Children"s social and cognitive development during the early years are closely related to their free, spontaneous play activities. The environment, particularly the play equipment and materials provided for play, is important elements for enhancing play and development. It has been widely acknowledged that play has developmental benefits not only to toddlers and preschoolers but also to infants. However, very little study has been done in the area of infants" play. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine play value in terms of developmental stages of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. According to Piaget(1952), infant thinking is qualitatively different from the thinking of older children. Play materials for infants include unbreakable mirrors, soft, washable dolls, a variety of grasping toys, skill-development materials, bells, rattles, one-piece push toys, and climbing platforms. Unfortunately, playgrounds for infants are the most overlooked play environments. In designing playgrounds for infants, playgrounds should be simple, clean, edible, and rich in sensory/exploratory opportunities, and separate from playgrounds for older children. The infant playground needs to provide a variety of safe textures, surfaces, smells, and sounds. Mobile toddlers are avid explorers of their own bodies and what they can do, of other people and the interesting world around them. The toddler outdoor play environment should provide a variety of textures, loose parts, dramatic play props, and challenge. The preschool years, roughly from 3 to 5 years of age, are a time of accelerated development in all learning domains of physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. Because development at this age requires some risk taking, it is neither desirable nor possible to create a totally safe playground. The preschoolers are able to infer and imagine the role identity behind the pretend actions. This new capacity lends greater coherence, enjoyment, and meaning to the pretend activities of the child. Although infants and young toddlers initiate their own play activities, the development of their play abilities is encouraged when they play with peers. Therefore, manufacturers and designers of playground equipment should understand information on development and the nature of the young children"s play to provide developmentally appropriate and challenging equipment.
Children"s social and cognitive development during the early years are closely related to their free, spontaneous play activities. The environment, particularly the play equipment and materials provided for play, is important elements for enhancing play and development. It has been widely acknowledged that play has developmental benefits not only to toddlers and preschoolers but also to infants. However, very little study has been done in the area of infants" play. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine play value in terms of developmental stages of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. According to Piaget(1952), infant thinking is qualitatively different from the thinking of older children. Play materials for infants include unbreakable mirrors, soft, washable dolls, a variety of grasping toys, skill-development materials, bells, rattles, one-piece push toys, and climbing platforms. Unfortunately, playgrounds for infants are the most overlooked play environments. In designing playgrounds for infants, playgrounds should be simple, clean, edible, and rich in sensory/exploratory opportunities, and separate from playgrounds for older children. The infant playground needs to provide a variety of safe textures, surfaces, smells, and sounds. Mobile toddlers are avid explorers of their own bodies and what they can do, of other people and the interesting world around them. The toddler outdoor play environment should provide a variety of textures, loose parts, dramatic play props, and challenge. The preschool years, roughly from 3 to 5 years of age, are a time of accelerated development in all learning domains of physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. Because development at this age requires some risk taking, it is neither desirable nor possible to create a totally safe playground. The preschoolers are able to infer and imagine the role identity behind the pretend actions. This new capacity lends greater coherence, enjoyment, and meaning to the pretend activities of the child. Although infants and young toddlers initiate their own play activities, the development of their play abilities is encouraged when they play with peers. Therefore, manufacturers and designers of playground equipment should understand information on development and the nature of the young children"s play to provide developmentally appropriate and challenging equipment.
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