Ever thought "my kid just seems to play when they go to therapy, are they even working?!". We get asked about this a lot here at All Star Therapies, so we asked our resident research-lover Grace to put together some info about how our play therapy supports your child's goals.
We all know how to play and how play feels for us, but what really is it? We understand play to be intrinsically motivating/rewarding, initiated by the child, symbolic and most importantly, a fun experience! Play may look different for autistic kids when compared to neurotypical kids, which is totally fine! Autistic play tends to involve gathering, sorting, inspecting and being more interested in specific objects (such as rocks or sticks). Play for autistic kids also may typically happen alone or within smaller groups. For these kids, play can be an escape that manages anxiety, supports emotional and sensory regulation, promotes communication and fosters friendships with peers that have similar interests.
Play based intervention is a form of therapy that harnesses play as a platform for
communication, expression and exploration.Therapy through play can look like tackling speech sounds whilst having a teddy bear picnic or building a LEGO bridge whilst also building fine motor skills and coordination! This can be facilitated through providing a conducive environment for play, following the child’s lead and allowing for choice and autonomy in play. Through supporting authentic communication, play and positive autistic identity, play-based therapy can be motivating, natural and individualised!
Play based therapy can:
Be a positive and motivating experience. Play based therapy can be adapted to be interest-based, individualised and child-led, increasing curiosity and enjoyment.
Occur in a child's organic environment. This natural and context-rich setting for the development and enhancement of life skills.
Be easily implemented at home by parents or caregivers
Target multiple goals or developmental areas, such as high frequency language modelling, problem solving and relationship skills
Increase flexibility in play by supporting the child with new ways to play (that are fun for them) so that they are able to enjoy more play activities (if they want to)
Develop cognitive skills such as sequencing, cause and effect, problem solving, creative and flexible thinking
Enhance social interactions, engagement and communication
Increase communication between AAC users and peers
It is important to note that improving play skills is not always the goal when your child attends therapy with us. We believe that it’s important not to overshadow the child's authentic self expression of play, by teaching neurotypical play. This is at the risk of conveying that this type of play is the correct way, and may inadvertently promote masking behaviours. It is essential to ensure that our therapy remains strength-based and neuro-affirming, honouring the unique play styles and preferences of each child.
Our tips for being a good play partner:
Provide a supportive environment - offer encouragement and praise your child for their effort, focus on the process not just the outcome!
Foster their creativity - provide open ended toys and materials, so that they can be more imaginative in their play. Craft supplies and recycled materials are great (have you ever seen how much kids love a big box?!), but blocks, dress ups and LEGO are great points of inspiration too.
Validate their feelings - offer support and reassurance if they encounter challenges or frustrations during play, and validate these feelings. This can be a great opportunity for them to practice their problem solving skills, and for them to learn to regulate more independently, however sometimes they will still need help
Approach invitations to play with enthusiasm - your child is seeking connection with you, and they are inviting you into their joy!
By being open and curious, therapists (and parents) are able to authentically support and encourage autistic play and kick some goals all in one!
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