Swabodhini believes in the holistic development of the children at school and has initiated play therapy into the curriculum. Play is vital to every child’s social, emotional, cognitive, language and physical development. It helps to make the learning process more concrete for those who have verbal communication difficult. Play therapy helps children use play to communicate at their own level and at their own pace, without feeling interrogated or threatened.

Autism is largely a social-communication disorder and children with autism find it extremely difficult to relate to others — particularly to peers — in ordinary ways. Instead of playing with toys in imaginative or symbolic ways, they perseverate on objects, use them for self-stimulation, and become entirely self-absorbed. Play therapy serves as a wonderful tool for children to move beyond their self absorption into real, shared interaction. The staff initiates the activity and the parent is taught to take an active role as a partner, thus building a stronger and more meaningful relationship.