Pretend Play and Autism: Supporting Imaginative Growth

As children develop, they will experience many types of play. The dynamic between pretend play and autism highlights how imaginative activities can help children explore roles, practice social interactions, and creatively develop problem-solving skills.

However, pretend play can be more challenging for many children on the autism spectrum. These children may find it difficult to understand social cues, use symbolic thinking, or engage in the back-and-forth nature of make-believe play.

While pretend play may look different for autistic children, it remains a valuable tool for their development. With the appropriate support and understanding, these children can experience the benefits of imaginative play in unique ways.

Why pretend play may be challenging for autistic children

There are many stages and elements of pretend play that can be challenging for an autistic child. These often include:

• delays in social communication, 
• understanding perspectives, 
• toleration of others, or 
• flexibility within the play.

For example, role-playing is a critical component of pretend play, which requires mastery and understanding of the theory of mind. If a child was playing with a doctor set, they might not understand that they may need to acquire a different persona or be able to switch roles. 

They may prefer to stick to play actions with clear rules or repetitiveness. Pretend play also involves the ability to be creative and imaginative.

Many autistic children prefer to play with toys that have “rules” or clear instructions about their function. When engaging in a pretend play scenario, the rules are arbitrary.

Additionally, pretend play involves vocalizations such as adding commentary to play action or including dialogue within their role. If the child struggles with social communication or language in general, using vocalizations may become a barrier.

Understanding these challenges can help caregivers and educators support autistic children in developing social and imaginative skills at their own pace.

The role of imaginative play

Children with autism can benefit from learning all types of play. However, imaginative play provides a variety of advanced skills through activities like pretending to cook, acting as a teacher, or collaborating with peers.

Some of these skills include:

• social communication,
• language development, 
• resiliency, 
• creativity, and 
• problem-solving.

An example might be a child playing with a toolset and attempting to “fix” a toy. The child may engage in various play actions using different tools and discover that one of the necessary tools is missing.

This requires creativity, tolerance, and problem-solving. For example, one might use a spoon as a “hammer” to complete the task.

With the appropriate support and skill acquisition, children with autism can begin to explore these role-play scenarios. This may increase their play and social development while applying learned skills to their natural environment.

How pretend play may look in autistic children

Pretend play in autistic children may look different from neurotypical norms, but it’s just as meaningful. While some children might not engage in traditional role-playing, many still partake in imaginative activities that reflect their unique interests.

For example, a child might repeatedly line up toy cars or animals, assigning each one a specific role or story in their mind, creating a world that makes sense to them.

Another child might engage in imaginative play by reenacting scenes from their favorite shows or movies, but in a highly structured and repetitive manner.

These behaviors, while not always fitting the classic image of pretend play, can be valuable forms of creative expression.

It’s important to celebrate these unique ways of engaging in imaginative play. They offer insight into a child’s thinking and provide opportunities for growth in social and cognitive development.

Skills needed for pretend play

Pretend play requires several foundational skills, such as:

• parallel play (independently playing similar or different activities near another peer),
• joint attention (the ability to share focus with another person), 
• imitation (copying actions or behaviors), and
• theory of mind (understanding others’ thoughts and emotions).

Neurotypical children tend to develop these skills naturally as they interact with others. However, many autistic children may develop these skills differently, at a different pace, or require explicit instruction.

For example, if a child is not able to imitate actions with objects, they are not going to be able to engage in pretend play scenarios with others.

By learning to imitate actions—such as making a toy animal jump—during structured play, a child with autism can eventually apply this skill to engage in pretend play with dolls.

With the development of foundational play skills and targeted support, children with autism can engage in meaningful pretend play.

Strategies for teaching pretend play in autism

Teaching pretend play to autistic children often requires structured, step-by-step methods to make the experience more accessible and motivating.

One effective strategy is to start with simple, preferred activities like using toys in a repetitive way. For example, you may stack blocks or line up cars. After that, you can gradually add imaginative elements—like making the cars “talk” or pretending the blocks are buildings.

Visual supports, like picture schedules or video models, can help children understand the flow of the activity and feel more comfortable.

It is also important to follow the appropriate developmental stages in play before teaching pretend play in order to build upon the foundational skills.

The 6 Developmental Stages of Play include: 

1. Unoccupied Play (birth to 3 months)
2. Solitary Play (3 months to 2 years)
3. Onlooker Play (2 years)
4. Parallel Play (2+ years)
5. Associative Play (3-4 years)
6. Cooperative Play (4+ years)

For instance, if the child is developmentally equivalent to a 2-year-old, they should not be expected to engage in cooperative play with others. 

To make pretend play more autism-friendly, keep the environment calm and predictable, limit sensory distractions, and allow for functional communication opportunities when needed. 

Start with preferred activities to engage motivation and interest. Activities like pretend cooking, acting out a favorite book, or using stuffed animals for storytelling, are great ways to spark creativity while providing a structured framework that autistic children can thrive in.

By introducing these activities gradually and with patience, children can develop their pretend-play skills.

The importance of patience and individualized support

Patience and individualized support are key when helping an autistic child engage in pretend play, as each child’s readiness and pace will vary.

It’s important to recognize signs that a child is ready. Some of these signs may include: 

• imitating multi-step actions with objects, 
• sustaining play with and without peers, or even
• starting to make simple pretend gestures like feeding a doll.

The process of pretend play should be child-led, allowing them to guide the direction of the play at their own comfort level.

Even small steps, like a child briefly interacting with a peer’s pretend scenario or mimicking a simple action, are significant milestones and should be celebrated.

By providing the right support and creating a preferred, enjoyable environment, children can feel empowered to explore their creativity and social skills.

Remember, every small progress is a victory, and with continued patience, encouragement, and individualized approaches, each child has the potential to thrive in their own unique way.

FAQs:

Q: Do autistic children play pretend?

A: Children with autism are most certainly able to engage in pretend play with the appropriate understanding and support.

Q: What is an example of pretend play in autism?

A: Pretend play in autism may look like a child playing with a baby doll using visual support to learn the common play actions and/or comments.

Q: Can autistic people be imaginative?

A: Yes! Autistic children have the ability to be creative and imaginative with the appropriate pre-requisite language and play skills.

The post Pretend Play and Autism: Supporting Imaginative Growth appeared first on Autism Parenting Magazine.

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