1. Play in Early Childhood CREATED BY KATHRYN STEPHENSON, DECEMBER 2015 ADAPTED FROM UTAH EDUCATION NETWORK

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. Social Patterns of Children 1. Unoccupied Behavior:  Child is not involved in any particular ativity  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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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