Synopsis

Published in 2023, “Play Fighting (Rough-and-Tumble Play) in Children: Developmental and Evolutionary Perspectives” by Peter K. Smith and Jennifer M. StGeorge explores the adaptive role of rough-and-tumble play (RTP) in child development. Drawing parallels from animal behavior to human interactions, the review highlights how RTP fosters emotional regulation and social skills, while addressing common ambivalence from educators and parents. It emphasizes the benefits of high-quality RTP in parent-child and peer contexts, advocating for its encouragement in early learning environments to build restraint and competence.

• Evolutionary Benefits: RTP mirrors play in non-human mammals, helping children practice fighting skills safely, improve impulse control, and reduce aggression through experience.
• Developmental Trends: Peaks in preschool and pre-adolescence, more common in boys; high-quality parent-child RTP (especially with fathers) boosts bonding and self-regulation.
• Cultural Variations: More prevalent in individualistic societies; in hunter-gatherer groups, it shows less gender segregation and supports social harmony.
• Positive Outcomes: Linked to better emotional control, social competence, and stress coping; interventions can shift teacher attitudes to allow more RTP.
• Practical Implications: Encourage balanced RTP in play settings to enhance child development, while monitoring quality to avoid dominance or injury risks.

The Study

Here’s the whole study:

Citation

Smith, P. K., & StGeorge, J. M. (2023). Play fighting (rough-and-tumble play) in children: developmental and evolutionary perspectives. International Journal of Play, 12(1), 113–126. https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2022.2152185

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