Stages of Play Development

SENSORY STAGE Click here to see a list of appropriate toys	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 Click here to see a list of appropriate toys	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 Click here to see a list of appropriate toys	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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