Date: 31/05/2020
International Children’s Day- 1 June 2020
In recent times, children and young people have been required to partake in home schooling.
Whilst this may be an enriching experience by some families and their children, for many children and young people with autism, this sudden and unexpected change in routine may have a negative impact on their child’s overall wellbeing. International Children’s Day on 1 June 2020, reminds us of the importance of promoting healthy childhoods and the wellbeing of our youth.
One such way of achieving this is through play. Play can take many forms and involves engaging in voluntary and motivating activities that provide recreational pleasure and enjoyment.
Across all ages, engaging in play and leisure activities such as art, music, games etc. can be an outlet for self-exploration, creativity and self-expression as well as being another channel for communication providing an enrichment in life which is not only enjoyable but can also be an excellent teaching tool.In 2016, Middletown Centre for Autism had the opportunity to interview Professor Connie Kasari PhD, from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) who is also a founding member of the Centre for Autism Research and Treatment at UCLA and has been actively involved in autism research for the past 30 years.
Professor Kasari shared her knowledge on why it is important to teach children with autism to play, how learning play skills support those with autism to learn more effectively as well as providing advice on how parents and professionals can help children to engage in play activities to support the development of social and communication skills.
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