Welcome to the Autistic Play Lab🔬

Welcome to the Autistic Play Lab—a space for wonder, observation, and a fresh look at how autistic kids explore and express themselves through play. 🧠✨

Because play isn’t one-size-fits-all.
It’s not always pretend kitchens or building forts. Sometimes it looks like movement, sound, collecting, repetition, or deep, focused engagement.

So, let’s zoom in on six types of play you might see through a neurodiversity-affirming lens—ways that autistic kids connect with the world on their own terms.

👀 Before we begin…
This isn’t a developmental checklist or a set of steps to follow.
These are simply styles—unique ways play might show up. Not better or worse. Not linear. Just different, meaningful, and worth celebrating.

🌀 1. Sensory + Sensory-Motor Play

Think: rice bins, swinging, spinning, tapping, bouncing.
This play activates the sensory systems—and yes, it counts as play.
It supports regulation, focus, and joy.

🔍 Try asking: What sensory input are they seeking? What helps them feel “just right”?

👯‍♀️ 2. People Play

Think: peek-a-boo, chase, singing songs, silly faces, tickle games.
This is relational play—built on connection and shared joy.
For some autistic kids, it takes time to feel safe enough for this kind of play. But when it clicks? Magic.

💡 Reframe: It may not look like typical “social play,” but it’s rich with communication, safety, and relationship-building.

🧩 3. Exploratory Toy Play

Think: pushing buttons, spinning wheels, knocking over towers, tinkering.
This play is about curiosity, mechanics, and experimenting with how things work.

🧠 Reframe: Repetition isn’t always “stuck.” It can mean regulated, fascinated, and focused on mastery.

🎲 4. Structured Games & Board Play

Think: Pop-Up Pirate, Candy Land, Go Fish, obstacle courses, or video games with clear rules.
This play supports turn-taking, sequencing, collaboration, and executive functioning.

🎯 Why it matters: For some autistic kids, structure = safety. Predictable rules and clear outcomes help reduce anxiety and create space for joy.

🎭 5. Pretend Play

Think: dramatic scenes with costumes, action figures with backstories, acting out real-life scenarios or favourite video scenes.
Pretend play supports flexible thinking and emotional processing—but it may not always show up in typical ways.

🤔 Curiosity Questions: What themes keep showing up in their pretend play—and what might those tell me? Are they using play to process emotions or practice real-life scenarios? How can I join or support without directing?

🎨 6. Creative Play

Think: drawing, building, crafting, inventing, designing.
This is play that involves making something—often connected to a special interest or emotion.

✨ Watch for: Repeating patterns? Arranging materials with precision? That’s expression, not off-task behavior. Focus on the process, not just the final product.

🔍 Your Play Lab Task:

For a week, simply observe.
What kinds of play have you noticed from the autistic children you support or care for?
Which styles show up most naturally for them—and how do they engage in their own unique way?

You don’t need to change or direct anything. Just notice.
Because when we pay attention to play, we begin to see learning, regulation, communication, and joy unfold right in front of us.

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