ABSTRACT
The oft-quoted saying that “play is children’s work” captures some of the implicit notions that make the discussion of play so complex. Play is fun, exciting, and appealing to children of all ages. At the same time, play is serious business, and invoking the image of play as children’s work suggests that children accrue some benefits from playing beyond enjoyment of the moment. To the extent that adult involvement in play supports and extends those benefits, parent-child play may be regarded as a meaningful context for children’s social and cognitive growth. What functions do specific types of play serve, and what role do parents have in supporting those functions?
