Space to be myself: Getting play and breaktimes right for neurodivergent pupils

For many neurodivergent pupils, breaktimes are the worst part of the school day. Instead of joy and recuperation, many pupils experience anxiety and intolerable stress at breaktime. In this chapter we will explore how play and breaktimes in schools can be inclusive of neurodivergent students and better designed to meet their needs. We identify and critique neuronormative expectations about play using reflections on lived experience, examples from practice, and research from multiple perspectives, including children's rights and developmental psychology. We then discuss the role of educators and other practitioners in creating opportunities for authentic neurodivergent self-expression, joy, and rest. We emphasise the need to consider affordances of classrooms and play areas and for careful planning and flexibility so that neurodivergent pupils can benefit from this important part of the school day. Drawing inspiration from the forest school ethos, we make specific recommendations for supporting neurodivergent children during breaktimes.