chapter 4

Question 1

Name the 4 types of play and explain each one.

Answer 1

1.) Function play - Children play with drums and manipulate objects, such as when a baby shakes a rattle or a toddler bangs a drum.
2.) Constructive play - Children use toys or objects to create something new, such as making a puppet from a sock, a design on a computer screen, or a castle out of legos.
3.) Symbolic play - Children use one thing to represent or stand for another. Pretend play is a form of symbolic play. A stick becomes a magic wand. A piece of cloth becomes a veil or a cap.
4.) Games with rules - Children follow prescribed rules for playing together toward a common goal. Games include simple ones such as Candyland or Chutes and Ladders, as well as complex ones such as chess or baseball

Question 2

Why is the developmental period of 0-3 so important to the brain? What occurs during these crucial years in the brain?

Answer 2

Babies’ brains overproduce synapses, going from about 2,500 at birth to 15,000 – many more than adults have. After that, the brain starts pruning unnecessary or unused synapses. Throughout life, new synapses are formed and others are pruned away.