Play & Pragmatics
Select the age of your child to see the milestones:
Downloads:
Play
(1 - 1 1/2 years)
- Solitary or onlooker play; self play
- Begins running-stiff and awkward
- Scribbles spontaneously with crayon
- Puts objects in and out of containers
- Can figure out ways of overcoming some obstacles (opening doors, reaching high)
- Imitates many things (sweeping, combing hair-self use)
- Pulls toys; carries or hugs doll, teddy bear
- Very rapid shifts in attention
Pragmatics
(1 - 1 1/2 years)
- Brings objects to show an adult
- Requests objects by pointing and vocalizing or possibly using a word approximation
- Solicits another’s attention vocally, physically, and/or possibly with gestures
- Gesturally requests action/assistance (many may give back wind-up toy for activation)
- Says “bye” and possibly a few other conventional ritual words such as “hi,” “thank you,” and “please”
- Protests by saying “no” shaking head, moving away, frowning, or pushing objects away
- Comments on objects/actions by directing listeners’ attention to it with a point and/or vocalization or word approximation
- Answers simple "wh" questions with a vocal response (may be unintelligible)
- Acknowledges speech of another person by giving eye contact, vocally responding or repeating a word said
- Teases, warns, scolds using gesture plus a vocalization or a word approximation
Play
(1 1/2 - 2 years)
- Parallel play – plays near others but not with them
- Talks to self as he/she plays
- Little social give and take – little interest in what others say and do, but hugs, pushes, pulls, snatches, grabs, defends rights by pulling hair and kicking
- Does not ask for help
- Transports blocks on a truck rather than just building
- Relates to an object or another person- washes, feeds, combs doll in addition to self
- Likes to play with flexible material such as clay-pots, pinches, and fingers
- Strings beads
- Less rapid shifts in attention
Pragmatics
(1 1/2 - 2 years)
- Uses gestures with words to get needs met
- Says “what’s that?” to elicit attention
- Begins using single words and some two-word phrases to command (move), indicate possession (mine), express problems ("Ouch")
- Vocal with verbal turn-taking
Play
(2 - 3 years)
- Parallel play predominates
- Arranges doll furniture into meaningful groups and uses figures to act out simple themes from own experiences
- Aligns three or more cubes to make a train; pushes train
- Builds a tower of six or seven blocks
- Imitates drawing of a vertical line
- Sequences related actions such as preparing food for doll, feeding it, wiping mouth
- Begins pretend play with more than
Pragmatics
(2 - 3 years)
- Begins using and displaying basic emotions: happy, sad, mad
- Enjoys being next to children of the same age
Play
(3 - 3 1/2 years)
- Builds a bridge from a model
- Cooperative play begins
- Organizes doll furniture accurately and begins to use in genuinely imaginative ways
- Draws two or more strokes for a cross-on imitation
- Begins to share
- Reenacts experienced events such as birthday parties, baking cookies
- Uses one object to represent another (stick = phone or fence)
- Pretends to play different characters
Pragmatics
3 - 3 1/2 years)
- Engages in longer dialogues
- Assumes the role of another person in play
- Uses more filters to acknowledge partner’s message (uh-huh, yea, ok)
- Begins code switching (using simpler language) when talking to very young children
- Uses more elliptical resources
- Requests permission
- Begins using language for fantasies, jokes, teasing
- Makes conversational repairs when listener has not understood
- Talks about interests and feelings for past and future
- Corrects others
- Primitive narratives emerge: events follow from central core/ use of interference in stories
Play
(3 1/2 - 4 years)
- Increase in dramatization of play
- Complicated ideas, but unable to carry out in detail; no carryover from day to day
- Prefers to play in a group of two or three children; chooses companion of own sex
- Suggests turns, but often bossy in directing others
- Often silly in play and may do things wrong purposefully
- Puts toys away
- Likes to dress up
- Draws human with two parts; adds three parts to incomplete human
- Builds structures/buildings with blocks
- Assumes the role of another person in play (becomes a teacher, animal, parent)
Pragmatics
(3 1/2 - 4 years)
- Listens attentively to conversational partner of age appropriate material
- Makes relevant comments on familiar stories or events
- Enjoys riddles, jokes and funny stories with “guessing”
Play
(4 - 5 years)
- Likes cutting out and pasting
- Likes working projects - may carry over from day-to-day
- Definite interests in finishing what he/she starts
- Plays in groups of two to five; friendships become stronger
- Spurred on by rivalry in activity, competition
- Interested in going on excursions
- Draws unmistakable human with body, arms, legs, feet, nose, and eyes
- Adds seven parts to incomplete human
- Copies a triangle
- Watches life simulation programs on TV; gains information from verbal contents
Pragmatics
(4 - 5 years)
- Changes tone of voice to adapt to listeners perspective
- Shows pride for accomplishments
- Boasts, exaggerates and blends truths
- Changes moods rapidly and unpredictably
- Relies on verbal rather than physical engagement
- Uses indirect requests
- Uses twice as many effective utterances as three-year old to discuss emotions and feelings
- Narrative development characterized by unfocused chains of elaborate story telling
Play
(5 - 6 years)
- Copies drawing of diamond
- Copies drawing of rectangle with diagonals in middle
- Draws human with neck, fingers, clothes, and two dimensional legs
- Adds nine parts to incomplete human
- May start collections
- Able to play games by rules
- Builds things with blocks
- Plans many sequences of pretend events; uses props and language to develop a theme (going on a trip to outer space)
- Suggests imaginative and elaborate play ideas
- Plays cooperatively
Play
(5 - 6 years)
- Copies drawing of diamond
- Copies drawing of rectangle with diagonals in middle
- Draws human with neck, fingers, clothes, and two dimensional legs
- Adds nine parts to incomplete human
- May start collections
- Able to play games by rules
- Builds things with blocks
- Plans many sequences of pretend events; uses props and language to develop a theme (going on a trip to outer space)
- Suggests imaginative and elaborate play ideas
- Plays cooperatively