A Playground Experience Through the Eyes of an Autistic Child

As I walk slowly, onto the playground, at recess the sun burns my eyes as I struggle to stay in line.  The closer we get, other kids begin to push me “Hurry, hurry up Jack,” they say.   My heart begins to race and I begin to breathe harder, as I anticipate what is coming.  My classmates rush past me as we reach the rocks.  I stop and cover my ears as they scream in delight to be outside. Kids run past me on both sides, bumping me as they go. Their touches make my head spin.  I stop and watch them.

Some swing on the swings, others run to the giant playset with a huge slide, some of the girls just stand under the tree talking and fixing each other’s hair.  I hear the sound the rocks make as the others stomp around and I hear the girls laughter.  I hear the chains on the swings squeaking and the 2 dogs on the other side of the fence barking.  There are cars driving by.  I hear everything, but nothing.  My vision is blurry with all that is going on.  I begin to see a teacher standing near me.  I concentrate.  She wants me to go play.  “Go play,” she says.  “I will,”  I tell her.  “Come on, go now Jack,” she grabs my shoulder to direct me.  My heart begins beating faster again as I head out. 

Play in children with autism spectrum disorders is often solitary.

I want to run to the slide, climb up the tall ladder, throw my hands in the air and slide down. I look towards it.  The big playset is covered with children, it looks like an ant hill overrun by ants.  I know I won’t even be able to walk close to it without feeling edgy. Just the thought of trying to join with the others makes my stomach hurt, and my skin feel strange.  But, I end up doing what I always do.  I walk to the far edge of the playground and sit on a log and wait for the teacher to call us back to class.  It’s not so bad, you get used to it.

This was just a small look into the world of a child on the Autistic Spectrum.  We at Backyard Fun Factory don’t want any child to feel like Jack. We would like every child to enjoy playing on a playset.  Let our team of playset specialists help create a safe space with sensory-rich stimuli that provides an opportunity for interaction with friends and a place where your child can spin, climb, swing  and balance. Contact us today to schedule a design consultation. Get the process started NOW!

Autism is complex.  Many children with Autism have a difficult time socializing and rarely interact successfully with other children in free play situations, like school playgrounds or city parks.  Play is a wonderful way to grow and learn for these kids and we don’t want them to miss out.

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