Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
4-25-2025
Keywords
cognitive functioning, exploratory play, intrinsically motivated play, non-literal play, social participation
Disciplines
Developmental Psychology
Abstract
Rather than using a universally agreed upon definition of play, the following list of characteristics, first presented in the widely cited Association of Childhood Education International position statement on play, "Play: A Necessity for All Children" (ACEI/Isenberg & Quisenberry, 1988), is used to distinguish play from non-play behaviors: intrinsically motivated and self-initiated; process oriented; non-literal and pleasurable; exploratory and active; and rule-governed. Types of play have been categorized according to both the degree of social participation (Parten, 1932) and the level of cognitive functioning (Piaget, 1962; Vygotsky, 1967).
Recommended Citation
McMahon Giles, Rebecca, "Types of Play" (2025). Essays in Developmental Psychology. 206.
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/edp/206