Children between the ages of 5 and 8 years undergo profound transitions in cognitive, social, and emotional functioning as well as and in their educational and peer experiences. This book, the fifth in the “Your Child at Play” series, describes the types of play activities children engage in as they explore ideas, interact with friends and family members, and entertain and teach themselves. The book also discusses the range of differences among same-age children and age-related commonalities. Featuring over 30 families from different parts of the country, the book includes information gathered through: interviews with parents and children, observations of children’s play, collections of children’s drawings and stories, and roundtable discussions with primary grade teachers. The chapters of the book are: (1) “Individual Differences and Common Threads,” focusing on distinguishing between real and pretend, concerns with fairness, and self awareness; (2) “The Questions Children Ask,” dealing with the physical world, the natural world, and the social world; (3) “Friends,” including best friends, controversies and conflicts, and sibling play; (4) “Active Play,” including contact and cuddling, physical feats, and sports; (5) “Creative Play,” including music, art, crafts, storytelling, and jokes; (6) “Pretend Play,” including actor play and dressing up, imaginary playmates, and reemergence of pretending; (7) “School Play,” dealing with reading, writing, arithmetic, collecting facts, and science; and (8) “Family,” discussing attachment and separation, parent management techniques, and family continuity and traditions. Each chapter includes a question-answer section and play suggestions. A recommended reading list for parents and children is appended. (KB)
