Master of Science / School of Family Studies and Human Services / Deborah Norris / Risk and challenge in children’s play have steadily declined over the last 30 years due to adult fears about injuries and litigation, among other factors. This societal trend is important to remedy because not only do children miss out on the numerous crucial benefits in every domain that play, and specifically risk and challenge in play, provides, but research suggests it also can lead to a host of other problems like childhood obesity, more injuries as children create their own risk and challenge in inappropriate ways, and childhood psychopathology. Data on children in care demonstrate a large number of children enrolled in pre-kindergarten programs today, therefore it is important to understand young children’s risky play in the education context and the role that early childhood practitioners play in either supporting or hindering that play. The present study used an original survey derived from the literature to examine early childhood practitioners’ beliefs and perceptions about preschool children’s risky play, practitioner’s risky play practices, and the factors that influence those beliefs and practices. The results showed that practitioners generally had more positive than negative beliefs about risky play, but only rarely or occasionally allowed risky play to occur in their classrooms or centers. A variety of both global and situational factors influenced practitioners’ decisions to allow risky play or not. Participants’ beliefs and practices were positively correlated, and beliefs and practices were both negatively correlated with influences. Numbers of years of experience in the field and education level were not found to be significant predictors of participants’ risky play beliefs and practices. These results have implications for professional development trainings as well as teacher education programs.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-126).

Moenie oplaai nie - ons speel hiermeeThis study focuses on using sand play as play medium within the framework of gestalt therapy. The researcher explored the effectiveness of this medium with the aim to assist children in their toddler phase, to vent their experiences of family violence and to furthermore teach them coping skills. During the research process, the researcher involved three toddlers who are victims of family violence, in therapeutic sessions. Sand play was utilized as play medium during these sessions. As theoretical basis for the research, aspects of the phenomenon of family violence, the emotional impact of family violence on the child (specifically the toddler), the impact of family violence on the behavioural characteristics and developmental skills of the toddler, the theoretical principles and process of gestalt therapy, the therapeutic process with the toddler as victim of family violence as well as the use of sand play as play medium, were investigated. The researcher used applied research for this study and trusts that the findings regarding the use of sand play, will improve service delivery in the field of social work, with toddler victims of family violence. / Dissertation (MSD (Play Therapy))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

This thesis development of empirical. ABSTRACT , investigated play in two the ways: structure theoretical and and The theoretical section covers three areas. First, existing literature on animal play was reviewed to identify the basis for confusion in theories of animal play. Second, a discussion of the acquisition of the concept 'play' in humans, and its effect on our understanding of animal play revealed the appropriateness of the correct use of models and analogies in the study of play. Finally, the utility of Markov Chains, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and the Grammatical Model in studying play, were assessed. In Chapter Six an investigation of "thB . nevelopment \.1\3: "'e.~ of social play and object 'predation'~ s owed no major ontogenetic differences. In both cases, a) there was some evidence for age changes in the composition of play/'predation': b) the majority of observations could be accounted for by a group of five 'dominant' behaviour patterns. Chapter Seven examined the function o~ 1'r~EM~p."en Mouth Play Face (OMPF) as a. play signal. Resurts indicated that the OMPF did not function speci~iCallY as a play signal in young ferrets and puppies. However, the situation was reversed for adult ferrets. There was also evidence that the OMPF was related to arousal in a way not exhibited by other play behaviour patterns. Chap~i~ml~!Sht investiga~~~bf~~ential S~~~hture in social ptay~ OBject 'predation~ an~ aggressi8~.~~esults showed great variability in tne sequences of 'oehaviour in all three contexts. All three behavioural contexts showed little variability in the identity of bout initiators and terminators. The 'grammar' constructed failed to provide a formal description of social play, aggression or object 'predation':' These results suggest that many assumptions made about the structure of play, especially with regard to other behaviours, are invalid. The study of play should proceed in terms of identifying the structural configuration of sequences of social play.

The problem of this study was an attempt to appraise critically the effectiveness of client-centered play therapy as a counseling technique. In order to ascertain the effects of client-centered play therapy with children who have emotional problems, learning difficulties, and behavior problems, this study was conducted.

No description available.

Chan Yiu Wah Eva. / "Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 2003-2004, design report." / Includes bibliographical references.

Theses (M.A.)--Marshall University, 2007. / Title from document title page. Includes abstract. Document formatted into pages: contains iv, 74 pages including illustrations. Bibliography: page 74.

The central tenet of this research project is to identify the culture of play amongst foundation phase children at an Independent school. With this knowledge the researcher was able to identify how the children’s culture of play influenced play therapy sessions and furthermore, if play therapy is indeed a useful therapeutic and educational technique for these specific children, who experience emotional and developmental barriers. This ethnographic study intended to share the voices of the foundation phase children at the Independent school. The researcher aimed to give a cultural interpretation that allowed the journey to be shared by the reader (Wolcott, 1999:67-68). The journey has therefore, been a personal one on two levels firstly on an academic level, and secondly as a means of self-reflection. The main data collection technique employed was participant observation. Which included the use of field-work and note-taking on the playground. As well as the use of the children’s drawings, incomplete sentences and interviews. Two foundation phase educators were also interviewed to add the thickness required of an ethnography. Additionally the researcher made use of artefacts which included: photographs, snippets of process notes and conversations with the participants, and her personal journal of play. The findings demonstrated that the children have not lost the art of creative and imaginative play. Rather they have developed a very specific culture of play. Some of the participants play and therefore, creativity are sometime delayed due to the emotional and developmental barriers they experience. Moreover, the children’s culture of play is largely influenced by, and in turn influences, the bio- ecological systems that they operate within (Landsberg, Krüger & Nel, 2005: 13). The above findings enabled the researcher to conclude that play therapy is indeed a valid and viable therapeutic technique to employ with these specific learners. / Dr. E. Fritz

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of child-centered play therapy on children of Piaget's preoperational and concrete operations developmental stages. Piaget's assertions about the contributions of play to cognitive, affective, and social development have provided a basis for the theoretical rationale for the use of play as a therapeutic intervention. The impact of child-centered play therapy was measured by a decrease in parent-child relationship stress as measured by scores on the Child Domain, Parent Domain, and Total Stress Score of the Parenting Stress Index. This study utilized a three wave repeated measures ANOVA design to analyze the impact of child-centered play therapy on children between the ages of 3-8 who received 19-23 individual child-centered play therapy sessions. A pretest, approximate midpoint, and posttest administration was collected for use in the analysis. The population study comprised 24 children referred to the Child and Family Resource Clinic on the University of North Texas campus. Participating children were divided into two treatment groups based on their age at the time of treatment. The preoperational development treatment group consisted of 12 children aged of 3-6 years and the concrete operations development treatment group consisted of children aged 7-8 years. Nine hypotheses were tested using three wave repeated measures ANOVA and eta squared. The results of this study tentatively support the impact of child-centered play therapy with children of both the preoperational and concrete operations developmental stages. The data indicates a statistically significant difference in the impact of child-centered play therapy for children of different developmental stages.