Babies play at every stage of development. Infants learn about how the world works by looking at their own hands, grabbing rattles, or hitting objects. Actions that are repeated many times, such as playing with toes, soon become more constructive as babies continue their physical development. Being able to sit up or move around the room allows babies to explore different kinds of playthings.

Toddlers use toys more creatively. As they approach the second year of life, playing alone -- solitary play -- isn't as much fun as parallel play with other children.

You can help your child develop skills and progress to more advanced kinds of play -- encouraging more complex play helps children with important thinking skills and with the social understanding of what they can do and how competent they are.

As soon as babies can grasp with their hands, they explore toys by putting them into their mouths. By 9 months, mouthing toys is not as important or as much fun as banging, shaking, and dumping things.

By age 1, babies are putting objects into containers, and they understand that pushing a button or pulling a string can make things happen. The toddler learns what to do with a spoon, a cup, and a telephone.

Its exciting to watch how an 18-month-old child uses objects to act out familiar activities like eating, drinking, and telephoning.

By age 2, children are able to use pretend objects in place of real ones: a block becomes a piece of pie; some paper becomes a cookie. At this age, children pretend to be the adults they see in their lives -- mommies, daddies, and even doctors! Learning how to pretend is the beginning of dramatic play and is an important first step in learning how to play pretend games with other children. In learning how to play make-believe, the toddler is becoming a creative individual.

What's my role?
As a parent, you have an important job in the development of your young child's play skills.

Babies need you to talk and sing to them, and to provide many kinds of materials for them to explore. Most importantly, you must let the baby choose the toys and activities. Offer many kinds of toys and activities, but stop when the baby is tired and no longer wants to play.

Toddlers need you to lpay with them in games they choose themselves. You can help by giving suggestions and helping children play in more complex ways. Withdraw from the play when your child can handle the activities alone.

Its fun to "play house" with a 2-year-old when the toddler is able to eat the pretend food you offer and feed you in return. The way you play helps your child learn about appropriate behavior.

Your child's special needs
Children with mild or severe disabilities may not develop play skills as quickly as other children. Their play develops in the same stages, but more slowly and at later ages. If your child has a disability or developmental delay, you should provide lots of help and direction for play skills to move along from stage to stage.

If your child has severe physical or intellectual delays, you may need to help your child use feet, hands, eyes, and ears to explore objects. A child with disabilities -- or any child at early stages or play -- needs to experience how things feel (soft, rough, bumpy, smooth) and have the senses stimulated. You could stroke your child with feathers, or join in water play.

You may need to help your child focus attention in a mirror, or wiggle fingers and toes in the sand or water. Lots of smiles, hugs, and praise will encourage new play behaviors.

Keystone Kids is a program of the
Keystone Blind Association
e-mail: kba@keystoneblind.org