Play and Training in Direct and Innovative Problem Solving

SMITH, PETER K., and DUTTON, SUSAN. Play and Training in Direct and Innovative Problem Solving. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1979, 50, 830-836. The relative importance of play opportunities and training experience for problem solving in 4-year-old children was investigated, using a modification of a task used by Sylva. Children were allowed a short time to explore the materials, followed by either a play opportunity or training experience before the problem tasks. On the first task, it was necessary to join 2 sticks together with a block to retrieve a marble. Children with training experience directly relevant to the task performed as well as children with play opportunity. A second task required a more innovative use of training experience, as it was necessary to join 3 sticks together. The children who had play opportunities were faster than those with training experience in solving the second problem and needed fewer hints. Both sets of children did better than control children without additional pretask experience. Results are discussed in relation to theoretical work on the function of manipulative play.