A study developed and validated the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale (PIPPS), a teacher-rating instrument of the interactive play behaviors of preschool children. Thirty-eight teachers completed the measure on 312 African American children enrolled in Head Start. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three reliable underlying dimensions: play…

Studied the changes in the social exchanges of 30 young children with disabilities with their mothers and a familiar playmate at 4 data points over a 16-month period. Found that the children engaged in more and increasingly social exchanges over time, showed more vocal behavior, and completed more object-related acts. (AC)

Examined the spontaneous pretend play of mothers and children from the inception of pretend play in late infancy through its elaboration during the preschool years. Suggests that although mothers and young children had different primary motives for initiating pretend play, they both capitalized upon the others' interests in, or support of, pretend…

Examined the cognitive and social complexity of the play of disabled children enrolled in integrated early childhood programs and their interaction with teachers. Found that teachers were more likely to support the cognitive aspects of children's play than the social aspects, despite their belief that disabled children lagged behind their…

The family is the oldest and most important human institution. Basic elements of human relationships, connectedness to kin, and enjoyment of human company enhance the meaning of play and recreation within families. Families must have opportunities to increase their use of play and recreation and improve their quality of life. (SM)

Introduces Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) and explains how those practices are effective with five- through eight-year olds. Key elements discussed are: children learn by doing through active engagement, the idea of play with intent and purpose, and moving from the simple to the complex in planning for learning in active and engaging…

Examines how aggressive play such as superhero play meets children's needs for physical, social, and psychological power. Recommends facilitating this type of play by preparing the environment, setting clear limits for safety, bringing the characters and stories into daily learning activities, and teaching children peaceable ways to resolve…

A total of 87 children were observed in play with unfamiliar peers at 4, 6, and 8 years of age, and judged by their parents for inhibition. Observed inhibited behavior and parental judgments of inhibition became increasingly associated with solitary-passive activity. With increasing age, inhibited children spent longer periods in solitary-passive…

Describes a process approach to teaching and learning in preschool settings. The approach uses child-initiated play in a prepared environment, and encourages children's formation of symbolic mental representations through social interaction and mediation. Offers guidelines for the implementation of the process approach. (MM)

Suggests that Public Law 99-457 raises questions about the play of children with special needs. Discusses topics which include (1) the developmental nature of play; (2) play of special needs children; (3) strategies for teaching play skills, and (4) implications of research for teachers' practice. A direct approach to teaching children about…

Assessed preschoolers' peer relations and measured the frequency of parents' and children's initiations of children's play interactions with peers. Frequent parent initiations were associated with high levels of children's prosocial behavior. Children who more often initiated interactions displayed less anxious behavior than children who less…

Discusses the salience of father-infant rough play in some countries and presents data on the physical play interactions of 34 Indian mothers and fathers with their 1 year olds. The data suggest that fathers do not have a greater propensity than mothers for rough play and that rough play may be culture specific. (Author/LB)

Twenty-nine deaf students (ages three to five) were observed during outdoor free play. Children with higher language ability were more likely than other children to play with two other partners at once, interact with teachers, use language, prefer playing with children of similar language ability, and receive language from partners. (Author/PB)

Examines, through a longitudinal study, the temporal correspondences of 4 Japanese children, aged 7 to 11, in the attainment of specific milestones in play and language. All children proceeded through the same sequence of stages, but the rate of development was different depending on their environment. (34 references) (GLR)

Discusses the effect of children's outdoor play on their learning, the promotion of children's development by their playing of games which they have invented, and suggestions for adults to encourage children to invent outdoor games. (BC)