Children, Play, and Development, Fourth Edition, discusses the relationship of play to the physical, social, intellectual, and emotional growth of the child. Author Fergus P. Hughes focuses on the historical, sociocultural, and ethological context of play; the role of development in play; and the wide range of theories that provide a framework for interpreting play. The changes in this thoroughly updated Fourth Edition include new information on cultural differences in object play, a critique of experimental research on play across cultures, brain correlates of aggressive play in humans and animals, the development of the young child's ability to distinguish between reality and make-believe, computers in the classroom, the development of emergent literacy, and the impact of attachment on children's development. Key features of this book are: (1) Offers thorough coverage of theoretical perspectives on play, showing readers how theories contribute to a scientific understanding of play; (2) Provides an up-to-date review of the literature, with nearly half of the references new to this edition; (3) Includes a rich variety of pedagogical features that illustrate key points and help stimulate class discussions; and (4) Presents Putting Theory Into Practice sections (two per chapter) that contain practical applications of theory and research. Contents of this book: (I) The Context of Play, which includes: (1) Historical and Theoretical Viewpoints; and (2) Ethological and Cultural Perspectives; (II) The Development of Play, which includes: (3) The First Two Years of Life; (4) The Preschool Years: From 2 to 5; (5) Play in Later Childhood and Adolescence; (III) Individual Differences in Play, which includes: (6) Gender Differences in Play; (7) Play in Special Populations; and (IV) The Benefits of Play, which includes (8) Play and Intellectual Development; (9) The Social Benefits of Play; and (10) The Uses of Play in Therapy. This book also includes: (1) Preface; (2) Acknowledgments; (3) Glossary; (4) References; (5) Index; and (6) About the Author.