The relationship between play and language milestones in infancy

ABSTRACT

For the current study, a multi-measure, micro-analytic approach was used to prospectively explore the role of preliminary symbolic play with single and multi-objects in language milestone development and vice versa. Fourteen infants followed up in monthly one hour sessions between the ages of 8 and 16 months. Their spontaneous play acts and vocal behaviors were recorded, enabling the coding of vocalization, babbling, and speech. A multivariate model was used to examine the mutual link between the play and language milestones. The results indicated a general reciprocal support tendency between the lingual and play behaviors; however, the simplest forms, vocalization and single-object play, were found to have key roles in cognitive development. Vocalization and babbling were found to correlate with both play forms, and play with a single object was related to the production of all vocal behaviors. The discussion explains the mechanisms of vocalization and single-toy play that enable cognitive growth.

KEYWORDS:

• Vocal behaviours
• single-object play
• multi-objects play
• babbling
• vocalization

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Edna Orr

Edna Orr completed her M.A. and Ph.D. studies cum laude at Bar-Ilan University in the Early Childhood Track. Her PhD. Degree was in early childhood Education from Bar-Ilan University, Isreal in 2008. Complete post doc in Developmental Neuropsychology Lab, Bar Ilan University, Israel with prof. Ronny Geva. The PhD. Thesis focus on emergence of symbolic skills among babies. She is an active researcher, writer of a text book on babies cognitive development for MOFET Institute, Consortium of Israeli Colleges of Education, Tel-Aviv. She is the head of the Quantitative Unit for Final project M.Ed. and M. Ed Thesis supervisor in “Gordon academic collage of education”, Haifa. Teaching in the early childhood development department and School for advanced studies in “Gordon academic collage of education”, Haifa. Senior lecturer in areas such as: resource allocation among babies, motor and cognitive development and the role of home environment in child development. She is a fellow at The Developmental Neuropsychology Lab, Bar Ilan University, Israel.