The Power of Play!

Play is a vehicle for growth, learning and development.  For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), play can be difficult. To help enhance and develop your child’s play experiences, here are some tips, benefits & strategies used to engage children with ASD.

Understanding the characteristics of play:

• Play is voluntary
• Play is motivating
• Play is symbolic
• Play is meaningful
• Play is transforming
• Play is pleasurable
• Play is governed by implied or set rules

Play allows children to:

• Choose freely their activity of interest
• Be free of demands or expectation
• Make connections to their current world through past experiences
• Have the ability to take on other roles
• Explore
• Experiment
• Investigate
• Inquire with and about people, objects or events
• Create or change rules

Parent tips/strategies to engage & enhance positive play experiences for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder:

• Respect children’s preferences for particular area of the room
• Respect need for personal space
• Respect ability to tolerate others in an activity
• Keep experiences familiar to child
• Gradually extend the child’s comfort level with others, objects and types of play
• Create clear physical boundaries when outdoors
• Model how to use each toy & piece of equipment if needed
• Create a lower-stress environment 
• Use your child’s interests/passions
• Do not focus on the end product. Enjoy the process of playing
• Follow your child’s lead
• Do not rush the experience
• Limit verbalization; use gestures
• Model for your child as needed. Encourage turn taking, interactions and sharing
• Create a comfortable environment
• Allow time for your child to think and do
• Allow time for problem solving
• Do not do for your child what they can do for themselves; let them be independent as much as possible
• Play at your child’s level

Most of all HAVE FUN!!!!
-Jacqueline M. DiJoseph, Teacher, Celebrate the Children