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Teaching Social Skills Through Games

Kids on the Autism Spectrum

Advising Clinician Dr. Omer Bar Yosef Sheba Hospital

The Challenge

Many children on the autism spectrum struggle with:

  • Social cues and turn-taking
  • Emotional expression and interpretation
  • Flexible communication
  • Initiating or sustaining interaction

Traditional social-skills training often relies on explicit instruction, role-playing exercises, or scripted scenarios. These approaches can feel artificial, stressful, or disengaging, especially for kids who struggle with face-to-face social complexity.

At the same time, something interesting happens outside the clinic.

A Critical Observation

Many parents report that multiplayer video games are one of the best ways to connect with their children on the spectrum.

In shared game worlds:

  • Kids communicate more freely
  • Emotions are expressed through play, choices, and creation
  • Social interaction feels safer and more predictable
  • Collaboration replaces conversation pressure

Games like LittleBigPlanet demonstrated (unintentionally) that playful, shared creation can unlock emotional expression and communication that's difficult to access elsewhere.

This challenge asks: What if we designed games intentionally to support social learning for kids on the spectrum?

The Big Idea

Games naturally provide:

  • Clear rules and structure
  • Predictable social systems
  • Shared goals
  • Turn-taking mechanics
  • Emotional expression through action, not words

Unlike real-world social situations, games allow:

  • Safe repetition
  • Pausing and retrying
  • Reduced sensory overload
  • Control over pace and intensity

This makes them a uniquely powerful medium for teaching social skills without forcing children into uncomfortable or high-pressure interactions.

What We Mean by "Social Skills" Here

This is not about making kids behave "normally."

It's about supporting:

  • Understanding cause-and-effect in social interaction
  • Practicing collaboration and shared goals
  • Recognizing emotions in context
  • Expressing needs, preferences, and feelings
  • Experiencing successful interaction

Progress may be subtle, and that's okay.

Core Design Directions

1. Cooperative Play as Social Practice

Design games where:

  • Success requires collaboration
  • Players must coordinate actions
  • Roles are complementary, not competitive
  • Communication can be verbal, visual, or action-based

Examples: Building something together, solving puzzles cooperatively, caring for a shared world or character.

2. Emotional Expression Through Play

Explore mechanics that allow kids to:

  • Express emotions indirectly (through avatars, color, motion, music)
  • Choose how characters react
  • Communicate intent without relying on spoken language
  • Explore emotional cause-and-effect safely

3. Parent / Caregiver as Co-Player

Some of the most powerful moments happen when:

  • A parent or caregiver plays with the child
  • The game becomes a shared language
  • Conversation emerges naturally from play

Designs may include asymmetric roles (child + adult), shared creative spaces, or moments that invite reflection without forcing it.

Design Considerations for ASD

Strong designs will emphasize:

  • Predictability and clear rules
  • Low punishment and low failure pressure
  • Adjustable sensory input (sound, motion, color)
  • Calm pacing
  • Meaningful choice without overload
  • Non-competitive or softly competitive structures

Games may be slow, repetitive, or highly structured.

Those are strengths, not weaknesses.

Jam Scope & Expectations

  • Focus on one social skill or interaction pattern
  • Simple mechanics > complex narratives
  • Stylized visuals are fine
  • Mock users or simulated multiplayer are acceptable
  • Clinical insight matters more than polish

What This Is Not

  • Not diagnosing autism
  • Not behavior correction or normalization
  • Not forcing eye contact or conversation
  • Not overstimulating or fast-paced "engagement hacks"

The goal is connection, confidence, and communication, on the child's terms.

Extra Points For...

  • Cooperative (not competitive) mechanics
  • Designs that invite parent/caregiver participation
  • Thoughtful sensory control
  • Games that create space for expression rather than demand it

Why This Matters

For many families, games are already the safest place for connection.

This challenge asks:

What if we treated games not as a distraction, but as a bridge?

It's an opportunity to design play experiences that help children on the spectrum practice social interaction in a way that feels natural, safe, and genuinely enjoyable.

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