A common misconception about Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is that therapy is simply “playtime” for the children we serve. In reality, play in ABA goes far beyond fun and games. It is not a bribe, not the entirety of therapy, and certainly not unstructured. Instead, play is a purposeful, evidence-based tool—one that supports learning, connection, and meaningful skill development when used intentionally. In fact, modern ABA uses play intentionally as a structured, powerful tool as a core method to teach critical developmental, social, and communication skills in a fun, motivating way, directly countering stereotypes. Our skilled team of therapists use play to build skills by embedding learning into fun activities, using structured games (like turn-taking) for social skills, naturalistic play (following the child's lead) for communication, and cognitive games (puzzles) for problem-solving, all within a motivating, positive environment. This supports our clients to learn communication, social interaction, cognitive, and adaptive behaviors all through the context of play! They adapt activities, use prompts, and follow the child's interests to make therapy engaging and support the generalization of skills to real life. Let’s explore different types of play that may be incorporated into your child’s ABA therapy session!
Types of Play & Skills Developed
- Structured play within ABA is used to guide activities to teach the child specific skills like sharing, waiting, and following directions. Examples of structured play could be playing a game of “Simon Says.”, playing board games, step-by-step crafts, and pretend- or role-play (e.g., doctors office).
- Naturalistic/free play is child-led play where therapists embed teaching moments, encouraging creativity, independence, and spontaneous communication (e.g., requesting, labeling) while your child is engaged with their highest preferred activities and interests. Examples of naturalistic play can include labeling colors while building with colored blocks, or placing a toy out of reach to provide a contrived opportunity for the child to ask for help.
- Social play involves group games and pretend play to build cooperation, sharing, and understanding social cues. Common examples of social play include rolling a ball back and forth with a peer, dance parties amongst peers, group arts and craft, or taking turns with a peer on the swing.
- Cognitive play involves activities that improve problem-solving, attention, and sequencing. Examples of these types of activities include puzzles, memory games, interactive reading, or obstacle courses.
- Sensory play uses stimulating activities involving touch, sight, sound, and movement to assist with tolerating different sensory inputs , building sensory skills, and increasing activity engagement. This is done by providing tailored input to teach a child to self-regulate while often embedding other learning opportunities as well. Examples of sensory play include play-doh, kinetic sand, water tables, bubbles, and use of fidgets.
How Utilizing Structured and Naturalistic Play Works
- Play makes learning enjoyable, increasing participation, and skill retention. By making therapy feel like fun, it teaches children to associate learning with positive activities and overcome negative associations with learning, and fosters a positive learning experiences.
- When a child is practicing skills in play it helps transfer, or generalize, those skills to new situations, settings, and across other people.
- Engaging in preferred play activities serves as a reward for desired behaviors, which helps to increase the skills a child is learning over time.
- Play simultaneously develops cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills, leading to a more holistic growth.
- Play is a natural, less intimidating way to practice new communication, both verbal and non-verbal, and social skills. Not only that, but it also increases motivation and engagement in children making them more willing to participate and learn without feeling pressured by formal tasks.
Using play in ABA is effective because it makes learning fun and motivating, turning skill-building (social, communication, emotional) into natural, engaging activities, which boosts participation, helps skills transfer to real life (generalization), and fosters positive associations with therapy. It creates a safe space for children to practice complex social interaction, problem-solving, and emotional regulation in a less structured, more enjoyable context, leading to better outcomes than traditional, rigid methods. By combining the structure of ABA therapy with play, our teams create a space for children to grow and thrive in their everyday life.
Interested in learning more? Check out Mindcolor’s unique clinical programs: Growing Minds, Colorful Connections, and Vibrant Pathways, here. Learn which program might be best suited for your child and begin an individualized program with us today!
Author: Emily Hasch, M.S., Training and Outcomes Support Specialist at Mindcolor Autism