Development of PLAY

Play Perspectives

• Work of the Young– Explore their environment– Develop sensory & perceptual abilities– Experiment with behaviors in new situations– Deal with emotional issues

Play with CJ?

What is it?

• Internally motivated

• Focused on means, not ends

• Freely chosen

• Non-serious

• Highly engaging

Functions of Play

• Cognitive development is increased- Piaget– Exploration of the environment– Experimentation with novel things/activities– Problem-solving

Functions of Play

• Social development is increased– Play allows us to try out new roles– Practice different social solutions to

situations (often by accident)– Allows us to experience levels of competency

(modeling)

Functions of Play

• Problem solving– Children work out problems– Create new approaches– Deal with emotional issues in a non-

threatening environment

Why Do Children Play?

Theories of Play

• Surplus energy– Play serves the purpose of discharging excess

energy

• Cognitive development– Play facilitates cog dev– Helps us consolidate learning taking place in

other parts of life– Learning in a relaxed atmosphere

Theories of Play

• Arousal modification– Play relieves boredom– Play reduces uncertainty– Play keeps the body at an optimal state of

arousal

Theories of Play

• Practice for adulthood– Play allows us to develop the skills and

knowledge needed for adult functioning

• Contextual (Vygotsky)– Play allows us to reconstruct reality (practice)

without influences imposed by the situation, context, or regulations.

Gender Differences

• Do boys play differently than girls?

Stages of Play• Pre play behaviors- not necessarily “PLAY”

– Unoccupied play- random play-like movements. Attention is focused on anything briefly

– On-looker play- Child watches other children, may ask questions or interact, but does not join the activity

Stages of Play• Solitary Play

– Child plays alone independently with – different toys than the other children

• Parallel Play– Child plays independently- next to (or

alongside) other children– Child plays with the same toys as the other

children– Child does not try to influence or have any

part of other children’s play

Stages of Play

• Associative Play– Child plays with other children– Child plays with toys in the same way as

other children, or tries to influence them to “play like me”

– Shares toys– Talking between children– No organization or common goal

Stages of Play

• Cooperative play– Group Play– Organized toward a common goal– Division of labor

• Different children have different roles

Parten’s Stages of Play

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