Promoting Developmentally Enriching Play-Based Experiences for Children with Down Syndrome: A Capacity Building Approach

Abstract

Play is the most important occupation a child can participate in throughout childhood. Research has established that children with Down syndrome (DS) are developmentally delayed in school readiness skills compared to their typically developing peers. This project aimed to advocate for quality play-based opportunities for toddlers, ages 0-4, diagnosed with DS who participate in the Early Learner programs at GiGi’s Playhouse Indianapolis, a DS achievement center. To advocate for play-based opportunities, the capstone student assisted with Early Learner program implementation to determine current barriers that prevented quality play. An educational resource binder on the benefits of play in early childhood development was created and implemented within the playhouse to utilize in future staff training. To determine the effectiveness of the educational resource binder, qualitative data was collected through a pre/post-survey. The current intern staff at GiGi’s Playhouse Indianapolis participated in the qualitative data collection. Results indicate the resource binder created was effective in providing education on what play entails, along with the importance of play in early childhood for the development of school readiness skills.