ABSTRACT
Meeting the needs of immigrant children has become a major preoccupation of educational and social agencies, but the diagnosis of play needs as perceived by immigrant families from different cultural backgrounds is often at variance with the norms of the host society. This chapter analyzes some aspects of the problem, reflects the experiences of children from their own perspective, and examines the extent to which new trends in recreational provision can promote the learning and socialization needs of immigrant children. Immigrant parents are often wary of these artificial but uncontrolled environments. The element of socialization through play remains a constant source of anxiety to parents of immigrant children. Restrictions about forming friendships are a frequent source of conflict between parents and children in Canadian multiracial and multicultural settings. Schools are finding it difficult to break through the stereotypes set for children by immigrant families.
