Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

 About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

You are not logged in. [Log In] Wordsmith.org » Forums » (Old) Weekly themes. (have been consolidated into a single forum above) » Words from medicine » parallel play
Register User    Forum List        Calendar     Active Topics     Search     FAQ
Topic Options
#133942 - 10/11/04 07:09 PM parallel play
of troy Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 10/17/00
Posts: 5400
Loc: rego park
i should look this up, it's something you can observe with small children. at first glance you see two boys playing with trucks (or girls playing with dolls) and think they are playing with each other.

but if you listen to the dialogs, you discover that one child is paying absolutely no attention to the other child. they are using the same toys, in the same environment, but there is no real interaction. you could remove one child, or substitute a child of the oposite sex, and play would continue..put a girl in the sandbox with the boy and only trucks to play with, and the truck would morph into a family car, and mommy would be driving and taking the children to the park. the boy would still be playing 'moster trucks' and demolishing mountains or imaginary buildings.. they wouldn't 'fight' they would both move the trucks about, but there wouldn't be any real interaction.. they would be involved in parallel play.

likewise, the doll in the hands of a boy becomes a hostage, or spy, or morphs into a man.. who then goes off and does total different activities than what the girl is imagining.. even as they continue, side by side, in a 'playful' manner.

i have exagerated the 'sexist' behavior, (dramatic licence) but it is a real observence.

most childer move from parallel play (that is being in a group, but not really interacting with the group, and not really sharing with the group) about the age of 4 --it one of the signals they are ready for a pre-school experience.. they learn how to play with others.

some children never develop normally and never engage in a meaningful way with a group, even though at first glance it seems they are. they never move past parallel play.



_________________________
my other obsession

Top
#133943 - 10/11/04 07:15 PM Re: parallel play
AnnaStrophic Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 03/15/00
Posts: 6511
Loc: lower upstate New York
Very apt, Helen!


Top
#133944 - 10/12/04 06:34 PM Re: parallel play
Wordwind Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 6296
Loc: Piedmont Region of Virginia, U...
Excellent term, of troy! Thanks for keeping up abrease of the intricies of the world of the toddler and slightly beyond.


Top


Moderator:  Jackie 
Forum Stats
8430 Members
16 Forums
13689 Topics
209810 Posts

Max Online: 3341 @ 12/09/11 02:15 PM
Newest Members
supermatthias, prabakaran, sce, Eva, sylviasuper
8430 Registered Users
Who's Online
1 registered (wsieber), 17 Guests and 1 Spider online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters (30 Days)
LukeJavan8 85
jenny jenny 60
wofahulicodoc 57
endymion6 50
Rhubarb Commando 37
BranShea 32
Faldage 15
Buffalo Shrdlu 14
zmjezhd 13
teepee 11
May
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
Board Rules · Mark all read
Contact Us · Wordsmith.org · Top

Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 2013 Wordsmith