Milestones - Object Play

This blog post is a summary and condensed version of the developmental milestones of play.

Playing with Objects 

Sensorimotor-Exploratory Play

• What is it? When kids touch and examine objects 

• Age: 2-4 months

• Examples:

  • Looking, feeling, holding, licking, banging, rubbing and throwing objects

Relational-Nonfunctional Play

• What is it? When children relate more than one object in a way that people don’t usually do

• Age: 5-10 months 

• Examples:

  • Stacking, bumping, touching, pushing objects together 

  • Holding multiple objects 

  • Offering/accepting objects to/from people 

Functional-Conventional Play

• What is it? When children relate more than one object in a way that in a functional and conventional way

• Age: 10-12 months 

• Examples:

  • Stirring spoon in bowl 

  • Holding a doll

  • Pushing a toy car 

  • Kissing a teddy bear 

Symbolic Play

• What is it? This type of play involves a child using something as a symbol for something else. This type of play is the most complex so there are different examples for various ages listed below.

• Age: 12-18 mo

  • Examples: 

    • Pretending to sleep 

    • Pretending to drink from a cup 

• Age: 18-24 mo

  • Examples: 

    • Pretending a banana is a phone 

    • Pressing a play phone against a doll’s ear, putting a doll to sleep

• Age: 24-30 mo

  • Examples:

    • Pretending to hold an imaginary phone to their ear and speaking into it 

    • Pretending to sleep in an imaginary bed 

    • Pressing a play phone against a doll’s ear and pretending to speak for the doll

    • Playing house (e.g. laying out food for dolls in a pretend kitchen)

- S

References

Casby, M. W. (2003). Developmental assessment of play: A model for early intervention. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 24(4), 175-183.

Parten, M. B. (1932). Social participation among pre-school children. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 27(3), 243-269.