Famous Philosophers on the Theory of Play

Erik Erikson had similar theories to play theory is
similar to Lev Vygotsky. He believed that play was
a necessary factor in a child's social development.
The play of children is not merely an expression of
their conflicts and problems, rather, it is an attempt
to find symbolic solutions. Much like Vygotsky
believed that the imagination led to abstract
thinking and improved reasoning, Erikson thought
that play was crucial to a child's social
development. Through play the child could learn to
resolve problems, not by concrete solutions, but
through abstract thinking that could lead to internal
solutions.
John Dewey: Play is Akin to Survival
John Dewey felt that the youngest children would
have been given objects to play with that would
have been necessary for survival. By playing with
these objects, children could learn to be an active
part of the community, while also enhancing their
odds of survival. For example, during the Stone
Age children would have been given a stick to
throw and play with. The stick would have
represented the future spear that the child would
need to wield in order to survive. Once again we
see that play is necessary for a child's
development of certain skills.
Melanie Klein: The Study of Child
Analysis