'Like it's making my heart run': A strengths-based understanding of the play of autistic children

Play is a central feature of childhood and a fundamental right of all children. Currently, our understanding of autistic play is based on a deficit perspective, most often framed in comparison to neurotypical 'norms' and assumptions where the views of the players themselves have been overlooked. In moving towards a strengths-based neuroaffirmative understanding of autistic play, this study consulted with 19 autistic children (aged 5 to 13 years) using a series of semi-structured interviews and a range of creative and participatory methods. Reflexive thematic analysis generated three themes where children conceptualised: (1) enjoyment and pleasure as central to the definition of play, (2) social connections as fundamental to play and (3) play as engagement with meaningful materials and activities. Children's autonomy and agency in play was important to all themes. These findings challenge long-standing deficit-oriented assumptions that have persisted throughout the literature for decades and have implications for future programmes of research, theory and practice, in particular on the importance of providing and facilitating authentic play experiences for autistic children in education and care contexts.Lay abstract Autistic play is generally described from a deficit perspective where the players themselves have been overlooked. It is important to consult with autistic children themselves about their understanding of play. We asked autistic children about their views on play using many different creative ways that were chosen by the children themselves. We analysed findings using reflexive thematic analysis. Autistic children in this research described play as involving feelings and emotions of pleasure and joy, autonomy and agency, playing by themselves and with others and engagement with materials and activities as meaningful. It is very important that we ask the players themselves what they think about play rather than relying on deficit framed, non-autistic definitions of autistic play. In this article, we will discuss how these findings will help develop future research, theory and practice in respecting children's right to authentic play experiences.