TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITY IN PARENT-CHILD PLAY DURING THE 2ND-YEAR

The purpose of the present study was to examine changes in parental su pport for play during the toddler's second year. Thirty toddlers and t heir parents were observed when the toddlers were 13, 14, 20 and 21 mo nths of age. Parents' production of facilitating behaviours and explor atory play increased over time, whereas their production of combinator ial, symbolic and sequential play decreased. Correlational and sequent ial analyses indicated that, at the early visits, parents responded to their toddlers' combinatorial and symbolic play with similar types of play, whereas at the later visits, only symbolic play was followed by comparable actions. Sensitive parents 'transfer responsibility' for p lay actions as they believe their toddlers become more competent. (C)1 996 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.