Over the past 4 years, we at NECC have developed a comprehensive curriculum to teach play skills to children with autism. Using our knowledge of the emergence of play in typically-developing children, we have structured our curriculum around four levels of play. These levels of play follow a developmental sequence.

The first level of play is Toy Construction, involving manipulation of toy pieces to create a new structure such as Mr. Potato Head. This level includes both simple construction and more complex construction tasks using K’nex. The second level of play is Toy Play, which involves a simple sequence of actions and vocalizations with characters or toys, such as making a sandwich. The third level of play is Pretend Play. At this level children learn longer and more complex sequences of play that may involve talking for characters or pretending to be someone like a doctor. The fourth level of play is Socio-dramatic Play with a Peer. At this level children learn to take roles and engage in reciprocal social exchanges as they pretend to prepare a meal in the kitchen or order a hamburger from McDonald's.

In the toy play, pretend play and socio-dramatic play with peer levels there are two types of play options available. The first involves use of figurines like people or animals where the child learns to talk and act for that character. The second option involves use of self to act out the pretend play sequences, like playing doctor or preparing food in a kitchen.

The goal for our children is to establish a large repertoire of play skills with a wide variety of toys. Toys that are mastered through video modeling can then be played with in other settings including home and their classroom. Children who have progressed through the whole curriculum will have been exposed to the major types of play defined in the play taxonomies developed by developmental psychologists over the years.