Can autistic children develop role playing skills?

Role play is an important developmental phase for all children. It can help them to understand social situations, encourages their imagination and helps to improve communication. But for autistic children this can be an area of difficulty.

Neuro typical children tend to go through this phase at around two years old. You know, when you pretend to have a little tea party with a toy tea set etc. Our eldest son Matthew began playing in this was at the age of two, but of course not our little Edward. This again is something that has weighed heavily on mind. I used to take Edward round to his little friends house for a play date and he would just ignore them go off and do his own thing.

I was concerned that Edward would never develop role playing skills. Then all of a sudden…….BAM!!! He’s taken his time and waited until he is nearly 7 to play in this way but now there’s no stopping him. The last time I took him over to his little friends house, he actually played WITH him. They were re enacting Star Wars and making the ‘Pew pew’ gunfire noises together. It was so lovely to see.

Edward also asked me to play a board game with him. He wanted to take it in turns to roll the dice, telling me when it was my turn. I said to him, ‘What number is that?’ He was so excited but insisted that he had rolled a seven.

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At Edward’s fabulous school they have really been working on role play with him. He has been having a brilliant time playing shops and pretending to exchange money. My favourite one was when he was pretending to run a cafe saying ‘roll up, roll up, get your food here’ and ‘have a nice day.’

They have also managed to get him to play dress up. This is something that he refused to do in the past. Check out this adorable Harry Potter.

At home, he has become obsessed with the Teletubbies. He has all four of them but his particular favourite is Po. Every evening we have to wrap the Teletubbies in a blanket and take them up to bed. Edward tells us ‘Say goodnight to the Teletubbies.’ When we go out Edward insists that they need to be strapped in the car. He walks around the house talking to Po. He says that Po likes to help out, so Po helps Mummy with the cooking.

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I am absolutely loving this development, I thoroughly enjoy playing with him now, it is such a delight. Most importantly it means that his brother can now play with him.