Play in childhood is one of the issues which psychologists have not been able to give a single definition. This is due to the fact that there are many ways of approaching play and there are also many different kinds of play (Smith and Cowie, 1991). This makes it difficult to define the features and what can be classified as play. However, it is generally agreed that play in childhood is in some ways important to the child’s development and adaptation to the world.

There are various theories by different people on the role of play in childhood. This essay will highlight and discuss the major ones. These theories will be looked at under two sections: ‘classical’ and ‘modern’ theories. There are four classic theories that tried to explain the role of play, namely, ‘play as surplus energy’ put forward by Spencer (1873); ‘play as relaxation’ suggested by Patrick (1916); ‘play as recapitulation’ based on the work of Hall (1920) and Piaget’s theory on cognitive development and finally ‘play as practice’ originated by Groos (1901).

The criticism of these theories provided the basis for the ‘modernâ

This view of play as skills acquiring process for adulthood was criticised by Ellis (1973). He argued that there is no inherent knowledge of the skills that an adult is likely to need. He also condemned the theory for its over dependence on the concept of instinct.

Meta-representation - Leslie (1987) focused on pretend play as a means whereby a child develops knowledge about its own and others thinking – metacognition. For example, when a child and mother are playing pretend tea party, the mother might say the ‘cup is empty, we need to fill it’. This statement is a true statement, but not totally true as it represents an imaginary situation in this instance. The child is able to understand that while the cup is truly empty it can still be filled with imaginary tea. Hence the important thing is the meta-representation – an overall understanding of the situation and not whether the statement is true or not.

Practice theory - The practice theory first put forward by Groos (1901) argued that play is a process which allows children to acquire through practice skills, including physical, mental and social skills, that would be useful in adult life. He identified two types of play namely, experimental play and socionomic play. The experimental play leads to physical and mental development of self-control and self-awareness, while socionomic play helps in the development of interpersonal relationships and social world.

However, Meadows (1986) argued that play cannot be written off as useless. It is a source of enjoyment and pleasure, which is needed for a child’s emotional well-being, and contributes to the child’s self-esteem and self-efficacy, by providing a feeling of competence and achievement.

Surplus energy theory - This theory first put forward by Spencer (1873) argued that play is as a result of surplus energy left over after the basic survival needs have been met. This surplus energy makes the child active, spilling over into play. This theory claims that plays like rough –and-tumble game allows the young animals and child to develop its survival skills.

Some topics in this essay:
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