This document provides strategies for supporting students with autism spectrum disorders in playground and lunchtime activities. It begins by explaining that playgrounds can be unpredictable places that cause anxiety for students with ASD. It then lists 11 top tips for supporting these students, such as teaching playground language, having supervised activities, and creating a quiet area for students. The document promotes two books, Developing Social Skills and How to Stop Your Words from Bumping, for teaching social skills. It concludes by offering a $200 prize for sharing successful school playground strategies.

1. AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS: Strategies for home and school 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Passive Playgrounds/Lunchtime 8. Use a portable schedule to create a routine of what
Clubs activities they will do in the playground and for how long.
9. Create a Playtime Plan. The plan provides children with an
ASD the structure that they need to organise themselves
Many schools have introduced Passive before going out onto the playground. This can be adapted
Playgrounds/Lunchtime Clubs and had great success. for weekends and holidays too!
10. Support social skills with Social Stories/Scripts, e.g. ‘Can I
Playgrounds are unstructured, unpredictable places where Play Please’, ‘What to do if children say NO’. (Great range
children with an ASD struggle to follow and join in the available in How to Stop Your Words from Bumping, and
numerous social interactions surrounding them. Children with Developing Social Skills)
an ASD frequently return to class from the playground in a 11. Provide the children with key rings of laminated visuals of
high state of anxiety. In addition, their self-esteem frequently activities they can do during recess and lunch-times.
takes a battering. Up to 70% of children experience bullying. Having the visuals (climbing equipment, sand-pit, library,
In our book Developing Social Skills, co-author Gay von Ess computer lab etc) will remind the children of their options.
and I have lots of practical ideas and strategies to support
social skills.
Excerpt from Developing Social Skills by Sue Larkey and Gay
von Ess pg58.
10 Top Tips to Support Children in Playground
1. Observe and then teach current playground language to
children with an ASD. Remember to revisit this every term WIN A $200 SOCIAL SKILLS PACK: Share your
as games and language changes rapidly in playgrounds. Successful Playground Strategies
2. Ensure that children with an ASD and their parents are
aware of the current playground games and activities. More schools, both primary and secondary, are introducing
Allocate a staff member to teach the rules to the child with areas where students can go to during break times. I would
an ASD so that he/she only has to concentrate on the love you to share with me how your school is accommodating
social aspects of the game as he/she already knows the students and I will share these in my next newsletter. I am
rules. going to select the three best examples to WIN a Social Skills
3. Offer supervised activities on the playground; e.g. ball Pack valued at $200 (Developing Social Skills book, Socially
games with a few children, 'What's the Time Mr Wolf?', Speaking Board Game, How to Stop Your Words from
nature history group. Bumping).
4. Give child with an ASD a map of in-bounds and out-of-
bounds areas. The child could then colour the appropriate Just email me through my website with your school’s
areas green and red. If play equipment has set days make success story! Please include: What you have set up?
sure you write the days on the map. How often? How many students? How is it supervised?
5. Have games equipment available for loan at break times – Outcomes?
the child with an ASD can assist in giving this out.
6. Have a basket of books available on the playground for Competition closes Friday 22 June 2012.
children to read while outside.
7. Create a quiet area (no games, no play, just an escape).
Social Skills Resources
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Developing Social Skills: By Sue Larkey and Gay von Ess
A starting point for teaching and encouraging social interactions and skills for children with an autism
spectrum disorder and other developmental delays. It is a useful concrete and visual resource which
when coupled with videoing, role playing and modeling will help young primary school age children with
an autism spectrum disorder to better understand the social world around them. This book includes
hundreds of ideas, social stories and worksheets. It is a great resource full of time savers for home and
school.
CODE B31 $45 (incl P & H)
How to Stop Your Words from Bumping Into Someone Else’s:
By Anna Tullemans and Rhonda Dixon
This book has 18 great A4 clear pages with an excellent picture to explain so many of the common
challenges students with an ASD face in social and school situations. They include: Getting Someone’s
Attention, Starting a Conversation, Interrupting, Asking Someone to Play, What if a Person Say’s “No”?,
Asking for Help, How loud or soft your voice should be, Waiting in Line, Waiting on the Mat and Waiting
at your Desk.
CODE B08 $35 (incl P & H)