Stages of Play & DIR Floortime

Play is one of the most important ways children learn. Through play, children develop social, emotional, cognitive, and motor skills. Occupational therapists (OTs) support children to progress through the stages of play, building skills that help with learning, communication, problem-solving, and self-regulation.

What does OT support look like in this area?

OTs support children by tailoring play to their developmental stage and individual needs:

• Solitary play: Encouraging independent exploration of toys or materials.

• Parallel play: Guiding children to play alongside peers, observing and gradually interacting.

• Cooperative play: Facilitating sharing, turn-taking, joint attention, and collaborative goal-directed play.

• Imaginative and symbolic play: Supporting pretend scenarios to develop creativity, flexible thinking, and language skills.

• Problem-solving play: Encouraging children to plan, test ideas, and overcome challenges.

• Sensory and regulation support: Incorporating movement, textures, or other sensory activities to help children stay calm, alert, and engaged.

• Communication supports: Using gestures, visuals, or speech aids to help children express themselves during play.

DIR Floortime

DIR Floortime is an approach OTs often use to enhance play-based learning. It focuses on Developmental, Individual-difference, Relationship-based (DIR) principles:

• Developmental: Matches play activities to the child’s current skills and gradually increases complexity.

• Individual differences: Considers sensory, motor, cognitive, and emotional differences to make play accessible.

• Relationship-based: Builds social-emotional connections through adult-child interaction and shared experiences.

This evidence based strategy is effective because:

• Supports children to progress through all stages of play in a meaningful, engaging way.

• Encourages emotional regulation and social interaction while children play.

• Provides a structured yet flexible framework for OTs to embed communication, problem-solving, and creativity in everyday activities

How OT uses DIR Floortime in play

• Following the child’s lead: Observing interests and building engagement around them.

• Expanding play complexity: Moving from simple exploration to cooperative, imaginative, and problem-solving play.

• Building social skills: Facilitating turn-taking, joint attention, empathy, and shared ideas.

• Supporting emotional expression: Naming emotions, reflecting on feelings, and encouraging safe self-expression.

• Incorporating sensory and communication supports: Using movement, tactile experiences, visuals, or speech aids to support regulation and interaction.

How this skill can change as your child grows

• Home: Family play, pretend games, sensory-rich activities, and turn-taking exercises

• School: Classroom cooperative games, small-group projects, drama, or PE activities

• Community: Sports, clubs, or social programs encouraging teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving

Example

A 4-year-old preferred solitary block play and avoided peer interaction. Using DIR Floortime strategies, the OT followed the child’s interests, modelled turn-taking, and encouraged joint storytelling. Over several weeks, the child progressed from parallel to cooperative play, sharing ideas and participating successfully in small-group activities.