Unstructured play is still important for adolescents as it allows them to develop social skills, find interests, and achieve a sense of belonging through simply hanging out with friends. As adolescents transition to more abstract thinking, their play shifts from games with rules to talking with peers, which also helps satisfy their need for identity development and understanding themselves better. While media use provides interaction between sexes and can inspire ideas, parents are encouraged to discuss rules with adolescents rather than lecture, set reasonable goals, and make time to know what is happening in their lives.

1. The Importance of Play in Adolescence Emily Schilling

2. Cognitive Characteristics of Adolescents Transitioning from concrete reasoning to abstract and hypothetical reasoning (Piaget’s formal operational stage) Hypothetico-deductive reasoning Propositional thought Logical necessity

3. Egocentrism effects of play Imaginary Audience Personal Fable

4. Play Unstructured time falls into 2 categories: Media Use- watching TV, listening to music, surfing the internet Active Leisure- participation in sports, talking, or hanging out with friends

5. Play Continued Play is less structured- often simply just hanging out, but is no less important than the play of children Children’s games-with-rules is replaced by talking with peers Ego development explain much about the function of play during adolescence Play reflects the transition to formal operational thinking Also reflects an effort to satisfy need for identity

6. Play and Friendships Adolescents need more than a peer group, they need a particular individual to have an intimate relationship with Can describe friends based on characteristics not concrete attributes Shared personality characteristics replace shared activities for a basis of friendship They express a compelling need for communication

7. Functions of Play Develop social skills Socialization is defined more by being together than by activity Develop interests Achieve sense of belonging Satisfy need for intimacy Understand themselves better Rather than playing every sport, recognize their strengths and weakness and choose 1 or 2 sports

8. Functions of media use Provides interaction among both sexes Tests their own limits May inspire idea about life direction See world not as it is, but as it might be or have been- hypothetical world

9. Tips for Parenting Adolescents Discuss rather than lecture Follow through on rules and consequences Set reasonable goals Don’t give up on family time Take time to know about what happening in their lives Don’t leave educating up to someone else

10. References Berk, L. E. (2008). Infants, children, and adolescents (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Hueckel, L. (n.d.). Parents should limit time kids, teen spend in front of screen. St. Louis Sports, News, Jobs, Classifieds, Entertainment & Weather. Retrieved November 14, 2010, from http://www.STLtoday.com Hughes, F. (n.d.). General Characteristics of the Adolescent. Education.com | An Education & Child Development Site for Parents | Parenting & Educational Resource. Retrieved November 14, 2010, from http://www.education.com Hughes, F. P. (2010). Children, play, and development (4. ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.