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Play Skills Checklist

This checklist contains some of the skills involved in many types of play. Place a check in the column to the right of each skill that best indicates your child’s current performance level.

CATEGORY A: BASIC PLAY SKILLS

• Pays attention to someone speaking
• Pays attention to music
• Grasps or holds large toys or objects
• Grasps or holds crayons or pencils
• Pushes, pulls, and turns toys
• Names toys and objects used for play
• Names body parts
• Plays simple hide-and-seek games (peek-a-boo, hunts for missing toy)
• Follows directions: gives or takes toys
• Follows directions: opens and closes lids or doors
• Follows directions: lines up toys on table or floor
• Follows directions: carries toys from place to place
• Sits alone for up to 5 minutes
• Imitates gestures

CATEGORY B: SKILLS FOR PLAYING ALONE

• Sits unattended for 5–10 minutes
• Does stacking rings
• Builds tower of three blocks
• Builds tower of six blocks
• Scoops water or beans from one container into another
• Drops beads into container
• Strings beads
• Cuts with scissors
• Pastes pictures
• Scribbles with crayon on paper
• Colors in coloring book, mostly in lines
• Does simple noninterlocking puzzles
• Does interlocking puzzles, 4–6 pieces
• Does interlocking puzzles, 7–15 pieces
• Does interlocking puzzles, 16 + pieces
• Does color and shape matching game (lotto)
• Does picture-matching lotto
• Plays computer games
• Plays video games

CATEGORY C: SKILLS FOR PLAYING WITH OTHERS

• Plays bean bag toss
• Throws and catches medium ball within 3 feet
• Throws and catches small ball within 3 feet
• Throws and catches medium ball more than 10 feet
• Throws and catches small ball more than 10 feet
• Hits ball with bat, off of tee
• Hits ball with bat, when pitched
• Kicks ball, as in soccer or kickball games
• Hits ball, as in volleyball
• Throws basketball into (lowered) basket
• Rides tricycle
• Rides Razor/scooter
• Goes in-line skating
• Swims
• Paints with other children (e.g., two or more children paint large picture)
• Works with clay on project with other children
• Does dramatic play: pretends to be someone else (e.g., Mommy, Superman)
• Dances
• Sings along with other children
• Does simple pantomime
• Does puppet play with others
• Does simple skit with others
• Plays video games with others

From Steps to Independence, Fourth Edition. Copyright 2004 by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.