6 Research-Backed Strategies We Use to Build Resilience Through Play at Fabian House
At Fabian House, we believe that resilience is built — not born — and that the most powerful tool for cultivating it is play.
During our recent inservice, led by Cori Fabian, our team explored cutting-edge research from Dr. Daniel Amen and the fields of ABA therapy and early childhood education to deepen our understanding of how daily playful experiences build brains and strengthen coping skills.
Here are six key takeaways we implement every day:
1️⃣ Resilience Requires Safe, Supported Challenge
“Resilience is the ability to recover from challenges, adapt to stress, and keep moving forward.” (00:26:43)
Neuroscience shows that graded exposure to manageable stressors strengthens the brain’s stress circuits (McEwen & Gianaros, 2011). This helps children develop the emotional regulation and executive functioning needed for lifelong success.
At Fabian House:
We intentionally design play spaces with calculated risks — balancing beams, climbing opportunities, loose parts.
We encourage “trying again” after slips, building frustration tolerance and a growth mindset.
2️⃣ Brain Health Must Come First
Dr. Amen’s brain scans show that nutrition, hydration, movement, and mindful inputs drastically affect mental health outcomes.
“Loving your brain means being mindful of what you feed it — physically and emotionally.” (00:34:04)
At Fabian House:
We promote organic, whole-food snacks — blueberries, avocados, leafy greens.
We provide unlimited access to water: “Even mild dehydration impacts memory and mood” (00:38:28).
We schedule daily outdoor movement breaks to support oxygenation and blood flow.
3️⃣ Nature Is Medicine for the Developing Brain
“Spending time in nature reduces stress, improves mood, enhances cognitive function.” (00:46:33)
Evidence-based benefits of nature play include:
Decreased cortisol (stress hormone)
Improved attention restoration (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989)
Enhanced prosocial behaviors in neurodiverse children
At Fabian House:
Our learners engage in daily nature-based activities — barefoot grounding (00:02:11), gardening, and open-ended outdoor play.
We use nature as a “co-regulator” for children who experience sensory overload or emotional dysregulation.
4️⃣ Play-Based ABA Is More Effective Than Traditional Methods
Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI) — a class of play-based ABA — show superior generalization of social and language skills (Schreibman et al., 2015).
At Fabian House:
We incorporate play-based ABA principles through:
Peer play sessions with guided prompts
Turn-taking games to build social reciprocity
Cause-effect learning through open-ended materials
“Unstructured play fosters cause-and-effect understanding, self-esteem, and discovery.” (00:12:06)
5️⃣ Screen Time Is a Brain Health Risk
Excessive screen time impairs:
Emotional processing
Attention circuits
Sleep quality
Social engagement
“Excessive screen time is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and impaired emotional processing in children.” (00:36:14)
At Fabian House:
We maintain zero screen time in the Baby House.
We educate families on screen reduction, referencing outcomes in children with autism who showed improved social behaviors when screens were removed (00:37:20).
6️⃣ Emotional Energy Is Contagious — and Play Can Shift It
“The way you choose to show up affects the success of those around you.” (01:00:29)
At Fabian House:
We model positive emotional regulation for children and staff.
We use brain ignition activities — stretching, crowing, water breaks (01:03:56) — to reset group energy and improve engagement.
We teach children to recognize their emotional state and select appropriate play-based strategies to shift it (sensory play, nature walks, puzzles).
Conclusion: Play Is Serious Brain Work
Our inservice underscored that play is a form of resilience training that integrates perfectly with ABA therapy and developmentally appropriate early education.
By combining:
✅ Brain-healthy practices
✅ Nature-based play
✅ Play-based ABA
✅ Social-emotional learning
… we are helping children at Fabian House develop the brain and life skills they need to thrive in an unpredictable world.