*The play occupations of infants in the first 12 months are exploratory—that is, they are related to bonding
with caregivers.
*Exploratory play: is also called sensorimotor play, defined as an activity performed simply for the enjoyment
of the physical sensation it creates.
-It includes repetitive movements to create actions in toys for the sensory experiences of hearing, seeing, and
feeling.
-The infant places toys in the mouth, waves them in the air, and explores their surfaces with the hands.
Sensory Fine motor skills: Cognitive skills: Social skills:
Stage organization
*Quiets when *Develops *Repeats actions *Smiles, laughs out loud
0-6 months picked up accurate reach to for pleasurable *expresses discomfort
*shows pleasure object experiences by crying
when touched and *uses variety of *Uses hands and *communicates simple
handled. palmar grasping mouth to explore emotions through facial
*Relaxes, smiles, patterns objects expressions.
and vocalizes *Searches with
when held eyes for sound
*uses hands and *Bangs object on
mouth for sensory *secures object table
exploration of with hand and *Integrates
objects. brings to mouth information from
* transfers objects multiple sensory
hand to hand systems.
*examines objects
carefully with eyes
and plays with
hands at midline.
*Listens to speech *Mouths toys *Responds to own *Shows special
without being *uses accurate and name dependence on mother
6-12 months distracted direct reach for *recognizes words *may show stranger
*finger-feeds self, toys and family anxiety lifts arms to be
including a variety *plays with toys at members’ names picked up
of food textures midline and *responds with *plays contentedly
*cooperates with transfers hand to appropriate when parents are in
dressing. hand gestures room
*bangs objects *listens selectively *interacts briefly with
together to make *imitates simple other infants *plays give
sounds gestures and take
*waves toys in the
air
*releases toys into
container
*rolls ball to adult
*points to toys
with index finger *responds playfully to
*uses index finger mirror (laughs or makes
to explore toys. faces).
• In the first year, the goal of an infant’s social play is attachment, or bonding, to the parents.
• At one year of age, infants play social games with parents and others to elicit responses. Although infants at
this age engage readily with individuals other than family, they require their parents’ presence as an emotional
base and return to them for occasional emotional refueling before returning to play
Development of play : Toddlers In the second year of life
• the toddler engages in functional, or relational, play; that is, an object’s function is understood, and that
function determines the action.
• Initially, children use objects on themselves (e.g., pretending to drink from a cup or to comb the hair). These
self-directed actions signal the beginning of pretend play.
• The child knows cause and effect and repeatedly makes the toy telephone ring or the battery-powered doll
squeal to enjoy the effect of the initial action.
Stage Sensory Fine motor skills: Cognitive skills: Social skills:
organization
12-18 Months *Enjoys messy *Holds crayon *Imitates model *Shares toys with parent
activities and makes *Symbolic play with *Responds to facial
marks; scribbles real props (e.g., expressions of others
pretends to drink with * moves away from parent.
cup) *Understands
*Reacts to *Holds two toys how objects work
extreme in hand and toys *Understands function
sensations, such in both hands of objects
as warm, cold, *Releases toys *Uses trial-and-error in
sweet. inside containers. problem-solving
*Use one hand *Recognizes names of
to stabilize and various body parts.
to manipulate.
*Stacks blocks
and fits toys into
form space
(places pieces in
board)
*Opens and
shuts toy boxes
or containers.
*Attempts
puzzle.
18-24 Months *Uses Play Doh *Completes 4- to *Links multiple steps *Expresses affection
5-piece puzzle, together
* enjoy solitary *Builds towers *Shows wide variety of
play for few (e.g., 4 blocks), *Begins to use emotions: fear, anger,
minutes. nonrealistic objects in sympathy, joy, can feel
pretend play frustrated
*Continues to use *enjoys solitary play, such
objects according to as coloring, building,
*Holds crayon in functional purpose
*Engages in parallel play (
fingertips and
*Object permanence is paly in next to others but
draws simple
completely developed. does not influence others
figures (straight
play behaviors.
stroke or circular
stroke)
*Begins to use
simple tools (e.g.,
play hammer)
*Participates in
multipart tasks
and turns pages
of book.
By the end of the second year:
• Children now direct actions away from themselves. children exhibit social play in which they imitate adults and
peers. The objects used in play generally resemble real-life objects.
- The child places the doll in a toy bed and then covers it. The child pretends to feed a stuffed animal or
drives toy cars through a toy garage.
• Imitation of others is a first way to interact and socially relate.
Development of play : Early Childhood
Beginning at 2 years of age and continuing through the early childhood years:
-The child’s play is symbolic and imaginative:
§The child pretends that dolls, and stuffed animals are real.
§He or she may also imitate the actions of parents, teachers, and peers.
The three types of play that predominate in early childhood are
1. pretend,orsymbolic,play
2. constructiveplay
3. rough-and-tumble,orphysicalplay.
2-5 years of age *Early Childhood*
• Extremely active and engage in rough-and-tumble play. They continue to delight in movement experiences
that provide strong sensory input.
• Although rough-and-tumble play generally involves other children, it is generally noncompetitive and rarely
organized.
• Engage in associative play, children are generally more interested in being with other children than in the goal
of the activity.
Divided into preschoolers and Kindergartners
Preschoolers
A. 2-3 years of age
• Play remains a very central occupation of the child, who now has an increased attention span and the ability to
combine multiple actions in play.
• Symbolic play: use objects for multiple pretend ideas, uses toys to represent animals or people
• Fine motor: snips with scissors, draws circles accuretly
• As in exploratory play, the child’s exploration of space involves simple, repeated actions in which the goal
appears to be sensation.
• Deep proprioceptive pressure and touch are craved and requested. Often, extremes in sensation seem to be
enjoyed and are frequently requested.
• Repetition of these full-body kinesthetic, vestibular, and tactile experiences appears to be organizing to the
CNS.
B. 3- 4 years of age
• Pretend play becomes more abstract, and objects, such as a block, can be used to represent something else.
• They base these scripts on real-life events.
• Fine motor: colors within lines, copies simple shapes and letters, cut simple
shapes.
• Social play : attempts challenging activities. engage in singing and dancing in groups, play with other children
sharing and talking about play goal. Group play replace parallel play
C. 4-5 years of age
• Games with rules :begins group games with simple rules.
• Social play/ dramatic play : about one-third of the time, a 5-year-old child engages in pretend play. However,
this pretend play is based on imitation of real life and dressing up to play certain roles (e.g., firefighter, police
officer, ballerina).
• Fine motor: uses two hands together well. Copies own name. strings small beads.
• The 4-year-old child can develop a plan to build a structure with blocks and then carry out the steps to
complete the project.
• The 5-year-old child (with instructions and a model),can make a simple art project. A 5-year-old child can also
put together a 10-piece puzzle.
•The final product has become more important, and the child is motivated to complete it and show others the
final result.
•The planning and designing involved in building and construction play helps the child acquire an understanding
of spatial perception and object relationships.
•This activity also appears to be foundational to academic performance in school.
Kindergartners
- 5-6 years of age
• Games with rules: board games, computer games, competitive games
• Dramatic play : role plays stories and themes related to seasons or
occupations, emphasis on reality. Reconstruct real world in play.
• Participate in sport activities
• Social play: participate in group activities, goal of play (winning) may compete with social interactions at time
Middle childhood 6-10 years of age
• Enjoy imaginary play but organize and structure their play
• Games with rules are the primary mode for social and physical play: games
that require problem solving and abstract thinking
• Compete for a reward
• Value interaction with peers
• Play includes talking and joking
• Plays with consistent friends
• Less impulsive, able to regulate behaviors
