Expanding on Theory

The theory I chose to look at is the children's play model, which is a model of practice. The main idea behind this theory is the idea that play is a necessary occupation in the lives of children, as well as the main occupation children partake in. The description compares play to a sandcastle, stating that it is complex and temporary, and that it takes place in many different contexts. It also states that play is essential to children as the "sense of mastery, development in domains including physical, cognitive, social, problem solving, creativity, concentration, organization, etc." This theory is used with all children. Play is considered functional according to this theory if the child participates in healthy play. With this theory, an occupational therapist might assess the social skills or problem solving skills of a child to see if they are developing them normally. Three key terms in this theory are stimulus, play skills, and developmental skills. Stimulus is described as the child and their environment. Play skills are defined as being fluid, constructive, creative, imaginative, etc. and describes the skills and adaptability of a child during play. Developmental skills are communication, organization, affective, self concept and symbolism skills that they develop throughout play.