Understanding the differences in values that differing cultures attach to play may help educators (1) to clarify the role of spontaneous play, (2) to recognize the limitations of competitive play, (3) to better balance directed and spontaneous play, and (4) to view play as absorbed, joyful, educative activity. (Author/AJ)

Discusses mime, masks, improvisation, body training, and choral dynamics as techniques for improving actors' body movements. (RD)

Having kindergarten children use familiar play objects can serve the needs of the children and the goals of the teacher. Findings showed that, in addition to promoting interaction among children, play materials in kindergarten classrooms also embody institutional messages and facilitate socialization. (AM)

The mother of a Down's syndrome four-year-old describes how a slight adaptation in a playground swing allowed her son to experience the joy of independent play. (CL)

Assessments of play, sensorimotor, language, and general developmental skills were administered to two preterm and 20 full-term infants. Preterm infants showed some delays greater than would be predicted from biological maturity alone, but delays were not present for all skills and generally were not maintained beyond 2 years of age. (Author/RH)

Ten older and 10 younger mildly and moderately retarded preschoolers decreased the proportion of time spent in teacher-child interaction and unoccupied/onlooker behavior as a function of increasing age. Solitary/parallel play increased with age for mildly retarded Ss while remaining constant for moderately retarded Ss. (Author/CL)

Examines the use of dramatic techniques as tools for learning in the second language classroom. Discusses different ways to use improvisation. (EKN)

Researchers concerned with the issue of children's play are urged to read the book "Children's Play: Current Theory and Research" edited by D. J. Pepler and K. H. Rubin which provides an up-to-date review of the conceptual, methodological and developmental issues related to children's play. (MP)

Two experiements evaluated a staff-managed feedback system to improve the hygiene and developmental skills of children in an infant/toddler center. The data supported the use of the new feedback system. Questionnaire data further supported the utility of the playchart system. (Author/CL)

Employing the notions of Vygotsky, Bruner, Sutton-Smith and Csikszentmihalyi, this paper theoretically examines a millisecond of time in a typical play therapy session. The case of a child's attempt to establish contact with reality in play through the therapist is explored. (Author/PAS)

Investigated the effects of preferred play partnership on the conversational competence of preschool children. In general, preferred partners appeared to use language more effectively while playing. (Author/RH)

This paper examines a specific educational game called "Popcorn Factory." First, it gives a detailed description of the game, then shifts the description into a critical hermeneutical framework, analyzing the deep structures at work in the "Popcorn Factory" according to the theories of Freud and Marcuse. (Author/SJL)

Reviews evidence for a developmental sequence in symbolic play and attempts to provide a theoretical rationale for predicting correspondences between symbolic play and early language. (Author/RH)

Examined the relation between the spontaneous occurrence in play of simple two-part action sequences and the frequency of these sequences and their components following modeling at 12, 15, and 19 months of age. Play following modeling was typically more advanced but only 19-month-old children generally were able to imitate complete sequences.…