Observation indicated that children most frequently represent objects by performing actions appropriate to the represented objects. With increasing age, children represent objects without using functional actions and with objects bearing little physical similarity to the represented objects. (Author/DB)

Play behaviors of 17 children enrolled in a discovery-based preschool program and 18 children in a formal program within a university center were observed over 11 weeks for 20 one-minute observations. (Author)

The quality of play that 26 toddlers engaged in was examined in four successive social settings: (1) mother-child; (2) child alone; (3) mother, child, peer; (4) child-peer. Results are discussed in terms of how the social setting and the sex of the child influence play behavior. (Author/DB)

Play group therapy sessions were held in an attempt to improve impulse control; peer, social, and relationship skills; expression of repressed anger; feelings for self; and cooperative play among five latency-aged boys. Many of the goals set for the children in the group were reached. (Author/RH)

Analysis (using semantic scoring criteria) indicated that: (1) self-action yielded higher scores on recall; and (2) girls scored significantly higher than boys. When absolute and syntactic criteria were used, self-action, puppet-action, and color, paste, and cut actions were equally facilitative. (Author)

Investigates differences between the behaviors of children entering stable preschool groups (six males, six females) and those of their host classmates, and traces the process by which new children come to approximate host frequencies of interaction and social participation. A sequential time-sampling procedure was employed. (Author/SS)

Recreation programs should provide experiences which feed and care for the indispensable human impulse to play. Campus recreation programs need to tinker with traditional formats and provide program alternatives. (CJ)

Children spent about 20 percent of their waking time in play. Boys played more with vehicles and girls spent more time in domestic role play. Both boys and girls played about equally with items considered nonstereotyped. Boys spent more time watching television, while girls spent more time reading. (Author)

Investigates the extent to which parents' positive self-concepts predicted their preschool children's behaviors in nursery school and the extent to which this relation was mediated by gender of parent and gender of the child. Subjects were 25 nursery school children from middle to upper-middle class homes, their mothers and their fathers.…

Found no correlations between types of play behavior and speech measures, that identification of objects upon verbal request was not related to any type of play behavior, and that comprehension of verbal requests for functional or representational play was positively correlated with the display of such play. Journal availability: J. B. Lippincott…

Describes the variety of play spaces found in urban areas in Denmark: in banks, stores and individual businesses, neighborhood parks and small pocket playgrounds, specialized adventure and traffic playgrounds with supervised activities, and commercial amusement parks. (CM)

The free play behavior of young children allows the opportunity to actively explore, investigate, and manipulate features of the adult world, and to assimilate the characteristics of novel aspects of the environment. (Author)

In view of the developmental value of children's play activity, playground equipment should be constructed of high quality material and should be designed with the child's maximum total growth in mind. (LH)

Stages in developing mentally handicapped children's pretend play are outlined and techniques for assessing a child's play development are described. (SBH)

Role-playing in nutrition has many advantages as an educational technique, including building thoughts, facilitating flexible thinking, promoting awareness, and providing opportunities for practicing food-related behavior. The Curry and Arnaud model for role play is presented in terms of its components and how each component relates to nutrition…