This book explores sociodramatic play as a potential compensatory tool for educationally disadvantaged children. The author examines the antecedents of educational disadvantagement and develops a rationale for the use of sociodramatic play. She places sociodramatic play in perspective as a particular stage of play behavior and further investigates…

This book presents a study of cognitive-affective interdependence as shown in children's fantasy behavior. The systems of Piaget and Freud are the foundation of analysis. The study data consist of approximately one hundred verbatim recordings of the dramatic play of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds (in groups or alone) collected by trained teachers in a…

This volume contains two manuals (Russian and Israeli) designed for workers who are responsible for day-to-day group care of very young children on a broad-scale basis. The Russian manual gives detailed descriptions of children's play and activity in the first three years of life, reemphasizing the role of caretaker as teacher. The Israeli manual…

This book embodies the concept that the dynamic interplay of experiences and activities remains part of the child's functioning throughout life and that it is the role of adults to establish, where they can, the forms of activity in which children will engage. The chapters describe various contents for such activities and discuss how adults can…

A study was conducted to examine social behavior by one-year-old boys over the course of a three-month playgroup experience. The "clusters" chosen for examination consisted of temporary groups (often less than a minute) the toddlers formed to focus on a single activity. Socially directed behavior is defined here as vocalizing, laughing and…

Easy-to-do toys and activities for infants and toddlers are described, and instructions are included for making and using them. They are time-consuming to make in some instances and may not be very durable, but when an adult makes toys for children they are setting a pattern that helps children become inventive and resourceful later on. The toys…

This study examines the roles of freedom and play in creativity instruction. A trial operation of a creativity training program is described including a workshop with 18 sixth- and eighth-grade students. The program emphasizes three basic concepts: freedom, playfulness and warm interpersonal relationships. Group activities and dramatic techniques…

The author examines several images of the nature of man and focuses on "homo ludens"--man as one who plays. The author then examines the role of play in children and concludes that the spirit of play and the world of make-believe must be restored in learning and teaching if our education is to help raise future generations that care, share, and…

The author maintains that most adults are inadequate models for play and other enjoying choices. He suggests that all adults, and particularly counselors and teachers, demonstrate that they are playful people who can relax and enjoy life. (Author/HMV)

Advocates the use of peer and cross-age teaching in the elementary grades. Play as a method for peer teaching is emphasized. (CM)

The effects of social density on the behaviors and perceptions of five-year-old children in four- and eight-person groups were investigated. Differential effects of density for sex and for preferred personal space were examined. Five factors emerged and were examined: Activity-Aggression-Anger, Positive Interactions, Distress-and-Nonplay, Feeling…

The Nevada State School and Hospital has begun a program in social dramatics aimed at bringing retarded adults into social responsibility. (Author)

Three methods of assessing gender differences in the social behavior of children were compared and a wide range of behaviors were used to match what individual boys and girls are observed to do in a natural environment against what they are expected to do. Subjects were 72 kindergarten children from New Zealand. (MP)

Presents basic information for teachers about how to use role-play, dramatic play, and simulations in the elementary social studies classroom. Explains how to proceed through the introduction or warm-up, the activity itself, and the follow-up evaluation. (AV)