Developmental Stages of Play

Developmental stages of play describe how children’s play activities evolve as they grow. It starts with unstructured, simple activities like exploring objects (sensorimotor stage), then progresses to playing roles or pretending (symbolic or imaginative play). As children mature, they begin to engage in organized games with rules, collaborating with others (games with rules). Each stage reflects increasing cognitive, social, and emotional skills, helping children learn about themselves and their world in a way that matches their developmental level. These stages provide a framework to understand how play supports growth at different ages.