Different Types of Play

As we have already discussed how the role of play is important for your child's development, we will now look at different types of play and the skills that can be developed through each. 

1.  Toy play

This type of play involves playing with toys.  Skills that will be learnt here are such as object manipulation. Examples of toy play are such as

-        Shape sorter

-        Ring stacker

-        Play dough

-        Bubbles

-        Car ramp/train tracks

-        Puzzle

-        Etc

2.  Interactive play

Interactive play does not really involve toys. It focuses more on the interaction between the child and adult or whoever the child is engaging with at that point.  Examples of interactive play are

-        Anticipatory games (Ready, set, go! 1, 2, 3!)

-        Hiding games

-        Tickling games (example: round and round the garden)

-        Dancing to music

-        Action songs (row your boat, ringa roses)

-        Piggy back ride

-        etc

3.  Sensory play

Sensory activities are activities that appeal to the senses. These senses include sight, sound, touch, taste and smell, which, when combined, result in body awareness.

-        Shaving cream – spraying shaving cream on a tray and tracing alphabets

-        Corn flour – mixing corn flour with water

-        Filling up container with beads/beans

-        Water play

-        Sand play

-        Ball pit

-        etc

1.  Motor/Physical play

Gross motor skills are the abilities required in order to control the large muscles of the body for walking, running, sitting, crawling, and other activities. This type of play is much more physical and involves muscles. Exam[les of motor/physical play are

-        Ball play – hitting, throwing, catching or kicking ball

-        Playgorund

-        Obstacle course

-        Wheelbarrow – where someone holds a child’s leg  while child walks with their hands

-        Etc

2.  Pretend/Imaginative play

This type of play requires skills such as pretending to be a (person) or how or using items to pretend to be something else. For example

-        Pretending to be a doctor, chef, soldier, etc

-        Pretend scenarios – birthday parties, picnic, grocery shopping, etc

-        Etc

3.  Group Games

This type of play involves playing games with rules, taking turns, multiple instructions and also winning/ loosing. Examples of these types of games are

-        Twister

-        Boards games – scrabble, ludo, snakes and ladders, etc

-        Card games – snap, uno, go fish, happy family, etc

-        Preschool games – duck duck goose, mr.wolf, musical chair, stop & go,etc

Written by,

Jessica Ganesha

Consultant, EAP Malaysia