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When my autistic daughter was younger, playdates weren’t really something that we did.

Part of this, I admit, is because I found the task to be daunting. Not only for her, but also for me. There was definitely a time in my life when I didn’t want to leave the house or deal with people at all. Now, I’m somewhat home bound by choice but nothing like I used to be.

Sometimes I think she may have benefited from play dates or going to birthday parties with NT (neurotypical) peers. Other times, I’m not sure. She’s never really shown interest in children her age and seeks out adults instead of peers when she wants to play.

That’s just how she’s always been.

But that’s not to say that playdates aren’t beneficial for ASD kids, in fact I think they have the potential to be highly beneficial. That’s why I’m happy to bring you 10 Tips for Playdates with ASD Kids.

When it comes to socializing, playdates can be a blessing. Here are a few playdate tips to include an autistic child.

Playdates can be difficult for children on the autism spectrum. Here are some tips from The Pocket OT to help with playdates for the ASD child..

Ten Tips for Playdate Inclusion Among Kids of All Abilities

By:  Cara N. Koscinski MOT, OTR/L

The Pocket Occupational Therapist

www.PocketOT.com

Playdates are beneficial for ALL children to practice critical social skills on which future relationships will be built.  The benefits of playdates include: increasing confidence; improving social decision making; and practicing skills in an adult supervised yet natural setting. 

Playing together allows kids to be a part of the action vs. being quiet observers.  Play typically develops in a natural progression from individual play to parallel play (when children play next to each other), and finally to interactive/social reciprocal play.  Many parents of children who are typically developing and those with special needs set up playdates to encourage the building of critical skills and friendships.

The most important lesson learned from playing with a variety of children is that EVERY child is different and special!  Throughout life, we meet and interact with people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities and learning from each other can truly enhance our life.

10 Tips for Playdate Success with an Autistic Child

Here are some tried and true tips I recommend for setting up playdates with children who are on the autism spectrum

  • Practice playing. It may be hard to believe, but the act of playing doesn’t come naturally to some kids.  For example, children with autism often have difficulty with taking turns, having conversation, and interpreting nonverbal gestures. Practicing and explaining this to your child may help him to feel more comfortable. Together, discuss strategies that can be used to help facilitate play. What is a facial expression?  Make different faces and ask your child to guess your emotion.
  • How do I find children with common interests?  Teachers are amazingly insightful and may provide wonderful help to identify the children who tend to play together and enjoy similar interests. Volunteer in your child’s classroom to see who your child is interested in playing with. Additionally, birthday parties are great opportunities to observe those children who may be a good match for a playdate. Clubs and activities allow children with similar interests to enjoy each other’s company.  My son showed an early interest in chess. I often arrived early to pick him up from chess club and to determine who showed interest in my son. The same is true for Lego club, music classes, art, or sports.
  • Remember that parents of children with special needs are used to answering questions about their children and are often quite comfortable discussing ways to help create successful social interactions. Also, be mindful that many families’ schedules are busy but a child with special needs may have additional appointments for therapy, medical, and developmental concerns.  Be flexible in scheduling and do not be offended if the playdate needs to be re-scheduled.
  • Shared interests can make a playdate successful.  Identify what the children have in common.  Build activities upon mutual interests. So, set up Legos and build Angry Birds or Minecraft structures.  If the children like the same movie, set up puzzles, art, baking, or sensory play based on the movie. Consider meeting at a location such as a park or museum. Siblings should not be a part of the playdate to allow for targeted friendship building between the two participants.
  • Make a plan and then review it with both children who are participating.  At the beginning explain what the playdate will look like:  First, we will work on a puzzle, and then a snack, etc…. Many children who have special needs benefit from a visual schedule and knowing exactly what is coming up next.  ALL of us enjoy predictability and feel more confident with a specific plan in place. However, be flexible if any difficulties or disagreements arise.
  • Consider food allergies and sensitivities. When planning a snack contact the other child’s parent to determine which foods are safe for both children. It can be very meaningful for the other parent and is a critical step to avoiding potential life-threatening reactions to foods.  Do not be offended if the children do not eat what is set out for snack.  The kids may just be too excited to eat!
  • Be mindful of any physical limitations. For example, many children with sensory issues do not prefer to get messy, dirty or wet but they can be super at doing other things such as building or creating.  It’s always a sensitive topic to talk about someone’s weaknesses, instead ask, “What is Billy great at doing?”
  • Provide adult supervision and support throughout the playdate.  Since children of all abilities have different personalities, disagreements may arise.  Consider ways to resolve conflicts such as asking both kids to take five deep breaths or closing their eyes and counting to ten.  Make sure to ask the other parent which strategies are used when their child becomes stressed or upset.  Preparation is a key ingredient in successful interaction when facilitating a playdate.
  • Begin with short playdates of an hour. Keep the first playtimes shorter until the children become more comfortable with each other.  Consider having more short yet frequent play times with the same friend since relationships can take time to build.  It’s important to end on a good note. So, if the children are in any type of conflict, help to facilitate a peaceful ending.
  • There is NO such thing as a perfect playdate! Do not put unnecessary pressure on yourself.  Both typically developing kids and children with special needs are learning while practicing play and social skills.  When learning a skill we all make mistakes. Our children benefit from every social interaction opportunity. Give yourself a pat on the back and enjoy watching new friendships bloom and develop.

If you are a parent of a child on the spectrum, what advice would you share?

Want more help and advice? Grab my Autism Family Guide

From an autistic autism mom to you

The Autism Family Guide is your shortcut to autism parenting.

How do I know?

Because friend, the resources in this guide are lifechanging.

Create routines with ease, calming strategies at your fingertips, and more.

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Kori

Digital Product Creator at Kori at Home
Kori is a late diagnosed autistic/ADHD mom. She is currently located in Albany, NY where she is raising a neurodiverse family. Her older daughter is non-speaking autistic (and also has ADHD and Anxiety) and her youngest daughter is HSP/Gifted. A blogger, podcaster, writer, product creator, and coach; Kori shares autism family life- the highs, lows, messy, and real. Kori brings her own life experiences as an autistic woman combined with her adventures in momming to bring you the day-to-day of her life at home. Kori is on a mission to empower moms of autistic children to make informed parenting decisions with confidence and conviction.

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Kathryn
9 years ago

My son has Asperger’s and play dates are stressful. I want him to have these opportunities, but worry about him playing nice. I’ve found success in having playdates with another boy with similar issues. It’s been great to make friends with another mom in a similar situation and the boys can work on their social skills at their own pace.