Play and Imagination in Children With Autism

by Pamela J. Wolfberg

This book is a "must" for anyone who wants to bring about genuine social reciprocity and imagination in children with autistic spectrum disorders.

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Paperback

First published March 1, 1999

Reviews

[Cheryl]

I skimmed the updated (2009) version in August 2021. If I'm understanding things correctly, I almost never played as a child. No creative imagination, no friends. Today's kids (my various neighbors in the house across the street) seem to need to be guided to actively play, too. Role-playing activities like Cops & Robbers or House, and games like Tag and Hopscotch, and creating with Lego or Play-Doh, are much more important than screen time or even (extra) reading. My kids, well, I don't think they did enough either... I didn't realize I had a role in guiding them.

It's easy to forget how important play is... and how hard it is to make time & space for it, especially when there aren't enough children handy. A good summer day camp and after-school program is probably good for every child, not just for those of parents who are busy working or whatever.

I have no idea if this is one of the better books for teaching exceptional children in the school or not. But every educator and parent should read something like this.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may have been a useful reference in 1999, but it feels very out of date now. Incidence of autism is now up to 1 in 52 births, not 20 in 10,000. We have much better insight now as to the reasons behind the symptoms of autism (often sensory overload which causes autistic people to shut down in order to cope). It also feels patronising to quote Temple Grandin via the comments of Oliver Sacks, rather than directly.

However, chapters 9 (Guided Participation) and 10 (Embracing Play) are excellent, describing three useful case studies in practical detail.

Unless you are studying the history of autism treatment, skip ahead to Part 2, as part 1 is completely out of date as mentioned. From there on, this is a worthwhile read.

[Nicole Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Pamela Wolfberg's take on kids with ASD and play. Maybe I am biased because she is my advisor in my Masters Program, but hey...