The study compared the motor activities and environmental interactions of 36 sighted, partially sighted, and blind children (7 to 13 years old) during unstructured play. Objectives were to assess motor proficiency level; to establish frequency and kind of gross motor, manipulative self stimulation, and social/play behaviors; and to assess use of…

To investigate the development of symbolic play, 18 Japanese normal boys and girls were individually tested once every even-numbered month from when they were 12 to 24 months of age. Symbolic play was generally defined as behavior which represents actual or imagined experience by using objects, gesture or language alone or in combination. The…

This study examines the potential of adult-guided sociodramatic play for improving children's interpersonal problem-solving skills. Nineteen females and 21 males from 3 separate kindergarten classrooms participated in the study. Within each of the three classrooms, children were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. For both…

An attempt is made to demonstrate that major theories of children's outdoor play reveal the social class biases of their originators. Most modern play theory is enclosed in the individualism of Western philosophy; its emphasis on the voluntary, the solitary, and the creative are seen as indications of its cultural relevance to people of higher…

A variety of classroom activities are offered in this paper as ways of exercising children's imaginations. Following a discussion of the need for developing creative thinking in children, some ways to establish the freedom or atmosphere to begin fantasies are offered and a guided fantasy technique for classroom use is outlined. The second half of…

The relationship between aspects of preschool socialization experiences and sex-typed behavior was investigated in this study. Three hypotheses were tested: (1) that preschool play activities differ consistently in structure level, (2) that there are sex differences in participation in activities classified as high or low structure, and (3) that…

This experiment investigates the relation of a free play experience to subsequent performance on problem solving tasks among children aged 4 to 10. Ninety children were divided into 3 age groups and were assigned in pairs of free play and non-play treatment conditions. Children were paired by block design test scores to control for perceptual…

The extent to which free play versus sequenced questioning conditions facilitates preschoolers' associative fluency was investigated in this study. Twenty-four children (12 boys and 12 girls, with a mean age of 50.7 months) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: free play, sequenced questioning, and control. In the sequenced…

Playfulness as a quality of play in young children is seen as related to competence, and as such can be encouraged by making children aware of what they are capable of doing. Guidelines and examples of fostering playfulness in children are spelled out for caretakers. Reference is also made to studies indicating that playfulness is related to the…

This text introduces various concepts and theories that have been influential in giving direction to programs of physical education in schools. These ideas are both examined in terms of what is and what should be. Part I places the study of physical education in perspective--its significance, development in the United States, and stature as an…

Changes in manipulative play with objects were examined in a longitudinal sample of 10 boys and 9 girls tested at ages 9, 13, and 18 months. Stability of individual differences in play was also examined. Each child was observed individually for 7 minutes in a room in which a tea set was the only toy present. Seven types of play behavior were…

This bibliography offers an historical perspective on imaginary play companions with 48 entries dating from 1891 to 1975. Entries, which include journal articles, monographs, and books, draw heavily from child development literature. A list of 10 titles from general literature related to the subject of imaginary companions is also included. The…

This booklet, designed as a convenient guide for young baby-sitters, covers the essentials of providing good child care and establishing a good relationship with parents. There are brief discussions on dealing with parents and the sitter's limits within the home; other sections provide a guide to: (1) getting along with and protecting the…

A measure of role-taking skill was administered individually to 12 male and 8 female preschoolers. In addition the children were observed during free play on 30 consecutive school days, and their behaviors were coded according to Parten's social participation categories. Significant negative relationships were found to exist between the…

The question of how to modify athletics programs according to Title IX specifications can be resolved by examping the basic reasons why play and sport are necessary. These reasons range from relaxation and catharsis to learning and competence seeking. Specific programs, then, should be tailored to fulfilling this braod range of needs, and…