4.2 Describe the different play types

This guide will help you answer 4.2 Describe the different play types.

Play is central to children’s learning and development. As a playworker, you need to understand the different types of play to support children in varied and meaningful ways. Play can take many forms, each providing distinct benefits and experiences. In this guide, we cover the play types, based on Bob Hughes’ theory presented in his “Play Types” framework. There are 16 defined play types, and each one serves a specific purpose in children’s growth and expression.

Symbolic Play

Symbolic play involves using objects, actions or ideas to represent something else. Children make sense of the world around them by exploring abstract thinking. For instance, a stick might become a sword, or a cardboard box might be used as a spaceship.

This type of play helps children develop creativity, imagination, and problem-solving skills. It is also essential for building language and communication as children give meanings to objects and actions.

Examples include:

• Pretending to be superheroes.
• Using toy animals to create a zoo.

Rough and Tumble Play

Rough and tumble play includes activities such as play-fighting, chasing, or wrestling. It is physical and often involves children being very energetic, boisterous, and physical with their peers.

Although it may appear aggressive, this type of play is typically friendly and enjoyable for the children involved. It supports physical development, builds relationships, and helps children learn boundaries in social interactions.

Examples include:

• Play-wrestling with friends.
• Chasing games where children tag each other.

Socio-dramatic Play

Socio-dramatic play involves children acting out real-life events. It is about role-playing familiar situations or things they have seen in their everyday lives. For instance, they might pretend to be parents, teachers, or shopkeepers.

This kind of play helps children make sense of social roles and responsibilities. It enhances their understanding of relationships and improves their social and communication skills.

Examples include:

• Pretending to cook and serve food.
• Playing “mums and dads” or “schools”.

Creative Play

Creative play happens when children use materials to make something original. It focuses on imagination and producing something from their own ideas. During this type of play, there is no right or wrong way to do things.

It helps with fine motor skills, self-expression, and emotional well-being. Children develop persistence and confidence as they work on creative projects.

Examples include:

• Painting or drawing.
• Building sculptures with clay or recycled items.

Communication Play

Communication play includes any type of play involving the use of language, sounds, or gestures. This could be verbal or non-verbal. Children use this play to express feelings, communicate with others, or use nonsense language.

It is critical for building language skills, improving expression, and developing understanding of different forms of communication.

Examples include:

• Whispering secret messages.
• Making up songs or rhymes.

Dramatic Play

Dramatic play is similar to socio-dramatic play but often has an added element of performance or exaggeration. Children create dramatic scenarios, often with an imaginative or fantastical theme.

This allows them to explore emotions, experiment with storytelling, and understand different perspectives.

Examples include:

• Acting out a fairytale or adventure.
• Performing a play or skit for others.

Deep Play

Deep play involves children taking physical, emotional, or social risks. Often, this means confronting fear or testing their limits in a controlled way.

Children challenge themselves and learn resilience, risk management, and self-belief during deep play. This type of play should be supervised but not overly controlled, allowing children to assess situations themselves.

Examples include:

• Climbing a high tree.
• Jumping off a tall platform.

Exploratory Play

Exploratory play is about children examining and investigating objects, environments, or ideas. They use their senses to explore how things work or what happens when they interact with their surroundings.

This supports sensory development, curiosity, and critical thinking skills.

Examples include:

• Feeling textures such as sand or water.
• Taking apart a toy to see how it works.

Fantasy Play

Fantasy play allows children to explore imaginative scenarios. These can be magical, mythical, or completely made up from their own ideas.

This type of play helps children develop creativity and creative problem-solving. They learn to think beyond reality and experiment with “what if” scenarios.

Examples include:

• Pretending to be a wizard or dragon.
• Creating imaginary worlds.

Imaginative Play

Imaginative play is similar to fantasy play but can involve more realistic elements. It happens when children think creatively, often adapting real-life experiences into their play.

This supports abstract thinking and emotional growth.

Examples include:

• Pretending an empty box is a car.
• Creating a restaurant from toy kitchen equipment.

Locomotor Play

Locomotor play encompasses movement, with no goal other than the sheer enjoyment of moving. Running, jumping, skipping, and spinning are all examples of locomotor play.

It helps build coordination, physical strength, and spatial awareness.

Examples include:

• Skipping with a rope.
• Running races with friends.

Mastery Play

Mastery play is all about children gaining control over elements of their environment. This often involves overcoming challenges, like building, manipulating, or reshaping things.

Children develop perseverance, problem-solving skills, and motor skills.

Examples include:

• Building a sandcastle.
• Creating a den with blankets and sticks.

Object Play

Object play focuses on using objects to discover what can be done with them. Children explore how objects work, experimenting with their properties.

This type of play builds knowledge of the physical world and fosters creativity.

Examples include:

• Rolling balls down a slope.
• Stacking blocks to see how tall they can go before falling.

Role Play

Role play is when children take on roles of people, animals, or characters. This may come from real-life or their imagination.

Role play develops empathy, social understanding, and communicative skills.

Examples include:

• Acting as a doctor in a “hospital”.
• Pretending to be a shop assistant.

Recapitulative Play

Recapitulative play looks at ancestral or historical behaviour. Children might re-enact behaviours that are rooted in human history. This might include rituals, hunting, or exploring themes like survival.

It offers children a way to connect with cultural heritage and human instincts.

Examples include:

• Pretending to “hunt” animals in a game.
• Creating a campfire scenario.

Social Play

Social play occurs when children interact with others. It includes working together, competing, or simply communicating during play.

This type of play builds teamwork, negotiation, and leadership skills.

Examples include:

• Organising a football match.
• Playing board games with friends.

Final Thoughts

Each of these play types has its own unique benefits. They overlap and mix depending on the situation and the child’s current needs. As a playworker, your role is to identify these types of play and support them by providing appropriate spaces, materials, and encouragement.

Children often gravitate toward different play types based on their developmental stage, mood, and interests. Understanding these differences can help you support children effectively and encourage play that is beneficial for their overall growth.

Incorporating these play types into your work ensures that children have diverse opportunities to develop key skills while having fun.