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Play and Naturalistic Intervention
Play and Naturalistic Intervention
Learning through real experiences — where play becomes teaching.
Learning through real experiences — where play becomes teaching.
At SENBOX, Play and Naturalistic Intervention is at the heart of how children learn to connect, communicate, and grow.
This approach focuses on learning through meaningful play, where skills are taught in natural settings such as daily routines, social play, and real-life activities — not only in a classroom or therapy room.
What Is Naturalistic Intervention?
What Is Naturalistic Intervention?
Naturalistic intervention is a research-based strategy that uses a child’s interests, environment, and motivation as the starting point for learning.
Instead of structured drills, teachers and therapists embed teaching moments into play — helping the child practice communication, social, and cognitive skills during natural interactions.
For example:
When a child builds with blocks, the teacher encourages turn-taking and language use (“my turn, your turn,” “I want the blue block”).
When playing with bubbles, the teacher might model requesting (“more bubbles!”) and eye contact before blowing them again.
During snack time, the teacher uses choice-making (“Do you want banana or apple?”) to practice expressive language and decision-making.
Play Matters for Special Needs Learning
Play Matters for Special Needs Learning
Play is not just fun — it’s how children understand the world.
For children with special educational needs, play becomes a safe and powerful way to:
Play is not just fun — it’s how children understand the world.
For children with special educational needs, play becomes a safe and powerful way to:
Develop communication and language naturally.
Strengthen social interaction and shared attention.
Build problem-solving and imitation skills.
Increase motivation and engagement in learning.
Support emotional regulation and self-expression.
How SENBOX Uses Play in Intervention
How SENBOX Uses Play in Intervention
Every SENBOX teacher plans individualized play sessions aligned with the student’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan).
We create environments that are:
Child-led: Teachers follow the child’s interests and use them to teach skills.
Evidence-based: Strategies are guided by ABA, developmental, and language frameworks.
Flexible: Learning happens during play, daily routines, and peer interaction.
Collaborative: Teachers, therapists, and parents work together to support consistent practice at school and home.
Examples include:
Role play and pretend play (social-emotional learning)
Outdoor play and sensory exploration
Functional play (real-life imitation, e.g., cooking, cleaning, shopping)
Cooperative games for group participation
SENBOX Play Wooden Box Activity
SENBOX Play Wooden Box Activity
To make play purposeful and connected to learning goals,
To make play purposeful and connected to learning goals,
SENBOX offers the Play Wooden Box Activity — a unique, hands-on learning tool designed around each student’s current topic.
SENBOX offers the Play Wooden Box Activity — a unique, hands-on learning tool designed around each student’s current topic.
Each wooden box includes a set of themed wooden items (e.g., family, animals, food, emotions, or community) that allow the child to:
Explore and identify vocabulary related to the topic.
Practice communication and storytelling through play.
Use imagination and creativity to describe scenes, actions, and events.
Build connections between language, concept, and real-life meaning.
During the activity, teachers guide children to talk about what they see, what happens next, and how things relate — helping language, logic, and emotional understanding grow naturally.
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