Playing differently? Reframing neurodivergent play in early years settings

Young children learn about and interact with the world around them through play. It is a universal language of childhood and can help children to self-regulate, relax and decompress. A child’s right to play is protected under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC) (UNICEF, 1989), which states that every child has the right to play and have fun in the way that they want. However, not all children play in the same way, and for some neurodivergent children, the differences can be more obvious compared to their peers. This article considers how neurodivergent play is contextualised and whether there is a ‘right’ or ‘wrong way to play. It is not intended to be read as practice guidance, but rather to get you thinking about how you view and value different types of play.
Are all 2-year-olds neurodivergent?
This is quite a sweeping statement to make, however allow me to put it into context and explain further. In my previous role as a setting SENDCo, I had many practitioners come to me with concerns about the 2 to 3-year-old children they worked with. The concerns centred around how they played, and practitioners expressed that it could be a sign of an underlying neurodivergence. Common, early traits of neurodivergent conditions, such as autism in young children, can be observed in their play. Autistic children will often engage in repetitive actions and behaviours such as lining up toys and/or organising them into categories, spinning toys/objects or themselves, and often choosing to play alone. They also may be fascinated by specific parts of a toy such as looking at the wheels spinning on a toy car, rather than pushing it along the floor.
Now let’s look at the ‘typical’ ages and stages of development of 2–3-year-old children, with a specific focus on schematic play. Schematic play is a common stage of learning and development that babies, toddlers and young children go through as they learn about the world around them. Schematic play involves babies and young children engaging in repetitive actions and behaviours, like those I mentioned earlier - lining up toys, organising them into categories, etc. At this age and stage of development, most children engage in solitary play and do not often show interest in other children around them, as they are intently focused on what they are exploring.
Can you see a similarity evolving? If you are just looking at how a child plays, there is a very close crossover between neurodivergent traits, such as those commonly observed in autistic children and also traits commonly observed within ‘typical’ ages and stages of development in young children. However, one type of play is considered to be a ‘deficit’ if it is placed alongside a potential neurodivergence and should be ‘stopped’ or redirected, despite partaking in the same play as neurotypical peers.
Therefore, should we be framing neurodivergent play as something different and as something that should be considered separately from ‘typical’ play? This upholds a perception that there is a ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ way for a child to play. A young child does not stop playing to consider if what they are doing is the ‘right’ way of doing it. Their play is motivated by an innate drive to investigate and explore the world around them and do what they find enjoyable. As highlighted at the beginning of this article, a child has the right to play and have fun in the way that they want. It is not stated anywhere that children have the right to play in a way that the adults around them think they should.
As early years practitioners, I feel that we need to move beyond directing children towards engaging in only what we consider to be purposeful play, that is linked to learning, with the end goal of being able to record and evidence their progress and development. How a child chooses to play will not necessarily make sense to us, but it will make absolute sense to a child. Take the time to watch a child play and try and learn from them what they are doing and potentially why. We should value play not in terms of what learning outcomes it will create, but rather in terms of the benefit it is having on supporting and promoting a child’s mental health and wellbeing.
A springboard for learning and development
Under current early years curriculum frameworks, we cannot ignore our statutory responsibility to record and monitor children’s learning and development. When children’s play is viewed through a ‘deficit lens’, it is a common perception that repetitive play can hinder and restrict a child’s learning and development. Consequently, children are sometimes discouraged or redirected from this type of play and often directed towards more adult-led, measurable outcome-based play activities.
This is not to say that you should leave a child to play without any interaction or support at all but find a balance. Sometimes, it is appropriate to allow a child time and space without adult interaction to be able to explore, investigate and discover things for themselves. Imagine you are completing a jigsaw puzzle and someone else comes over, uninvited and starts to complete the puzzle for you, or tells you to do it differently. It would be extremely frustrating! However, there will be other times, and this is where you use your professional judgment, when it is appropriate to sit and play with or alongside a child that will provide a natural opportunity to extend their learning and development. If a child is ‘hyper focusing’ or showing a special interest in one toy or activity and uses repetitive actions and behaviours, rather than discouraging it or taking it away, use the toy or activity as a springboard for their learning and development. Provide more of the same or similar toys or activities and/or add other resources alongside it that they can easily and freely access. You can also narrate out loud what a child is doing and label/name the objects/toys that they are playing with. Even if the child does not appear to be focused on you, they can still hear you.
Conclusion
Practitioners must be comfortable with all forms of children’s play and enable them to play in ways that they want to. Although some forms of play can indicate a potential neurodivergence, I argue that this type of play should be encouraged and supported, as there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way for a child to play. This is not to say you should ignore the signs/traits of a potential neurodivergence in a young child’s play. You should still acknowledge it; however, it should not be viewed as a ‘deficit’ that needs to be changed or ‘fixed’. Children should be given the time and space to play in their own chosen way and not be discouraged. For children who do engage in ‘hyper-focused’, repetitive play, ensure that you follow their specialist interests and sensitively extend their play opportunities, rather than simply preventing or redirecting it.
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