Meta-Play

The Meta-Play Method offers a systematic approach to fostering the development of imagination and
play skills in young children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), intellectual disabilities,
developmental delays, and social and emotional disabilities. By creating meaningful and purposeful play
for young learners with disabilities, the Meta-Play Method provides educators, practitioners, and
families with a comprehensive play-based curriculum that systematically fosters the development of
imaginative thinking, pretend play, and age-appropriate social skills.

Developed to meet the needs of educators, practitioners, therapists, related service providers, and
parents in early intervention and preschool classrooms.

The activities and materials embedded throughout the curriculum promote and foster:
• Imagination from object existence to more abstract human imagining.
• Engagement that is out of the learners’ control or unpredictability.
• Movement on the object-to-human continuum.
• Movement on the part-to-whole continuum.

The Meta-Play Curriculum is appropriate for individuals 18 months to 4 years of age. Each activity
focuses on developmentally appropriate play behavior that fosters imagination and pretend play. The
lessons are designed to meet the needs of students diagnosed with autism, intellectual disabilities, and
developmental delays who need additional support in the areas of developmentally appropriate play
and social interactions. The Meta-Play curriculum is based on the Dynamic Behavior Theory of Autism
(DBTA) and contains:
• 14 Meta-Play activities broken down into easy-to- follow lesson plans.
• Lesson plans within each activity are scaffolded from Lesson 1 to 4, 1 being the easiest and 4 the most
difficult.
• Meta-Play materials needed to implement each lesson.
• Assessment tool and reproducible data collection sheets.