Knowing how to act like you are happy can sometimes trick your mind into thinking that you’re happy. The ability to put on a cheerful face and assume a confident body language gets other people to treat you as if you’re a well-adjusted and good natured person. This in turn makes you feel like that. Adults have a lot to gain from taking a few acting classes, even if it’s just to pretend to be content. Children can start at an earlier age and use these skills for their whole lives. When it comes to children with autism, they often face challenges in social communication and confidence, making interactions with peers or navigating social settings difficult. Drama therapy, a form of expressive therapy using theatre techniques, has proven to be a powerful tool for building social skills in a supportive and creative environment. 

Here are ten ways drama therapy helps children with autism in Mississauga develop social confidence:

1. Encourages Emotional Expression
Not every environment is conducive to role playing. You wouldn’t want to improvise in a busy park, or in a crowded gymnasium. There needs to be room for expressivity without judgement cast from outside sources. Drama therapy creates a safe space where children can explore and express their emotions through characters and storytelling. This helps them better understand their feelings and those of others, which is key to building empathy and connection.

2. Promotes Nonverbal Communication
If you have a non-verbal child, or a child that communicates very infrequently, drama therapy can give them the means to provide a wider range of expressions so you can speak with them more easily. Through body language, facial expressions, and movement, children learn to communicate without relying solely on words. These skills are especially valuable for children who may struggle with verbal expression, giving them alternative ways to engage.

3. Practices Turn-Taking and Listening
A big part of drama therapy is cooperative play. Your child will interact with, and maybe even make friends with, new people. It’s an excellent exercise for their social skills development. Acting exercises and group scenes require turn-taking, active listening, and responding in the moment—all essential skills for real-life conversations. Repeated practice in a playful setting helps reinforce these behaviours.

4. Fosters Teamwork and Collaboration
Your child’s communication skills will also improve as they engage with others in the group. Doing activities together like improvisation games or ensemble performances encourage collaboration and interdependence. Children learn to work with others, respect boundaries, and contribute to shared goals, boosting their confidence in social group settings.

5. Builds Self-Awareness
Sometimes it’s good to hold up a mirror and take a hard look at yourself. It’s important to occasionally put yourself in someone else’s shoes and think, “How do I appear, to them?” Role-playing helps children observe how they behave in different situations and how others might perceive them. This increased self-awareness allows them to adjust their behaviour to connect more effectively with peers.

6. Creates Predictable Social Scenarios
Has your kid ever been pushed around? Have they ever been pressured to try smoking by a group of their peers? It’s not something you want to think about, but it’s part of the experience of growing up. It’s one thing to come across a tense situation that you have never experienced before on your own, and another to be prepared for that moment and have a few snappy comebacks, or assertive refusals at your disposal. Drama therapy often includes structured routines and scripted scenes, which can be comforting for children with autism. These predictable patterns allow them to safely practice social situations before encountering them in real life.

7. Supports Role-Playing Real-Life Scenarios
At Monarch House, we are big proponents of role-play centred around realistic scenarios. Our therapists often tailor sessions to mimic real-life challenges, such as making friends, handling conflict, or joining a group activity. Role-playing these moments allows children to rehearse responses and build confidence through repetition.

8. Encourages Risk-Taking in a Safe Environment
Do you ever dream of being a completely different person? You have their mannerisms, confidence, and way of speaking. Drama therapy allows a child to take on that persona temporarily, and fill those shoes. Taking on a character gives children a sense of freedom to experiment with new behaviours or emotions without fear of failure. This “mask” can reduce anxiety and allow them to step outside their comfort zones socially.

9. Reinforces Positive Social Feedback
When you write a math test, you need to wait a week to see how you’ve done. A perfectly written book report? It’ll take a month to know if they liked it. Drama therapy provides immediate and encouraging feedback from both peers and therapists. Positive reinforcement helps children associate social interaction with success and acceptance.

10. Boosts Self-Esteem Through Performance
It’s great to be good at something. Sometimes, you don’t know what your particular strengths are until you’ve tried a whole bunch of things. So encourage your child to give drama therapy a whirl. Participating in skits or performances—even informal ones—can be incredibly empowering. Successfully performing in front of others, no matter how small the audience, reinforces a sense of achievement and self-worth.

How often do you get the chance to get together with a group of friends and work on a creative project together? It’s hard to find those opportunities in school. However, drama therapy offers a unique blend of creativity, structure, and emotional support, making it an effective way to nurture social confidence in children with autism in Mississauga. By engaging in playful exploration and practicing real-life scenarios, children can learn to connect with others in meaningful ways while building the self-assurance needed to thrive socially.