Play norms

stage 1: 9-12 months

3 play norms

• 🧣object permanence - awareness that objects exist when not seen; finds toys hidden under scarf

• 🧵means-end behaviour - crawls or walks to get what they want, pulls string toys

• 👄does not mouth or bang all toys - some appropriate toy use

stage 2: 13-17 months

2 play norms:

• 🗺️purposeful exploration of toys; discovers operation of toys through trial and error; uses variety of motoric schemas 

• 👨🏻‍🦳👩🏻‍🦳hands toys to adult if they are unable to operate 

stage 3: 17-19 months

4 play norms:

• 🛌🏻🍵auto symbolic play - for ex. child pretends to go to sleep or pretends to drink from cup or eat from spoon 

• 🧸🪀uses most common objects and toys appropriately 

• 🔨tool use (ex. uses stick to reach toy)

• 🫥finds toys invisibly hidden (when placed in a box or in other room)  

stage 4: 19-22 months 

2 play norms:

• 🪆symbolic play extends beyond the child’s self

• child performs pretend activities on more than one person or object: for example, feeds self, a doll, mother and another child

stage 5: 24 months

4 play norms:

• 🏠🤱🏻👨🏻‍🍼👶🏻represents daily experience, plays house - is the mommy, daddy, or baby; objects used are realistic and close to life size 

• 🥣events short and isolated; not sequences; some self-limiting sequences - puts food in bowl, stirs and eats 

• 🟪🟨block play consistent of stacking and knocking down 

• ⏳🫗sand and water play consist of filling, pouring, and dumping