Autism Soccer: 4 Films Your Child Will Love Watching

There are some films that leave strong messages and life lessons, choose carefully.

There’s something about movies that attracts the attention of everyone in general. Perhaps the fact that they make viewers feel like being inside it; you feel their pain and celebrate their accomplishments. For some people, movies represent the art of involving the spectator into the events that occur to the characters inside it. These types of emotions can have a great impact on children, as it helps them develop empathy and strong emotions towards other people who are not members of the family.

The same rule applies for children who were born with autism spectrum disorder, as their difficulties to express themselves are greater. The struggle comes when your children close the doors for communications and even avoid eye contact, all of this due to the effects of this development disorder.

The solution shows itself in the shape of a movie; it has been proved that movies (mostly Disney and animated ones) are actually very helpful in the treatment of regressive autism in children, as they open a channel for communication in the early stages of their growth. Here, I will be posting some classic and new films for your children to connect with:

The Lion King features the story of Simba, the young lion, and heir of his father, Mufasa. Things change when Scar (Simba’s uncle) plans to take the throne by setting a trap for both Simba and Mufasa. Simba manages to escape but his father dies. This movie is based on finding your own path in life, and with the help of people, you hold dear.
Toy’s Story: This story happens in a world where toys are living things capable of having feelings, just like humans do. They pretend to be just toys when humans are around to keep the secret from them. Andy is a boy that loves having lots of toys and has Woody as his favorite. After acquiring Buzz Lightyear, Woody starts to feel neglected and left out by Andy. Another movie based on companionship and the value of friends when they are needed.
Peter Pan: The boy who never ages. This is the story of a boy who lives in Neverland, with his fairy and a group of Lost Boys. They spend most of their time having adventures and facing Captain Hook and his pirates. This is a fantasy film made for children to imagine how it would be like to be young forever and enjoy youth. Every kid would have empathy towards Peter Pan.
Inside Out: This movie is based on Riley, an 11-year-old girl who loves playing soccer when suddenly things change because of their parent’s decision to move out. The movie starts showing her emotions as if they were characters who control her feelings towards things in her daily basis. This is a message for children to associate feelings and communication as a way to open up and speak.

All those movies are perfect for special needs children because of the message they give; communication, family values, emotions, freedom to speak their mind and loving their close ones. There’s a kid who’s the living proof of how influential movies are for children: Owen Suskind, his story is very touching and is the example of the benefits of films in early stages of autism.

Do not miss the chance to spend an afternoon watching some films with your children, but also give them the opportunity to do things outside and meet new friends. With the people of Autism Soccer, you’ll have a place where your children can feel at home, contact with them for a fantastic experience, just like in the movies!