Play in Early Childhood Created by Kathryn Stephenson, December 2015 Adapted from Utah Education Network

What is “play”? A study conducted in 1981 defined play as, “a subset of life…an arrangement in which one can practice behavior without dreading its consequence” It’s important part of a child’s life Provides purpose & helps them grow

5 Basic Areas of Growth 1. Physical: Play develops large & small muscles and increases speed, strength, and coordination 2. Emotional: Children learn how to handle their feelings & fears; opportunities to express emotions that they have seen others express

Areas of Growth 3. Intellectual: Teaches children how things work; learn how to reason, solve problems & practice new mental skills 4. Social: Teaches types of social behaviors that are acceptable; find ways to get long with other people; learn how to share, cooperate & understand others

Areas of Growth 5. Moral: Children learn to be honest & considerate as they play

Social Patterns of Children 1. Unoccupied Behavior: Child is not involved in any particular activity Observes what seems interesting at the time When nothing is interesting, will walk/look around, play with fingers, hair Often appears to be day dreaming

Social Patterns of Children 2. Onlooker Behavior: Involves watching other children play May talk to other children, but does not become actively involved Onlooker wants to be close enough to interact with the children Common in Toddlers

Social Patterns of Children 3. Solitary Play: When a child plays alone No interest in anyone else or what they are doing Toys they play with are different than what other kids are playing wih Totally involved in personal activity Common in Infants

Social Patterns of Children 4. Parallel Play: Involves a child playing beside other children There is no actual interaction, but toys are similar Child is playing beside the other children rather than with them Common in 2 – 3 year olds

Social Patterns of Children 5. Associative Play: Child plays with other children Shares toys & interacts with others Involved in similar but not identical activity Child does what they want, but is a part of a big group Common in 3 years – School Age Children

Social Patterns of Children 6. Cooperative Play: Involves organization Child is part of a group that has a specific purpose, such as making an art project or playing a game There are usually leaders & followers in this type of play

Types of Play Make-Believe Play: Play house, doctor, bank, etc. Teaches about real-life situations & problem-solving Child can express themselves in a different role Act out things they experienced – happy moments, sad, fears/anxieties

Types of Play Active Play: Playing & interacting with others and/or objects Need to be involved in active play because they learn through active play Active play is not just running & jumping, but also by reading a book, puzzles, looking at clouds, and much more

Types of Play Passive Play: Child does not interact with anyone or anything Examples: when they are tired, angry, watching TV, or need a few minutes alone When passive play is the majority, caregiver needs to involve the child in active play Children must be limited to the amount of passive play they have

Types of Play Skill Mastery Play: Occurs when child is learning new skill They will repeat the behavior over & over, even for hours Examples: riding a bike, skating, rolling down a hill Developments: perfecting a skill, recognizes self progress, feels sense of accomplishement, builds self-esteem

Types of Play Sensory Motor Play: Utilizes the senses & motor skills Examples: playing with sand, mud, water, playdough, packing materials, any textural media involved to learn about pre-math & pre-science concepts

Types of Play Rough-and-Tumble Play: Usually looks like wrestling or fighting Childrens faces will show happiness & their tone will be pleasant If anger or fear in voice or face, caregiver needs to step in This type of play allows release of energy, and physical & social development