Researchers observed activities of preschool children engaged in various forms of play, and focused particularly on symbolic play. (Author/DB)

Reviews research on differences between children's and teachers' view of play and presents a continuum of activities from work to play. Found that teachers believed that some academic work presented in game form was play, whereas children focused on voluntary choice and self-direction as key elements in play. Suggests ways in which teachers might…

This longitudinal study investigated development and individual differences in exploration and play during infancy and toddlerhood among 34 children. Found that measures of developmental level, such as pretend play level and meaningful sequence, showed a significant increase between age 19 months and 30 months. (MDM)

Reviews the literature concerning the role of play therapy (particularly sandplay and nondirected play therapy) in the improvement of reading. Suggests that the role of play therapy is to support the child, encourage the child, and build self-esteem thus creating the optimal learning environment for reading improvement. (RS)

The required educational administration internship at Eastern Illinois University is a rigorous program designed to promote professional development through structures integrating play or a playful attitude into its work-related elements. These structures allow interns opportunities to initiate and think clearly, experience solidarity in work…

Notes that elementary school counselors use play as therapeutic tool to meet broad range of developmental needs of children. Contends that, when used in context of nondirective, child-centered relationship, plat offers younger and less verbal child opportunity to resolve issues that may interfere with emotional and social development and academic…

Compared pretend play enactment, negotiation, internal state language, and sibling relationship quality in 40 kindergartners with older or younger siblings. Found that frequent pretend play dyads used more high-level negotiation and internal state language than infrequent pretend dyads. Friendly relationship quality was negatively related to…

Observations were made of eight 2-year-olds and eight 3 1/2-year-olds to explore the use of play assessment and its efficacy in determining cognitive levels. Children's play primarily consisted of Exploratory Play, Pretend Play, and Problem Solving Skills. Results indicated that Exploratory Play becomes more complex with age and is displayed more…

Presents the Twin Earth model, proposing specific relations between pretend play and understanding minds, from ontogenesis of pretense to later emergence of role play and representational understandings of pretense. Central to the model is supposition that pretend play functions for children much as Twin Earth functions for philosophers, by…

The analysis of discrete dyadic sequential behavior and, in particular, the problem of forecasting future behavior from current and past behavior in such data is the main theme of the present article. We propose to use multivariate multinomial logit models and the potential of which will be demonstrated with data on Imagery play therapy. In such a…

This study documented the ways in which the spontaneous narratives of a focus group of young children reflected the ways in which these children constructed meaning about their world and their place in it. Participants were six kindergartners who engaged in extended episodes of imaginary, dramatic play and produced complex descriptive narratives…

Researchers, educators, and parents have long believed that children learn cause and effect relationships through exploratory play. However, previous research suggests that children are poor at designing informative experiments; children fail to control relevant variables and tend to alter multiple variables simultaneously. Thus, little is…

The relative reinforcing value of toys was assessed in the absence of, and immediately following, participant observation of a peer manipulating one of the materials toys. Preference assessments were used to identify preference hierarchies. Reinforcer assessments were conducted with the most high-preferred preference item, a low-preference the…

This study examined the effects of scripted peer-tutoring reading activities, with and without programmed common play-related stimuli, on social interactions between a kindergartner with autism spectrum disorder and his typically developing peer-tutoring partners during free play. A withdrawal design with multiple baselines across peers showed no…

Synthesizing cutting-edge research from multiple disciplines, this book explores how young children acquire knowledge in the "real world" and describes practical applications for early childhood classrooms. The breadth and depth of a child's knowledge base are important predictors of later literacy development and academic achievement. Leading…