1. Types and Stages of Play
Alec Chubey, Tyler Evans

2. Why is play important?
Through play, children develop important skills like:
Language
Physical coordination
Emotional development
Social skills
Cognitive/Intellectual thinking/reasoning.

3. Stages of play Age Play Type
Explanation Of The Stages Of Play During Child Development
O-2 years
Solitary
He plays alone. There is limited interaction with other children.
2 to 2 and a half years
Spectator
Observe other children playing around him but will not play with them.
2 and a half to 3 years
Parallel
Play alongside others but will not play together with them.
3-4 years
Associate
Starts to interact with others in their play and there may be fleeting co-operation between in play. Develops friendships and the preferences for playing with some but not all other children. Play is normally in mixed sex groups.
4-6+ years
Co-operative
Plays together with shared aims of play with others. Play may be quite difficult and he's supportive of other children in his play. As he reaches primary school age, play is normally in single sex groups.

4. Types of Play
As the child grows, he/she will find new way to play and experience things.

5. 0-6 months Looks at adults closely.
Put things into mouth and touch things with his hands.
Plays alone with toys (rattles, shakers and banging things with both hands.)

6. 6-12 months Explores through the mouth and hands by touching objects.
Looks at and imitate adults.
Copy movements like dropping objects.
Likes simple games like peek-a-boo.
Plays with toys alone.

7. 12-18 months
Learns through trial and error (like banging two objects and finding out the sounds it makes).
Repeats actions that they have enjoyed.
Starts to play with grown-ups and notice other children.
Plays and talks aloud alone.

8. 2 – 3 years
Uses imagination to make regular objects become something else, (like a stick becoming a sword).
Starts to play alongside other children.
Starts to show some reasoning skills… but may still learn by trial and error.
Copies adults and other children.
Much of his play is very ‘imaginative’, (like talking to his toys or pretending his toys can talk).

9. 3 - 4 years Recognizes shapes, letters and colours.
Solves puzzles through a mixture of thinking and trial and error.
Plays together and takes turns with other children.
Shows reasoning skills and asks questions like ‘why does…’ and ‘how do you…’.
Plays imaginatively (playing in the ‘house’, dressing up and cooking).

10. 4 – 6 years
Begins to use and understand symbols for writing and reading.
Shows understanding and uses reason related to his experiences.
Begins to understand simple rules in games.
Plays co-operatively, taking turns and enjoys different kinds of games.

11. 6 – 8 years
Enjoys playing in small groups and making up his/her own games with rules.
Enjoys playing co-operative competitive games but does cope with losing.
Likes to play with children of his own sex.
Enjoys using rules and understanding.