FACILITATING PLAY DATES FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND TYPICALLY DEVELOPING PEERS IN NATURAL SETTINGSPresented by Phillip Tse

DEFINITION OF A PLAY-DATE

The children should be physically near each other (proximity).

The children should be interacting back and forth with each other (reciprocity).

The children participate and have a role in the activity.

Children are having fun.

THINGS TO CONSIDER…

The initial play dates should be brief but most importantly ending on a positive note. To lengthen the play date, children can interact

with each other in the car together.

Adults (including family members) can act as a facilitator providing prompts until the child and peer become familiar with each other and the activity.

STEP 1: PICK A PLAYMATE

Consider the following…

Who will play well together?

How well a child shares?

Is the child helpful?

Is the child cooperative?

Does the child praises other children?

IF THE OTHER PARENT DECLINES

The peers’ parents may be unfamiliar with the child with autism or parents.

Their child may be busy with extracurricular activities.

Look for opportunities to get to know each other first: Arranging carpools Volunteering for classroom or school events Chatting before or after school Inviting the parents to participate in the play

date. Participating in after school activities.

STEP 2: PLANNING AN ACTIVITY

To maintain the group’s attention, interest, and enthusiasm, activities should be: Structured Planned ahead of time Mutually reinforcing Brief (about 30 minutes) Organized with cooperative arrangements

ACTIVITY EXAMPLES

Making ice cream sundaes Decorating cookies Art projects Playing organized games (board games) Bowling Swimming parties Participating in holiday events (carving

pumpkins, Christmas caroling, etc)

AVOID DOWN TIME (WAIT TIME)

Playing a simple game (e.g. hangman, a board game, etc…)

Participate in something related to the current activity (e.g. If the play date was baking cookies, children can wash the mixing bowls or prepare the decorations while they have down time)

Teach skills that can be used through priming and self-management.

Provide a back-up activity, in case if there are unexpected delays.

STEP 3: PRIMING THE CHILD

Provide the child to be accustomed to the activity or social conversation before the play date. Priming can include: Live modeling Video modeling Social stories Visual support Verbal cues Task analysis (step by step)

STEP 4: PROMOTING INTERACTION

Mutually reinforcing events (rewarding and enjoyable for both children)

Cooperative arrangements (each person brings or is in charge of an important component of the activity; cooperative arrangement can also include each child “jig-sawing” the activity. )

Fun activities Modified to incorporate opportunities for

cooperative arrangements

Swimming Games in the pool (Macro Polo, underwater tea party, diving for treasures)

Eating ice cream Making ice-cream sundaes together

Drawing Playing Pictionary

Painting Painting a mural together

Eating lunch Playing social games while eating lunch (Telephone, “I Spy”)

Fun activities Modified to incorporate opportunities for

cooperative arrangements

Making individual art projects Designing a collage together

Running around the yard Playing organized games (Chase, Hide and Seek, Freeze Tag, Red Light/Green Light Red Rover)

Watching television Playing charades or putting on a play

Playing with dolls Putting on a puppet show

Going to the beach Building a sand castle

Playing in the park Engaging in organized activities or games (treasure hunt, playing Duck, Duck, Goose)

Modifying fun activities to incorporate opportunities for cooperative arrangements (Adapted from Werner, G. A.. Vismara, L. A, Koegel, R., L., & Koegel, L., K. (2006) Play dates, social interactions, and friendships.

STEP 5: REVIEW THE PLAY DATE

Ask yourself… Did the play date end at the right time while

both children were still interacting with each other instead of participating in isolated activities?

Did the activity provide enough opportunities for interaction to occur between the child and peer?

Was the play date a positive, enjoyable experience for the children?

Was the play date a positive experience for the adult facilitator?

Modify the next play date accordingly.