• Offers thorough coverage of theoretical perspectives on play, showing readers how theories contribute to a scientific understanding of play • Provides an up-to-date review of the literature, with nearly half of the references new to this edition • Includes a rich variety of pedagogical features that illustrate key points and help stimulate class discussions • Presents Putting Theory Into Practice sections (two per chapter) that contain practical applications of theory and research Instructor Resources, including Power Point slides, test questions, activities, a sample syllabus, teaching tips, and web resources, are available at