346 Play and Physical Development
Play: instinctual and natural. Fuels curiosity, imagination, and contributes to healthy development. Is a
dominant method of learning in early childhood
• Mental health: an emerging issue
• Froebel: inventor of kindergarden
• Vygotsky: the idea that social interaction helps with learning
• Montessori: structure and self teaching
Types of play
• Mastery & functional play
• Innovative and imaginative play
• Kinship play
• Therapeutic: abstract play
• Level of stimulation ranges from unoccupied to cooperative play
• Games: anything with rules
Contexts of play
• Environment
• Play things
• Others involved
• Freedom
Physical Development:
Brain development is the most important part
• Physical growth slows
• Development cycles back through stages (balance, depth perception, etc) as children get used to
their growing bodies.
• Mylineation is a major part of brain development
• Palmerpinsor grasp
