Calm Sensory Games for Autistic and Neurodivergent Adults

This guide is about calm, everyday sensory-friendly games and activities for neurodivergent and autistic adults, for wellbeing and unwinding. They're for you, for friends, or for a group you support.

Everything here is gentle, family-friendly and safe for work. Nothing here needs special kit. It's part of our guide to sensory activities for adults.

The quick answer

In this guide, a sensory game is a calm, low-pressure activity that uses touch, sound or smell, like guessing a texture by feel or matching two sounds. They work on your own, with a friend or in a group. Anyone can say "pass" at any point.

Games to play on your own

• Texture guessing. Put a few things in a bag: a pebble, a piece of velvet, a sponge, a wooden spoon. Reach in and guess what each is by feel. Try to find the softest and the roughest. Autism NI includes a version of this in its guide, "Sensory Seeking Activities for Adults".
• Scent matching. Put a pinch of herbs, spices or tea in two sets of lidded jars, such as mint, cinnamon and chamomile. Open them one at a time and match the pairs. Don't sniff deeply, and skip anything you might be allergic to.
• Sound matching. Fill pairs of small, sealed containers with different things, such as rice, lentils and bells, and shake them to find the matching pairs. Make sure the lids are fixed on firmly so nothing spills.
• A calm-down jar. Fill a clear jar with water and glitter, seal it, shake it and watch it settle. More about this in our guide to tactile activities for adults.
• Colour hunt. Find five things of one colour in the room. It's a quiet, visual game that asks nothing of anyone.

Games for two friends or a family

These are easy to play with a friend, a family member or someone who supports you. They're designed so you can stop whenever you like.

• Describe it. One person picks an object from a bag and describes how it feels in three words. The other guesses. Then swap.
• Match my sound. Each person has a container. One shakes theirs, and the other shakes theirs to match. Take turns.
• Name the smell. One person opens a jar and the other describes it, with no pressure to get it "right".
• Slow turn-taking. Pass a smooth stone between you, with a quiet word or none at all.

Keep it light. There's no scoring, no timer and no winning.

Games for a group

If you support a group, the Sensory Trust has a simple activity called a sensory introduction, where items are passed round the group one at a time.

It works as a warm-up for other activities. Pick items that suit your group, and check for allergies first. Our guide to sensory group activities for adults has a full plan.

Make any game easier to say no to

A game only helps if it feels safe. Build in a way out:

• Make "pass" always okay. Nobody needs a reason.
• Tell people what's coming. What's in the bag, what the smell might be, how long it'll take.
• Never touch anyone else. Each person handles their own objects.
• Eyes are always optional. People can look away or close their eyes if they want to. Never ask them to.
• Let people leave. A quiet space, and no questions.
• Check allergies and sensitivities. Especially for scents and food.
• Keep sounds gentle. Loud games can tip people into overload.

Check first

• Allergies. Ask about food, herbs, spices and scents before you use them.
• Small items. Keep beads and small objects away from children and pets.
• Sounds and smells. If you're sharing a space, keep them mild. Strong smells can be overwhelming.
• Essential oils. These are very concentrated, so we don't recommend them for games. If you do use them, never swallow them, and keep them away from your eyes, flames, children and pets. Don't put them on your skin undiluted: mix them with a carrier oil or unscented lotion, and try a small patch on your skin first. Check with your GP or pharmacist first if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, have epilepsy or asthma, or take regular medicine. If an oil irritates your skin or your breathing, stop using it.

Where Noa's Place fits in

Noa's Place is a charity in Halifax for neurodivergent and disabled families. Our free sessions are for children aged 0 to 11, with a family drop-in for parents, carers and grandparents. This guide is for adults, and for the people who support them. Support for adults is coming soon.

Questions people ask

What are sensory games for adults?

In this guide, they're calm, low-pressure activities that use touch, sound or smell, like guessing a texture or matching sounds. They're designed for neurodivergent and autistic adults, friends and groups, for wellbeing and relaxing.

Can sensory games help with sensory overload?

They might help some people take a break or settle. They aren't a treatment, and what helps varies from person to person. If overload is affecting your daily life, talk to your GP.

Do I need to buy anything?

No. Jars, bags, a few kitchen items and things from around the house are enough. Skip anything that you or your group might react to.

More ideas

The whole list is in our guide to sensory activities for adults.

Your next step

To find out which kinds of input suit you, try our free sensory profile for adults. It's free, and what you enter isn't stored on our website. You download your profile as a PDF to your own device.

Sources

• Sensory Trust: Sensory introduction
• Autism NI: Sensory Seeking Activities for Adults (PDF)
• Cancer Research UK: Aromatherapy
• PDSA: Cats and essential oils
• Aromatherapy Trade Council (UK trade body): essential oil safety FAQs, including patch testing and dilution