Rough-and-tumble play

Rough-and-tumble play (R T) is a distinctive form of behaviour, prominent in children. It has been studied by a variety of methods which complement each other in interesting ways. 

Boulton, M.J. Smith, P.K. (submitted). Peer social status, rough-and-tumble play and aggression social skill and behaviour. Submitted for publication. 

MacDonald, K. (1992). A time and place for everything A discrete systems perspective on the role of children s rough-and-tumble play in educational settings. Early Education and Development, 3, 334—355. 

Pellegrini, A.D. (1987). Rough-and-tumble play Developmental and educational significance. Educational Psychologist, 22, 23-43. 

Pellegrini, A.D. (1988). Elementary school children s rough-and-tumble play and social competence. Developmental Psychology, 24, 802—806. 

Pellegrini, A.D. (1989). What is a category The case of rough-and-tumble play. Ethology and Sociobiology, 10, 331-341. 

Smith, P.K. (1989). The role of rough-and-tumble play in the development of social competence Theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence. In B.H.Schneider, G.Attili, J.Nadel R.P.Weissberg (Eds.), Social competence in developmental perspective (pp.239-255). Dordrecht Kluwer. 

Smith, P.K. and Boulton, M. (1990). Rough-and-tumble play, aggression and dominance perception and behaviour in children s encounters. Human Development, 33, 271—282. 

Smith, P.K. Lewis, K. (1985). Rough-and-tumble play, fighting, and chasing in nursery school children. Ethology and Sociobiology, 6, 175—181. 

On the downside, only children can pay a developmental price for the lack of other children in the family. From missing out on the rough and tumble of sibling rivalry, companionship, conflict, and play at home, only children can grow up lacking a degree of emotional maturity. 

In the example game depicted here, set in a rough-and-tumble futuristic world, you play Kenneth Lassiter. America has dissolved into warring anarchy, with each man out for himself. 

The quality of interaction in class, however informal, is quite likely to be inhibited due to the presence somewhere of an adult, compared with what goes on at lunchtime and in the playground. Most of the physical contact and rough-and-tumble behaviour which primary children often manifest appeared to take place in these circumstances. Take this observation Children line up to go out to play. Couple of other children quite rough with Daniel and actually hit him he retaliates but doesn t over-retaliate. It was also noticeable that the emotionally freer, physical, approaches made to Caroline by her peers tended to be in the absence of a teacher or LSA, as in this observation William teased her in a friendly way and then went up and hugged her - they pretended to be biting chunks our of each other. ... 

---