Play-Based Resilience: Brain Science & ABA Best Practices in Early Childhood Education
At Fabian House, play isn’t a break from learning — it’s the way we build resilience.
Our recent inservice, presented by Cori Fabian, centered on play-based resilience, backed by the work of Dr. Daniel Amen and leading early childhood and ABA therapy research.
The result? A reaffirmed vision for why unstructured, nature-based, and emotionally intelligent play is the most powerful tool in our toolbox — not only for learning, but for long-term brain health.
Why Focus on Resilience?
Resilience — the ability to recover, adapt, and thrive — is one of the most critical predictors of a child’s future well-being.
As Cori reminded us during the inservice:
“Resilience isn’t innate. It is built through safe, supported challenge.” (00:26:43)
Research shows that children with higher resilience:
Have better executive functioning
Experience lower rates of anxiety and depression
Develop stronger emotional regulation, social cognition, and self-efficacy (Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University)
The Science: How Play Builds Resilience
Dr. Daniel Amen’s work emphasizes that brain health is foundational to all learning and coping skills:
“Mental strength starts with a healthy brain. We must feed it right, move it, and challenge it daily.” (Referenced during 00:31:17-00:34:04)
Incorporating play-based ABA therapy and early childhood best practices enhances:
Neuroplasticity (brain adaptability)
Emotional regulation circuits (amygdala-prefrontal cortex connectivity)
Cognitive flexibility and problem-solving
Social communication pathways
Play as Emotional & Cognitive Gymnastics
Our inservice highlighted how unstructured play allows for:
✅ Cause-and-effect learning
✅ Self-initiated problem-solving
✅ Peer negotiation
✅ Failure recovery
✅ Creative thinking
As Cori stated:
“Confidence through challenge = resilience in motion.”
Children who experience small, manageable stressors through play develop coping strategies they will rely on for life.
Practical Applications at Fabian House
Here’s how we intentionally embed play-based resilience in our daily curriculum:
1️⃣ Nature-Immersion Play
Daily outdoor time in nature-based settings
Risk vs. hazard education (balancing on logs, climbing safe structures)
“Feeling wobbly on a log builds self-esteem” (00:05:59)
Grounding: barefoot play on grass to support sensory integration and emotional calm (00:02:11)
2️⃣ Open-Ended Materials
Loose parts play with sticks, stones, fabric, cardboard
No right/wrong use of materials → promotes divergent thinking
Example: Children collaborating to move a large log together → teamwork, leadership, resilience (00:08:39)
3️⃣ Social Play in ABA-Informed Settings
Guided peer interactions through structured group play
Games that foster turn-taking, frustration tolerance, emotional labeling
Modeling and scaffolding to support neurodiverse learners
4️⃣ Sensory-Rich Experiences
Nature walks with mindful listening
Gardening: connection to food sources, patience through plant cycles
Water play with open access → self-regulation, sensory integration
“Water is essential for brain function, memory, and mood.” (00:38:28)
5️⃣ Play & Cognitive Flexibility
Incorporating imaginative play daily
Providing puzzles and problem-solving games as “brain ignition” breaks (00:58:42)
“Play is not just for children — it supports adult resilience too.” (00:52:19)
Why This Matters for ABA Therapy & Early Childhood Education
Play-based ABA and early childhood education share the goal of building adaptable, emotionally intelligent learners. Research confirms that naturalistic teaching and embedded play-based interventions result in:
Higher social communication outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder
Greater generalization of learned skills to real-world settings
Stronger self-regulation abilities (Koegel et al., 2010; Lifter et al., 2011)
The Takeaway: Play Is Resilience Training
Our inservice reminded us that play is not a “nice-to-have” — it is a biological imperative for:
Emotional development
Cognitive flexibility
Long-term brain health
Every time a child at Fabian House takes a risk on the balance beam, negotiates a new rule in a game, or overcomes frustration during a puzzle — they are building resilience.
And that’s why we do what we do.