What is the Purpose of Play in ABA

Why Play Works

Play based therapy (or Natural Environment Teaching) uses every day, relaxed play to create a therapeutic bond and teach skills. Since children are naturally inclined to learn through play, this makes it extremely effective on two fronts.

Play is a fun and a naturally reinforcing way to learn
Play invites organic situations in which a child must learn to apply their learned skills on the spot

The Fun in Play

In ABA, play is often times used to make sessions FUN. We know that the kids are working hard to learn new skills and develop their brains, so breaking up those learning moments with low-demand play time is essential for the client to both process and enjoy their sessions. ABA Therapy should be assent based, meaning the child should WANT to participate. Pairing is one way that we can encourage that assent. Therapists often use play to pair with their client, meaning they make their interactions as rewarding as possible so that the client learns to associate the therapist with fun, and is therfore more willing to stick through learning those more difficult skills, too.

The Training in Play

Some of the skills that we work on in ABA are communication and social skills. However, table time teaching can only do so much. In the same way that in math class, students learn both math drills and story problems, in ABA, table time skills must be reinforced in the natural environment to truly be of benefit. For example, let’s say we’re working on labeling items during table time. During play time, then, we may model labeling some of the items that we are playing with and encourage the client to do the same. Or perhaps we are working on sharing with the client. During play time, we may encourage two clients to play together and take turns with an activity.

Play is an essential part of a child’s development, and if used correctly, it can be the catalyst for all sorts of fun, growth and connection!

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Interoception and Autism

November 9, 2026

What is Interoception? Body: When your stomach rumbles and suddenly every food sounds delicious, you know you’re hungry. When you find yourself doing the potty dance, you know you need to pee. These little signs telling us what our body needs are called “interoception.” But what if those little signs we rely on were inconsisteny, or in some cases, completely absent? It would be a lot more difficult to care for yourself and even stabilize your mood. For a lot of individuals with autism, this is their every day struggle. Learning Body Cues Body: Now let’s expand on that scenario. Say that on top of your body cues being muddled, you have limited access to communication. This is something that many autistic children and their parents face day in and day out. What can help? Schedule When you cannot rely on a body cue to tell you when you need to eat, sleep or use the bathroom, a schedule might be in order. This can help train the body to know when it needs what, and in some cases it may even help develop those natural cues. Educate For some children, they may feel their body cues, but struggle to identify them. Using visuals and simple language to explain what sensations mean what can give your child autonomy and independence. Social stories can help to explain the scenarios around needs such as eating or using the bathroom in a context that may translate better to your child. Model This may be one of the hardest parts, but the best lesson is often the parent’s example. When you start to feel hungry, say out loud what you feel and what you’re going to do. When its bed time, narrate why you’re going to bed and how you know it’s time to sleep. you can even do the same thing with your household pet to make it more fun! Simplify Often times half the battle is communicating WHAT we need. Once you find out what cues your child is most apt to miss or ignore, practice simple ways that a need can be requested for, and reinforce it avidly!