Modern Problems of Children's Play: Cultural-Historical Context

The purpose of this article is to analyze the state of modern research on children’s play, approaches to its study, as well as existing methods of its evaluation. The relevance of the topic is due to the leading role of the play in preschool childhood and the complexity of this phenomenon. Play is actively studied, and play interventions are often used. However, the analysis of the literature shows confusion and uncertainty of terminology due to a large spread of theoretical positions and methodological approaches to the study of play. This creates great difficulties in planning and conducting research, and affects their results. The article deals with the issues of defining and classifying play, understanding its structure and development. The main trends of modern research and their connection with classical game theories, the role of cultural-historical approach and the contribution of E.O. Smirnova to the study of play are shown.

Scientific interest in play is more than one hundred and fifty years old. However, both recently and decades ago, authors are forced to state that play is notoriously difficult to define, always “escaping” from researchers. The variety of forms, types, and hypostases of play is too vast.

1. Veraksa A.N., Buhalenkova D.A., Jakupova V.A. Vozmozhnosti razvitija reguljatornyh funkcij v igrovoj dejatel’nosti: teoreticheskij obzor [Development of Executive Functions Through Play Activities: A Theoretical Overview]. Rossijskij psihologicheskij zhurnal=Russian Psychological Journal, 2019, no. 4 (15), pp. 97—112, DOI:10.21702/ rpj.2018.3.5. (In Russ.).
2. Vygotsky L.S. Igra i ee rol’ v psihologicheskom razvitii rebenka [Play and its Role in the Child’s Psychological Development]. In Psihologija razvitija rebenka = Psychology of Child Development. Moscow: Publ. Smysl, 2004, pp. 200—235. (In Russ.).
3. Zaporozhec A.V., Lisina M.I. Razvitie obshhenija u doshkol’nikov: harakteristika osnovnyh form obshhenija so vzroslymi u detej ot rozhdenija do 7 let [Development of communication in preschool children]. Moscow: Publ. Pedagogika, 1974, 288 p. (In Russ.).
4. Korotkova N.A. Sovremennye issledovanija detskoj igry [Modern Play Research]. Voprosy psihologii=Voprosy psihologii, 1985, no. 2, pp. 163—169. (In Russ.).
5. Kravcov G.G., Kravcov E.E. Psihologija igry [The Psychology of Play]. Moscow: Publ.: Lev, 2017, 390 p. (In Russ.).
6. Smirnova E.O., Veraksa A.N., Buhalenkova D.A., Rjabkova I.A. Svjaz’ igrovoj dejatel’nosti doshkol’nikov s pokazateljami poznavatel’nogo razvitija [Relationship between play activity and cognitive development in preschool children]. Kul’turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya=Cultural-Historical Psychology, 2018. Vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 4—14. (In Russ.).
7. Smirnova E.O. Igra v sovremennom doshkol’nom obrazovanii [Elektronnyi resurs][Play in a modern pre-school education]. Psikhologicheskaya nauka i obrazovanie = Psychological Science and Education, 2013, no. 3. Available at: http://psyedu.ru/journal/2013/3/3402.phtml (Accessed: 18.04.2020). (In Russ.).
8. Smirnova E.O. Igrovaja kompetentnost’ vospitatelja [The Game-Play Competence of Educators]. Sovremennoe doshkol’noe obrazovanie. Teorija i praktika = Preschool Education Today, 2017, no. 9, pp. 4—9. (In Russ.).
9. Smirnova E.O. Razvivajushhee doshkol’noe obrazovanie: sposobstvujushhie i prepjatstvujushhie faktory [Elektronnyi resurs] [Developing Preschool Education: Promoting and Preventing Factors]. Psihologo-pedagogicheskie issledovanija=Psychological-Educational Studies, 2019. Vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 79—89, DOI:10.17759/psyedu.2019110406 (Accessed: 18.04.2020) (In Russ.).
10. Smirnova E.O., Rjabkova I.A. Osobennosti prinjatija doshkol’nikami igrovoj roli v raznyh igrovyh sredah [Characteristics of perception by preschoolers of the play role in various playing environments]. Voprosy psihologii = Voprosy psihologii, 2018, no. 1, pp. 69—77. (In Russ.).
11. Smirnova E.O., Rjabkova I.A. Soderzhanie rolevyh igr sovremennyh doshkol’nikov [The content of role play in contemporary school students]. Voprosy psihologii = Voprosy psihologii, 2018, no. 2, pp. 41—52. (In Russ.).
12. Smirnova E.O., Sokolova M.V. Tendencii razvitija sovremennyh igrushek [Modern Toys: Developmental Tendencies]. Kul’turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya=Cultural- Historical Psychology, 2019, no. 2 (15), pp. 99—104, DOI:10.17759/psyedu.2019110406 (In Russ.).
13. Smirnova E.O., Sobkin V.S. Issledovanija igry: trudnosti i vozmozhnosti [Researching Play: Challenges and Opportunities]. Kul’turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya = Cultural-Historical Psychology], 2017. Vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 83—86, DOI:10.17759/chp.2017130310 (In Russ.).
14. Smirnova E.O. Specifika sovremennogo doshkol’nogo detstva [Specific features of modern preschool childhood]. Nacional’nyj psihologicheskij zhurnal = National Psychological Journal, 2019, no. 2 (34), pp. 25—32. (In Russ.).
15. Smirnova E.O. Tipologija igry v zarubezhnoj i otechestvennoj psihologii [Elektronnyi resurs] [Typology of Games in Foreign and National Psychology]. Sovremennaia zarubezhnaia psikhologiia = Journal of Modern Foreign Psychology, 2014. Vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 5—17. Available at: https:// psyjournals.ru/jmfp/2014/n4/75350.shtml (Accessed: 19.04.2020). (In Russ.).
16. El’konin D.B. Psihologija igry [The Psychology of Play]. Moscow: Publ. Vlados, 1999, 360 p. (In Russ.).
17. El'konin B.D. Krizis detstva i osnovaniya proektirovaniya form detskogo razvitiya [The crisis of childhood and the basics of designing forms of child development]. Voprosy psihologii = Voprosy psihologii, 1992. no. 3. pp. 7–13. Available at: http://www.voppsy.ru/issues/1992/923/923007.htm (Accessed: 19.04.2020). (In Russ.).
18. Ailwood J. Governing Early Childhood Education through Play. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 2003, no. 3 (4), pp. 286—299. DOI:10.2304/ciec.2003.4.3.5
19. Bergen D. Does pretend play matter? Searching for evidence: Comment on lillard et al. (2013), Psychological Bulletin, 2013, no. 1 (139), pp. 45—48. DOI:10.1037/a0030246
20. Bulgarelli D. [i dr.]. Review of tools for play and play-based assessment. Evaluation of childrens’ play, 2018, pp. 58— 113. DOI:10.1515/9783110610604-005
21. Burghardt G.M. The Comparative Reach of Play and Brain: Perspective, Evidence, and Implications. American Journal of Play, 2010, no. 3 (2), pp. 338—356.
22. Chan P.C. [i dr.]. Theory of Mind Deficit Is Associated with Pretend Play Performance, but Not Playfulness, in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2016, (28), pp. 43—52. DOI:10.1016/j.hkjot.2016.09.002
23. Clift S., Stagnitti K., DeMello L. A validational study of the test of pretend play using correlational and classificational analyses. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 1998, no. 2 (14), pp. 199—209. DOI:10.1191/026565998675895190
24. Elias C.L., Berk L.E. Self-regulation in young children: Is there a role for sociodramatic play? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2002, no. 2 (17), pp. 216—238. DOI:10.1016/S0885- 2006(02)00146-1
25. Fantuzzo J. [i dr.]. Assessment of preschool play interaction behaviors in young low-income children: Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 1995, no. 1 (10), pp. 105—120. DOI:10.1016/0885- 2006(95)90028-4
26. Fleer M. Pedagogical positioning in play — teachers being inside and outside of children’s imaginary play. Early Child Development and Care, 2015, no. 11—12 (185), pp. 1801— 1814. DOI:10.4225/03/580ff9b268be2
27. Giddens A. Notes on the Concepts of Play and Leisure. The Sociological Review, 1964, no. 1 (12), pp. 73—89. DOI:10.1111/j.1467-954X.1964.tb01247.x
28. Goldstein T.R., Lerner M.D. Dramatic pretend play games uniquely improve emotional control in young children. Developmental Science, 2018, no. 4 (21), pp. 1—13. DOI:10.1111/desc.12603
29. Hakkarainen P. [i dr.]. Adult play guidance and children’s play development in a narrative play-world. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 2013, no. 2 (21), pp. 213—225. DOI:10.1080/1350293X.2013.789189
30. Hännikainen M., Singer E., van Oers B. Promoting play for a better future. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 2013, no. 2 (21), pp. 165—171. DOI:10.1080 /1350293X.2013.789189.
31. Hassinger-Das B. [i dr.]. More than just fun: a place for games in playful learning. Infancia y Aprendizaje, 2017, no. 2 (40), pp. 191—218. DOI:10.1080/02103702.2017.1292684
32. Ivrendi A. Choice-driven peer play, self-regulation and number sense. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 2016, no. 6 (24), pp. 895—906. DOI:10.1080/135029 3X.2016.1239325.
33. Kavanaugh R.D. Origins and Consequences of Social Pretend Play. The Oxford Handbook of the Development of Play, 2011, pp. 1—23. DOI:0.1093/ oxfordhb/9780195393002.013.0022
34. Kelly R. [i dr.]. The relationship between symbolic play and executive function in young children. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 2011, no. 2 (36), pp. 21—27. DOI:10.1177/183693911103600204
35. Lillard A.S. [i dr.] The impact of pretend play on children’s development: A review of the evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 2013, no. 1 (139), pp. 1—34. DOI:10.1037/a0029321.
36. Lindqvist G. The dramatic and narrative patterns of play. International Journal of Phytoremediation, 2003, no. 1 (21), pp. 69—78. DOI:10.1080/13502930385209071
37. March S., Fleer M. 004. Soperezhivanie: Dramatic events in fairy tales and play. International Research in Early Childhood Education, 2016, no. 1 (7), pp. 68—84. DOI:10.4225/03/580ff9b268be2
38. Mellou E. Play Theories: A contemporary review. Early Child Development and Care, 1994, no. 1 (102), pp. 91—100. DOI:10.1080/0300443941020107
39. Mottweiler C.M., Taylor M. Elaborated role play and creativity in preschool age children. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 2014, no. 3 (8), pp. 277—286. DOI:10.1037/a0036083
40. Nilsson M.E. Creative pedagogy of play — The work of Gunilla Lindqvist. Mind, Culture, and Activity, 2010. Vol. 17, no. 1. pp. 14—22.
41. Nisskaya A.K. School readiness outcomes of different preschool educational approaches. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 2018, 11 (1), pp. 43—60. DOI:10.11621/ pir.2018.0104
42. van Oers B. An activity theory view on the development of playing. In: Schousboe I., Winther-Lindqvist D. (eds) Children’s Play and Development. International perspectives on early childhood education and development. Vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht, 2013. pp. 231—249. DOI:10.1007/978-94-007- 6579-5_14
43. van Oers B. Is it play? Towards a reconceptualisation of role play from an activity theory perspective. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 2013, no. 2 (21), pp. 185—198. DOI:10.1080/1350293X.2013.789199
44. Pellegrini A.D., Smith P.K. The Development of Play During Childhood: Forms and Possible Functions. Child Psychology and Psychiatry Review, 1998, no. 2 (3), pp. 51—57. DOI:10.1017/S1360641798001476
45. Piaget J. Play, Dreams and Imitation in Childhood [La formation du symbole chez l’enfant, 1945] / J. Piaget. Publ.: Routledge, 1999. 296 p.
46. Pramling N. [i dr.]. Play-Responsive Teaching in Early Childhood Education. Playing, Playworlds, and Early Childhood Education. International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development, 2019, no. May (26), pp. 30—54. DOI:10.1007/978-3-030-15958-0
47. Pyle A., Danniels E. A Continuum of Play-Based Learning: The Role of the Teacher in Play-Based Pedagogy and the Fear of Hijacking Play. Early Education and Development, 2017, no. 3 (28). p. 274—289. DOI:10.1080/10409289.2016.1 220771
48. Riso D. Di [i dr.]. From research to clinical settings: Validation of the affect in Play Scale — Preschool brief version in a sample of preschool and school aged italian children. Frontiers in Psychology, 2017, no. MAY (8), pp. 1—10. DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00728
49. Robertson N. The Complexity of Preschool Children’s Dramatic Play Behaviour and Play Styles in Australia: A Mixed Methods Study. Asia-Pacific Journal of Research, 2016, no. 2 (10), pp. 71—92. DOI:10.17206/apjrece.2016.10.2.71
50. Saracho O.N., Spodek B. Multiple perspectives on play in early childhood education / O.N. Saracho, B. Spodek. Albany, New-York: SUNY, 1998. 323 p.
51. Schousboe I., Winther-Lindqvist D. Introduction: Children’s play and development. In: Schousboe I., Winther- Lindqvist D. (eds) Children’s Play and Development. International perspectives on early childhood education and development. Vol 8. Springer Netherlands, 2013. P. 1—11. DOI:10.1007/978-94-007-6579-5_1
52. Singer E. Play and playfulness in early childhood education and care. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 2015, no. 2 (8), pp. 27—35. DOI:10.11621/pir.2015.0203
53. Slot P.L. [i dr.]. Preschoolers’ cognitive and emotional self-regulation in pretend play: Relations with executive functions and quality of play. Infant and Child Development, 2017, no. 6 (26), pp. 1—21. DOI:10.1002/icd.2038
54. Smith M. Teaching Playskills to Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Practical Guide. / M. Smith. Publ.: DRL Books, 2001. 174 p.
55. Stagnitti K. Understanding play: The implications for play assessment. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 2004, no. 1 (51). pp. 3—12. DOI:10.1046/j.1440-1630.2003.00387.x
56. Takhvar M. Play and theories of play: A review of the literature. Early Child Development and Care, 1988, no. 1 (39), pp. 221—244. DOI:10.1080/0300443880390117
57. Thibodeau R.B. [i dr.]. The effects of fantastical pretend-play on the development of executive functions: An intervention study. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2016, (145). pp. 120—138. DOI:10.1016/j.jecp.2016.01.001
58. Thompson B.N., Goldstein T.R. Disentangling pretend play measurement: Defining the essential elements and developmental progression of pretense. Developmental Review, 2019, no. June (52), pp. 24—41. DOI:10.1016/j. dr.2019.100867
59. Trawick-Smith J., Swaminathan S., Liu X. The relationship of teacher-child play interactions to mathematics learning in preschool. Early Child Development and Care, 2015, no. 5 (186), pp. 716—733. DOI:10.1080/03004430.2015.1054 818
60. Wallace C.E., Russ S.W. Pretend play, divergent thinking, and math achievement in girls: A longitudinal study. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 2015, no. 3 (9), pp. 296—305. DOI:10.1037/a0039006
61. Wein E., Sutton-Smith B. The Ambiguity of Play. The Journal of American Folklore, 2000, no. 448 (113), 213 p. DOI:10.2307/541295
62. Weisberg D.S. Pretend play. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science, 2015, no. 3 (6), pp. 249—261. DOI:10.1002/wcs.1341