Play and the social world

As children get older they learn social rules through playing with siblings and other children. Rules such as, give and take, reciprocity, cooperation, and sharing. Through a range of interactions with children at different social stages, children also learn to use moral reasoning to develop a mature sense of values. To be prepared to function effectively in the adult world, children need to participate in lots of social situations.

Functions of play

• Develops their creativity
• Play helps them adjust their behaviour to the social context
• Helps develop language skills
• Helps them understand power, ritual and status
• Establishes cultural identity
• Experience a sense of belonging to a group