Child’s play

[Grumble]

It occurred to me earlier that a game I play with my son, where I ignore him while he creeps closer, then try to grab him and he tries to evade me - which I’m sure is an almost universal game to play with young children - is effectively an evolution of peepo with movement involved. By extension therefore so are tick/tig/tag, hide and seek and kiss chase. Does anyone have a copy of Iona and Peter Opie’s book about playground games? Does it go into this kind of thing, how games originate?

[shpalman]

It occurred to me earlier that a game I play with my son, where I ignore him while he creeps closer, then try to grab him and he tries to evade me - which I’m sure is an almost universal game to play with young children...

Isn't it pretend hunting, and don't young animals also play it? Animals which hunt when they grow up anyway.

[Boustrophedon]

Even animals play the same game.

https://youtu.be/Hh84Oe8JxUQ?t=57

[lpm]

The Opies book is more about the folklore and regional variations. But it does show what children choose to play - a lot of chasing, hiding and throwing. I'd be very interested if anyone knows of a book more directly about the psychology of play.

As soon as a baby can crawl, 7-8 months, she will love playing "Mummy's coming to get you!", crawling three or four paces, turning to see the chaser and squealing with delight. Playing this immediately they're mobile suggests they wanted to play it earlier but couldn't physically do it.

But I don't think they play the reverse - chasing Mummy - till they are quite a bit older. Anyone got a baby to experiment on? Even when they can walk they don't play being the chaser for a few more months?

And I think 3-4 year olds prefer to be the hider rather than the seeker.

Are the Miniocrities available to be experimented on?

[mediocrity511]

The Opies book is more about the folklore and regional variations. But it does show what children choose to play - a lot of chasing, hiding and throwing. I'd be very interested if anyone knows of a book more directly about the psychology of play.

As soon as a baby can crawl, 7-8 months, she will love playing "Mummy's coming to get you!", crawling three or four paces, turning to see the chaser and squealing with delight. Playing this immediately they're mobile suggests they wanted to play it earlier but couldn't physically do it.

But I don't think they play the reverse - chasing Mummy - till they are quite a bit older. Anyone got a baby to experiment on? Even when they can walk they don't play being the chaser for a few more months?

And I think 3-4 year olds prefer to be the hider rather than the seeker.

Are the Miniocrities available to be experimented on?

Miniocrity2 just started walking a few weeks ago at 18 months. He loves being chased by me, doesn't chase me but will chase his big sister. I think miniocrity probably does prefer hiding to seeking, but it's hard to tell because at her age she is very preoccupied with what is fair and taking turns, probably when she was a little bit younger then she would want tomgove more than seek.

[murmur]

Interesting idea.

Most of what I've ever come across about play in child development is about socialisation, cognitive development, learning physical skills, problem solving, and that class of thing. Can't recall that kind of "evolutionary psychology" - for want of a better phrase - aspect to it.

Thinks - must still have a couple of child development textbooks in the mess of work-related books upstairs...

[basementer]

I remember ages ago a friend saying that their [cats'] kittens played Tig and King of the Castle. But they might have been falling prone to the pathetic fallacy.

[jimbob]

I remember ages ago a friend saying that their [cats'] kittens played Tig and King of the Castle. But they might have been falling prone to the pathetic fallacy.

Well their description tells me what sort of games they were playing, which I have seen with dogs and kittens.

The one being chased will turn around and start to chase - even if it hasn't been caught. So it's not tig, but you can see how it might grow into tig in humans.

[rockdoctor]

Surely you are exploiting the innate sense of fear/terror from being pursued and co-opting it into a stimulating and harmless experience?
I remember playing chase as a kid and getting so into the game that when I spotted a pursuer coming to get me there would be a massive spike of adrenaline as I prepared to flee, even knowing consciously that there was no harm in being caught

[shpalman]

Surely you are exploiting the innate sense of fear/terror from being pursued and co-opting it into a stimulating and harmless experience?

Practising dealing with dangerous situations in a relatively safe way: that's what play is.

[badger]

There's an exhibition on play at Wellcome

https://wellcomecollection.org/exhibiti ... EAACcAGVXc

Anyone been? Have been meaning to go for a while - will report back when I do.

[RobS]

There's an exhibition on play at Wellcome

https://wellcomecollection.org/exhibiti ... EAACcAGVXc

Anyone been? Have been meaning to go for a while - will report back when I do.

Yes. It's pretty good - just the right level of passive and interactive exhibits. Plenty for the nostalgia nerd too; old toys and TV shows. Bit I remember most was the graphic showing, over 3 generations of the same family, how children's range of local exploration had shrunk.

[badger]

There's an exhibition on play at Wellcome

https://wellcomecollection.org/exhibiti ... EAACcAGVXc

Anyone been? Have been meaning to go for a while - will report back when I do.

Yes. It's pretty good - just the right level of passive and interactive exhibits. Plenty for the nostalgia nerd too; old toys and TV shows. Bit I remember most was the graphic showing, over 3 generations of the same family, how children's range of local exploration had shrunk.

Ta. Sounds right up my alley. The local exploration issue is a big'un, and has been done to death in terms of anecdata, but it'd be good to see stuff like that graphic. It seems obvious that it has an effect on development with regards to risk, resilience etc. but I'm guessing it's hard to quantify and work out what is or might replace it, if anything, in this day and age.

I recall watching a documentary on Andrew Lloyd Webber (sorry - it was interesting!) in which there's a story of him packing his bag and going on a tour of England to look at churches (he was fascinated by their architecture). He went by himself, taking enough money for train fares and a small suitcase. God knows where he stayed. He sent postcards back to his parents. I think he was 7 years old.
(this is not a 'weren't the 50s brilliant' gripe, just more anecdata, and the story struck me because it's not just about range, it's about development that it fosters and where these opportunities for kids may lie now).