Interactive toys for children are becoming more popular for both play and educational purposes, yet an understanding of the dependent measures used to study such interactions has not yet been explored. This study takes advantage of the idea that robotic animals exhibit both living and pretend qualities, and are therefore ideal for studying…

Differences in toy selection and play behavior of five preschoolers with Down's Syndrome and nonretarded preschoolers matched for mental and chronological age were examined. Toy selection was determined by length of time and frequency with which the child played with 12 toys in two 15-minute sessions. Analysis of play behavior considered child and…

Claims about the relative holding-power and play-versatility of toys either low or high in amount of realistic detail, such as miniature metal cars, were tested in a solitary play environment with and without the use of props. Subjects were 36 middle-class preschool children. Results suggest that, when structure is varied within the toy prototype,…

Identifies social behaviors observed in (N=115) preschool children while manipulating various toys and materials in a preschool setting. Discusses the resulting data on toy/material use in terms of selecting physical stimuli in social behavior modification efforts for positive social interaction. (Author)

This booklet uses both words and photographs to describe behavior patterns typical of children from one to two years old and to suggest home play activities appropriate for use with children of this age. The booklet is organized into four age ranges: 12-15 months, 15-18 months, 18-21 months, and 21-24 months. Within each of these sections, a…