“I Did It Myself”: The Necessity of Solo Play for Preschoolers

Understanding Nonsocial Play in Early Childhood

“…In fact, some researchers have suggested that solitary constructive play is educational and goal directed (Rubin, 1982;Rubin, Maloni, & Homug, 1976). Solitary constructive play also has been positively related to measures of social contact (Katz & Buchholz, 1999). Happier moods and increased alertness are other positive outcomes that have been shown to be related to solitary constructive behaviors (Larson, 1990).…”

“…Autonomous functioning, time for self-reflection, preference for being alone, and independent learning are among some reasons that have been suggested by researchers as why children engage in nonsocial behaviors (Burger, 1995;Katz & Buchholz, 1999;Larson, 1990). Autonomous functioning describes a childÕs capacity to decide whether he or she wants to play with others.…”

“…Some children play alone more than others, but have a normal range of language and social skills when they play with others. This ''object oriented'' group of children has been identified as those who would rather explore their environment and has more interest in objects than in conversing or interacting with peers (Asendorpf, 1990;Katz & Buchholz, 1999).…”

“…By making such choices, childrenÕs perceptions of control and autonomy may be enhanced. Spending time alone also allows for self-reflection on inner states, more specifically on oneÕs emotions and feelings (Katz & Buchholz, 1999). As such, nonsocial play is not necessarily an indicator of deficient social skills and can be an indication of a childÕs preference for solitude (Coplan et al, 1994;Katz & Buchholz, 1999).…”

“…Solitary constructive play is broadly defined as the movement of objects with the purpose of creating something and exploratory play, more specifically including activities such as artwork and puzzle and block construction (Katz & Buchholz, 1999;Rubin, 1982). Solitary non-constructive play is described as repetitive muscle movements with or without an object (such as banging a block against a wall; Coplan, Rubin, Fox, Calkins, & Stewart, 1994;Lloyd & Howe, 2003).…”