Would you stop your DS doing this?

[GlitteryFluff]

Ds is just turned 4.
He was diagnosed with ASD over the summer. Totally expected, had been in the 'system' since he was 15months.

When we're at home he doesn't play.
His idea of play is to get out his mr men and little miss books, line them up in order, say the name of the book, what number it is, say what colours they are, put them away in their boxes in order so he can see 'my mr men library' from the spines and then get them all out again laid on the floor in order etc he can do this for hours. He doesn't get out cars or marbles or Lego or whatever to play, he just likes these books (not to look inside, just to line up).
Outdoors he's fine, running about with leaves, swings, splashing in puddles, soft play, feeding ducks etc.

I know this brings enjoyment to him, but I feel like I need to steer him towards actual playing?

It's hard as well as his sister has started crawling so he can't lay them out on the floor in the living room as she'll get eat them. Then if he does it in his bedroom when she needs a nap she goes in there because they share a room so then he has to leave so brings it all in the living room but obviously then has to take them away when his sister wakes up.

He's just started school so wouldn't try to pry him away yet, it's just it's been months and months of playing with books. And nothing else.
But then again he's playing with toys all day at school so should I just let him do it?

Obviously I'm new to all this but I know him. I'm able to get him to try new foods, change routine etc and thus doesn't cause him distress.

Wwyd?

Hi OP, this sounds very like my DS at that age. I would let him continue, as the repetitive nature of it is probably "safe" and reassuring after a day at school, where he will have been forced out of his comfort zone. My DS developed play skills by watching his peers. Modelling "appropriate" (who are we to dictate how someone should play, as long as they're not doing anything dangerous ?) play skills at home is also important, but for us this usually worked better at weekends when he,wasn't tired after school.

Thank you for replying.
I definitely won't do anything anytime soon as lots of change for him with school starting, trying new foods at dinner time there etc. But I might over Christmas and the new year try to limit it if I can and get him excited about some toys.
He doesn't play with me. Never has even when a baby. Has always done his own thing and got frustrated if I've tried to join in. Only things I'm allowed to play with is board games and puzzles, drawing, play dough. Anything else is a no-go

Hang in there, I used to find it very hard/impossible to engage my DS in any type of play that wasn't centered around his special interest at the time (trains). It became easier as he got older. Take care.