- Tips on how to broaden the range of play for an autistic child with limited interests
- Encourage interactive play by interrupting and surprising them
In the early years following his ASD diagnosis, my son preferred to play by himself and had limited interests. His range of play was very narrow, as he favoured repetitive routines using the same few toys. Even now, a few years on, I’m always trying to broaden his interests and encourage cooperative play with family members.
To do this, I’ve developed a method that’s best summed up as ‘interrupt and surprise’, based on key insights my son’s OT taught me in the early days.
Here’s how it works.
Parallel play
- First, observe your child playing by themselves.
- Eventually, sit next to them and copy what they do. In other words, do some parallel play.
- Gradually, introduce new elements into your play.
For example, if your child is playing with a toy car, moving it left and right across the floor, looking at the wheels:
- Put something in the way of your own toy car and drive over it. Or, race the car down a makeshift ramp.
- Place a toy on top of your car and say ‘We’re off to…’ and go shooting off somewhere.
- Build a tower of something and crash your car into it.
Interrupt
Next, ‘interrupt’ your child’s play by gently bringing the ramp, toy or tower in the way of their car. Encourage them to do what you just did.
If they seem interested, keep going and dial up the fun. If they seem irritated, back off and after a pause, try something else.
Surprise
I’ve found that it’s often effective to do something unexpected. Do something funny. Surprise them. Make them laugh.
For example:
- Don’t use an actual toy ramp. Instead, use something that’s incongruous to the setting — a frying pan, a boot, a roll of toilet paper. Instead of building a tower using blocks, pile up your child’s teddies or tinned cans from the kitchen. Don’t put a small doll on the car; try to balance a giant T-rex on it.
- Make overdramatic, comical noises and gestures. Incorporate surprising ones. Maybe the car suddenly starts mooing, or screeching ‘I want ice cream! I want ice cream! Where’s ice cream?’
- Sing songs that your child loves, but in an unexpected way. Move the car in time to the beat. Do funny voices, suddenly whisper, stop abruptly. Milk the dramatic pause and the anticipation.
Don’t lose heart
Don’t lose heart if your child doesn’t react or rejects your efforts. It’s a big step if they simply allow you to do parallel play alongside them, and they may well be absorbing what you are doing, even if they don’t seem to be.
Keep trying new, outrageous things. If your child looks up and pauses, or joins in just a little, that’s huge progress!
Summary
Play alongside your child, copying what they do. Then gradually start to ‘interrupt’.
Draw their attention by incorporating unexpected objects, sounds and movements.
Autism Hacks 