What Is The Best Play Therapy For Autism?

Play is a natural part of childhood. For small children, play is the primary way they learn and develop. Play helps develop cognitive skills, motor skills, and language skills, as well as social and emotional skills. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from play just like any other child does—but they may need a slightly different approach to achieve those benefits.

Benefits Of Play Therapy For Autism.

Play therapy can help autistic children who have difficulty expressing their feelings verbally. Many autistic children have trouble communicating their emotions or thoughts in an appropriate manner to others around them because they don’t understand what it means to express themselves in words or gestures that other people understand easily. Play therapists will often try to help these children understand the connection between their own actions and the reactions these actions elicit from others so that they can learn how to use language more effectively in order to communicate themselves better when interacting with others around them.

For example, autism is a developmental disorder that can make it difficult for a child to communicate effectively or connect with others on an emotional level. Play offers a valuable way for children with ASD who have trouble communicating verbally to express themselves when they can’t or don’t want to use words. Because many children with ASD find social interaction challenging but enjoy playing by themselves or following a set pattern of activity (e.g., lining up toys), play therapy provides less pressure-filled environment where they can still receive the benefits of interacting with others.

Play therapy can help build social skills, improve communication skills and cognitive abilities, and help children with autism develop emotional and motor skills. In the last several decades, research has shown that play therapy offers significant benefits for children with autism in particular.

Autism, Developmental Disorders & Play Therapy.

Because autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder, it can make it difficult for a child to communicate their needs, emotions, and thoughts effectively. Even young children with ASD may struggle to connect with others on an emotional level. Children with ASD may enjoy playing by themselves or following a set pattern of activity. The following activities can be used to help your child with ASD:

• Engage in sensory activities such as painting their nails or listening to music
• Participate in physical activities like playing outside and running around the house
• Play games that involve taking turns or working together as a team

Help your child with ASD learn how to make small talk by asking them questions about what they like, what they do at school, and so on. Provide plenty of opportunities for your child to practice social skills and play with others.

Play provides a valuable way for children to express themselves when they can’t or don’t want to use words. Because many children with ASD find social interaction challenging but enjoy playing by themselves or following a set pattern of activity, play therapy provides a less pressure-filled environment where they can still receive the benefits of interacting with others.

Play is a natural part of childhood, and it’s been linked to significant developmental benefits. In fact, play is the primary way children learn and develop cognitive skills, motor skills, language skills, social and emotional skills. For these reasons alone, play therapy can be beneficial for children on the spectrum—but there are other reasons as well.

Common Types Of Play Therapy Used In Autism Include:

Play therapists and child psychologists are often trained in both the theoretical underpinnings of their practice as well as the practical techniques that go along with it—how to conduct a session, how to encourage clients to engage in appropriate behaviour during playtime, etc. The most helpful forms of play therapy for autism are listed below:

1. Sandplay Therapy

Sandplay therapy is a form of play therapy that uses sand as the primary medium. It is a type of play therapy that is used for children with developmental disabilities, including autism. It is also used for children who are grieving or who have experienced trauma.

Sandplay therapy involves the use of props, figurines and other materials that allow a child to create scenes or stories in the sand. Children are encouraged to create with no right or wrong way to do it.

Art therapists are trained in child development and mental health disorders.

2. Sensory Integration Through Art

• Sensory integration is the way the brain organizes and interprets sensory input from our five senses: sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. It also involves proprioception (the sense of where your body parts are in space), kinaesthetic awareness (knowing where your body parts are in space) and vestibular sense (awareness of movement).
• Art can help with sensory integration because it is a multisensory experience that incorporates all of these senses at once. For example, playing with paint could involve seeing colour combinations; hearing splattering sounds as you create different forms on paper; feeling textures on your hands as they become covered in paint; tasting food colouring as you lick one finger after another; smelling scents coming off of your canvas or paper as you mix colours together; and even feeling movement when creating lines or shapes with the brush or paint stick.
• Some activities using art materials that may help improve sensory integration include finger painting using tempera paints; finger painting using watercolours; colouring books for younger children who find it easier to focus on one task at a time rather than multiple tasks simultaneously; sorting objects into groups based on colour categories such as reds versus yellows versus oranges etc.; glueing sequins onto cards with faces drawn onto them so that each child has their own unique set of card faces making up their collection.

3. Floortime Therapy (Developmental Models)

Floortime therapy is a type of play therapy used to help children with autism learn how to interact with others. The goal of floortime therapy is to develop relationships and learn through play. Therapists can facilitate floortime therapy in a group setting or individually.

The child is encouraged to explore and engage with their environment (i.e., toys). While doing this they will discover new ways of interacting by exploring their own thoughts, feelings and emotions which will then help them develop better communication skills later on down the line. This process has been termed “dialogue” by Doman & Delacato (1976), who believe that language development begins when infants use sounds instead of words; therefore it’s necessary for therapists working with these children to provide opportunities where such connections can happen naturally without any pressure from outside influences such as other family members.”

Parents can also implement play techniques at home to help improve their child’s development. Home-based sensory integration through art might include things like finger painting or clay moulding. It will most likely require some experimentation before you find what works for your child specifically.

Book A Session With Registered Play Therapy For Autism Professionals in South Africa Today.

It is important to remember that every child is unique and will develop at their own pace. The best thing you can do for your child is provide them with an environment where they feel loved, safe, and supported to commence with play therapy for autism. At Mizu Therapy & Assessment in Johannesburg, our child psychologists encourage parents to book a consult immediately if you notice that your child is struggling with sensory integration. The sooner you start working on these issues the better off your child will be.