A surreal illustration symbolizing inclusive play for children with autism.

Unlocking Recess: How Observing Play Can Transform Support for Children with Autism

Lena Kashyap in Mind & Education August 2025 • 4 min read.

"New insights into playground dynamics provide a roadmap for inclusive interventions and enhanced social skills."

The school playground is more than just a place for kids to burn off energy; it's a crucial environment for social development, especially for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recess offers unique opportunities for peer interaction, learning social skills, and forming friendships. However, for children with ASD, navigating the playground can present significant challenges. Understanding how these children engage—or disengage—during recess is essential for creating more inclusive and supportive school environments.

Historically, research on playground engagement among children with ASD has leaned heavily on quantitative methods, measuring the amount of time spent in solitary versus group activities. While these studies provide valuable data, they often miss the nuances of playground behavior. What specific activities do children with ASD participate in? How do they communicate with their peers? What role do self-stimulatory behaviors and emotional expressions play? To answer these questions, a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data with qualitative observations, offers a richer, more detailed picture.

Recent research has begun to explore these qualitative aspects, seeking to understand the lived experiences of children with ASD on the playground. By observing and documenting their activities, social interactions, and emotional states, researchers and educators can gain insights that lead to more effective and tailored interventions. This article delves into the latest findings, offering practical strategies for parents, educators, and caregivers to support children with ASD in making the most of their recess experiences.

Decoding Playground Behavior: What Observations Reveal

A surreal illustration symbolizing inclusive play for children with autism.

A groundbreaking study utilized a mixed-methods approach to examine the playground behavior of 55 elementary school-aged children with ASD in general education settings. The researchers used the Playground Observation of Peer Engagement (POPE) to collect both quantitative data (e.g., time spent in different activities) and qualitative data (detailed notes on social communication, behaviors, and affect). This comprehensive approach revealed several key findings:

Children with ASD tend to engage more frequently in solitary and peripheral activities. While this might seem isolating, it's important to understand the types of solitary activities involved. These often include:

Peripheral Activities: Sitting or standing on the edge of the playground, observing others, or simply looking around.
Object-Focused Play: Playing alone with objects like toys, blocks, or natural items such as leaves and rocks.
Motor-Oriented Activities: Engaging in solitary movement such as wandering, running alone, or skipping.
Adult Engagement: Spending time talking to a supervising adult rather than peers.

The study also found that children with ASD demonstrate appropriate initiations and responses to peers. This suggests that while social interactions may be less frequent, they are often successful when they occur. However, challenges can arise in sustaining these interactions or navigating complex social dynamics. Self-stimulatory behaviors are more commonly displayed during solitary activities. These behaviors, such as flapping, rocking, or repetitive movements, may serve as coping mechanisms or expressions of excitement or anxiety. Understanding the context in which these behaviors occur is crucial for appropriate support.

Translating Insights into Action: Practical Strategies for Support

The insights from this study and others like it provide a foundation for developing effective interventions and support strategies. By understanding the nuances of playground behavior among children with ASD, educators, parents, and caregivers can create more inclusive and supportive environments that foster social growth and well-being. Implementing these strategies not only benefits children with ASD but also promotes a greater understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity among all students.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1177/1362361318811987, Alternate LINK

Title: The Games They Play: Observations Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder On The School Playground

Subject: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Journal: Autism

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Authors: Sean Gilmore, Lindsay K Frederick, Lupita Santillan, Jill Locke

Published: 2018-11-09

Everything You Need To Know

Why is understanding playground dynamics important for supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?

Playgrounds are key environments for social development, offering opportunities for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to interact with peers, learn social skills, and form friendships. Understanding how children with ASD engage or disengage during recess is essential for creating inclusive school environments. This requires moving beyond just measuring time spent alone versus in groups, to observing specific activities, communication styles, and the role of self-stimulatory behaviors.

What is the Playground Observation of Peer Engagement (POPE), and how does it help in understanding playground behavior?

The Playground Observation of Peer Engagement (POPE) is a mixed-methods approach used to study playground behavior. It collects both quantitative data, such as time spent in different activities, and qualitative data, including detailed notes on social communication, behaviors, and affect. This method provides a comprehensive understanding of how children with ASD interact and behave on the playground, offering insights that quantitative data alone cannot provide.

What types of solitary and peripheral activities do children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often engage in during recess, according to recent research?

Research using the Playground Observation of Peer Engagement (POPE) has revealed that children with ASD often engage in solitary and peripheral activities. These activities include Peripheral Activities, such as observing others, Object-Focused Play, like playing alone with toys, Motor-Oriented Activities, such as running alone, and Adult Engagement, which involves spending time talking to supervising adults. Understanding these specific activities helps in tailoring support and interventions.

Why do children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) engage in self-stimulatory behaviors during solitary activities, and how should these behaviors be addressed?

Self-stimulatory behaviors, such as flapping, rocking, or repetitive movements, are more commonly displayed by children with ASD during solitary activities. These behaviors may serve as coping mechanisms or expressions of excitement or anxiety. It's crucial to understand the context in which these behaviors occur to provide appropriate support. Instead of immediately suppressing these behaviors, educators and caregivers should assess what triggers them and whether they are causing harm or distress to the child or others.

How successful are children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in initiating and responding to social interactions on the playground, and what challenges do they face in sustaining these interactions?

Recent studies suggest that while children with ASD may have less frequent social interactions, their initiations and responses to peers are often appropriate and successful. However, challenges can arise in sustaining these interactions or navigating complex social dynamics. This indicates that interventions should focus on helping children with ASD develop strategies for maintaining interactions, understanding social cues, and handling the complexities of playground social situations to enhance their overall social competence.