Have you already noticed some play terms that feel a little confusing? What do we mean when we talk about independent play, anyways? You’re not alone if it seems like the parenting space has its roster of jargon. Below, we’ve made a play glossary 101 to translate all the modes of play that characterize the early years.
Sensory Play: Sensory play involves activities that stimulate a child's senses, such as touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste. There are actually more than five senses, though, including two “hidden” ones that will come up in your child’s development: proprioception, which builds situational awareness, and vestibular, which governs balance. Sensory play can happen through planned activities, like water play, or naturally-occurring experiences in the child’s environment, like feeling the grass outside or balancing on a log.
Containment Play: Containment play refers to using containers like boxes, bins, or nesting cups that inspire the child to explore the concept of “in” and “out.” It’s a cognitive skill that helps children understand that some objects will encourage movement while others will hold items and be capable of stopping movement.
Free Play: Free play typically refers to unstructured, child-directed play. It does not necessarily mean unsupervised, but the nearby adult should avoid influencing or supporting the child’s chosen play.
Independent Play: Independent play is also child-directed but can be structured or guided by an adult. It typically refers to moments in your child’s play when they have successfully connected to an activity of interest and are independently focused on it.
Guided Play: Guided play is child-led but adult-supported. The child’s agency in choosing what interests them is still honored, but the parent remains present and engaged to inspire learning connections between concepts and to offer context on how certain things work.
Pretend Play: Pretend play involves children using their imagination to take on different roles, situations, or scenarios, fostering creativity and social skills.
There are actually different types of pretend play, and they emerge in stages as your little one’s brain needs time to move into more abstract ways of thinking:
Imitative(~1 year+):your toddler can remember and mimic gestures, such as using their hand to “pretend” wipe a table after observing you cleaning.
Symbolic(~1.5 years+):your toddler begins to use an object to represent something else. For example, they can pick up a block and imagine it is a phone.
Dramatic(~3 years+):your child can reenact elaborate scenarios of things they’ve experienced, such as pretending to take their doll to the dentist.
Fantasy (~4 years +):your child can dream up scenes they’ve never experienced that is not rooted in reality, like a dragon with superpowers.
Play Prompts: Play prompts, or provocations, are suggestions or ideas given to children to inspire their play and encourage them to explore new concepts or activities. It could be direct, like planning a fall craft and leading the steps for your child to complete, or implied and open-ended, like gathering various supplies and materials and presenting them in an accessible way for children to discover.
Process Art: Process art emphasizes the creative process rather than the end product, allowing children to freely explore various art materials and techniques.
Product Art: Product art focuses on the final artwork or creation as the primary goal, often following specific instructions or templates.
Open-Ended Play: Open-ended play involves activities or toys with no fixed outcome, like unit blocks or play scarves, allowing children to use their imagination and creativity without limitations.
Closed-Ended Play: Closed-ended play has a defined goal or outcome, often following structured rules or instructions, such as board games or puzzles.
Creative Play: Creative play is often used with an implication of relating to art or music, but it encompasses a wide range of imaginative capabilities that also have nothing to do with drawing, painting, or dancing. Your child can engage in creative thinking when they build a tower and notice it keeps falling, so they reimagine a stronger design to generate a solution.
Loose Parts Play: Loose parts play involves using various open-ended materials and natural treasures found in everyday life that children can manipulate and combine in countless ways.
Small World Play: Small world play typically involves creating miniature scenes or scenarios with figurines, props, and materials to encourage storytelling and imaginative play.
Object Permanence Play: Object permanence play helps babies understand that objects continue to exist even when out of sight, often involving games like peek-a-boo.
Cause and Effect Play: Cause and effect play teaches children that certain actions lead to specific outcomes, promoting problem-solving skills and curiosity.
Frustration Tolerance: Frustration tolerance refers to a baby's ability to cope with and manage frustration or disappointment when faced with challenges or setbacks. While not a mode of play, it is often built through play and can be witnessed when your baby struggles with a challenging activity but ultimately persists!
The Stages of Play: Children are initially motivated to play independently, and it takes all of early childhood to become ready for social play with others. While there is no singular timeline for moving through these stages, children generally become capable of social play with others by kindergarten.
Unoccupied Play (newborns):Unoccupied play is the first stage of play in which young babies learn how their bodies move.
Solitary Play (birth to ~2 years):Solitary play is the next stage in which a baby is engaged in a specific toy or activity but is not yet interested in playing with others.
Onlooker Play (~2 years+):Onlooker play can be thought of as a precursor to more social play. It is when your toddler shows noteworthy interest in others around them, even if they are not yet engaging with them.
Parallel Play(~2 years+):Parallel play is when two children play alongside each other but do not actively interact with a shared goal. They may use similar toys or engage in similar activities but do so independently.
Cooperative Play(~4 years+):Cooperative play is the highest level of social play where children actively engage with each other in a coordinated and organized manner. They collaborate, share ideas, and work together to achieve a common goal. It typically emerges by kindergarten.