UC Davis MIND Institute
ESDM Training Program
ESDM Play Partner Decision Tree
ACTION FIRST STEP
PLAN
Supportive Select a time when child is playing in
Play an activity that he enjoys. Approach
Partner him while commenting positively on
his play. Sit near or next to him, read
his body language to determine his
tolerance. If he fusses, back up and
if not move near him. Don’t worry
about touching materials or
teaching, yet. Just sit and watch,
smiling and praising his efforts. The
goal is to have him accept your
presence.
Interactive Follow Steps 1-4 from above and
Play assuming child is still engaged, then
Partner proceed with the following:
Imitate all of child’s actions,
including sounds, gestures, and play.
Pick up the same materials he has
and create the same movements,
using single words to express the
actions. The goal is to capture the
child’s eye contact, both on your
handling of the materials and to
your face, and to find his smile in the
game.
SECOND STEP
Now begin to narrate or describe
child’s actions. Think of yourself as a
sportscaster, commenting on what
materials or items the child is using
and how he is playing with them.
Remember to speak in single words.
Continue to praise and describe and
don’t worry about touching
materials or teaching, yet. The goal is
to slowly increase your involvement
without challenging him.
For every three times you imitate
him, give him a choice that relates to
what the current play activity. If the
game involves cars, should we crash
or roll; if pegs, should we stack or
bang; if face-to-face, do we tickle or
sing song? If snack, is it juice or fruit?
Let him choose however he wants
to, regardless of eye contact, but
remember to label his decision using
single words. The goal is for the child
to become more active in decision-
making and to increase the length of
the activity.
THIRD STEP
Slowly start to involve yourself in
play by offering items or materials to
child. Do not touch materials that he
has already claimed. Instead go for
extras that are not in his grasp. You
can still label items and actions with
single words. The goal is to hand
them over when the child is facing
you and watching your handling of
the materials, although eye contact
from the child to receive the material
is not yet necessary.
For every three times you offer him a
choice, ask him to do something in
the play. It could be to put an item in
a certain spot, to show or give you
something, or to try something new
with the material. Whatever it is,
make sure there is a fun reward
following his compliance. Remember
that the consequence has to be
worth the effort, or he’s less likely to
cooperate the next time. The goal is
for the child to become more active
in play and to take turns following
your ideas in play.
FOURTH STEP
Next, offer help. When he’s not
looking, put things in containers he
cannot open or show him new toys
that he cannot operate on his own.
Be sure to give the item right back as
soon as you have helped. The goal is
for the child to be facing you so he
can see your help with the materials
without an expectation yet that he
use a specific behavior to request the
material from you.
For every 3 times you provide a fun
reward, have the child respond to
your teaching opportunity using a
nonverbal behavior. This could be a
gesture, body movement, or eye
contact. It has to relate be directed
toward you and relate somehow to
the activity. Remember to accept
attempts and reward. The goal is to
have the child use an intentional
behavior in response to your
antecedent, followed by the
rewarding consequence (i.e., the
material, the action, the game).