Play & Child Therapy
by Rachael Williams, Artius Speech Pathologist
Play is a vital part of child development and facilitates the growth of language, social, cognitive, fine and gross motor skills as well as increasing problem solving, reasoning skills and imaginative thinking.
Artius therapists are skilled in weaving practical ‘serious’ goals and tasks into play-based fun activities. At Artius, we believe that it is important for your child to enjoy coming to therapy. Play and success is how we achieve this. Below are some examples of the types of play Artius uses as well as the stages of play in relation to your child’s age.
Types of Play
Cause & Effect Play (9 months)
- Completing actions to get an effect
Functional Play (12 months)
- Learning about the physical characteristics of objects & repeating movements to learn new skills
Constructive Play (18 months)
- Learning about the different uses of objects and begins to construct things
Pretend Play (2 years)
- Take on different roles, pretend to be someone else / use objects as if they are real
Games with Rules (4 years)
- Participating in games that have rules, either table-top or movement-based games
Stages
Solitary (0-2 years)
- Playing alone / exploring surroundings
Spectator (2-2.5 years)
- Watching others / assembling and creating objects
Parallel (2.5 – 3 years)
- Playing alongside others, but not joining in
Associative (3 – 4 years)
- Interacting with others / role-playing games
Co-operative (4-5 years)
- Playing together and sharing / shows interested in games with rules
Artius provides specialised Paediatric Allied Health Services to children with a disability or developmental delay. Our multidisciplinary services are designed based on the latest evidence-based practices and are designed to provide early intervention services that address our clients developmental needs and build their capacity. To learn more about how your child can start to play with an Artius therapist contact us today on 1300 764 003 or health@artius.com.au.