Group Play
Group Play
Friendships start with play. Our Group Play program helps children with autism ages 2–7 practice real social skills — sharing, taking turns, and joining in — with peers, in a fun and supported setting.
What is Group Play?
Play is the curriculum. A therapist facilitates small groups of children through games and activities designed to build social skills naturally, so your child learns to connect with other kids rather than practicing in isolation.
Who it's for
Children who are ready to practice social skills alongside peers — whether they tend to play alone, are learning to share, or are building toward a classroom setting. Not sure if your child is ready? We'll help you decide, and 1:1 therapy can build the foundation first.
How we teach it
We target specific social skills chosen by your child's BCBA, using modeling, role-play, and social stories, then prompt and reinforce successful social moments during play — and fade support as your child gains confidence.
Skills we work on
Turn-taking, sharing, and waiting
Requesting to play and joining a group
Starting and responding to interactions with peers
Joint attention
Cooperative and pretend play
Following group rules and handling winning and losing
Why our center helps
Because we're center-based, your child practices with real peers of a similar age — a genuine advantage over home-only therapy, and the best way for new social skills to generalize to everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from regular playtime or daycare?
Every group is therapist-facilitated with individualized social goals and data — play is the method, skill-building is the purpose.
My child plays alone — can this help them make friends?
Yes. We start where your child is and build social connection step by step.
Is my child ready for a group?
Some children start in groups; others build readiness in 1:1 first. We'll guide you.
Who supervises the groups?
Trained RBTs facilitate under BCBA-designed plans, with favorable staff-to-child ratios.
