Center-based classroom community interventions create opportunities for young children with autism to connect with peers. Yet, there has been little examination of the peer interactions of toddlers with autism who experience core challenges in social communication and play skills that may create barriers to successful peer interactions. Classrooms of toddlers were randomized to an experimental social communication intervention including peers or to the standard individual (adult-child) social communication intervention. Both toddlers in peer and no peer conditions demonstrated significant gains in social communication and play. Toddlers with greater receptive language and combination and presymbolic play skills were most likely to demonstrate peer engagement.