| Social skills and play skills develop throughout early childhood and are imperative for the development of relationships with peers, belongingness, and emotional regulation. Children who do not develop social skills and play skills are at risk of short-term and long-term negative outcomes. The Plan-Play-Review Intervention has been shown to improve social skills, play skills, and language skills in early childhood (Craig-Unkefer & Kaiser, 2002; Craig-Unkefer & Kaiser, 2003; Sualy, Yount, Kelly-Vance, & Ryalls, 2011; Conner, Kelly-Vance, Ryalls, & Friehe, 2014). The current study examined the effects of the Plan-Play-Review Intervention on Head Start students with below average and average to above average social skills and play skills. Students were paired based on social skills and play skills and received the intervention four days a week for a total of 12 sessions. Social skills were emphasized more in the current study than in previous studies by discussing social skills during the Plan Stage, reinforcing and correcting social skills during the Play Stage, and reviewing social skills exhibited during play and discussing how social skills can improve in the future during the Review Stage. After receiving the intervention, all of the participants showed increases in demonstrated social skills and development in play behaviors. Implications for use in schools are discussed. |
