Types of Play in Speech and Language Therapy

Play is one of the foundations of early communication development. Different types of play help children build essential skills such as attention, interaction, language understanding, expressive language, and social communication. This page outlines the main types of play, what they look like, and why they matter.

Please also refer to our Play Leaflet for further advice. 

Exploratory Play

Exploratory play is the earliest stage of play, where children learn about the world through their senses.

What it looks like:

• Mouthing, banging, shaking, dropping, or pushing objects

• Feeling textures, looking closely at items, or listening to sounds they make

Why it matters:

• Builds sensory awareness

• Helps children understand cause and effect

• Supports attention and curiosity

Sensory Play

Sensory play engages touch, sight, sound, smell, and movement.

What it looks like:

• Water play, sand play, messy play

• Sensory bins with rice, pasta, or beads

• Exploring light, sound, or tactile toys

Why it matters:

• Helps with regulation and engagement

• Encourages exploration and descriptive language

• Supports children who seek or avoid sensory input

Cause-and-Effect Play

This type of play helps children understand that their actions create outcomes.

What it looks like:

• Pressing buttons on toys

• Popping bubbles

• Dropping items to see what happens

Why it matters:

• Encourages intentional communication

• Builds early problem-solving

• Supports joint attention

Functional Play

Functional play involves using objects for their intended purpose.

What it looks like:

• Rolling a car

• Stacking blocks

• Feeding a doll with a spoon

Why it matters:

• Develops understanding of everyday objects

• Encourages early problem-solving

• Supports comprehension of simple actions and routines

Constructive Play

Constructive play focuses on building, creating, or assembling.

What it looks like:

• Building towers

• Completing puzzles

• Creating with playdough or craft materials

Why it matters:

• Strengthens fine motor skills

• Encourages planning and sequencing

• Provides opportunities for language such as describing, requesting, and commenting

Pretend (Symbolic) Play

Pretend play involves using imagination and symbolic thinking.

What it looks like:

• Pretending a banana is a phone

• Acting out routines like cooking or bedtime

• Role-playing characters or scenarios

Why it matters:

• Builds abstract thinking

• Encourages expressive language and storytelling

• Supports social communication and emotional understanding

 

Socio-Dramatic Play

This is a more advanced form of pretend play involving others.

What it looks like:

• Playing “shops”, “doctors”, or “school” with peers or adults

• Negotiating roles and rules

• Creating shared storylines

Why it matters:

• Develops conversational skills

• Encourages turn-taking and cooperation

• Supports understanding of social roles and perspectives

 

Physical (Gross Motor) Play

Physical play involves movement and whole-body activity.

What it looks like:

• Running, climbing, jumping

• Playing chase or ball games

• Dancing or action songs

Why it matters:

• Builds body awareness and coordination

• Supports regulation and attention

• Creates natural opportunities for communication

Social Play

Social play focuses on interacting with others.

What it looks like:

• Turn-taking games

• Simple cooperative activities

• Parallel play (playing alongside others)

Why it matters:

• Builds early social communication

• Encourages shared attention and interaction

• Supports understanding of social rules

Key things to consider

• Play is essential for communication development.

• Children move through stages at their own pace.

• Different types of play support different speech, language, and social skills.

• Adults can support development by modelling language, joining in play, and following the child’s lead.