Make-believe play is an important part of growing that can help young children develop physically, emotionally, socially, creatively and intellectually. Suggestions are offered to help parents know when play may be leading to abnormal behavior and to know how they can respond to fantasy. (DF)

Social smiles of 10 visually impaired 4 to 12 month olds were examined longitudinally in play interactions with their mothers. All infants demonstrated both the presence of social smiles and the second Piagetian stage of cognitive development at the start of the study. Social smiling increased in frequency from 6 to 12 months. (Author/CB)

Research conducted in an institutional living environment during times when program activities were minimal and clients were typically inactive showed that empirically based toy selection, construction, and modification, and environmental engineering to ensure convenient and constant material availability increased Ss' active engagement with toys.…

Three studies on B. Le Gay Brereton's approach with severely motorically or multiply disabled preschool children are reported. The program focuses on play and suggests that development should be repeated from the point at which it went wrong. Results included small but statistical changes in cognitive skills. (CL)

Examined sequential dependencies in solitary and interactive states of social organization as a function of age, sex, and type of toy in 12 triads of 3 1/2- and 5-year-old children. Each triad was observed during two 30-minute sessions, one in which objects with highly specific functions were available and one in which objects with relatively…

Reports on a multimeasure, multicontext study of the relationship between father-child and mother-child play and children's competence with preschool peers. Involves 13 boys and 14 girls three to four years of age, and their parents. Children were videotaped while playing with each parent, and their social competence with peers was evaluated.…

Examines benefits to individuals and society of cooperative--as opposed to competitive--interpersonal relationships. Discusses children's sports, games, and play as means to promote cooperation and reviews research showing positive effects of children's cooperative play. Provides standards for a cooperative philosophy that would promote positive…

Pretend play training was given to an experimental group of 15 children aged three to five years. A matched control group was given mastery tasks. Results showed the experimental group gained significantly on observed make-believe play, non-standard alternative uses, Say-and-Tell total, Self-Concept Empathy Preschool Embedded Figures, and Matching…

Recommends using improvised drama to foster students' sensitive and critical reading of literature. (AEA)

Research on object exploration by infants addresses milestones in the process by normally developing infants, including spontaneous manipulation strategies. Implications for developmentalists working with high-risk preterm infants are noted, including the need for direct assistance in manipulation and for selection of materials. (CL)

Examines social fantasy play in relation to several indices of social competence in a sample of 91 preschoolers (ages 35 to 69 months). Results indicate the amount and complexity of fantasy play significantly predicted four competency measures: teacher ratings of peer social skill, popularity, affective role taking, and a behavioral summary score…

The relationship of maternal behavioral style to cognitive development states of 60, 1-, 2-, and 3-year-old organically impaired, mentally retarded children was investigated. Factor analysis of maternal behavioral items revealed three major parameters of behavior. Child-Oriented/Maternal Pleasure was related positively, whereas Quantity of…

Topics discussed in this issue include the cognitive education of the preschooler, general problems in aesthetic education and child development, educating children through play, family influence on the preschooler's personality, and the preparation of children for school. (RM)

Investigates six demographic variables of 244 inservice preschool teachers and staff members to determine the variables predictive of the type of children's play materials adults preferred. (Author/RH)

Discusses the possible disruptive influence of computers on young children's play, the age at which children can benefit from using a computer language like LOGO, promoting cognitive development through experiences with computers, and whether playing with computers is actually play. (RH)