The Power of Play in ABA

What if we told you that one of the most effective tools in ABA therapy isn’t found in a binder or a checklist, but in a child’s laugh? That some of the most meaningful progress begins not with a demand, but with a silly face, a rolling car, or a shared game of peek-a-boo?

At Nova ABA Services, we believe that play is not just a break from learning - it is the foundation of it. Especially for young children, play is how they explore, connect, and make sense of the world. It’s how they discover what’s safe, what’s fun, and what’s possible. In ABA, when we harness the power of play, we create learning moments that feel like joy, not work.

Many parents are surprised when they see a therapy session filled with giggles, games, and toys. They may ask, “Is this really therapy?” The answer is: yes. And it’s incredibly effective. In fact, play-based ABA, also known as Natural Environment Teaching (NET), is rooted in years of research showing that children learn better when they’re engaged, relaxed, and having fun.

Instead of sitting at a table with flashcards, your child may be rolling a ball, pretending to cook, or building a block tower. But here’s what’s really happening: we’re embedding learning goals like communication, turn-taking, labelling, or following instructions, into those activities. We’re using your child’s motivation to guide our teaching, and we’re doing it in a way that respects their interests and energy.

Through preference assessments, we learn what your child loves, and we build sessions around those items or activities. Through pairing, we ensure that the therapist becomes part of the fun. And through natural reinforcement, your child learns that engaging, communicating, and participating leads to more of what they enjoy. When a child learns to say “more” during a tickle game, or gestures “help” during a puzzle, or looks to a therapist for a high-five after knocking down a tower - those are not just playful moments, they are breakthroughs. They are early building blocks of language, social skills, and emotional connection.

Play also teaches flexibility, creativity, and self-regulation - all essential life skills. It reduces anxiety and increases trust, and for children who have experienced overstimulation, trauma, or rigid routines, play becomes a pathway to healing.

But perhaps most importantly, play reminds us and parents that learning should feel good, that progress doesn’t have to be forced, that a child who is laughing is not off-task, but fully engaged in the most natural form of learning.

At Nova, we believe in meeting children where they are, and often, they are in the world of play. So we join them there, not just as therapists, but as partners in discovery. Because when therapy is joyful, it becomes sustainable, and when learning is fun, it sticks.

For parents reading this, know that play is never just play. It is the language of childhood. And when we speak that language, we open the door to learning, connection, and growth that lasts a lifetime.