Play is essential for children's growth and development. It helps with physical, social, intellectual, emotional, and moral development. There are different types of play based on content, such as sense pleasure play, skill play, dramatic play, and games with rules. There are also types of play based on social interactions, like solitary play, parallel play, associative play, and cooperative play. The selection of toys should consider safety, age appropriateness, and the child's interests. Nurses should educate parents on the importance of play and how to facilitate safe and developmentally-appropriate play.

1. PLAY NEEDS OF CHILDREN
Muhsinath A R

2. Introduction:
• Play is an activity which is very essential
for the growth and maturation of the
physical and mental powers of the child.
Play is universal for all children. It is work
for them and ways of their living. Through
play, child learns about himself and the
world in which he lives. Play is an integral
part of every child’s life.

3. Definition:
• Play is the work for children. It is
pleasurable and enjoyable aspect of
child’s life and essential to promote growth
and development.
• Play is the instinctive practice, without
serious intent, of activities which will later
be essential to life.

4. • Play is the way a child explores his world,
builds skills, exercises his imagination and
learns through experience.
• Play is natural, enjoyable, voluntary,
spontaneous, non goal directed activities
of a child that helps the overall
development of the child.

5. Importance of play:
• Physical development
• Social development
• Intellectual and educational development
• Emotional development
• Moral development

6. Factors influencing play:
• Health
• Motor development
• Intelligence
• Sex
• Environment
• Available leisure time
• Play equipment

7. Types of play:
Content- based on
physical aspects.
• Unoccupied behavior
• Sense pleasure play
• Skill play
• Social affective play
• Dramatic play
• Games with rules
Social characteristics-
based on interactions
• - Solitary play
• - On looker play
• - Parallel play
• - Associative play
• - Cooperative play

8. Types of Play Based on Content
or Based on Physical Aspects

9. Social affective play:
• Child takes pleasure in relationship with
others as they talk, touch; handle and that
elicit response in infant.
Sense pleasure play:
• Objects in the environment attracts
children’s attention and stimulates sensors
and give pleasure; i.e. pleasurable experience
from handling materials, from body motions
and from use of senses.

10. Skill play:
• Manipulate things to get new abilities
through play.
Unoccupied behavior:
• Children are not playful and focus
their attention momentarily on anything that
strikes their interest.
Dramatic/ Symbolic/Pretend play:
• Imitate the role of family members.
Act out events of daily life like using
telephone, driving in a car etc.

11. Games with rules:
• It ranges from simple to complex.
i.e. from imitative games to formal games
and to competitive games.

12. Play Based on the Social
Characteristics

13. On looker play
• The child watches other children playing
without engaging him in the play. The child
may sit nearby or hear or see and watches
what others are doing or talking with much
interest. Young children usually do not
exhibit this form. In this the children will not
enter into play actively but simply observe
other’s activities.

14. Solitary play
• It is commonly seen in infants and toddlers. The
child plays independently. The child plays alone
nearby other children or adults. The child
concentrate fully in play, not knowing what is
happening around him. Though it is prominent in
infants and toddlers, it has a place at every age.
The child engages in activities such as fishing,
making models with clay, painting, walking alone et.

15. Parallel play
• It is independent play activity when the
child plays alongside other children but not
with them. They play similar or identical
play as other children play nearby.
Toddlers typically play in this manner.
There is no group association.

16. Associative play
• In this type of play, social interaction occurs
between children. This is common in preschool age
group. There is no organization of activity,
leadership, mutual goal or division of play tasks.
They play with same thing and similar activities.
They are interested in the association with other
children. Each one plays in whatever way the
wants. Conversation and association with peers are
main interest. They share play materials.

17. Cooperative play
• Mainly found in preschool and school age
children. Children begin to play together in simple
direct ways. Children involve in organized play in
group with other children. They discuss and plan
activities for accomplishment of group goal. Group
is loosely formed but has leader follower
relationship. The games like football or dramatic
play of life situations will be engaged. Preschoolers
begin to play together co-operating each other such
as one child act as “police” and other one as “thief”.
During school years, they play in groups, such as
“hide and seek”, board games etc.

18. Selection of Play Materials
• Play material should be provided based on
the child’s age, abilities, interests, safety,
environment etc.

19. Principles to be followed while
selecting toys:
• Safe, washable, light weight, simple, durable,
easy to handle and non breathable
• Realistic, attractive, constructive and offer
problem solving opportunities.
• No sharp edges and no small removable parts
which may be swallowed or inhaled.
• Not over stimulating and frustrating
• No toxic paints, not costly, not inflammable, and
not excessive noisy

20. • Play materials with electrical plugs should
be avoided, only children over 8yrs of age
should be permitted to use them.
• Selection should be based on age, ability,
interests, likes and dislikes, personality
and level of intelligence
• Supervision during play is important to
prevent accidental injury.

21. Children must be taught the
following:
• Correct use of toys:
• Safe storing of toys
• Keeping the play items in good condition
• Keeping the play materials of older
siblings away from younger siblings
• Electronic toys and games must be
provided under adult supervision

22. Suitable Play Materials
According to Age:

23. Infant
• 4 weeks to 4 months: bright and moving objects,
hanging cradle toys, musical toys, balloons, rattles
etc.
• 4 to 6 months: soft squeeze toys, rattles, toy
animals, balloons etc.
• 7 to 9 months: squeeze and sound toys, blocks,
cubes, plastic rings, rattles etc
• 9 to 12 months: motion toys, water play, block, doll,
ball, musical toys, picture book or stiff cards,
rocking horse walker, transporting objects, pull and
push toys etc.
•

24. Toddlers
– Fitting toys, push pull toys, pyramid toys,
blocks, vehicles, ball, doll, pots and pans,
household articles, mud or clay, crayons,
picture books or cards, play telephone, doll’s
house etc

25. Preschool children
• Puppets, animals, dolls, doll’s house,
carpentry tools, large blocks, paint
materials, colored picture books, doctor
set toys, hospital equipment's like plastic
syringes, blunt scissors, housekeeping
toys, paper modeling clay, cooking
materials, tricycles etc.

26. School age children
• Carpentry tools, painting materials, chess,
Chinese checkers, cards, balls, crafts,
music system, puzzles, aquarium, maps,
animals to make zoo or farm, pets,
gardening etc.

27. Adolescents
• Art materials, crafts, indoor and outdoor
games

28. Nurses Role in Play:
• The nurse should encourage and motivate the
children and parents for play
• Make them aware about the importance of play
• Make the parents understand how to allow the
child to play and arrange the play things
• Teach the parents about the safety measures
and observation, interaction and supervision of
children during play

29. • Nurses should initiate play in home,
hospital or in health care agency
depending upon the individual choice with
high flexibility
• Nurses should inform about the modern
concept of play to the parents and family