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My brother used to sit on a broken down riding lawn mower in the garage for hours, silent. Sometimes he would line up his toys on the top of it over and over. Today he can still tell you the 56 worlds he frequently accessed from the mower and vivid details about each.
Using toys as a prop for pretend play is one-dimensional and detracts from the rich, fantastically-creative inner world of the autistic brain. You saw a kid sitting there or lining up toys. He saw beyond you to interplanetary adventures, rescue missions, architectural feats.
The mower became a space ship, a fire engine, an ambulance, a race car, a train, a mine cart leading to a subterranean world. We don't all like to act, but that does not mean we are lacking in imagination. The way you pretend play is painful for many of us.
It mutes the colors in our minds, cheapens the narrative of our stories, tells us to paint within the lines, suggests we need to do something that isn't play for play.
Don't assume your child is empty and pitiful for that. Your child needs the break and to physically manifest order. Pro tips for playing with your autistic kids coming soon... #ActuallyAutistic #autism
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