Play and Social Skills

Play is the main occupation of a child. It is essential for children to play to help them develop everyday skills such as communication, motor skills, cognition and social skills. Through the use of play, children are better able to develop their attention span on a task, navigate social situations including sharing and understanding social cues and developing problem solving skills. 

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Children with play and social difficulties may present with:

• Preference to play on their own or engage in solitary play

• Reduced awareness of others around them including not reacting to when others attempt to play and communicate

• Repetitive play patterns

• Challenges with communication skills and asking another to play

• Difficulty forming and maintaining friendships

• Frequent meltdowns or withdrawing from play activities