START Materials, 2013-2014
Play Skill Targets for Individual Students
The following items have been compiled based on targets listed by Smith (2001); the Teach2-Play series; and the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS). Please
see these original resources for a more comprehensive listing of these targets and/or to gain
further information about how specific toy play skills are taught within these programs.
Instructions:
1) Assess and take data on student skills for DOMAINS 1, 2 & 3. Identify appropriate
targets from each of these domains to address during small group or intensive
teaching (anywhere from 3-6 targets that you think would be beneficial).
2) Choose relevant targets for the child from either DOMAIN 4, 5 or 6. You do NOT need
to choose targets from each domain, just the domain that is most relevant for the
student based on interests and the toys that are available at home, in the classroom
(during center activities) and in future integrated placements.
3) Targets from DOMAINS 7, 8 & 9 can be identified and taught to larger groups of
students during center and recess activities
Note: In DOMAIN 1, the emphasis is on teaching the child to engage in the correct play
action with the materials. In DOMAIN 2, the emphasis is on teaching the child to imitate
what others are doing with the play materials, and in DOMAIN 3, the emphasis is on
“pretending”.
Domain
DOMAIN 1:
Early Toy Play Skills
DOMAIN 2:
Imitation
DOMAIN 3:
Pretend Play
DOMAIN 4:
Blocks & Manipulatives
DOMAIN 5:
Vehicle Play
DOMAIN 6:
Figure Play
DOMAIN 7:
Dramatic Play
DOMAIN 8:
Game Play
DOMAIN 9:
Movement & Social Games
Choose Targets from:
X
X
X
CHOICE of 1 or more from
DOMAINS 4, 5 & 6)
When Should this be Taught?
Small group or Intensive
Teaching
Small group or Intensive
Teaching
Small group or Intensive
Teaching
Centers
CHOICE of 1 or more from
DOMAINS 4, 5 & 6)
Centers
CHOICE of 1 or more from
DOMAINS 4, 5 & 6)
Centers
X
Centers
X
Centers
X
Recess
START Materials, 2013-2014
DOMAIN 1: Early Toy Play Skills
Examples
Activity
EARLY TOY PLAY
SKILLS: SET 1
Will put together and take
apart items with an
obvious relationship
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Nests cups
Does child
demonstrate
this skill?
□
Completes simple inset puzzles
Puts shapes in shape sorter
Stacks rings
EARLY TOY PLAY
SKILLS: SET 2
Will put in and take out
items without an obvious
relationship
□
EARLY TOY PLAY
SKILLS: SET 3
Will independently use
one-action sensory toys
(cause-effect toys that
provide visual, auditory or
tactile input)
Uses toy:
Places various items (blocks,
bears, cars, etc.) in and out of
containers (baskets, boxes, bags,
etc.)
□ Toys that pop up or light up when a
button is pressed
□ Jack-in-the boxes
□ Sound books
□ Ball/chute toys (when you hit the
ball it goes down a chute)
□ Snow globes, wave bottles, lava
lamps, rain sticks
□ Viewmasters, kaleidoscopes
□ Pull-string toys or See & Say toy
□ Clappers
□ Music boxes
□ Drum with drumstick
□ Flashlights
□ Other:
□ Other:
□
□
Yes,
with at
least 3
different
toys
No
Yes,
with at
least 3
different
toys
and 3
different
contain
ers
□ No
□ Yes, with
at least
5
different
toys
□ No
Comments
START Materials, 2013-2014
DOMAIN 2: Imitation
Examples
Activity
IMITATION: SET 1
Will imitate single
actions with play
objects when a play
action is modeled and
the child is asked to “do
this”
IMITATION: SET 2
Will imitate single
actions by an adult
without props when the
play action is modeled
and the child is asked
“do this”
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IMITATION: SET 3
Will imitate single
actions by an adult that
are not connected with
the function of the toy
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□
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Rolling a car
Does child demonstrate this
skill?
□
Banging a drum
Pressing toy piano
key
□
Yes, with at least 3
different toys
No
Feeding a baby doll
Scribbling on a
paper
Putting hat on head
Brushing hair
Flying an airplane
Shaking maracas
Laying head down
to “pretend sleep”
Waving
Pretending to drink
(no prop)
□
□
Yes, for at least 3
different actions
No
Flying a pretend
airplane (no prop)
Pretending to stir in
a bowl (no prop)
Brushing hair with a
block
□
Yes, with at least 3
different toys
Putting a toy shoe
on one’s head
Using a lego as a
telephone
□
IMITATION: SET 4
Will imitate actions by a
peer (with and without
props) when the action
is modeled by the peer
and the child is told “do
what ____’s doing” (or
when the child is NOT
verbally prompted)
Pretending to eat a
triangle (ice cream
cone)
Uses toy:
□ Pushing a car
□ Making a play-doh
snake
□ Putting an animal in
the barn
□ Putting hat on head
□ Flying a superhero
□ Waving or clapping
□ Pretending to stir in a
bowl (with props or
without)
□ Yes, with at least 5
different toys or
actions
□ No
Comments
START Materials, 2013-2014
DOMAIN 3: Pretend Play
Examples
Activity
PRETEND PLAY: SET 1
Pretends with play
objects
(may or may not voice)
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PRETEND PLAY: SET 2
Pretends with two play
objects
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PRETEND PLAY: SET 3
Pretends an object is
something else
PRETEND PLAY: SET 4
Pretends without props
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Pretends to drink from teacup
Does child
demonstrate
this skill?
□ Yes, with
at least
5
different
toys
Pretends to lick plastic ice cream
cone
Pretends to nail with a toy hammer
Pretends to sweep with a toy
broom
□
No
Pretends to answer toy telephone
Voicing may be used (e.g., sipping
sound, “yummy,” “bang-bang,”
“Hi!”), but is not required)
Brushes teeth of teddy bear
□ Yes, with
at least
3
different
toys
Feeds baby with a bottle
Puts gas in car
Brushes stuffed animal’s fur
Covers figurine with blanket for
bedtime
□
No
Voicing may be used (e.g., “brush
your teeth”, “time for bed”), but is
not required)
Pretends a block is an airplane
□ Yes, with
at least
3
different
toys
Pretends a sticker is a band-aid
Pretends a teacup is a hat
Pretends a lego is a telephone
Voicing may be used (e.g., “ouch”,
“hello”), but is not required)
Brush teeth with pretend brush
□ No
□ Yes, with
at least
3
different
toys
Stirs in a pretend bowl
Drinks from pretend cup
Pretends to sleep
Pretends to be an animal (dog,
cat)
Voicing may be used (e.g.,
“zzzzz”, “woof”), but is not
required)
□
No
Comments
START Materials, 2013-2014
DOMAIN 4: Blocks & Manipulatives
Examples
Activity
BLOCKS AND
MANIPULATIVES: SET 1
Builds/ connects using
manipulatives
BLOCKS AND
MANIPULATIVES: SET 2
Builds with manipulatives
to make pretend objects
BLOCKS AND
MANIPULATIVES: SET 3
Builds with manipulatives
to make pretend objects
and voices or labels play
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BLOCKS AND
MANIPULATIVES: SET 4
Builds with manipulatives
to make pretend objects
and adds figures/toys (may
add voicing)
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Stacks blocks
Does child
demonstrate
this skill?
□ Yes, with
at least
3
different
toys
Stacks legos
Connects bristle-blocks
Puts together a train track
Strings beads
Creates “train” from 4 blocks
□ No
□ Yes, with
at least
3
different
toys
Builds a tunnel or bridge with
bristle blocks
Makes necklace or snake from
strung beads
Creates “train” from 4 blocks and
says “choo-choo”
□ No
□ Yes, with
at least
2
different
toys
Builds a rocket ship from bristle
blocks and says “Psssh” or “blastoff” as it shoots into space
Makes snake from strung beads,
says “sssss” and makes snake
crawl
Makes train, puts toy animal on
train (“choo-choo,” “here we go”)
Builds tunnel drives car through
(“vroom”)
Makes bed from blocks, puts toy
figure to sleep (“shhh,” “nightnight”)
□
No
□ Yes, with
at least
3
different
toys
□ No
Comments
START Materials, 2013-2014
DOMAIN 5: Vehicle Play
Examples
Activity
VEHICLE PLAY: SET 1
Appropriate, one-action
play with vehicles
VEHICLE PLAY: SET 2
Plays with vehicle
appropriately within a
scene
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VEHICLE PLAY: SET 3
Plays with vehicle in
scene, voices or
provides commentary,
involves others
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□
Pushes car/train on ground
Does child
demonstrate
this skill?
□ Yes, with
at least
3
different
toys
Flies airplane in air
Voicing may be used (“choochoo,” “vroom”, “shooo”), but is not
required
Plays with cars on road mat (e.g.,
drives car, parks)
□ No
□ Yes, with
at least
3
different
toys
Flies airplane and lands on
runway
Pushes sailboat or pirate ship in
the water
Plays with train on train track by
moving train around entire track
□
No
May practice crashing cars,
sinking ships, filling cars with gas,
train stopping to pick up
passengers, tow truck helping, etc.
Voicing may be used (“crash”, “fill
it up,” “I’ll help”), but is not
required
Uses appropriate narration or
commentary while playing (see
examples above), voices sounds
or movements
Involves others (adults or peers) in
play scene
□ Yes, with
at least
2
different
toys
□
No
Comments
START Materials, 2013-2014
DOMAIN 6: Figure Play
Examples
Activity
FIGURE PLAY: SET 1
Appropriate, one-action
play with figures or
stuffed animals (may or
may not practice voicing)
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FIGURE PLAY: SET 2
Plays with figures or
stuffed animals in a
scene
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FIGURE PLAY: SET 3
Plays with figures or
stuffed animals in a
scene, voices or
provides commentary,
involves others
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□
Feeds baby doll
Does child
demonstrate
this skill?
□ Yes, with
at least
3
different
toys
Puts figurine in bed
Swims dolphin figurine in the
water
Rocks stuffed animal in rocking
chair
□
No
Makes transformer fly through the
air
Voicing may be used (e.g.,
“mmm,” “night-night”, “whoosh”),
but isn’t required
Has tea party with multiple stuffed
animals
□ Yes, with
at least
3
different
toys
Creates zoo with animal figurines
Plays with multiple figurines on a
pirate ship
Sets up birthday party for stuffed
animals
□
No
Voicing may be used (e.g., “here,”
“tiger,” “Happy Birthday”), but isn’t
required
Uses appropriate narration or
commentary while playing (see
examples above), voices sounds
or movements
Involves others (adults or peers) in
play scene
□ Yes, with
at least
2
different
toys
□
No
Comments
START Materials, 2013-2014
DOMAIN 7: Dramatic Play
Examples
Activity
DRAMATIC PLAY
Child acts out multiple
steps in a dramatic play
scenario when provided
with props (dress-up
costumes, materials)
Mark and provide
supports that are
needed:
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Written scripts
Picture scripts
Adult prompts
Peer prompts
Video modeling
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Firefighter
Does child demonstrate
this skill?
□ Yes, with at least
5 different
scenarios
Pirate
Cowboy
Grocery store
Doctor
Vet
School
Restaurant
Camping
Birthday
Tea party
Dentist
Fishing
Picnic
Cooking
Teacher
Other:
□
No
Comments
START Materials, 2013-2014
DOMAIN 8: Game Play
Examples
Activity
GAMES
Child will participate in
board games or card
games with peers and
adults (rules may be
modified)
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Connect four
Does child demonstrate
this skill?
□ Yes, with at least 5
different games
and activities
Barnyard bingo
Don’t break the ice
Hungry hungry hippos
Memory
Candyland
Hi Ho Cherry-O
Chutes and Ladders
When playing, the
child:
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□
□
Uno
Comments
Go fish
Other:
□
Waits turn
appropriately
Follows rules
(may be modified)
Participates with
language/
commenting
No, the child does
not participate in
these games
DOMAIN 9: Movement and Social Games
Examples
Does child demonstrate
this skill?
Movement games:
□ Yes, with at least 5
Activity
MOVEMENT AND
SOCIAL GAMES
Child will participate in
movement and social
games with peers and
adults (rules may be
modified)
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different games
and activities
Tag
Follow the leader
Duck, duck goose
Hide and seek
When playing, the
child:
Red light, green light
□
Hot potato
Simon says
T-ball
Kickball
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Other:
□
Social games:
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London bridges
Ring around the rosie
Hokey pokey
Other:
Waits turn
appropriately
Follows rules
(may be modified)
Participates with
language/
commenting
No, the child does
not participate in
these games
Comments