ABSTRACT
Karl groos divides the play of animals into the following types: experimental play; movement play; hunting plays; fighting plays; constructive arts; nursery plays; and sex plays. Experimental play includes all play which enables the animal to get control of its muscles, and involves stretching, straining the limbs, pulling, and clawing. The counting out rhymes are believed to have evolved from the ancient system of taboo, the ring and line games from tribal contest. Many of the games show a distinct element of the evolution of marriage customs. Most of them involve some co-operation, and many of them call out the instincts of the chase. At adolescence the changes which are taking place in both the body and mind of the individual are mirrored in the play which tends to become more and more co-operative. The aggressive individualistic character of the earlier type of play disappears, and a strong sense of group consciousness is developed.
