Playing, Laughing, and Learning with Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Practical Resource of Play Ideas for Parents and Carers [Paperback]

Julia Moor (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1843100606 | ISBN-13: 978-1843100607 | Publication Date: November 2002 | Edition: 1

Parents of young children newly diagnozed as on the autism spectrum are often at a loss for ideas about how best to help their child. They feel dismayed and "shut out" by their child and are often also having to grapple with language and behaviour problems. "Playing, Laughing and Learning with Children on the Autism Spectrum" is not just a collection of play ideas; it shows how to break down activities into manageable stages, and it looks at ways to gain a child's attention and motivation and to build on small achievements. The use of case studies illustrates how problems of ritual and obsession can be used and redirected positively and shows how to structure play activities and overcome communication barriers by using picture cards. Each chapter covers a collection of ideas around a theme: music, art, physical activities, playing outdoors, puzzles, turn-taking and using existing toys to create play sequences. There are also chapters on introducing reading and making the most of television. The ideas are useful both for toddlers and primary age children who are still struggling with play.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'An approachable and practical edition that will be welcomed by parents and carers alike. I know how hard it can be to find "How to" resources for parents. Well here is a gem.' - Children, Young People and Families" --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Whilst studying for a degree in psychology, Julia Moor has worked for the past eight years with adults with mild to severe learning disabilities (including autism) both as a carer and facilitator running group art sessions in residential homes. Her son Robin was diagnosed autistic at two He is now five years old, verbal and functioning well in mainstream education.

Product Details

• Paperback: 287 pages
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; 1 edition (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843100606
• ISBN-13: 978-1843100607
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #904,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful, September 20, 2005

By 

K. Dockins (Albany, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Playing, Laughing, and Learning with Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Practical Resource of Play Ideas for Parents and Carers (Paperback)

Anyone with a child on the autism spectrum knows why this book was written! I found it while surfing Amazon and was hoping it would contain the answers I was looking for -- and it really does! The book offers parents very specific suggestions of how to involve and motivate their child in interactive play and it's easy for the parents/caregivers to understand how to adjust for their child's specific spectrum disorder. My son has PDD-NOS and I feel much clearer on how to approach play with him now that I've read the book. The only reason I didn't give this book a 5 star rating is because the book was written in England and therefore contains unavailable resources for people outside the UK and the author occassionally uses different and possibly unfamiliar terminology for non-Brit readers. It's still worth the read!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book for 2 and up, March 9, 2006

By 

Dee (Mid-Missouri) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Playing, Laughing, and Learning with Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Practical Resource of Play Ideas for Parents and Carers (Paperback)

Our son started showing autistic tendencies at 12 months. He's now 16 months and I've had a hard time coming up with ways to play with him and teach him. I thought this book would help, and it had a few ideas that would work for a younger child, but most of them are for at the very least a 2 year old. It will be a great tool to have in the future, but I was hoping for more workable ideas for a younger child.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good resource for parents and professionals, June 26, 2007

By 

K. Maxwell (CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Playing, Laughing, and Learning with Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Practical Resource of Play Ideas for Parents and Carers (Paperback)

I am a speech-language pathologist who works with autistic children and the mother of an autistic child. I found this book to have good information. It isn't too clinical, so a parent without specialized training could easily follow the advice offered. Play is so important for children with autism, but it is hard to know what to do when a child isn't interested in interacting with you. This book gives excellent advice on how to get a child to want to play with you.