The Power of Play – Understanding Types and Stages

Kaitlin Berzsenyi M.A., CCC-SLP

Did you know that curiosity promotes the release of dopamine and aids memory? A 2014 study from UC Davis found that participants were 30% more likely to recall a fact when they were highly curious. Staying curious can actually help us learn information faster! How do we foster curiosity in our children? Through play! There are so many different ways to play with our children depending on their age, developmental skills, and interests.

Before diving in, let’s explore the different types and stages of play—and how children learn through play—so we can better support their growth and development by choosing the right play activities for your child.

Types and Stages of Play

“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.” – Diane Ackerman

Movement is a key part of learning and play development! Early on, sensorimotor play plays a huge role. As babies grow and turn into toddlers, play can be structured or unstructured, socially focused or object-focused. While all types of play are beneficial, understanding these different forms and stages can help guide you in selecting activities that best support your child’s needs.

Sensorimotor Play

Sensorimotor play is when a child uses their senses and movement to explore their environment. This type of play is part of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and is prevalent in the first two years of life.

• 0-4 months: Reflexive reactions like sucking, grasping, and smiling.
• 4-8 months: Accidental interactions with objects evolve into purposeful actions (shaking a rattle, dropping toys).
• 8-12 months: Coordination of movement for crawling, grabbing, and standing.
• 12-18 months: More complex motor planning emerges—walking, climbing, and basic symbolic play.
• 18+ months: Symbolic and imaginative play begin, along with increased language skills.

Structured vs. Unstructured Play

Each type of play supports different developmental skills. Structured play has a clear start and finish, rules or directions, and often adult guidance, while unstructured play is child-led with no specific rules or goals.

Structured Play Examples:

• Puzzles, board games
• Group games (Duck-Duck-Goose, Simon Says)
• Crafts and cooking activities
• Organized sports (soccer, ballet, piano lessons)

Unstructured Play Examples:

• Climbing, playground play
• Dress-up, pretend play
• Drawing, building with blocks, play-dough

Structured play helps with problem-solving, goal-setting, and active listening, while unstructured play fosters creativity, confidence, and social-emotional growth. Understanding these differences is key to encouraging curiosity through play, ensuring your child remains engaged while developing important skills.

Social Play

“The world of pretend play is one in which children can be free to express themselves, their ideas, their emotions, and their fantastic visions of themselves, of other people, and of the world.” – Sandra Russ, PhD, child psychologist

Social play was first studied by Dr. Parten in 1932, who identified and categorized six distinct stages of social play in her groundbreaking research.

1. Unoccupied (Infant): Observing people and objects with interest but not engaging directly.
2. Solitary (Infant): Playing alone, developing independence.
3. Onlooker (Toddler): Watching peers play and engaging in conversation about their actions.
4. Parallel (Toddler): Playing alongside peers without direct interaction.
5. Associative (Preschool): Engaging in shared activities without a shared goal.
6. Collaborative (Preschool): Playing together with a common goal, requiring turn-taking, problem-solving, and communication.

By understanding these play stages, parents and caregivers can better support a child’s social development, ensuring they have the right opportunities for interaction at every level.

Why Play Stages Matter

Children learn through play, and observing how they engage with toys, objects, and peers provides insight into their fine motor skills, problem-solving abilities, and language development. Understanding the stages of play not only helps parents join their children’s activities but also makes choosing the right play activities for your child easier and more effective.

For guidance on helping your child develop their play skills, reach out to SensAble Kids. Our child development specialists are here to offer tailored support and resources designed to foster your child’s growth.

RESOURCES

National Institute for Play has plenty of information about play for all ages, including adults!  https://nifplay.org/play-science/summary-of-key-findings/

Pathways is a great website for all areas of development. They have a user-friendly app with specific activity ideas organized by age range and skill area. You can also subscribe to weekly e-mails for ideas of activities as your child grows. https://pathways.org/

The Hanen Centre has articles and tips for supporting children with language delays, including a lot of fun play ideas. https://www.hanen.org/information-tips/tips

REFERENCE LIST

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627314008046

Frey, J. R., & Kaiser, A. P. (2010). The use of play expansions to increase the diversity and complexity of object play in young children with disabilities. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. http://doi.org/10.1177/0271121410378758

Gruber, M. J., & Ranganath, C. (2019). How Curiosity Enhances Hippocampus-Dependent Memory: The Prediction, Appraisal, Curiosity, and Exploration (PACE) Framework. Trends in cognitive sciences, 23(12), 1014–1025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2019.10.003

Raypole, C. (2019). What is the Sensorimotor Stage?. Healthline Media. https://www.healthline.com/health/baby/sensorimotor-stage

Westby, C. (2022). Playing to pretend to “pretending” to play: Play in children with autism spectrum disorder. Seminars in Speech and Language. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-1750348