouches for making flavored water bottles. He had them lined up around a race car track and down the spiral ramp out and around into the other room. It was actually very cool how he had them. Your blog gave me a good perspective.
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That sounds awesome! What an imaginative display. His focus is incredible, too, to make something so elaborate at such a young age. I would definitely recommend taking photos of future creations!
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Love this post!
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Thanks! I hope it can make people’s lives easier.
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