Introduction – Integrated Multipurpose Recreation and Hobby Center (IMRHC), Bangalore, is a voluntary organization, which was founded 30 years ago with the aim of helping children with mental handicap / disability. It has strived to identify the hidden talents in these children and channelized them to achieve high standards at both national and international level.

Objective: Role of hobby and recreation in training children with Autism.

Methods: A team of professionals evaluated ten autistic individuals in the following areas namely Abnormalities of speech – like echolalia, unusual modulation, Social Abnormalities – like poor gaze contact, indifference to social conventions, Rituals And Routines – like rigid play, attachment to particular object etc. and Isolated skills.

Goals were setup and steps taken towards eradication of unwanted behavior by techniques like controlling behavior by observation, consistency and repetition, making learning positive & breaking up an action or item into parts.

Results: Following the training program the subjects were able to either improve or get rid of unwanted behavior, thus making them socially acceptable and also helped them to develop exceptional talents.

Conclusion: The keynote to achieving success in these children is a multifaceted and in-depth approach on part of the therapists and the transformation of caregivers from despairing individuals into concerned and co-operative people, thus ensuring that transfer of learning takes place. A combination of factors like networking, enriched atmosphere, informal set-up, personal attention and intuitive application of learning principles have been responsible for the positive results.