Using Progressive Time Delay to Increase Levels of Peer Imitation During Sculpting Play.

The team used progressive time delay plus praise and stickers to teach preschoolers with developmental delay to copy a peer during clay play.

Each child got a turn to watch a classmate make a simple shape, then tried to match it. The teacher waited longer each day before giving help.

The study ran a multiple-baseline design across kids so the skill had to rise only after the teaching started.

Every child quickly began to imitate the peer model. When the prompts stopped, the new skill stayed well above the first baseline.

The drop was small, so the children kept most of their gains even without extra help.

MacDonald et al. (2009) got the same big play gains using video clips instead of live peers. Both studies show preschoolers with autism learn social play fast when adults give clear models and rewards.

Deshais et al. (2020) also used prompting to teach imitation, but they compared fixed versus repetitive adult models with objects. Erin et al. add peer models and clay play, proving the tactic works when kids copy kids.

Morton et al. (2023) took a different road: they slipped quick play hints into regular discrete trials and still saw new play appear. Together the papers say you can grow play skills by embedding models in many spots—DTT, video, or live peer sessions.

You already use time delay for naming objects or filling in sentences. Now you have proof it works for peer imitation too. Next time you set out play-doh, pick one child to model a simple snake or ball. Wait a beat, then prompt the others to copy. Fade the help each day and keep the praise flowing. You will build both play and social connection in the same five-minute routine.