Independent play / leisure skills for children with ASD.

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Hello,

Is it difficult for people (especially little people) on the spectrum to develop leisure skills that do not involve stimming (such as reading, playing with toys or people etc) ?

My son is able to play / engage himself with people or toys or books etc, as long as there is another person to engage with him, but the minute he is left to his own devices, he begins to stim. I don't begrudge the stimming, of course, he probably is doing it for some reason, but then I would also love it if he could show me that he can independently play, look at a book by himself etc.

Does age / maturity make a difference ? It is impossible to engage another individual 24/7, so I am getting desperate here. Is there anyway to get him to show more interest in playing or doing other things independently (even a few minutes would be great start for us) ?

Thanks for any help or advise you can give me.

After I learned to speak, I also developed the ability to play on my own.

I was never a great "pretender"--I've never had a very elaborate "fantasy life."

But I felt satisfied with whatever I did at the time.

I had a "best friend" as a little kid--but that's it--no other friends. I didn't want to "share" my best friend with others. This impaired me socially.

It seems like he's making progress if he is able to play appropriately (even with prompting).

Yes, guess that him playing when someone else is engaging him is progress, but it gets EXHAUSTING to have to be with him 24/7. I need a break, too !

I don't care for things like Pretend Play, excellent social skills, etc. I just want him to communicate and occupy himself for about 10 minutes at a time so I can get a break or do something around the house.

No words are emerging yet. I have almost given up hope that he will ever talk.

Well, there is an autistic kid in my family and he is on his laptop all the time.