Playtime

Playtime with your Autistic Children

Our children play in their own ways. Sometimes they use toys, sometimes different objects. Sometimes our children want to just play alone and this is difficult when we want to engage with them and teach them things. We've pulled some information together in effort to help us all better understand playtime.

👫 Parallel Play:

Playing next to your child can help them to feel comfortable enough to play with you and others in the future. It's important for them to feel comfortable when they are engaged in their playtime. We don’t want to be intrusive or cause them to be nervous.

You can try to sit next to them, bring your own toys, and engage in playtime activities. Act like you are enjoying yourself, be cheery and demonstrate how to play. Even if they don't seem to be paying you any attention, they will notice. It may take several attempts before they want to engage. Your child knows you are there and your actions are not going unnoticed. Give them time and space.

⚽️ Here are some playtime tips for engaging with your child:

- Incorporate sensory play by swinging, bouncing spinning, swimming, or playing with sensory bins

- Understand and use your child's interests, try to enter their world versus them having to enter yours

- Understand your child's strengths & weaknesses and consider that when choosing an activity

- Show them how to have fun, enjoy yourself when playing

- Limit discussions, keep any guidance short and simple... alter any rules needed to ensure a good time

- Keep interactive playtime short

- Keep in mind transitions & change may be difficult

- - You can help make transition and change easier by using visual guides, pictures, timers, and verbal reminders

🧸 Developmental Stages of Play:

There are several developmental stages of play. Autistic children may exceed in some and not others. Please find information regarding each stage below along with tips to help your child learn these different types of playtime.

👀 Exploratory play is when a child explores objects and toys, rather than playing with them. They may be exploring toys and objects to accomplish a sensory need as well. Some examples are touching different textures, putting things in their mouths, looking at things up closely or to the side, also shaking & dangling things.

You can encourage this type of play by providing toys with textures, sounds, colors, shapes and movements. Show them to pour things from cups, squish things in their hands and fingers. Bubbles, playdough, sensory bins, and even bath time are ideal for this type of play.

Children learn about their world with Exploratory play.

🎹 Cause and effect play is when a child plays with a toy that needs an action to get a result. Some examples would be a drum, keyboard, sound book, or car with sounds & lights buttons.

You can encourage and assist with cause and effect play by taking turns pressing buttons on a keyboard, taping on an xylophone or drum. Also with a pop up toy where a button makes something pop up. Or a button book that when pressed makes sounds or lights. You can use this type of play to demonstrate something, giving them the opportunity to copy you and take turns. Your child may achieve sensory input while performing cause and effect activities.

Children learn that their actions have consequences and gives them a sense of control.

🚂 Toy play is learning how to play with and use toys in the way they were designed. Some examples; pushing a toy car, playing with a baby doll, doing puzzles, putting a toy phone to the ear, or throwing a ball.

Here’s some tips on encouraging toy play:

- - position yourself so your child can see you, what you're doing, and communicate to you

- - offer your child a choice of a couple toys, not too many as it could be overwhelming for them

- - follow their lead, play in the same way they are for a few minutes, then demonstrate the toys intended purpose. Also, be sure to show them how much fun you're having when playing

- - encourage them to copy your actions, demonstrate again and tell them it's their turn. You could try to guide their hand to perform the desired action

- - be sure to reward your child with lots of praise and positive feedback

- - besides demonstrating the toy play yourself, you could show your child books or videos of other children playing with toys

Children learn problem solving, creativity skills, and independent thinking as they figure out what to do with their toys.

🛠 Constructive play is when a child builds or makes something. This type of play is used when they are working towards a goal or to complete a product. Some examples; puzzles, building a tower with blocks, and drawing or coloring a picture.

Encourage your child’s constructive play by demonstration, with pictures, or maybe with videos. Your child may be demonstrating constructive play while stacking and lining up objects.

Children develop motor skills, creative thinking and problem-solving skills with constructive play.

🤸 Physical play is play that engages your child physically.

You can encourage physical play in numerous ways. Playing chase, tickles, tumbling, and climbing. If they have a trampoline, a swing, a giant ball, a hammock, a ball pit.. they are likely engaging in physical play on a daily basis. Often times stimming behaviors and sensory seeking are a part of this type of play. This could be an opportunity for them to interact with other people, as well as explore the world around them.

Children benefit from physical play by getting whole-body exercise, develop gross motor skills and obtainsensory input.

👮 Pretend play is when a child uses their imagination during play. Examples; feeding a baby doll, playing dress up, pretend driving, or playing the floor is lava.

Here’s some tips on encouraging pretend play:

- - use books or pictures to help your child understand

- - try to break pretend play activities into steps

- - perhaps make it funny by using a spoon to brush a doll or teddy bears hair, or use a toothbrush to feed the toy, try putting a hat on your knee or shoe on your head

- - demonstrate simple pretend actions for them to copy

- - try to role play their favorite show or story, imitate character voices and actions, this will encourage role playing as part of their pretend play

Children will develop the skills needed for social relationships, and help them to understand what other people are thinking and feeling.

✨ Remember, there is no right or wrong way to play. We can encourage our children to play in more typical ways, but it's important to let them play and enjoy playing their way too. If we're too pushy or intrusive they will be more hesitant to engage other children to play. We want them to be ready and willing to play on their own terms, but can try to encourage more typical play as tolerated. Maybe you can share some success stories with us in the comments. 😀