Stages of Play Development in Delayed Children
Michelle MacAlpine, Ph.D. Brain Training 2301 Ohio Drive Suite 130 Plano, TX 75093
SENSORY STAGE |
Description of Play Behaviors |
|
1 |
Child uses 1 sensory modality to explore an object (mouths but doesn't touch, fingers while looking away, watches something without touching it) | |
2 |
Child uses several senses to explore an object: touches, mouths, manipulates, pats, turns it over, etc. | |
CAUSE/ EFFECT STAGE |
3 |
Child does 1 action repeatedly (e.g. banging or pushing, turning on and off, feeding a baby doll, "talking" on a phone); child explores WHAT happens, child's play imitates something that they have seen done with an object |
4 |
Child does more that one action with an object, explores WHAT happens, child's play imitates something that they have seen done with an object | |
5 |
Child's play is novel and creative, child explores HOW or WHY something happens; combines things to make something else (e.g.crafts, cooking) | |
DOLL PLAY REPRESENTS SELF and OTHERS |
6 |
Child shows curiosity about dolls or figures of people, observes or holds them without playing; does NOT respond to the doll if it "speaks" |
7 |
Child responds to a doll, animal, or figure that "speaks" as if it is a person but does not make it "speak" | |
8 |
Child changes their voice to make a doll "speak" as if it is a person, plays with only one doll, uses simple scripts that imitate familiar actions or events | |
9 |
Child changes their voice to make a doll "speak" as if it is a person, uses several dolls (puts down one before picking up another), uses simple scripts that imitate familiar actions or events | |
10 |
Child uses several dolls that "speak" to each other; scripts are creative, child ignores a play partner and script play is parallel | |
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