ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines play in humans and does not consider, except very occasionally, animal play. It looks at historical attitudes to play and how they have influenced play research. The book also looks at the way children play with objects and toys. It analyses J. Piaget's views and tries to incorporate the fact that often children play with toys with other children or adults. The book looks at the issue of whether children can be taught to play better by adults. It focuses on how children play with their parents. The book looks at play therapy and asks how much of it is play and how much of it is therapy. It argues that adults need to play more and more freely. The book conforms to the rules of the book game.
