ABSTRACT
This chapter presents Sheridan's original observations of the ages and stages at which significant manifestations of behaviour usually appear, supporting the development of children's repertoire of play skills. Understanding children's development can help us to make the best provision for their play. However, it is important to bear in mind that wide variations are to be expected. The chapter describes children's development in age-defined sections; however, the ages provided should be taken only as a guide and they are not necessarily the earliest or latest points at which a behaviour might appear. This variation is evident in the illustrations used by Sheridan to exemplify her observations where sometimes the age of the child pictured does not match the age with which the section is principally concerned. Photographs of children engaged in similar behaviours to those depicted by Sheridan in other chapters of the book demonstrate the currency of her original observations.
