In her book Learning Through Play: Babies, Toddlers, and the Foundation Years,
Tina Bruce outlines twelve important features of play:
- In their play, children use the first-hand experiences that they have in life.
- Children make up rules as they play, and so keep control of their play.
- Children make play props.
- Children choose to play. They cannot be made to play.
- Children rehearse the future in their role-play.
- Children pretend when they play.
- Children play alone sometimes.
- Children and adults play together, in parallel, associatively, cooperatively in pairs or groups.
- Each player has a personal agenda, although they may not be aware of this.
- Children playing will be deeply involved and difficult to distract from their deep learning. Children at play wallow in their learning.
- Children try out their most recent learning, skills, and competencies when they play. They seem to celebrate what they know.
- Children at play co-ordinate their ideas, feelings and make sense of their relationships with their family, friends and culture.