In this video, Dr. Mary Barbera, an autism expert and Board Certified Behavior Analyst, discusses the importance of teaching both social and independent play skills in children with autism.
She explains that while most therapy goals focus on social play, teaching independent play correctly is crucial to prevent it from turning into repetitive, unproductive behavior or “independent stim time.” She shares an example of a three-year-old who displays repetitive behavior when playing with toys and puzzles, suggesting that this could be due to boredom from having mastered these activities.
To address this, Dr. Barbera recommends a structured approach, similar to behavior analysts’ advice of creating circuits with simple activities and reinforcing completion. She emphasizes the need for variety in toys and the importance of teaching children to follow a sequence of activities and clean up afterward. Barbera also introduces a concept called “activity schedules,” where children can follow a photo guide or a six-drawer system to keep their playtime productive and engaging. This method encourages independence while preventing repetitive stimming behavior, offering practical ways to keep children engaged in meaningful activities.
