"Go out and play!"

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This article, "Kids need more unsupervised time outdoors, according to research. Here's how some families encourage free play.", does not explicitly mention Autism but the benefits they mention would seem to be beneficial for Autistic children, too.

When I was young I spent quite a bit of time in the woods and I think it was very beneficial for me.

I couldn't agree more! Spending time in the woods was my best retreat from the stress of being so "different". Plus, it was just so peaceful of a place.

Timely. Just had a family meeting yesterday to institute more free play... for everyone. How many adults spend too much time on their screens?

Why does play need to be out?

I can find plenty of ways to play in. Always did.

The article seems to feel youngsters should get some unstructured time outdoors.

I suppose those of us who are young-at-heart should try to get some time outdoors, too. Um...my outdoor time is kind of structured, I admit: morning walks with a fixed route.

Yeah. So I guess my playtime is also indoors.
(Does time looking at Microsoft Windows count for anything?)

Personally, one of the nice things about hockey is that it's played indoors, away from the bugs and the sun.

It is heavily scientifically shown that physical activity (if one is physically able to do so, obviously illnesses etc exist) in children has massive benefits mentally and psychologically and to be honest I find that a decent subset of autistics seem to really like movement.

I liked solitary sports as child / teen / young adult before I got too physically ill to do it. Long distance cross country was the main one although I later did powerlifting but wound up in a team because I was really good at bench press for my sex and size, but then left because I couldn't take the presence of other people like that and I then got ill anyway. Now I spend a lot of time at my computer I'll admit, but severe visual impairment and being thrown out of places I join (I have congenital brain damage and further brain injury later which plays havoc on my ability to function in anything but severe isolation in many ways) means that I don't have anywhere to go outside, so I stay at home and study various sciences, learn more maths and sit at my computer a lot.

As a child I was outside all the time.
I was raised on a boat in my infancy and as a toddler.
I was unsupervised playing in the woodlot behind our house starting age 3.
The kids on my street always had to play outside even at night.
Then we got a swimming pool so I started swim lessons very young.

We went skiing, snowmobiling, ice skating, dirt-biking, canoeing, horseback riding, etc.
My brother and I used to make tree forts and even ice / snow forts.
I spent nights alone in a tent with my plushies.
We went to cottages and cabins and beaches.
I was dragged all over the place.
My parents weren't indoor people at all.

My point is that my creative "play" was always in my head.
I played less when I was outside than inside.
When I was outside doing that stuff I was dealing with anxiety and agoraphobia.
I was trying to keep from getting injured.
I didn't have time or the mental space to use my imagination or be myself.
All I ever wanted to do was read a book or live in my head, anyway.

All the outdoor crap interfered with what really mattered.
Now everyone's dying from skin cancer as a result.
Fun wow.

Cool!

You're very lucky.
I'm fishbelly white with auburn hair and freckles.
Skin cancer is genetic in my family.

Children, much like adults have different comfort levels when it comes to outside exposure. Some kids get ansty when expected to be indoors for extended periods of time, some thrive on it.

I think regardless of age, more attention should be placed on the amount of screen time we have, as at different stages in our lives excessive screen time has observed negative effects on emotional, mental and physical health. Particularly violent media.

Even as an adult, I have to remind myself to spend more time outdoors as I have a vitamin d deficiency. But apart from that, I don't see mich benefit in being outdoors has over a constructive activity in doors.

It also depends if the kid has siblings and friends, and the climate or environs where they live.
You can't just send a little autistic kid outside alone to play.
We're known for not sensing danger, or even darting / drowning.
Some kids live in inner city urban places which are dangerous.
It's not like we can all go prance around in a meadow chasing butterflies.

Where I live it gets to -20 or colder in winter and to about 90 with humidity in summer.
Spring and autumn rain.

I forgot to say my sons both loved being outside.
One was into skiing, snowboarding, and competitive skateboarding.
Now he works on a yacht.

The other played elite football (soccer) and other sports for over ten years.
He was also a competitive swimmer, tennis player, and lifeguard.
I was outside for all his practices and games all those years.
(He played a lot of indoor sports too.)

My daughter was also very active but with indoor stuff (professional music theatre / arts).
Now she's a published author.

They were all taught to have "quiet time" alone in their rooms with no gadgets.
They're all very bright and creative overachievers.