Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that affects how individuals interact with others and experience the world around them. A key diagnostic criterion for ASD is persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction. This can impact many aspects of life, including play skills and engagement in play activities. For autistic children, play often looks different compared to neurotypical peers. Some differences in play that may be observed in autistic children include:
- Difficulty with imaginary or pretend play
- Restricted interests and repetitive play activities
- Challenges sharing toys or playing cooperatively with others
- Difficulty integrating gestures and verbal communication into play
- Disinterest in some typical childhood games
- Need for structure and routine during play
- Sensory sensitivities that impact engagement with certain toys or environments
However, with the right supports and accommodations, autistic children can and do engage in meaningful play. Understanding an autistic child’s unique strengths and challenges is key to fostering appropriate play skills.
Do autistic children engage in pretend play?
Pretend play involves using imagination to take on roles and create fictional scenarios. This type of play emerges naturally in most young neurotypical children, but autistic kids tend to show deficits in this area.
Several studies have found that autistic children demonstrate:
- Less spontaneous pretend play
- More repetition of previously observed pretend play scenes
- Difficulty integrating varied themes into pretend play
- Challenges taking on social roles and personas during pretend play
However, many autistic children do engage in some forms of pretend play, particularly with supports in place. Structured teaching of pretend play skills can help autistic kids develop imagination and flexibility during play. Using visual aids and social stories to model pretend play is a useful strategy. Allowing autistic children to act out familiar scenes from books, movies or daily life can be an entry point into pretend play as well. With guidance, autistic kids can gain pretend play skills over time.
Pretend Play Study Findings
| Study | Key Findings |
|---|---|
| Lam et al., 2020 | Autistic children aged 3-6 spent less time engaged in pretend play and demonstrated lower quality pretend play compared to neurotypical peers. However, autistic kids did participate in pretend play when given structured prompting. |
| Dominguez et al., 2006 | In a small study of young autistic children, participants engaged in lower rates of pretend play versus control groups. Differences were more pronounced in spontaneous pretend play versus structured clinician-guided pretend play situations. |
| Rutherford et al., 2007 | A literature review indicated autistic children have persistent deficits in spontaneous pretend play, though some evidence supports autistic kids engaging in pretend play when given supports and structure. |
Do autistic children have restricted interests and repetitive play?
Restricted and repetitive behaviors are a core diagnostic feature of ASD. These behaviors can extend to play interests and activities.
Autistic children often demonstrate:
- Intense interests in specific toys, characters or topics
- Repetitive motor behaviors during play, like lining up toys or spinning objects
- Distress if play routines are disrupted
- Rigid adherence to rules during play activities
Examples of restricted and repetitive play might include:
- Hyperfocus on a specific movie character or fictional universe
- Flipping pages back and forth in a book repeatedly
- Memorizing toy commercials or game rules
- Getting upset if toys are moved or rearranged
While repetitive play is very common in autism, it exists on a spectrum. Some autistic children have mild preferences, while others may be deeply distressed if play is interrupted. Understanding each child’s unique interests and supports can enhance play skills.
Restricted Interests Study Examples
| Study | Key Finding |
|---|---|
| Boyd et al., 2010 | 79% of autistic children demonstrated repetitive sensory-motor behaviors during play in a clinical observation setting. |
| Honey et al., 2007 | Autistic children spent more time engaged in repetitive play with toys, like spinning wheels on a car, versus neurotypical peers who engaged in more imaginative play. |
| Kinnaird et al., 2019 | In a survey, over 90% of parents reported their autistic child played repetitively with toys “often” or “always.” |
Do autistic children have challenges with social play?
Social communication and interaction deficits are a core challenge in ASD that impacts the ability to engage in social play. Autistic children may have difficulties with:
- Initiating play with others
- Sharing toys
- Cooperative play
- Turn taking
- Understanding social rules of games
- Engaging in role play requiring social interaction
These play skills don’t come as instinctually to autistic kids compared to peers. However, structured interventions targeting social play can make a difference. This may include:
- Adult modeling and facilitation
- Social stories depicting play situations
- Visual aids like picture schedules for shared play
- Peer mediation strategies
With support, autistic children can learn critical interactive play skills through repeated practice in natural settings.
Social Play Research Findings
| Study | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Bass & Llabre, 2021 | Autistic adolescents engaged in lower rates of interactive play and social information sharing during free play compared to neurotypical peers. |
| Freeman et al., 2021 | Parent surveys indicated autistic preschoolers had challenges with turn taking, sharing toys, and initiating play relative to developmental levels. |
| Wolfberg et al., 2012 | After participating in an inclusive peer play program, autistic children improved social play skills including initiation, turn taking, role play and reciprocity. |
Do sensory issues impact play for autistic children?
Unusual sensory responses are common in ASD, including over- or under-sensitivity to sound, touch, smell, etc. Sensory processing differences can influence autistic children’s play choices and engagement.
Autistic kids may:
- Avoid play with certain textures, sounds, smells
- Seek out sensory experiences during play
- Have trouble concentrating around loud or chaotic environments
- Appear unfocused during play due to sensory distractions
Understanding a child’s unique sensory profile can help maximize their participation and enjoyment of play. Strategies include:
- Offering sensory adapted toys and materials
- Modifying environments to minimize triggers
- Providing calming sensory tools during play
- Giving sensory breaks when needed
With sensory processing support, autistic children can more fully engage in play activities.
Sensory Play Study Examples
| Study | Key Findings |
|---|---|
| Gal et al., 2010 | In a survey, 100% of parents reported sensory processing differences impacted their autistic child’s play in areas like social play, variety of activities, and play duration. |
| Benson et al., 2019 | Providing sensory adapted play materials, like grippy crayons or soft play dough, resulted in increased focus and engagement during play in autistic children. |
| Siper PM et al., 2021 | Autistic toddlers were more likely to avoid play with sensory qualities like messy materials, loud sounds and bright lights versus neurotypical toddlers. |
Do autistic kids have differences in motor skills that impact play?
ASD is associated with delayed motor development in some children, as well as unusual motor behaviors. These motor differences can contribute to play challenges:
- Delayed ability to reach, grasp, crawl impacts toy interaction
- Poor coordination makes some playground games difficult
- Unusual motor mannerisms can isolate children in social play
- Motor stereotypies like hand flapping can disrupt focus
However targeted interventions can improve motor skills during play:
- Adapted equipment like larger bats or balls
- Child-directed physical prompting
- Modeling motor movements
- Positive reinforcement of motor behaviors
As motor skills develop, autistic children make developmental gains in functional and social play abilities.
Examples of Research on Motor Differences in ASD
| Study | Main Findings |
|---|---|
| Liu T, 2007 | Autistic children showed slower acquisition of functional motor skills like stacking blocks and using a spoon, negatively impacting play. |
| Whyatt CP & Craig CM, 2011 | Autistic children displayed motor challenges including catching, throwing, and bike riding versus peers, restricting playground play opportunities. |
| Bhat et al., 2012 | Autistic children had delayed motor skills like pointing, waving, clapping andimitating actions, limiting social-motor play interactions. |
Do autistic children have different play preferences?
In addition to the developmental differences above, autistic children may have divergent play interests from neurotypical peers. Some distinctions noted include:
- Preference for structured activities over free play
- Focus on parts of objects like wheels vs. intended object use
- Enjoyment of solo play over social interactions
- Seeking sensory experiences from play
Autistic children also commonly develop intense interests in specific topics that shape play choices like:
- Trains, planes, or vehicles
- Dinosaurs or other animals
- Space, astronomy facts
- Certain movies and characters
Rather than discouraging these passions, leveraging them in play can have positive outcomes. Allowing autistic kids to explore their interests promotes enjoyment, coping, and sharing interests with others. Respecting different preferences empowers autistic children.
Examples of Research on Play Preferences
| Study | Main Findings |
|---|---|
| Ju et al., 2016 | Autistic toddlers engaged in more independent play and focused more on objects relative to neurotypical toddlers based on parent reports. |
| Kinnaird et al., 2019 | In a survey, 94% of parents reported their autistic child had special interests that impacted their preferred toys and play activities. |
| Vivanti et al., 2018 | Observations of autistic children confirmed individual play preferences like repeatedly opening/shutting doors or sorting objects. |
Conclusion
While autistic children show differences in play skills, they are capable of meaningful play engagement with the right supports in place. Key strategies for promoting play development include providing structure, leveraging interests, adapting materials and environment, facilitation by adults, and targeted teaching of play skills. Recognizing each autistic child’s unique strengths and challenges allows for play opportunities tailored to their abilities and preferences. With guidance and accommodation, autistic kids can reap developmental, social, and quality of life benefits that come from engaging in a variety of enjoyable play activities. Continued research and clinical efforts focused on enhancing play in autism can ensure these children gain critical play-based learning experiences.