Autistic Play Patterns

A non-pathologising guide to autistic ways of playing

This Developmental Insight explores Autistic Play Patterns. Its purpose is to guide your thinking as you expand, diversify, and decolonise understandings of child development and self-directed play (Goodley and Runswick-Cole, 2010 and Souto-Manning, 2017) . Much of what we currently know about play is based on research that centres neurotypical-conforming and non-disabled experiences of play and learning. This then becomes the definition and measure of what is accepted as “normal” play (Mulder, Carter and Graf, 2019).  When this occurs, we begin to see narratives that there is: a right way to play functional play purposeful play appropriate play These adult definitions can lead to forms of play becoming marginalised or seen as needing remediation. Play should never be used as a mechanism to suggest that a child is failing, or that their play is deficient, disordered, or unskilled because it does not align with adult or pre-defined notions of what play should be. Play is infinite and serves many functions, all of which we will explore in this supporting guidance. This Deep Dive explores eighteen distinct play patterns across five themes.  This will enable you to explore autistic play through a developmental lens rather than a deficient one.