The Development of Play The Development of Play during Infancyduring Infancy

Why do infants play?Why do infants play? ““Through play, children grow. They learn how to use Through play, children grow. They learn how to use

their muscles; they develop the ability to coordinate their muscles; they develop the ability to coordinate what they see with what they do; and they develop a what they see with what they do; and they develop a sense of mastery over their bodies. sense of mastery over their bodies.

Through play, children learn. They find out what the Through play, children learn. They find out what the world is like and what they are like. They acquire new world is like and what they are like. They acquire new skills and learn the appropriate situations for using skills and learn the appropriate situations for using them. They ‘try out’ different aspects of life. them. They ‘try out’ different aspects of life.

Through play, children mature. They cope with complex Through play, children mature. They cope with complex and conflicting emotions by reenacting real life in play. and conflicting emotions by reenacting real life in play. They make ‘their lives more encompassable and They make ‘their lives more encompassable and endurable (Biber, 1971)’.”endurable (Biber, 1971)’.”

Development of Play during Development of Play during InfancyInfancy

Play is a pleasurable activity, actively Play is a pleasurable activity, actively engaged in on a voluntary basis, engaged in on a voluntary basis, motivated intrinsically and containing motivated intrinsically and containing some elements that are nonliteral some elements that are nonliteral (using 1 thing to represent another).(using 1 thing to represent another).

Influence of Play on Influence of Play on DevelopmentDevelopment

Muscle coordinationMuscle coordinationSocial/interaction skillsSocial/interaction skills

LanguageLanguageLogical reasoningLogical reasoningProblem-solving skillsProblem-solving skills Increases explorationIncreases explorationReleases tensionReleases tension

Milestones in PlayMilestones in Play 2-3 months: objects in environment begin 2-3 months: objects in environment begin

to play role in playto play role in play 9 months: emergence of functional-9 months: emergence of functional-

relational playrelational play 18 months: emergence of symbolic play18 months: emergence of symbolic play 2 ½ years: sociodramatic play2 ½ years: sociodramatic play

Miniature dramasMiniature dramas Roles/charactersRoles/characters Imitation of adultsImitation of adults Reenactment of family relationshipsReenactment of family relationships Expression of needsExpression of needs Outlet for forbidden impulsesOutlet for forbidden impulses Reversal of rolesReversal of roles

Development of Play:Development of Play:Cognitive BenefitsCognitive Benefits

Piaget: Action is basis of knowledgePiaget: Action is basis of knowledge Advances cognitive development Advances cognitive development Practice competencies and acquire skillsPractice competencies and acquire skills Representational play has late onset and slow Representational play has late onset and slow

developmentdevelopment Representational play shifts from play involving Representational play shifts from play involving

only self to play involving self-object relations only self to play involving self-object relations to play involving objects exclusivelyto play involving objects exclusively

Vygotsky: uses objects in environment as Vygotsky: uses objects in environment as tools to accomplish some activitytools to accomplish some activity

Cognitive PlayCognitive Play

Functional PlayFunctional PlayConstructive PlayConstructive PlayDramatic PlayDramatic PlayGames with RulesGames with Rules

Development of Play:Development of Play: Social Levels Social Levels

Mildred Parten (1932) made Mildred Parten (1932) made extensive observations of young extensive observations of young preschool childrenpreschool children

Six levels of play: range from Six levels of play: range from nonsocial to highly integrated social nonsocial to highly integrated social playplay

The Social Levels of Play - PartenThe Social Levels of Play - Parten

Six levels identified:Six levels identified:

1. Unoccupied 1. Unoccupied behaviorbehavior

2. Onlooking2. Onlooking

3. Solitary play3. Solitary play

4. Parallel play4. Parallel play

5. Associative play5. Associative play

6. Coopertive play6. Coopertive play

Play evolves and Play evolves and changes as changes as children acquire children acquire social skillssocial skills

Older children able Older children able to coordinate play to coordinate play with peers or in a with peers or in a larger grouplarger group

Development of Play: Emotional Development of Play: Emotional DevelopmentDevelopment

Psychoanalytic: play is expression of Psychoanalytic: play is expression of wish fulfillmentwish fulfillmentUsed to deal with traumasUsed to deal with traumas

Contemporary PerspectiveContemporary Perspective

Emphasizes boy cognitive and social Emphasizes boy cognitive and social aspects of playaspects of playSensorimotor playSensorimotor playPretense/symbolic playPretense/symbolic playSocial playSocial playConstructive playConstructive play

Influences on PlayInfluences on Play

GenderGenderSESSESAbility levelAbility levelParental/adult involvement - Parental/adult involvement -

scaffoldingscaffolding