Every child starts off playing on their own. As they develop, they eventually gravitate towards parallel play, which is doing an activity alongside someone else. Over time, they begin to play with other children collaboratively with a shared focus, also known as joint attention. Sometimes children with autism show a delay in this step. At Monarch House, we can work with your child to help foster a sense of teamwork, compromise, and camaraderie. Group play is an essential social skill that will help your child  improve on their communication, build relationships with others, and develop problem-solving abilities. It won’t happen overnight, but you will see positive changes as the school year unfolds. It requires patience, and a structured, empathetic approach to support a child as they learn to navigate the social construct of group play. 

Here are ten strategies to foster cooperative play skills in children with autism in Markham.

1. Set Clear Expectations

Communication is key. Before bringing forth a group activity, explain the rules and expectations clearly. Don’t be afraid to use visual supports such as charts, pictographs, storyboards, or pictures to illustrate the activity and the behaviours you expect of the children playing. At Monarch House, we find that this approach helps children understand what is required and reduces undo anxiety about social interactions.

2. Create a Predictable Routine

No one likes surprises. This goes a thousand fold for children with neurodivergence. Children with autism thrive in predictable environments. If you are going to be starting a group play session, give them the lay of the land before you begin. Make sure there is a consistent structure that they can follow along, including a beginning, middle, and end. Your child is going to want to anticipate what is coming next without any uncertainty. The predictability of structure allows children with autism to feel more secure. Once they are comfortable in this way, they can better focus on the activity at hand.

3. Incorporate Visual Supports

Map out all of the rules, examples, and timing of the event that is going to happen and put it up on a wall for everyone to see. Children with autism often gravitate towards reference points and visual aids. These can be social stories, schedules, and step-by-step instructions. Use a poster or strategically placed cue cards to guide them through their group activities in this way. For instance, draw out a step-by-step storyboard of how a block tower comes together with two people taking turns. This will help them understand their role in the process.

4. Start With Parallel Play

Don’t feel like you need to jump right into group play without a little warmup. If your child is hesitant about engaging directly with their peers, encourage parallel play as a gradual stepping stone. Parallel play is defined as two or more individuals engaged in similar activities side-by-side, without direct interaction. When your child has grown used to the idea of sharing their play area and toys, slowly introduce opportunities for brief cooperative interactions and shared focus. This might involve baby steps, such as sharing materials or mirroring each other’s actions.

5. Use Structured Activities

Too many options can be overwhelming. Keep it simple for your child and let them choose from a few fun options. Allow them to pick from from an assortment of structured activities with clear goals. Some examples of this could be working on the big jigsaw puzzle with their peers, putting together a scrapbook, or participating in a simple board or card game. At Monarch House, one of the things we do to facilitate group play is assign roles within the activity (such as banker, card shuffler, or corner piece collector). This encourages teamwork while empowering the individual child. 

6. Teach Turn-Taking

No one likes to play with the ‘me first’ kid. At Monarch House, we can teach your child playground etiquette and the concept of cooperation. Playing nice is important. One of the fundamental skills that your child will need for group play is turn-taking. We work on this skill using simple games where each child gets a chance at rolling the dice, or by taking turns placing stickers on a page. We make use of verbal prompts, visual cues, and timers to help the children anticipate when it’s their turn.

7. Model Cooperative Behavior

Monkey see. Monkey do. One of the best ways that you can teach your child how to navigate group play is by leading by example. Engage in as many group activities as you can and actively demonstrate your cooperative nature by showing how well you get along with others. Be a positive role model for your child by sharing, asking for help when needed, and encouraging others in the group. The other, older kids can be a great influence as well. Peer modeling is often very effective. At Monarch House, we often pair children with autism with socially skilled peers who can exemplify positive behaviours.

8. Encourage Peer Interaction

In order to participate in group play, you’re going to need the essentials—other children to play with. At Monarch House, we have a cooperative, social environment where your child will find plenty of other kids their age to do activities with. We cultivate a supportive environment and then create fun opportunities for your child to interact with their peers in a group play scenario. Some examples are group storytelling, building with blocks, playing with toy cars, or creating a piece of art together. These group games and events improve your child’s communication skills and teach them a sense of teamwork. We are sure to guide these interactions with visual and audio prompts such as timers and instructional posters. We also ensure that everyone has a chance to participate equally.

9. Reinforce Positive Behaviour

A word of praise, a little screen time, or a new sticker for their collection can go a long way towards encouraging teamwork and sharing. At Monarch House, we are strong believers in the positive reinforcement model to encourage behaviour such as cooperative play. For instance, we praise specific actions, such as taking an active role in the group, waiting patiently, or helping a peer. Tangible rewards like little snacks or gold stars can also motivate children to engage in group activities.

10. Adapt Activities To Sensory Needs

What other children consider loud, or bright, or unpleasant to touch might not match up with your child’s sense of discomfort. Acute sensory sensitivities are common amongst children with autism. Be mindful of this when planning group activities. Some of the things that the supervising adult can do are: provide sensory breaks, offer noise-canceling headphones, or allow fidget toys to help children with autism self-regulate. Before initiating a new activity for the group, be sure to adjust the environment so it’s enjoyable and conducive to cooperative play.

Does your child play well with others? Would you like to see them make new friends with ease? Even if it’s just a game of tennis or one-on-one basketball, your child can learn the skills and nuances of cooperative play with practice, patience, and perhaps a little roleplay with a therapist. At Monarch House we have a professional, interdisciplinary staff of occupational therapists, behavioural therapists, psychotherapists, and speech pathologists that are here to help. By implementing these ten strategies, parents, caregivers, coaches, and educators can create a supportive and inclusive environment that encourages children with autism in Markham to develop cooperative play skills. It will go a long way towards having your child gain some independence and new friends. Over time, these interactions will enhance their social confidence and help them build meaningful relationships.