The Role of ‘Play’ in Speech Therapy
by Adina Levy
Ever wondered about the role ‘play‘ has in speech therapy, especially for our beautiful autistic children?
Well, let’s address the question: Is there a right or wrong way to play?
The simple answer? Nope… and here’s why:
Play is…
🚫 Not something that ‘should’ look any particular way
🚫 Not about following a set developmental path.
✅ ALWAYS about fun, flow, and joy
When Play Stops Being Play…
❌ If the fun stops, it’s not play
❌ If it becomes a task rather than a joy, it’s not play
I don’t see that play is the end point or is the goal. And the moment that we write that down as a goal, we as therapists or as parents advocating for our kids are stepping away from the idea that all play is okay and we’re moving towards a feeling of pressure and needing to encourage or teach or show that a child should interact with toys, with activities in a certain way.
🎧 In Episode 14 of the Exploring Neurodiversity Podcast, I share tips on how we can be more present and celebrate different ways that play can look!
If this topic tickles your brain and you want to learn more about Neurodiversity affirming approaches to supporting children, register for the Free Kickstart webinar below!
💬 Get in touch
If you are enquiring about a workshop, webinar, training or a speaking opportunity, I will respond soon. Please note that it can take me a few days to get back to you as I juggle many roles!
If you've registered for a webinar or workshop and can't find confirmation or access information, please check your junk/spam email and add hi@playlearnchat.com to your safe senders/contacts list.
I am not able to provide personalised advice, resource or service requests/recommendations. You can view my resources & links page here, and view therapy services that I've worked with here. Please note that I no longer take on new speech therapy clients.
I am not able to reply to all feedback comments, but I do read them and appreciate you taking the time to share!
Thank you for your understanding!
For anything else - please feel free to contact me using the form below
Recent Comments