What really is play-based therapy?
If you’ve ever described your sessions as “play-based” just because there are toys on the table, you are not alone. I used to do the exact same thing.
In fact, for a long time, I thought play-based just meant using games or toys during therapy. But the more I’ve leaned into being truly child-led, the more I’ve realized there’s a big difference between using play materials and honoring the child’s authentic play.
So let’s dig into this! Are your sessions really play-based? And more importantly, do they actually feel like play to the child?
Toys Alone Don’t Make It Play-Based
It’s so tempting to think, “If there’s a toy involved, the session is play-based.” But that’s not always true.
If the child has to sit at the table and ask for every piece one by one…
If they’re being directed to play a certain way…
If they have to follow a schedule the adult has planned out…
That’s not play. It’s an adult-driven activity with toys in the room.
When Play Becomes Work
This is where a lot of us, myself included, had to unlearn what we were taught.
We thought we were being playful, but if every choice the child made got redirected into a language goal or a new demand, it stopped being play. For so many autistic kids, especially those who communicate through scripts or sensory exploration, those moments are how they process the world. When we interrupt that, we’re not supporting play. We’re controlling it.
The Difference Between Play-Based and Child-Led
Here’s a simple way to think about it:
Play-based therapy uses play as the therapy
Child-led therapy follows the child’s lead in whatever they choose to do
What It Looks Like In Practice
Some days we’re running and laughing.
Some days we’re laying on a crash pad, modeling language quietly.
Some days we’re watching a familiar show together, because that’s where the child feels safest and most ready to engage.
In a nutshell, play-based therapy can be child-led or adult-led. And child-led therapy sometimes is play-based, but not always.
In child-led therapy, play might happen. But sometimes it doesn’t. And either way, the child’s experience leads the way!
To learn more, check out this episode of the podcast!
