Autistic children generally are challenged by social situations. Many times, they lack the skills to be able to navigate unpredictable responses or don’t know how to approach another person in a certain situation. So how can you help your child increase their social skills? Role play can be a great way to increase social understanding for your autistic child!
What is role play?
So what is role play? The Cambridge Dictionary defines role play as “pretending to be someone else, especially as part of learning a new skill.” The Britannica Dictionary defines it as “an activity in which people do and say things while pretending to be someone else or while pretending to be in a particular situation.”
In other words, you help your child practice what to do and what to say in different situations. Not only will this help them be prepared for a variety of situations, but it will also grow their social skills overall.
How can role play benefit your autistic child?
Role play can benefit your child and increase their social understanding in many ways:
- Acting out and practicing how to behave and what to say in certain situations in a safe, comfortable environment increases their social skills.
- Showing them through role play instead of just talking about how to behave in particular circumstances helps them internalize what they are supposed to do better.
- Helping them understand the importance of appropriate emotions and how different emotions result in various responses from others.
- Teaching them problem-solving skills since social situations can be so unpredictable.
- Enhancing empathy as they role play how another person might feel when something happens or how they react to the way someone behaves.
- Reducing stress about certain situations since they prepared for an event or conversation.
- Educating them about how to greet others, start conversations or join a group who is already playing or talking together.
Download a free role playing guide
Want more information and a list of activities to try role playing with your child? Download this free guide!
Download your free Role Playing Guide: Increase Your Autistic Child’s Social Understanding
Have you tried role play with your autistic child? What tips do you have to share? Leave a comment so that we can share and encourage each other on this journey!
