In this episode, Dr. Jamie sits down with Dr. Marija Čolić & Dr. Sho Araiba to explore their innovative social skills program—affectionately called Play Dojo by its participants. Rooted in neurodiversity-affirming practice, the program uses play as the primary medium for building foundational social skills in autistic children. Together, the guests share how their community-led initiative in Hawai'i blossomed into a research-informed program grounded in joy, flexibility, and empowerment.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• How Play Dojo emerged from a community need for inclusive, engaging social spaces outside of 1:1 therapy.

• Why Sho and Maria believe play is a life skill—not just a leisure activity.

• The powerful impact of collaborative, parent-inclusive group sessions.

• How they track growth using “elementary social behaviors” like transitioning from solitary play to group participation.

• How they use a strength-mapping approach to assess progress across play complexity, peer group size, and neurodivergent authenticity.

• The importance of letting children opt in (or out) of play—focusing on assent, not compliance.

• Why the program intentionally avoids correction, instead relying on modeling, flexibility, and child-led engagement.

• Practical strategies for other clinicians or educators looking to start similar play-based programs in their communities.

Episode Highlights:

• Play as a Teaching Tool: Instead of focusing on compliance or artificial reinforcement, Play Dojo embeds learning directly into games children actually want to play.

• Parent Partnership: Parents are invited into the classroom to observe and participate, fostering transparency, modeling, and community connection.

• Social Authenticity: The team honors autistic play as authentic play, resisting the urge to force neurotypical models of interaction.

• Data-Informed, Human-Centered: The research team uses video analysis and strength-based mapping to assess progress—without losing sight of each child’s individuality.

• Ascent & Agency: Children are never forced to participate. Saying “no,” setting boundaries, and creating their own play rules are all celebrated as strengths.

• Scaffolded Growth: New participants begin in diads before moving into larger groups, allowing them to build confidence and core social behaviors in a supported way.

Memorable Quotes

“Play is not something kids do when they’re done learning. It’s how they learn.”
— Dr. Maria Cholich

“We don’t correct kids during games—we model, we scaffold, and we let the social reinforcement do the teaching.”
— Dr. Sho Araiba