Ideas at Play: An Occupational Therapy (OT) Podcast Summer of Play Series: Play Personalities
Jul 30, 2025
Dive into the intriguing world of play in pediatric therapy! Discover the fascinating evolution of play theories from Piaget to Vygotsky and Mary Reilly. Explore the eight distinct types of play, including attunement and imaginative storytelling, and their impact on child development. Uncover your own play personality with a fun quiz, learning if you're an explorer, collector, or competitor. This playful journey not only enhances therapeutic practices but also enriches personal insights into how we engage with play!
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Fun Isn't Equivalent To Play
- Therapists often mistake anything fun for true play.
- Michele Alaniz warns this leads to disappointing play-based therapy without understanding play's intricacies.
Piaget And Vygotsky Both Matter
- Piaget viewed play as reflecting cognition while Vygotsky saw play as driving learning.
- Lacy Wright and Michele Alaniz argue both perspectives inform pediatric therapy.
Play As An Occupation
- Mary Reilly declared play an occupation and redirected OT practice toward play.
- Lacy Wright notes Reilly's students then developed key play assessments still used today.
