Value of Solitary Play

Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.

-Benjamin Franklin

In their new book, From Play to Practice, Marcia Nell and Walter Drew, summarize the work of Monighan, Scales, Van Hoorn, and Almy (Looking at Children's Play, New York, Teachers College Press, 1987) on solitary play:

"There is little reason to assume that solitary play is less mature than interactive play, or that children always benefit from admonitions to share their toys. Instead, there may be good reason for fostering solitary play in the curriculum.

"The sense of mastery that children gain from solitary play seems to provide a solid base for cooperative play, sharing of ideas, and social negotiation that are also called for in educational settings. The opportunity to consolidate intellectual activities in a private context may also contribute to the development of problem-solving skills and a reliance o n self-control in educational settings."