Play Fagus Guides > Play Contents How to Use This Guide to Set Goals Introduction Developmental Sequence Overview Infancy                               (0-2 years) Early Childhood           (2-7 years) Middle Childhood      (7-11 years) Adolescence           …

How to Use This Guide to Set Goals Fagus Guides > Play How to Use This Guide to Set Goals Read the definition at the beginning of the introduction to familiarise yourself with the topic (decide if you want to read more of the introduction) Establish the child’s current point of development – where are…

Introduction Fagus Guides > Play Introduction Defining Play Play refers to any voluntary activity which is performed for its own sake, without the need for an end result. It is often associated with enjoyment. Play is flexible in content and form and often involves non-literal meaning (e.g. symbolising objects, taking on roles). Play has been…

Developmental Sequence Overview Fagus Guides > Play Developmental Sequence Overview The Development of Play Different types of play emerge at different ages, but they do not replace one another. For example, exploratory play (using the body to explore the environment) at 9 months may involve the child banging play objects on the floor whereas at…

Infancy (0-2 years) Fagus Guides > Play Infancy (0-2 years) Birth from birth engages in exploratory play as involuntary reflexive movement develops into coordinated and purposeful action (e.g. accidentally banging mobile with arm →deliberately moving arm to move the mobile) Exploratory play Using the body to investigate the environment (e.g. mouthing, banging or waving objects)…

Early Childhood (2-7 years) Fagus Guides > Play Early Childhood (2-7 years) 2 years beginning to play with 2-3 other children (group play) play is associative- children play together and share play items however they do not work towards a common goal Associative play Play in which children share play items but have their own…

Middle Childhood (7-11 years) Fagus Guides > Play Middle Childhood (7-11 years)        Characteristics of Play increases in attention allow extended periods of play (see Cognitive Development) symbolic and sociodramatic play become more elaborate as the child’s cognitive, language and motor skills become more advanced occurs for extended periods of time follows different…

Adolescence (11-19 years) Fagus Guides > Play Adolescence (11-19 years) play during this age range is often socially contextualised and oriented around leisure activity, often with peers (see Socialisation) engages in preferred play activities; there is decrease in the number of different activities played as the adolescent’s interests stabilise decrease in number of games with…

Play: Example Objectives, Goals and Plans Fagus Guides > Play Play: Example Objectives, Goals and Plans These examples were developed for pupils attending Beech Lodge School. Pupil A is 11 years old. He has one friend that he plays with at break times, but does not play with any others. When he does play with…

Glossary Fagus Guides > Play Glossary Associative play: play in which children share play items but have their own agendas and do not work towards a shared goal (e.g. playing together in the sandpit and sharing tools, with each child building what they would like) Cause and effect play: making specific, targeted actions to generate…

References Fagus Guides > Play References Baines, E., & Blatchford, P. (2011). Children’s games and playground activities in school and their role indevelopment. In A. D. Pellegrini (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of the development of play. (pp. 260-283). New York: Oxford University Press. Bergen, D., & Fromberg, D. P. (2008). Play and social interaction in…