Playing

Playing sounds so easy but did you know that playing is a skill too?

When we work with a learner, we help them gain all the skills necessary to not only play on their own but to play with peers as well. So what is needed in order to play?

Below are just a few of the skill areas we look at when we assess and assist with play skills:

• Exploration Skills (learning to explore your environment and the toys within it)

• Manipulation of Toys (learning how to decipher what a toy does and how to make it work for me)

• Sharing (learning how to allow others to join in on the fun)

• Sociodramatic Play (learning how to act out characters within play - think imaginary play)

• Conversation During Play (learning how to converse with peers while playing with toys)

• Motor Skills (play involves both fine and gross motor skills)

• Rule Following (learning how to determine the rules of a game and how to follow along in the fun - think board games)

AND SO MUCH MORE!!

What about if my child doesn’t engage in “typical” play?

That is a GREAT question! You’ll notice in the intro of this blog post, we listed a few of the skills necessary to play. Sometimes we find that we as parents/adults need to be retaught how to play too! 

We at Pee-Wee’s are NOT in the robot making business. 

We are here to help your child gain the skills needed to independently navigate life BUT we are NOT here to mold them into a cookie cutter image - they are FREE and ENCOURAGED to use the skills taught in the way they see fits them best. 

So you’ll notice that the list of skills is NOT “plays with a toy truck exactly like this Insert Societal Norms*.” INSTEAD, it’s how to explore, learning how a toy can be manipulated, allowing others in on the fun, sprinkling in some imagination, conversing enough so you and your peer stay in the same game, having the fine/gross motor skills necessary to accomplish your play goal, and understanding/following the rules of the game so the fun can continue. 

I highly recommend that we as caregivers brush up on these skills too AND broaden our horizons beyond the boxed in version of play that the toy sells. 

So when your kiddo begins to play with a toy and you want to join in? - follow these steps to join in on the fun!

1) Explore the environment and toy your child is engaging with

2) learn how they are choosing to manipulate the toy/environment and follow along

3) allow them to have fun with the toy the way they are and join in with them WITHOUT trying to change the rules

4) if possible, converse with them to get a better understanding of the game and it’s rules (you don’t need to fully understand every detail, just enough to join in)

5) sprinkle some imagination in

6) understand the rules by following your child’s lead

7) HAVE FUN!!!