Investigates the impact of children's different play situations on the topic maintenance performance of 24 children 4- to 5-years-old. Findings suggest that some play situations may be more supportive of the development of conversational maintenance skills in young children than are others. (RJC)

Supervision is the weak link in safety upgrading programs for playgrounds. A strong educational thrust on safe playing is needed for parents of pre-school children. Adults must understand how children behave at play and what playground equipment means to a child user. (JD0)

Examined variations in solitary and dyadic pretend play behaviors among children aged two to six years. Found that overall productivity--the number of play acts--decreased in the presence of a peer in all age groups. However, the quality of that play--increased pretend object handling and transformations--improved in dyadic play. (HTH)

Two groups of older adults were audio- and videotaped playing dominos. Their conversations were transcribed and analyzed, yielding three categories: biographical work, game-playing details, and concerted work. Games play a significant role for the elderly and can be used to learn life-enhancing skills. (SK)

Examines the effects of literacy-enriched play settings on preschoolers' literacy behaviors in spontaneous free play. Finds differences in frequency, duration, and complexity of literacy demonstrations in play. Finds that children incorporated literacy objects in more diverse and functional ways than children playing in a normal physical…

Notes that living creatively and fluidly often depends on an adult's ability to play. Describes a workshop designed to enhance awareness of the importance of play for adults and to provide imaging strategies helpful to therapists, teachers, and poets. (RS)

Reviewed studies of the social interaction of toddlers in interaction and play in daycare centers in Europe. Identified a characteristic style in the interaction with peers of 1- and 2-year-olds shown in play sequences, construction of shared meaning, and affiliative structures. (SLD)

Researchers long have sought a connection between play and literacy behaviors. Most agree that play is a basis for developing literacy skills. This study investigated the use of block play in a first-grade classroom. Results showed that the students increased the number of literacy behaviors after having been exposed to the enriched block-play…

Examines the stages of children's social development, from solitary play, to parallel play to friendship. Offers ways to help children progress toward friendships. (HTH)

Scores on the Test of Playfulness for 25 children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were significantly lower than those of 25 children without, especially on internal control, intrinsic motivation, and framing. Three items (mischief, teasing/joking, clowning) yielded unexpectedly higher scores for ADHD children. (SK)

This article presents ideas for using play activities to support the development of emergent literacy skills in young children, including those with disabilities. Four principles of promoting early literacy skills are explained and applied to activities in block and microsymbolic play, macrosymbolic play, and fluid construction play. The…

This study examines children's prosocial behaviors in everyday contexts that represent varying degrees of strength of situational demands. Behavioral observations of children (N = 89) ages 2 to 10 years (M = 5.25, SD = 2.23)., collected in Ngecha, Kenya were coded for 3 types of prosocial behaviors (nurturant, responsible and prosocial dominant)…

This paper uses aspects of "third space" theory to support the use of site-based classroom role play as a means of ensuring continuity of text construction between home and school. A hypothetical continuum of text construction between home and school is described, and it is suggested that schools wishing to support this continuum might consider…

Sobel and Lillard (2001 ) demonstrated that 4-year-olds' understanding of the role that the mind plays in pretending improved when children were asked questions in a fantasy context. The present study investigated whether this fantasy effect was motivated by children recognizing that fantasy contains violations of real-world causal structure. In…

Teaching artists have techniques for keeping play alive and vital in their work. But how do they think of play as TAs? In this article, the author examines the role of play in the work and life of teaching artists.