Remaking Recess

Improving Peer Engagement of Children With Autism on the School Playground

Remaking Recess is an evidence-based psychosocial intervention designed to help children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) engage with peers at school. It was developed by the Autism Intervention Research Network on Behavioral Health (AIR-B), a group of autism researchers from around the country.

The purpose of this intervention is to improve the social inclusion of elementary-aged children with autism spectrum disorder through facilitated interactions with their peers. Download the booklet here.

The intervention can take place at school during recess and break-times when children have the most opportunities to interact socially with their peers. Trained interventionists work with school staff members to employ strategies that can increase the quantity and quality of peer engagement. The teaching staff and other school personnel learn to become more aware of children's levels of peer engagement and to provide individualized and group level support as needed.

Three Engaging Games for Indoor Recess

Twister – Twister is a classic game played on a plastic mat showing colored circles in a grid. A spinner tells the players where to put their hands and feet. Twister has simple rules allowing children to practice body control in close proximity to peers without a lot of instruction. A good way to introduce a beginner to the game is to allow them to spin the spinner and observe the game play. Twister is affordable retailing for under $20, and durable. The plastic mat can easily be cleaned and the game can be played without the spinner if necessary. Twister is produced by Hasbro.

Jenga – Jenga is a block stacking/removing game. Players take turns removing blocks from a block tower and placing them on the top. Play continues until a player topples the tower. Jenga allows many players and it holds their attention because they don't want to miss the moment when the tower falls. Jenga is available for about $15. The blocks are simple and durable and the game can still be played if a few blocks are missing. Multiple sets of Jenga can be combined. Jenga is produced by Hasbro.

Uno – Uno is a popular card game where players start with seven cards and take turns discarding cards based on the color or number of the card topping the discard pile. There are wild cards and a few other fun specialty cards incorporated into the otherwise simple, colorful deck of cards. Uno is easy to play and fast moving. An Uno deck can be used even if it is missing cards. Retailing for around $8 it's a great buy for indoor recess. Uno is produced by Mattel.