Contemporary Theories About Play
oth classical and modern theories of play tend to view it as a naturally occurring behavior, but modern explanations are more pragmatic (Elkind, 2007). Many contemporary theorists suggest that play provides children with multiple opportunities for growth and development across all domains. Play affects the whole child by providing avenues through which they:
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· develop their body and brain,
· express their feelings and desires,
· use their imagination to create, and
· learn about themselves and make sense of the world.
Because play represents such a broad array of behaviors, contemporary research usually focuses on one or more specific aspects. Each of the studies provides valuable information about some aspect of play, but none provides a comprehensive explanation of play. Thus, individuals who work with children need to keep the holistic nature of play in mind as they use research-based findings to add to their understanding of child development.