## 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.