This discussion provides you with an opportunity to explore the stages of play. Understanding these perspectives will inform your continued refinement of your personal framework of play as it relates to children. To prepare for this discussion, read Chapters 4, 5, and 6 in the course text and review the Instructor Guidance which provides additional information for this discussion. The recommended resources for this week also contain helpful information about stages of play.  Additionally, consider whether you believe play follows specific stages of development. Then, consider the example of playing with blocks, including stacking toys, and how students learn about size and balance, practice and develop psychomotor control, and experiment with shapes and color. With these considerations in mind, you will select one of the images below for analysis in this discussion.

Initial Post: For the initial post, you will conduct an image analysis by selecting one of the images above and discussing MacDonald’s “Stages of Block Play” presented in this week’s Instructor Guidance. To construct your initial post, you will reference the Chapter readings for this week along with other resources.

In your initial post:

• Describe the stage of block play that you believe the child is engaged in. Why did you choose this stage?
• Describe the skills associated with the stage of play identified.
• Discuss how playing with blocks at earlier developmental stages contributes to mastery for later motor, cognitive, and physical development.
• Explain how your understanding of block play will influence your personal framework of play.
• Discuss any modifications/accommodations you would make for children with learning differences. Provide a specific example.