The Value of Sibling Play for Children with Autism

Sibling play can be a great source of interaction for your children, and can be vital for developing their social skills. For families of children with autism or other special needs, getting siblings to play together can prove to be a difficult task. It is not uncommon for children with autism to have deficits regarding social interactions, which can make it tricky to foster play with their neurotypical siblings; however, that doesn’t mean these beneficial moments can’t take place. In today’s blog, we’re going to share some helpful tips on how to encourage sibling play within your home.

One great way to help foster sibling play is by playing games or working on simple activities together. The best approach here is to suggest games and activities to your children that are at their level, and not too difficult. This could include games like Chutes and Ladders or Candy Land, as well as drawing or working on arts and crafts activities. This will help set your children up for success, and can build important skills like turn-taking, sharing, and reciprocal conversation.

Parents can also coach their neurotypical children on how best to interact with and support their siblings. Not only will doing this help improve your children’s play and social skills, but your neurotypical children will develop a better understanding of their sibling with autism, and can in turn foster a sense of pride and satisfaction from becoming a positive role model for their brother or sister.

Thank you for reading! For more great tips and guides like this, and to stay up to date on what’s new at Golden State, be sure to follow our blog and social media posts. Take care and have a great weekend!