How Do Kids Play?

In the spirit of the season (while everyone is desperately searching for the perfect toy that will make the gift giving season the best one ever!) here is some information about the stages of play.  This information is taken from "Toddler 411" by Denise Fields and Dr. Ari Brown, MD.

• 12 - 18 months old: Young toddlers explore through their senses and manipulating items with their hands.  Play includes experimenting with how one action produces another (for example: dumping out all the toys in a bucket just to see how they fall).  Your house becomes the play ground as your toddler develops the ability to walk, run and roam.  Play is unstructured and kiddos this age still look to an adult for guidance and help as the little one continues to fine tune eye-hand coordination, large muscle skills, and finger control.
• 18-24 months old: Large and small muscle skills improve and a toddler this age is able to better place items where he wants them to go. He is also using trial and error to problem solve (such as mastering a simple puzzle or shape toy).  Running and climbing become the norm, as well as pretending and imitating what he sees grown-ups doing.  Usually this age plays by himself or with an adult, not yet with other children.
• Two years old: Pretending becomes a passion.  Acting out a story or a situation with toys or props is typical play for a two year old.  Adults may be given a role to play or can participate by taking a role in the story or by providing a play-by-play of the event.  Small muscle skills are improving providing more opportunities to manipulate objects, draw, paint and build things.  Two year olds will play next to another child and take notice of them, but they do not play together.
• Three years old: Small muscle skills are getting better as are reasoning skills.  This allows a kiddo to participate in some pretty sophisticated play, including sequencing items, stringing beads, and figuring out more complex puzzles.  Coordination is improved so the playground is more fun!  Three year olds like to play together, but may need help with the social complexities.
• Four years old: A four year old actively plays with other kiddos.  Often the play involves imagination.  The playground will be a favorite place to go and because of the development of large muscle skills and increased coordination, early sports games will be popular.  Small muscle skills are developing to the point of being able to begin writing letters and cutting with scissors for some four year olds, others are still working on developing those skills.