Why Play Training Works: An Integrated Model for Play Intervention

Play training is a strategy in which adults intervene in informal, though purposeful, ways in preschool children's spontaneous, symbolic play. Numerous studies, conducted over a long period of time, have shown that such adult interventions can enhance play and related areas of development. There is a good deal of dissension in the literature, however, regarding the specific processes by which such interventions lead to positive child outcomes. Does direct adult contact explain developmental gains? Do interventions indirectly promote development by enhancing play abilities? The focus of this article is not on whether play training works, but why it works. A theoretical framework for examining adult-child play interactions, which reconciles diverse perspectives in the literature, is presented in this article. Implications for classroom practice and future research in play intervention are examined.