The Oxford Handbook of the Development of Play marks the first attempt to examine the development of children's play through a rigorous and multidisciplinary approach. Comprising chapters from the foremost scholars in psychology, anthropology, and evolutionary biology, this handbook resets the landscape of developmental science and makes a compelling case for the benefits of play.

Part One: Introduction and Overview 1. Introduction Anthony D. Pellegrini Part Two: Definitions 2. Defining and Recognizing Play Gordon M. Burghardt 3. Cultural Variations in Beliefs about Play, Parent-Child Play, and Children's Play: Meaning for Childhood Development Jaipaul L. Roopnarine Part Three: Theories 4. Theories of Play Patrick Bateson 5. Comparing and Extending Piaget's and Vygotsky's Understandings of Play: Symbolic play as Individual, Sociocultural, and Educational Interpretation Artin Göncü and Suzanne Gaskins 6. Gene X Environment Interactions and Social Play: Contributions from Rhesus Macaques Khalisa N. Herman, Annika Paukner, and Stephen J. Suomi 7. Playing at Every Age: Modalities and Potential Functions in Non-Human Primates Elisabetta Palagi 8. Play and Development Robert M. Fagen 9. The History of Children's Play in the United States Howard P. Chudacoff 10. The Antipathies of Play Brian Sutton-Smith Part Four: Methods 11. The Cultural Ecology of Play: Methodological Considerations for Studying Play in Its Everyday Contexts Jonathan R. H. Tudge, Jill R. Brown, and Lia B. L. Freitas 12. Observational Methods in Studying Play Peter K. Smith Part Five: Dimensions of Play 13. Object Play and Tool Use: Developmental and Evolutionary Perspectives David F. Bjorklund and Amy K. Gardiner 14. The Development and Function of Locomotor Play Anthony D. Pellegrini 15. Not Just "Playing Alone": Exploring Multiple Forms of Nonsocial Play in Childhood Robert J. Coplan 16. Internalizing and Externalizing Disorders during Childhood: Implications for Social Play David Schwartz and Daryaneh Badaly 17. Gender and Temperament in Young Children's Social Interactions Carol Lynn Martin, Richard A. Fabes, Laura D. Hanish 18. Social Play of Children with Adults and Peers Carollee Howes 19. Rough-and-Tumble play: Training and Using the Social Brain Sergio M. Pellis and Vivien C. Pellis 20. Children's Games and Playground Activities in School and Their Role in Development Ed Baines and Peter Blatchford 21. Mother-Child Fantasy Play Angeline S. Lillard 22. Origins and Consequences of Social Pretend Play Robert D. Kavanaugh 23. The Development of Pretend Play in Autism Christopher Jarrold and Carmel Conn 24. Technology and Play Jeffrey Goldstein Part Six: Education 25. Playing around in School: Implications for Learning and Educational Policy Kelly Fisher, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Roberta M. Golinkoff, Dorothy G. Singer, and Laura Berk Part Seven: Conclusion 26. Conclusion Anthony D. Pellegrini Index

"In this comprehensive handbook, psychologists, primatologists, historians and educators show convincingly that play is a many-splendored thing. Readers of this book, whether they are researchers, teachers, policy makers or parents, will be exposed to the full complexity of the phenomenon of play. Advocates of play's benefits -- as well as the skeptical Gradgrinds of this world -- would do well to read the book from cover to cover. Few will ever venture a simple-minded generalization about play again." Paul L. Harris, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Education, Harvard University

"In this comprehensive handbook, psychologists, primatologists, historians and educators show convincingly that play is a many-splendored thing. Readers of this book, whether they are researchers, teachers, policy makers or parents, will be exposed to the full complexity of the phenomenon of play. Advocates of play's benefits -- as well as the skeptical Gradgrinds of this world -- would do well to read the book from cover to cover. Few will ever venture a simple-minded generalization about play again." Paul L. Harris, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Education, Harvard University

Selling point: Emphasizes the importance of play in the debate over the role of recess in the school curriculum Selling point: Comprises 24 specially-commissioned chapters by the leading psychologists, anthropologists, and evolutionary biologists in the field of play Selling point: Discusses human play from an ethological perspective, examining its ontogeny, phylogeny (especially across primate species), proximal factors and functions Selling point: Emphasizes the importance of play in the debate over the role of recess in the school curriculum

Selling point: Emphasizes the importance of play in the debate over the role of recess in the school curriculum Selling point: Comprises 24 specially-commissioned chapters by the leading psychologists, anthropologists, and evolutionary biologists in the field of play Selling point: Discusses human play from an ethological perspective, examining its ontogeny, phylogeny (especially across primate species), proximal factors and functions Selling point: Emphasizes the importance of play in the debate over the role of recess in the school curriculum