According to the theory of play development, which of the following behaviours is not correctly matched with the type of play?

Appeared in: NORCET-11 Prelims

Explanation

Unoccupied or sensorimotor play (repetitive banging/manipulation) is normal for infants, not for a 5-year-old.
By age 5, children should engage in associative, cooperative, or sociodramatic play involving interaction and imagination.
A 5-year-old showing only unoccupied play may indicate developmental delay.
Other options describe play behaviors appropriate for the ages listed.

Option A: Playing together and sharing toys is typical of cooperative play, which is expected in 7-year-old children.
Option B: Playing side by side without interaction is parallel play, which is common in 3-year-olds (toddlers).
Option C: Playing alone in an imaginary world is solitary or pretend play, which is appropriate for a 4-year-old.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Matching play behaviors to developmental stages according to play theory as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Recognizing age-appropriate play helps nurses identify normal development and spot early signs of developmental delay.
If a 5-year-old only engages in unoccupied play, further developmental assessment is warranted.
What if? If the child was 1 year old and banging a spoon, this would be normal sensorimotor play; at 5 years, it is not.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the play behavior described in each option.
Recall the typical age range for each type of play (unoccupied, solitary, parallel, associative, cooperative).
Match the described behavior to the expected developmental stage.
Look for mismatches between age and play type to find the incorrect pairing.
Eliminate options that are correctly matched to their developmental stage.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Matching play behaviors to developmental stages according to play theory
Stem keywords: theory of play development, behaviours, type of play, age
Lead-in keywords: not correctly matched
Clinical cues: age of child
Clinical cues: type of play behavior

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E6 Text Book Of Pediatric Nursing 3rd Panchali Pal — Part 1 (pp 36-238 of 713) p. 134-136

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health NursingShyamala D part 1 (pp 26-389 of 389) p. 144-146

Practise the full NORCET-11 Prelims

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.