WHO eLearning Caregiver Skills Training for Families of Children with

Developmental Delays or Disabilities

Module 6: Helping Children to

Participate in Play Routines
Welcome to the sixth module of this course!
This module will help you learn and apply tips for better shared engagement in
routines with your child.

In this module you will learn how to:

• Create play routines that you can do with your child.
• Keep your child interested in the activity and help your child spend more time
sharing engagement.
• Work through difficulties when playing with your child.
 Lesson 1: Home Practice Review

Before we start Module 6, let’s review the key messages and

tips you learned in Module 5.

• Find out how your child likes to play and show her/him new ways to play
The ways to play are:

People games Simple play Put-together play Early pretend play Advanced
with objects pretend play
 Build play and home activity routines to help your child learn and develop.

• A “routine” transforms play activities or daily household activities into learning

opportunities.
• A routine is...
o A play or home activity that the adult and child do together. You and your child are
partners in the routine, with each person having an active role.
o Made up of a set of clear, small steps that make sense and make up a story.
o Restarted and repeated many times in the same way in order to help your child have
fun and learn the steps.
 Please pause the course here
to write in your journal
Home Practice: What you learned before continuing.

In the previous module, you prepared for your home practice. Let's review how it went for
you and your child!

Write your answers in your journal:

• Which activities did you try?

• What did you notice about your child’s ways to play?
• What new ways to play did you try to show her/him?
• What good things happened?
• What did not go as you wanted? Why?
• What things can you try next time?

To make your home practice easier, remember to remove distractions, move in front of
your child, get down to your child’s level, and have the activity between you and the child.
Lesson 2: Building routines when playing together
ALL children learn through routines! Next you will learn 3 tips to help you build play routines
with your child.

Tip 1: Join in the routine – Take your turn by imitating what your child is
doing
• Look and listen to your child’s actions and join in the routine by doing the same
thing as your child.
By imitating, you are rewarding your child’s play ideas.

Remember: Only imitate appropriate actions that you want to see again.
Do not imitate challenging behaviour (throwing) or repetitive behaviour
without any interaction between you and your child (lining up the objects,
looking at the objects).

To share a routine, it is best to have multiple items such as 2 toy cars or 2 dolls.
Use your own toys or materials to take your turn. That way, you will not upset
your child by taking her/his item to demonstrate play actions.
Show and say
Tip 2: Show and say – Give your child a new step for your routine

Show and say when:

• You cannot imitate your child
• Your child does not know what to do next
• Your child is “stuck” on a repetitive action
• Your child is unengaged and you need to get back into the routine.

Adding steps makes your routine longer and gives more time to
share engagement. Many children need help to learn how to play
appropriately with toys. Show and say helps your child to develop
more complex play skills.
Restarting routines

Tip 3: Restart your routine to help your child spend more time sharing
engagement

• What was the first step of your routine? Once you have done all the steps in
your routine, start again with the first step.

• Start again quickly and try to make it fun and exciting!

Restarting the steps and doing the routine again makes your routine longer, easier
and more fun. It is OK to repeat! All children learn from repeating stories when they
play. You will probably become bored before your child does!
Lesson 3: Helpful tips for working through difficulties
Next you will learn tips about how to deal with specific difficulties
while engaging with your child in play.

What if your child has no interest in objects or toys?

• You could try people games first. Sometimes children don’t like objects or don’t know
how to play with objects.

What If it is too difficult to play with your child?

• It is OK to feel like this. Try practising the tips you learned in this module and earlier
modules to start simple games with your child.
• Remember that when we choose toys and games that match our child’s ways to play, it
can be easier for children to participate.
• If this is too difficult now, you can think of ways to engage with your child at mealtimes,
or other very motivating activities.
What if you don’t want to play or you think play is not important?
• Remember that playing is an important skill for children. Through play they learn lots of
other skills too, such as communication.
• Try engaging with your child during meals or through an activity they really like.

What if your child wants to do the same things with toys every time and gets
upset if you try something different?
• Sometimes children with developmental disabilities or delays can get “stuck” on objects
and play in repetitive ways.
• Remember tip 2 (Show and say) from this module. Try to look and listen to your child’s
actions and join in the routine by doing the same thing as your child. It may take time
and practice for your child to accept new ways to play.
What if you want your child to play with other children?
• This is an important goal for many families. In this programme, we will work on helping
your child learn new ways to play with toys and to play games with you.
• Once a child learns to do these activities with you, the next step will be to try these
games with other children.
Lesson 4: Helpful Tips to Engage Children
with Other Health Conditions

When children have other health conditions, it can make it more difficult to engage
in activities or with their caregiver. Below are additional tips to help you plan
activities with your child. However, these tips do not apply to everyone.

• For children who are easily distressed or frustrated, caregivers should pay
attention to how the child is feeling before trying to engage the child in an
activity. Some children engage better at certain times of the day. Avoid trying to
engage a tired, cranky or hungry child.

• For children who have difficulty using their hands, choose toys that are easier to
grab and hold on to. Use toys made of cloth or rope.
• For children who have difficulty with vision, aim to do shared activities in a well-
lit area such as outside, or add lamps inside to make it easier for the child to see.

• For children who have difficulty with vision or eye movements, caregivers can
help them engage by gently using the child’s hands to explore items.

• For children who have difficulty with movement, keep items in play routines
contained. Roll a ball inside a hoop or in a box lid on the floor. Play with toys in a
cardboard box or on a tray with raised edges.

• For children who have difficulties with movement, positioning is important to

help the child engage in an activity: find comfortable ways for your child to sit. A
child could sit in a corner against a cushion with two walls for support or could sit
supported in the lap of one adult while a second adult engages with the child.
 Please pause the course here
to write in your journal
Home practice plan before continuing.
After learning about play routines with your child, it’s time to prepare for your next
home practice activity. Follow the tips below and remember to take notes in your
journal!

• Choose 1 home activity and 1 play or game activity that you will do with your
child or involve your child in. You can choose one of the same activities you did
before or two new activities. Pick activities you will try to do every day.
• Plan to spend 5 minutes with your child for each activity.
• Try to get a routine going during each activity.

Remember to practise the tips from this session:

• Join in the routine – Take your turn by imitating what your child is doing.
• Show and say – Give your child a new step for your routine.
• Restart your routine to help your child spend more time sharing engagement.
 Module 6 Summary: What you learned

Tips to help you build play routines with your child:

• Join in the routine and take your turn by imitating what your child is doing.
• Show and say by giving your child a new step for your routine.
• Restart your routine to help your child spend more time sharing engagement.
 Also think about the other tips we have learned so far...
• Set up the space: remove distractions and make a safe place to interact.
• Move in front of your child, get down to your child’s level, and have the activity between you
and the child.
• Start with 2 or 3 motivating choices and follow your child’s choice.
• Look and listen – Notice what your child is motivated by and interested in.
• Look and listen – Notice when your child is being good and respond with praise.

Next, we will see an animated video that will review the skills we have learned.
 Thank you for completing this module!

Please answer the

module quiz and complete the feedback survey.

After 4 or 5 days of practice with your child, you will be ready to go

onto the next module.

Remember to practise self-care as well. You can continue with the self-
care activities you are already doing or try something new before you
start the next module.

See you then!