The Role of the Play Environment in Young Children's Language Development∗

This study examined the relationships between children's language ability and the play environments. Sixty homecare and 59 daycare children ages 1 to 3 were measured with respect to language abilities such as vocabulary (PPVT‐R), interaction patterns, MLU, complexities of language, and emergent literacy development. Home and daycare play environments were evaluated through observations and interviews in terms of the quality of verbal care and physical environments. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the mother‐child interaction pattern was the best predictor of children's language abilities. Home environments such as teaching methods of writing, number of books and writing materials, extent of teaching and writing, mother education were also found to be significant predictors. ECERS was the best predictor among daycare environments, and teacher education and teacher child interaction pattern were also found to be significant. ANCOVAs showed that teachers and daycare mothers engaged in better quality of interaction than homecare mothers.