"At Least I was Allowed to Play How I Wanted": From Correcting Autistic Behaviors to Celebrating Autistic Play

Educators are tasked with assessing the behavior of children in their classrooms for any autism-related “red flags” which includes lining up objects, collecting items, and stimming. These kinds of behaviors are often framed as a distraction to learning; therefore, correcting them becomes the goal of many interventions. This conceptual paper asks what new possibilities can emerge when autistic “behaviors” are seen as autistic forms of play. Driving this paper are the childhood narratives of autistic people, specifically the experience of one adult case study participant who recalls her preschool memories of play. Through a Disability Studies in Education (DSE) framework, I examine theories of children’s play along with historical framings of autism to trouble the ableist practices of schooling. I conclude with practical ways classroom teachers can embrace neurodiverse forms of autistic play by centering autistic experiences.